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Big draft blows tonight

Today is like Christmas for football personnel junkies, as Round 1 of the annual draft of college players goes off in Vegas tonight.

It’s the first of a three-day extravaganza that creates a lot of buzz around NFL Nation for mock drafts, potential trades and maneuvering around the board.

So as I sit here hoping Coach B makes the bold move I know he won’t — swing for the fences to get the home run-hitting wide receiver they need — here’s a series of thoughts buzzing in my head as Round 1 begins Thursday, April 28, at 8 p.m. in the east.

For a change there hasn’t been much rumble about QBs in this draft, the most discussed subject being the undersized hands of the guy at the top of the QB board, Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh.

It’s a stark contrast to last year, when the likely five first rounders were the catalyst for two major pre-draft trades, as they captured all the conversational oxygen in the room. That the last picked of those five, Mac Jones, had by far the best rookie year was a big story through the entire year, even as the Pats’ December fade helped Ja’Marr Chase deservedly sneak by Mac to be Rookie of the Year for his dramatic impact in Cincy.

Instead QB’s in the league already have dominated the pre-draft headlines. This included the Packers bowing to Aaron Rodgers’ bluff of wanting out of Green Bay to give him what he really wanted — being the highest-paid player in the NFL. Russell Wilson got his wish to get out as Seattle headed to a rebuild. Denver paid a king’s ransom to get him to end their playoff-less streak since Peyton Manning retired after 2015. Here’s hoping it doesn’t end as I hate when ungrateful quitters come out on top after walking out on teams that took a big chance on them at the start.

A similar price was paid to finally put an end to the Deshaun Watson saga in Houston and bring his enormous baggage with him to Cleveland. I’m hoping he hits rough seas too, both for his alleged sexual misconduct activities and so Cleveland Browns’ slimy, ends-justify-the-means owner Jimmy Haslam doesn’t benefit either.

That move sent Baker Mayfield into pout mode because he somehow can’t see why the Browns would want to start over at QB over committing ginormous money to a QB with a most uneven record.

Seattle and Carolina are rumored to be likely places to land. Not sure which is worse as Panthers Coach Matt Rhule looks to be a year away from the firing squad and Seattle puts him back in the same situation he was in when he got to Cleveland.

Big paydays also came to wide receivers in various ways: extensions (Stefon Diggs), free agency (Davante Adams to Vegas) and trade (Tyreek Hill to Miami, as their growing influence on the game in the 2020s becomes more evident by the year.

With both Diggs and now Hill in the AFC East, and the flush with draft capital Jets looking for a big play guy, those moves are why the Patriots need to get in the DK Metcalf and Deebo Samuel sweepstakes, as over the next five years to win in the East you’re going to have to outscore the other guy. Similar to Coach B deducing in 2007 he needed to bring in Randy Moss and Wes Welker as outscoring them would be the only way to beat Manning and the Colts. And with an evolving QB who could use the extra help and on his rookie contract it will never be more affordable than right now.

Anyone know the Vegas odds for Jacksonville taking the wrong guy with the top pick? Since they only fired Urban Meyer and not the GM who hired him, I’m betting it’s worth the investment to lay down a few bob on a blown pick.

Finally, something to bear in mind as the so-called draft insiders yack about measurables, intangibles and great value picks while gushing over every player taken as if they’ll be the second coming of Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice and/or Lawrence Taylor. It’s an inexact science where only about 25 percent turn out to be as good as they were bloviated about, and sometimes after thought 199th picks turn out to be GOATs, and first overalls like JaMarcus Russell can’t start for the local YMCA.

Exhibit A is Mike Mayock, a talking head who was considered the draft “guru” while analyzing drafts on TV before and after all the picks were made. That is until the crystal ball he was oh-so confident in magically became quite foggy when he had to do it for real as the personnel chief of the Raiders under the defrocked Jon Gruden.

The record is pretty mixed with 2019 picks Josh Jacobs in Round 2 and wideout Hunter Renfrow in Round 5 being the highlights. The lows were character misses on 2020 first-round picks Alabama wideout Henry Ruggs III and DB Damon Arnette. Ruggs is now sitting in jail with his career likely over, after a woman was killed when he crashed his car into hers while allegedly intoxicated and driving 150 MPH on the Vegas strip last October. While Arnette was released a short while after that when a video surfaced of him brandishing firearms a la Aaron Hernandez and making violent threats.

Evaluating all aspects of the talent package is a lot harder than the yackers make it out to be.

OK, Jaguars, you’re on the clock.

The bigger picture

NH Travel and Tourism director joins national travel board

Lori Harnois, director of the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs Division of Travel and Tourism, has been elected to serve a two-year term on the U.S. Travel Association’s board of directors. She talked about the opportunity and the intersection between her work in New Hampshire and the part she plays in national issues.

What is your background in travel and tourism?

This is my second time serving in this role as director of travel and tourism for New Hampshire. I [returned] at the end of February 2020, a month before Covid hit. Before that, I was working for Discover New England, which is a marketing organization that promotes the New England region as a travel destination to the overseas traveler. Before that, I was in this role I’m in now. I feel fortunate that I was able to come back to this role to promote the state that I live in and tell everybody why New Hampshire is a great place to come and visit.

What does your role as director of New Hampshire’s Division of Travel and Tourism entail?

Our department’s role is to promote New Hampshire as a travel destination, both domestically and internationally, for the purposes of increasing business, the business economy and the workforce, all centered around travel and tourism. We head up all the marketing efforts that promote New Hampshire as a travel destination, like the state’s website visitnh.gov and a guidebook on New Hampshire that’s given out to travelers, encouraging them to come here. We’re also responsible for a grant program that provides assistance to chambers of commerce and other destination marketing organizations, such as Ski NH, the White Mountains Attractions Association and the Lakes Region Tourism Association, to help them pay for their marketing efforts. Since the pandemic, we’ve also been helping [the state’s industries] work through workforce issues by encouraging people to consider moving and living … playing or working here, and we’ve been trying to help the tourism industry recover, because it was actually the industry that was hit the hardest as a result of the pandemic.

What is the function of the U.S. Travel Association board of directors?

It’s a fairly large board — at least 125 people, I’d say — with CEOs from a variety of different organizations, such as Expedia and Disney World, as well as [representatives from] states, like myself. … Some of the main issues this national organization has focused on are things like reopening the international borders during the pandemic; workforce … and the importance of international workers; … and trying to help the [tourism] industry recover from the pandemic … by encouraging [a return to] in-person meetings and traveling for business. … The board meets three times a year. … We just had a meeting two weeks ago.

What are some of the issues the board discussed at the last meeting?

Promoting the U.S. as a travel destination to international travelers for the purposes of restarting international travel was a big priority that we were discussing. We talked about the international workforce … and how to speed along the visa-processing time, because there’s quite a lag right now between when someone applies for a visa and when they can actually come here to work. … We talked about how we can change the [public’s] perception of jobs within the tourism sector and [show that] there are good-paying jobs, not just low-paying jobs, and that there are opportunities to grow and climb the ladder quickly. We talked about updating and maintaining our country’s infrastructure, like our roads and our airports, to increase travel mobility; how technology plays a role in that; and how we can do it in the right manner to [meet] the need for sustainability.

How does being on the national board inform your work in New Hampshire?

There are a lot of things on the national scale that we look at and think about how we can mimic those efforts at a state level in New Hampshire. … There were also breakout sessions for state tourism directors like myself, where we were able to talk about what we do, what’s been working for us and how we can potentially take some of those ideas and implement them in our own states.

How does representation from New Hampshire inform the national board’s work?

Being part of the U.S. Travel Association board of directors allows New Hampshire to have a voice on a national level … and express our concerns on certain issues. … I can take stories from the companies here in New Hampshire and share those with people in the U.S. Travel Association, who can then communicate to Capitol Hill what is going on in the states and what issues need to be addressed … with some type of policy change. That’s how New Hampshire has a direct impact [on a national level].

Featured photo: Lori Harnois

News & Notes 22/04/28

Covid-19 update	As of April 18	As of April 25
Total cases statewide	304,365	308,446
Total current infections statewide	1,544	2,444
Total deaths statewide	2,459	2,475
New cases	1,828 (April 12 to April 18)	2,253 (April 19 to April 25)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	572	709
Current infections: Merrimack County	157	180
Current infections: Rockingham County	435	507

Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

Covid-19 news

On April 25, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved the Covid-19 treatment Veklury (remdesivir) for younger children, according to a press release. Before now, Veklury had only been approved to treat Covid-positive patients ages 12 and older. Pediatric patients 28 days and older and weighing at least 7 pounds can now receive the treatment after being hospitalized with Covid, the release said. The only approved dosage form for Veklury is via injection — the antiviral medicine can also be administered to non-hospitalized pediatric patients who “have mild-to-moderate Covid-19 and are at high risk for progression to severe Covid-19, including hospitalization or death,” according to the release.

In New Hampshire, health officials reported 173 new Covid cases on April 25. The state averaged 323 new cases per day over the most recent seven-day period, a 20 percent increase compared to the week before. As of April 25 there were 2,444 active cases statewide and 22 hospitalizations.

DOC jobs

The New Hampshire Department of Corrections has created a new website to help fill its many vacancies in Concord and Berlin. According to a press release, interested candidates can go to jobs.nhdoc.nh.gov to see open positions, which include corrections officers, chefs/cooks, nurses, counselors, teachers, logistics and administrative staff. The website includes salary and benefits information, and candidates can begin the application process as well by filling out an initial interest form. “It’s a great time to start your career at the Department of Corrections,” Commissioner Helen Hanks said in the release. “We offer a variety of positions that will propel your professional career while suiting your needs. We offer a competitive compensation package with outstanding benefits. Working at the Department of Corrections is a rewarding career, one which you will be proud of, and we look forward to speaking with you about our opportunities.”

STANDUP

Last week U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan hosted a roundtable at the Manchester School of Technology, leading a discussion on youth suicide prevention. According to a press release, Hassan talked to Granite State students, educators and mental health and suicide prevention advocates about the STANDUP Act, a new law that requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to give priority for grants that implement evidence-based suicide awareness and prevention training policies in states, tribal governments and local educational agencies. Roundtable participants then talked about the continuing efforts to prevent and respond to youth suicide and mental illness in the state, including students providing peer-based support to Manchester-based Makin’ It Happen, a nonprofit organization seeking to create a coordinated community response around improving youth mental health. “The feedback I got today was so important. What it tells me is that we have young people in this state who are very aware that mental illness is a real problem and they’re very concerned about their friends. They are also very aware that there are tools out there that can keep each other safe,” Hassan said in the release.

Restaurant support

The Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery has launched the Local Restaurant Infrastructure Investment Program, a new Covid-19 relief program that aims to help address workforce issues and overall restaurant safety challenges that small, local restaurants across the state have experienced. According to a press release, the program is funded by American Rescue Plan Act funds and will provide awards of up to $15,000 to local restaurants seeking reimbursement for eligible equipment, infrastructure and technology purchases. The deadline to apply for the program is July 13, though review of applications will begin prior to the deadline.

School heroes

United Way of Greater Nashua’s “Ribbons for School Heroes” project, created to show appreciation for local school staff, is underway, and Greater Nashua residents are invited to tie a ribbon in their town’s high school colors on their mailbox or tree. According to a press release, ribbons are currently available at local libraries in the colors of the area’s high school (Hollis residents may pick up their free ribbons at the Lull Farm instead of the library), or at the United Way of Greater Nashua office located at 20 Broad St. in Nashua. This new campaign stems from the “United With School Heroes” school staff appreciation project that took place earlier this year, which thanked all faculty and staff in local schools for their hard work over the past three years. The ribbons are an additional way to express gratitude, the release said. Anyone interested in participating can pick up a complimentary ribbon at the library in Amherst, Brookline, Hudson, Litchfield, Lyndeborough, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua or Wilton or Lull Farm in Hollis in addition to the United Way office, which is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays.

Energy assistance

U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas recently announced that New Hampshire has been awarded $2,881,938 to help families cover the costs of home energy expenses through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. According to a press release, the total amount of LIHEAP funding allocated to New Hampshire over the past year is now $64,347,626. “As working families struggle with surging energy costs, I’m pleased to welcome $2.8 million to the Granite State to help households afford their energy bills. LIHEAP is an important program that helps lower heating and cooling costs so families aren’t forced to face an impossible decision between paying for these expenses or paying for food or medicine,” Shaheen said in the release.

Bee data

The NH Beekeepers Association is asking all beekeepers in the state to help it collect data on 2021-2022 winter beehive survival. According to a press release, this data, along with data collected in five previous surveys, is being used to understand why New Hampshire’s winter hive loss has been higher than the national average, and what management practices have been helping improve survival. The survey takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete and is available online until April 30 at surveymonkey.com/r/NH2022HiveSurvey. It is open to all beekeepers in the state, not just Association members. The survey analysis and results will be available in mid-June, the release said.

On April 22, 17 dogs and handlers from across the country came to the New Hampshire Fire Academy in Concord for a demonstration of the training that arson dogs and their respective handlers get to find evidence at fire scenes, including accelerants such as gas, oil or fuel used to start fires. According to a press release, the media event was hosted by The New Hampshire Department of Safety, Maine Specialty Dogs and State Farm Insurance, which funds the national Arson Dog Program.

The bi-annual National Take Back Day will be held on Saturday, April 30, and Manchester residents can drop off their unused or expired prescription medications between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Manchester Police Department at 405 Valley St., at Elliot at River’s Edge at 175 Queen City Ave. or at the NH National Guard Armory at 1059 Canal St. According to a press release, pills, patches, vaping devices and cartridges will be accepted, but liquids, needles and sharps will not.

Temple Beth Abraham and Rivier University in Nashua will host a presentation for Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 28 at 7 p.m. in the Dion Center at Rivier. According to a press release, Tom White, coordinator of Educational Outreach for the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, will present “Remembrance, Education and Resiliency” and discuss the relevance of Holocaust and genocide education.

Deep thinking

I worked for over seven years to increase awareness of an important health condition that warrants everyone’s attention as 1 in 10 of us have it, and 1 in 3 of us are at high risk of developing the mostly preventable version — diabetes.

Every year as November approached, we would see and begin the preparations for Diabetes Awareness Month, and yet I would think to myself: “Every day is diabetes awareness day!” Thus my mixed feelings toward awareness days even as I knew that 1 in 5 people with diabetes don’t know they have it, and more than 8 in 10 individuals with prediabetes are unaware. This for a health condition that has the potential for significant improvement or control, and potential prevention — if we have the understanding of how to care for ourselves and manage our diabetes or prediabetes.

There are other kinds of awareness events, such as National Wear Red Day (on Feb. 4, this year), which raises attention to heart disease being the No. 1 killer of women, and all of February being American Heart Month; June being Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and Sept. 5 to Sept. 11 being National Suicide Prevention Week. The calendar is now full with these kinds of awareness events and it’s difficult to register their existence, let alone keep track of them. Which has helped me now realize there actually can be a benefit to focusing much-needed attention, and has me wondering: As all of us are touched by one or more of these health issues, how do we support and amplify each other’s concerns so that we can all, together, contribute to building a healthier future?

Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. And we have long considered the United States to be the land of opportunity. Yet our current standing among developed countries as having the worst maternal mortality — where most maternal deaths are preventable — reminds us that we face a significant threat to the opportunity for all to thrive and contribute to this country’s future prosperity. There are many contributing factors for our current situation — some relate to individuals, many relate to our living conditions, and even more relate to systemic factors such as the availability of health insurance coverage, access to health care, bias that may be built into how things are done and more. Thankfully, more attention is being focused on helpful policy solutions that impact how care is provided in the clinical setting as well as the supports that can help all birthing people have healthy and positive perinatal experiences and contribute to community well-being.

This year April 11 through April 17 marked Black Maternal Health Week — I hope we will all be curious to learn why we should all care enough to be aware.

City Biking — 04/21/22

All three of southern New Hampshire’s major cities have increasingly become more bicycle-friendly in recent years. Learn about some of the ongoing projects on both urban roads and rail trails, and find out where some of the best scenic routes are for the next time you pedal out.

Also on the cover, local chefs will compete in a Chopped-style cooking challenge during the annual Fire & Fusion event, p. 24, St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church presents a pop-up to-go festival of Greek eats, p. 25, and get all the details of this year’s special vinyl releases and events for Record Store Day, p. 31.

A healthier future

I worked for over seven years to increase awareness of an important health condition that warrants everyone’s attention as 1 ...

News & Notes 22/04/21

Covid-19 update As of April 11 As of April 18Total cases statewide 304,365 304,365Total current infections statewide 1,544 1,544Total deaths ...

Connected cause

A look at a local effort to help Ukraine Following “An Evening for Ukraine: Art Exhibition & Conversation,” an event ...

Pats on clock in 7 days

The NFL draft is one week away, so the Pats are now on the clock in deciding how they should ...

Quality of Life 22/04/21

Uke lovers rejoice After two and a half years with no performances, The Ukestra with Mike Loce will be performing ...

This Week 22/04/21

advertisement for stage production of The Producers musical

Big Events April 21, 2022 and beyond Friday, April 22 “Let’s assume for a moment that you are a dishonest ...

City Biking

group of kids riding bikes through neighborhood

Traverse local cities on two wheels for fun, exercise and maybe even a speedier way to get around Sharing the ...

Illustrations on auction

illustration of 2 mice in waking up in bedroom

Bedford artist donates old works to support FIT When Tracey Dahle Carrier of Bedford created her first illustrations for a ...

The Art Roundup 22/04/21

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • Molten fun: Online registration for the Andres Institute of Art’s ...

Spring activities

aluminum shovel and rake on ground in spring

Early-in-the-season gardening chores I’ve finally had a few days of dry weather with temperature in the 50s, so I have ...

Treasure Hunt 22/04/21

child's wooden school desk from the nineteenth century

Dear Donna, I came across this miniature school desk that almost fell apart when I picked it up. It was ...

Kiddie Pool 22/04/21

Family fun for the weekend For the littles • The Nashua Public Library and the Greater Nashua Smart Start Coalition ...

On The Job – Colin Campbell

Colin Campbell Pressure washer technician Colin Campbell co-owns and -operates PressureWorks, a pressure wash and deep cleaning service based in ...

The Weekly Dish 22/04/21

News from the local food scene • The key to deliciousness: Join artisan bread maker Cheryl Holbert of Nomad Bakery ...

Culinary creativity

male chef in competition presenting a dish he prepared

Fire & Fusion chef competition returns A timed cooking challenge involving four “mystery” ingredients — think Food Network’s Chopped — ...

Greek eats return

Nashua’s St. Philip Church presents pop-up event Last October, St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church in Nashua held a first-come, first-served ...

In the kitchen with Saurav Goel

Saurav Goel of Nashua is the general manager of Raga Contemporary Kitchen (138 Main St., Nashua, 459-8566, find them on ...

Warm butternut and apple salad

Salad season is almost here! Yes, I know salads are all-year food items, but the warmth of summer makes them ...

Beer-braised carnitas

The best tacos on the planet? Imagine crispy, yet tender, bits of pork exploding with savory, sweet flavors in every ...

Album Reviews 22/04/21

album cover for Cypress Hill, Back In Black

Cypress Hill, Back In Black (Mnrk Records) You have to admire the timing of this ’90s rap group’s latest release, ...

Vinyl destination

Record Store Day returns By Jack Walsh listings@hippopress.com Each year thousands of people gather at independent record stores worldwide to ...

Tobacco Wives, by Adele Myers

Tobacco Wives, by Adele Myers (William Morrow, 344 pages) Is there any good reason for a parochial New Englander to ...

The Music Roundup 22/04/21

Local music news & events • Beach party: Touring behind last year’s One Way Out, Melissa Etheridge stops by the ...

A long, long time ago

‘American Pie’ marks 50 years with Don McLean show As Don McLean began a phone interview in advance of a ...

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A long, long time ago

‘American Pie’ marks 50 years with Don McLean show

As Don McLean began a phone interview in advance of a performance marking 50 years since “American Pie” debuted, Dolly Parton had just asked the Rock and Hall of Fame to withdraw her nomination. The songwriter who’d cataloged the saints of rock in his iconic song was pressed for his thoughts.

“I will take any award that is given to me; I don’t have the kind of character it would take to turn [them] down,” McLean answered with a wry chuckle, adding that early on, “a certain religious quality, fostered by Rolling Stone, made for a very good Hall of Fame … but now they’ve run out of people. How many times can Paul McCartney get in?”

When “American Pie” hit the airwaves in 1971, it caused a sensation unlike any song that came before. Scholars analyzed it and fans obsessively pored over each line for hidden meaning. McLean gave listeners plenty to sift through, but said his epic tune began like any other, with him alone in a writing room.

Near the same time, The Beatles were working their way through “Let It Be,” but he didn’t have the luxury of tossing around ideas with bandmates.

“In my situation it’s all me,” he said. “My brain, my heart, my memory and my thoughts … I know exactly what I want to do. It’s very hard for me to work with people.”

In the studio, that became a problem.

“It was rehearsed for weeks,” he said. “The boys that did the record now brag about it, but they couldn’t play it to save their ass.”

Only Paul Griffin’s rousing gospel piano was able to transform it into the song he’d heard in his head while toiling at home.

The first line he came up with was “a long, long time ago” — to describe an event barely 10 years on. The rest followed quickly.

“I had a melodic concept, then I got a rock ’n’ roll chorus, then I figured out all I had to do was speed up the slow part and write the rest of the song,” he said.

He had fun burying multiple meanings in the lyrics. It’s one of the reasons he laughs at anyone trying to divine his intent.

“The problem people encounter with this song is that it goes along seeming like it’s rational, then it will reach a metaphor or a symbol of some sort that’s two or three things at the same time,” McLean said. He may be talking about John Lennon, or Vladimir Lenin. As to the identity of the jester, king and queen, “I could have said Elvis instead of James Dean. I say he lost his thorny crown, but only Christ had a thorny crown.”

McLean’s musical achievements extend beyond creating one of the 20th century’s most lauded songs. “Vincent” is a classic, a deep cut that leapt into the charts on the strength of “American Pie.” A cover of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” as the ’80s dawned was also a hit.

Finally, McLean may be the only musician whose strength as a song craftsman inspired someone else to pen a hit about him. Lori Lieberman began writing “Killing Me Softly with His Song” after seeing McLean in concert.

He continues to make music, and his upcoming show will range across dozens of albums and hundreds of songs. McLean also has a new long-player coming called American Boys.

“I wrote some songs with my guitar player, and I wrote a bunch of songs by myself,” he said. “So that’s a brand-new album.”

The upcoming disc follows up 2018’s Botanical Gardens; he’ll also draw from 2009’s Addicted to Black in Laconia.

He’s aware many fans will be impatient for him to play favorites but said, “I treat every song with respect; I don’t trot it out like, ‘Oh, here’s the famous one.’ There’s no difference in my attitude toward ‘American Pie’ or something from a lesser-known record.”

“I explain stuff to people and talk about whatever occurs as I’m going along,” he said. “I have this weird ability to be able to sing a song like ‘Vincent’ and be completely immersed in it. At the same time I’m thinking about what I’m going to say next after I’m through, and then what two or three songs I’m going to play [later] in my mind at the same time … I’m giving it my undivided attention. … I’ve been doing this my whole life.”

Don McLean
When: Sunday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia
Tickets: $40 to $99 at coloniallaconia.com

Featured photo: Don McLean. Photo Credit 2911 Media

Big draft blows tonight

The bigger picture

News & Notes 22/04/28

Deep thinking

City Biking — 04/21/22

A long, long time ago

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