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News & Notes 21/04/01

Covid-19 update	As of March 22	As of March 29
Total cases statewide	80,750	83,340
Total current infections statewide	2,334	2,785
Total deaths statewide	1,217	1,237
New cases	1,937 (March 16 to March 22)	2,590 (March 23to March 29)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	756	948
Current infections: Merrimack County	195	214
Current infections: Rockingham County	633	727

Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

State residents between the ages of 40 and 49 became eligible to register for the Covid-19 vaccine on March 29, through the state-run Vaccine & Immunizations Network Interface website at vaccines.nh.gov. On March 31, those between the ages of 30 and 39 became eligible. Starting on April 2, everyone between the ages of 16 and 29 will be able to register. “We feel fairly confident that everyone should be able to get their first shot by Memorial Day,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a March 25 press conference.

On March 26, Sununu issued Emergency Orders No. 87 and No. 88. Emergency Order No. 87 extends the statewide mask mandate for another three weeks through at least April 16. Emergency Order No. 88 extends the stay-at-home advisory, also through at least April 16.

Also on March 26, Sununu issued Executive Order 2021-5, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the pandemic for another three weeks through at least April 16. It’s the 18th extension he has issued since declaring a state of emergency in March 2020.

New NH AG

John Formella was confirmed on March 24 as New Hampshire’s next Attorney General after a 4-1 Executive Council vote. “John’s work ethic is unmatched, and I have no doubt he will make an exceptional Attorney General and advance the best interests of Granite Staters,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement.

State budget

The NH Fiscal Policy Institute is hosting a free webinar on Monday, April 5, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. to provide a closer look at the House Finance Committee’s budget proposal for Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023, according to a press release. Examining the State Budget: The House Finance Committee’s Proposal will be held virtually via Zoom and will include a discussion of key changes from the governor’s budget proposal and the current operating budget, and the potential impact of federal aid that’s expected from the American Rescue Plan Act, as well as a question and answer session. Pre-registration is required. Visit NHFPI’s online at nhfpi.org,

At 57, Barb Higgins of Concord is the oldest woman to give birth in New Hampshire, according to a report from the Concord Monitor. Higgins gave birth March 27 to a healthy boy, whom she and her husband, Ken Banzhoff, named Jack Kearsley Banzhoff, according to the report.

A new resale shop has opened in Contoocook, according to a press release. On March 26, the Contoocook Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Granny Chic Boutique, which offers clothing and home items from a variety of eras and genres. Owner Elizabeth Catalena said in the release that she has spent many hours looking for unique items that express individualism.

Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies in Manchester is sending four two-member robotics teams to compete in the NH SKILLS USA Mobile Robotics Competition on April 2, according to a press release. The Spark Robotics teams will have their robots perform tasks both under driver control and autonomously, based on their programming. The winner will compete at the national level in June, according to the release.

Hippo Best of 2021

This week’s issue is a celebration of many of the things that make up what many of us have come to think of as our community and our quality of life. It’s Hippo’s Best of 2021 issue, where you tell us what you like best about your community.

We made a few changes this year to reflect the realities of the effects of the pandemic on our community, including more questions relating to outdoor activities and removing some relating to live performances. We also changed how we classified the Best of picks. We kept the Best of the Best — those are the top vote getters in a category — but rather than having geographic Best of picks, such as Best of Manchester, we classified the next four top picks as “Readers Bests.” We hope you enjoy the results and explore (once you feel safe to do so) your community. The results start on page 10.

One of my favorite parts of the Hippo Best of is the Smaaart answers we get. When asked to name the “Thing New Hampshire does better than any other state,” many folks answered maple syrup or four seasons or the great outdoors or live free and others suggested, “hate Massachusetts,” or “just not Massachusetts,” and others hit on a drinking theme with answers such as “booze” or “great beer” or “liquor stores on the highway.”

On a question where we asked readers to fill in the blank — “2021 in NH: Year of the __” — we also got some creative answers. They included “mask,” “Covid,” “lockdown,” “pandemic” and “Oh God, what now,” but there were also a few that went in different directions, such as lobsters, cider doughnuts, beer, babies, divorce, smiles and tattoos. I guess I can see that too much cider doughnuts and beer leads to babies and divorce and soon to follow are smiles and tattoos. “Oh God, what now.”

One of the more surprising reader answers came from our multiple-choice question asking whether vegetables on pizza are a crime against pizza, OK in the case of __ vegetable, or always delicious. One of our vote-counters asked if we were being punked because a fair number of people answered, “broccoli.” Clearly that vote counter is in the George H.W. Bush camp. But as you can see on page 13 the great majority of Hippo readers think veggies on pizza are A-OK (a sentiment I share). I even like broccoli on pizza, though probably not enough to mention it by name.

Thank you to everyone who voted and congratulations to all the winners — even broccoli.

Tasting Tour

Tasting tour

If you’re looking for some adults-only fun that trumps going out to dinner (again), a wine tasting is a great way to get out and try something new. Explore all kinds of flavors, learn about New Hampshire’s unique wine culture and find your perfect pour.

Also on the cover, Chris Viaud of Milford talks about his experience competing in Top Chef, p 24. IPAs may be trendy, but with good reason, p. 28. And Kelly MacFarland brings the laughs to Chunky’s, p. 34.

Frayed social circles

Walking and talking is the new coffee date. I’m glad; I relish any opportunity to combine fresh air, movement and ...

News & Notes 21/03/25

Covid-19 updateAs of March 15As of March 22Total cases statewide78,81380,750Total current infections statewide2,0642,334Total deaths statewide1,1991,217New cases1,753 (March 9 to March ...

Close to home

Transitional housing in Nashua gives families a fresh start Family Promise of Southern New Hampshire has opened a new transitional ...

Coach B goes nuts

Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball

For card-carrying members of Patriot Nation, with Bill Belichick going away from type to blow up the first week of ...

Quality of Life 21/03/25

Vaccine prompts school cancellations and chaos After a regional vaccine clinic for teachers was held at the Steeplegate Mall in ...

Tasting tour

Take a mini day trip and discover new flavors at New Hampshire wineries Whether you know (or think you know) ...

Old school, new school

Sarah McCraw Crow explores women’s movement of the ’70s in debut novel Canterbury author Sarah McCraw Crow weaves a story ...

The Art Roundup 21/03/25

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities “Peace Conference Assisi,” watercolor by Claudia Michael, NHAA Omer T. Lassonde ...

Get out the pruners

Your fruit trees are ready for a haircut When I was a boy I loved to climb trees. I had ...

Kiddie Pool 21/03/25

Family fun for the weekend Interactive fun Kids are invited to sing, dance and play games during a special livestream ...

Treasure Hunt 21/03/25

This was a necklace that we found in my mother’s jewelry collection. It seems to be a coin in good ...

The Weekly Dish 21/03/25

News from the local food scene • Get ready for Easter: Still wondering about what to do for Easter Sunday ...

Ready, set, cook

Milford’s Chris Viaud to appear on Top Chef Milford chef Chris Viaud will appear as a contestant on Season 18 ...

African and Caribbean flavors

ToKoss Take-Out opens in Manchester When The Stuffed Sub closed last year, owner Chris Munzimi of Afro Paris, the beauty ...

Dan and Sean Gagnon

Dan Gagnon of Manchester, his son Sean, wife Debra and daughter Kimberly McEnerney of Bedford are the family team behind ...

Let’s talk IPAs

So annoyingly popular IPAs are so popular right now I almost try to avoid writing about them, not because I ...

Album Reviews 21/03/25

Jahmed, Armani (Human Re-Sources Records) I’m pretty much at the point where I rarely read other reviews of rap albums ...

Life’s Edge: the Search for What It Means to Be Alive, by Carl Zimmer

Life’s Edge: the Search for What It Means to Be Alive, by Carl Zimmer (Dutton, 336 pages) In his 14th ...

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (R) | Sound of Metal (R)

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (R) Warner Brothers asks for a do-over of their 2017 DC supergroup movie and thus presents ...

Oscar viewing at home

So many nominees, so many streaming platforms Every Oscar season is a little bit weird. Some years, it feels like ...

The Music Roundup 21/03/25

Local music news & events • American stream: Talented multi-instrumentalist and singing duo Green Heron closes out a virtual concert ...

Scrappy success

Kelly MacFarland headlines at Chunky’s For Kelly MacFarland, succeeding as a female comedian isn’t more or less difficult than succeeding ...

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Scrappy success

Kelly MacFarland headlines at Chunky’s

For Kelly MacFarland, succeeding as a female comedian isn’t more or less difficult than succeeding in any other profession.

“There are unique challenges for women in general, so take all of those and just apply them to this job as well,” she said in a recent interview. “I’m scrappy, and I learned early on that I might have to work a little harder in some ways. … [But] if I can do the job well, being a woman is going to serve me.”

MacFarland’s ethic is borne out; she regularly headlines, has appeared on Comedy Central, NBC’s Last Comic Standing and the 2019 Comics Come Home benefit show in Boston and has new sets on the Hulu show Up Early Tonight and Dry Bar Comedy.

“I always just focused on being the best comedian that I could be, and I still do that,” she said. “In that way, hopefully I’m just undeniable … [and] it won’t matter what my gender is.”

Though she loved TV funny women, MacFarland’s early influences were men: Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy.

“I’m not super-delicate,” she said. “To me, it was that male energy.”

This would change in hindsight.

“Looking back on it, a lot of those female comics had a male energy that I liked as I was getting older,” she said, citing Joan Rivers and Rosie O’Donnell as examples. “That aggressive kind of comedy that is … unapologetic, I guess, is the best way to say it.”

On stage, MacFarland riffs a lot on her home life. She married in 2016 and isn’t coy about the union’s many non-romantic benefits.

“When he said, ‘Do you wanna marry me?’ I was like, ‘I do, because I want to put out another album.’ The one I just released is all about him and my stepson. So, thanks. I need to put the divorce album out. I’m really excited,” she laughed. “No, we’re not gonna do that.”

When it comes to Covid-19, the opposite’s true.

“At first, I loved talking about the pandemic; now I’m done,” she said. “I write from an emotional place, which seems really silly, because I’m a comedian. But as soon as the world started to open up again, I actually found my writer’s block kind of go away. In 2021, I want to discover a whole new thing to talk about. I’m excited about that.”

After spending much of the last year doing podcasts, including the well-received I’m Fine with fellow comic Dan Crohn, MacFarland is pleased to be back performing to equally enthusiastic (albeit socially distanced) crowds.

“The audience is so grateful that you’re willing to come out, and you’re so grateful,” she said. “It’s a love fest; how would you be angry? You just risked catching the virus to come here, and paid money, so be on your best behavior.”

She’s especially fond of Granite State comedy fans.

“I love the people in New Hampshire; they want to have a good time,” she said. “One of the things I love about standup is that for any audience I want them to feel like they’re having a moment in time that they haven’t had before and that I haven’t had before. … New Hampshire really delivers on that. I don’t know if it’s that they realize what I’m doing and or if it’s just that New England way of being very engaged.”

MacFarland uses a pre-pandemic analogy to illustrate her point.

“If you sit down at a bar in New England, you’re going to talk to the person next to you; it’s just how it works here,” she said. “You’ll find out their name and where they’re from and whatever. Playing in New Hampshire is like bellying up to the bar with a new friend, and that’s so fun to me.”

As mass vaccinations offer hope for herd immunity, MacFarland is thinking of a cultural renaissance akin to the one that followed the flu epidemic of 1918; however, she goes a step further.

“They keep saying that’s how the Roaring Twenties happened,” she said. “I don’t care about the roar; I care about cash. [I want] people to want to go out. Please come to a show and support live performance.”

Kelly MacFarland
When: Saturday, March 27, 8 p.m.
Where: Chunky’s Cinema & Pub, 150 Bridge St., Pelham
Tickets: $15 at headlinerscomedyclub.com

Featured photo: Kelly MacFarland. Courtesy photo.

The Music Roundup 21/03/25

Local music news & events

• American stream: Talented multi-instrumentalist and singing duo Green Heron closes out a virtual concert series. The evening will be a tonic for fans who hoped to see them in person a few months back at Zinger’s. That event fell to Covid concerns. The Milford performance venue just announced its permanent closure, leaving a void in the region’s comedy music and comedy scene. Thursday, March 25, 6:30 p.m., Bell and Brick Virtual Coffeehouse, streamed on the Belknap Mill’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.

• Good cause: A benefit event for a youngster battling brain cancer, Bash For Nash features music from Southern Breeze, covering the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet and the Outlaws, but the big deal is a car, truck and heavy equipment show designed to delight boys of all ages; it’s specific request of Nash Rogers, the day’s beneficiary. Other fundraising includes a 50/50 raffle and auction. Saturday, March 27, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., New England Dragway, 280 Exeter Road, Epping, facebook.com/EpicAutoNH.

• Country rock: A downtown country-themed bar welcomes Nick Drouin playing solo. The drummer turned front man has a well-tuned instinct for crafting good songs, exemplified by “Small Town,” an autobiographical paean to growing up in Candia made in Nashville with Jason Aldean’s III Kings rhythm section. “It’s a real song,” Drouin once said, “straight from the heart every time I sing it.” Friday, March 26, 8 p.m., Bonfire Restaurant & Country Bar, 950 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/nickdrouinmusic.

• Triple laughs: One of Boston’s quintessential comics, Dave Russo headlines a strong lineup that includes Amy Tee and Jason Merrill. Russo is familiar as co-host of NESN’s Dirty Water and Denis Leary’s annual Comics Come Home benefit show. Prior to his comedy career, he attended UNH on a wrestling scholarship, winning a gold medal at the Bay State Games. Then Wayne Newton discovered him, and the rest is history. Saturday, March 27, 8 p.m., Cello’s Farm House, 143 Raymond Road, Candia, tickets $30 at eventbrite.com.

Oscar viewing at home

So many nominees, so many streaming platforms

Every Oscar season is a little bit weird.

Some years, it feels like every nominee came out in the final month of the year. Some years, it feels like the winners have been known for so long there’s no real contest. Some years — my least favorite kind of years — a significant number of nominations aren’t available at all for the movie-going public until months after the award ceremony, when you’ve completely forgotten about the movies.

This year, most of the movies are fairly accessible, and not just in the “if you’re willing to drive to Boston” sense but accessible even if you aren’t completely comfortable leaving your house just to fill out your Oscar ballot (nominees were announced March 15 and the awards will be handed out April 25). In last week’s issue of the Hippo, I laid out how to find the feature films in many of the major categories. As of this Friday, March 26, when The Father will hit VOD, the only nominee in the best picture, animated feature or acting categories that you can only see in theaters is Judas and the Black Messiah (which was on HBO Max for a month). Find my full listing of those films on page 33 of last week’s paper. One update: Minari, nominee for best picture and in five other categories, is also available via Red River Theatres’ virtual cinema; see redrivertheatres.org for information.

Here are some of the “odds and ends” releases — some more of the feature films outside the best picture and acting categories that managed to snag a nomination or two.

• News of the World This Tom Hanks downbeat Western is, you know, fine. Hanks plays a Hanks character carrying a bunch of grief through post-Civil War Texas as he tries to bring an orphaned girl to her family. The movie received nominations for cinematography, original score, production design and sound and is available to purchase. It’s not the best movie night you’ll ever have but it’s also not the worst.

• GreyhoundI feel like this is a good place to mention the other Tom Hanks 2020 release that is both respectable and sorta forgettable. Hanks plays a World Ward II Navy captain who is leading a convoy of ships through the Nazi-sub-filled Atlantic Ocean. This movie, which is nominated for sound, is basically a chase movie and the only character who really matters is “Captain Tom Hanks.” It is absolutely fine while you watch it — which you can on Apple TV+— and will vanish from your mind almost as soon as it’s done.

• EmmaAnya Taylor-Joy is the titular Jane Austen heroine in this very fun adaptation that was one of my favorite pre-pandemic 2020 releases. It has a specific look to costumes and set design and it’s no surprise that it received nominations for costume design and makeup and hairstyling. It is currently available on HBO and it is available for purchase.

• Mulan Disney’s live-action Mulan is probably going to be remembered more for how the movie was released (on Disney+ for an extra fee, the first of Disney’s films to be released that way) than the movie itself, which wowed me with its visuals and underwhelmed me with its story. I totally support its nominations for costume design (the costumes are “press pause and gaze” beautiful) and visual effects.

• Pinocchio Roberto Benigni stars as Geppetto in this live-action Pinocchio adaptation (which I haven’t yet seen) that scored two nominations: one for costume design and one for makeup and hairstyling. It is available for rent or purchase and appears to have both an original Italian audio/English subtitles track and an English-dubbed audio track.

• Da 5 Bloods One of the disappointments of this year’s nominations was that this Spike Lee movie didn’t earn any acting nods (in particular for Delroy Lindo). It did get one nomination, original score for Terence Blanchard. The movie is worth seeing, even if it probably needs a big screen to capture all of what Lee was doing; it’s available on Netflix.

• Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga This (and Emma) might be my favorite of the one- or two-off nominations; this sweetly goofy Will Ferrell movie has grown on me since I first saw it, especially the mid-movie song-mash-up featuring assorted Eurovision stars. The song “Husavik,” the big climactic number sung by Elizabeth Banks’ character, Sigrit, is nominated for original song, which hopefully means someone will perform it at the Oscar ceremony. The movie is available on Netflix.

• The Life Ahead Sophia Loren stars in this Italian movie that is still on my “Oscar nominees to watch” list. It’s available on Netflix and has a song, “Lo Sí (Seen),” nominated in the original song category.

• Tenet Christopher Nolan’s timey wimey movie did have some impressive elements, most notably the fight scenes. It makes sense that this movie would garner a visual effects nomination and, sure, production design, why not, for all those sleek locales. It is currently available for rent or purchase and will be on HBO Max May 1.

• The White Tiger This year’s screenplay nods were basically all of the best picture nominees (minus Mank) plus One Night in Miami (which should have been a best picture nominee), Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (I mean, what can you say; 2020 was a year) and this movie, based on the 2008 novel by Aravind Adiga that won the Man Booker Prize. Available on Netflix, The White Tiger features a strong performance by Adarsh Gourav as a man in India attempting to break free of crushing poverty and the demands of his village. It’s an occasionally tough but definitely worthwhile watch with moments of humor.

Featured photo: Emma

News & Notes 21/04/01

Hippo Best of 2021

Tasting Tour

Scrappy success

The Music Roundup 21/03/25

Oscar viewing at home

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