Tag: 211028

The annual NBA preview

The Celtics kicked off their season last week in an error-filled but very entertaining overtime loss to the Knicks. Even with that disappointment, the bright spot is that it looks like games between the C’s and the Knicks this year will mean something for the first time since the Bird era. The 1970s Havlicek/Cowens vs. Reed/Frazier games were even better, but beggars can’t be choosers. So I’ll take this.

That was followed by an awful loss to Toronto at home, which underscored why I’m totally wait-and-see on the C’s after being really harsh on most of the deals done by Brad Stevens this summer. Not so much for who he got rid of, or got back even, but for taking back less than he could have gotten in each deal. But I’ll admit they have much better depth as a result of his moves after depth being a major weakness a year ago. Thanks partly to their pure luck getting business challenged Dennis Schroder. After a far too placid demeanor in 2020-21, his feisty attitude should give them more of an edge in 2021-22. I also like that they’re building it with complementary players around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown rather than just assembling talent.

Celtics Players to Watch   

Jayson Tatum: I’m harder on him than anyone and want more than just 50-point games. It’s obvious he hit the weight room because he is really cut, which will help him take the next step up as a player. But to be a Top 5 guy who can lead his team to the Promised Land, he needs to become the kind of leader he’s yet to grow into. 

Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith: Are they going to grow into players of value? My money is on Romeo.

We’ll have more on the C’s as the year goes along, but for now here are some other things to keep an eye on.  

Teams to Watch 

Knicks: The NYC media as usual is overrating their own, but they have fight and toughness under Tom Thibodeau, which I like. As for the local connection: I hope Kemba Walker found a home in his hometown, but the C’s needed to move on from him for team fit reasons. I’m also glad Brad didn’t overpay to keep Evan Fournier away from New York, because while he can score as he did on opening night, he’s inconsistent and plays no D, as evidenced by the 46 Jaylon got on him in the opener.

Bucks: I don’t like to use the word “luck” when a team played as hard as the champs did, but I could never shake the feeling they weren’t that good last year, especially with only two reliable bench guys. It’s a testament to what a couple of stars can do in today’s NBA. Don’t see much change besides losing defensive brawler PJ Tucker. But Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the NBA’s three best players and I don’t underestimate what the man who gives more effort than anyone on every single play means to this team. So they‘re dangerous, but if Al Horford can still play D the Celtics can beat these guys in a playoff series.

Nets: As with every team he’s attached to, they’ll be better without non-vaxxed Kyrie Irving. Because Kevin Durant and James Harden are the best one-two punch in NBA and are surrounded by good role players, and GM Sean Marks is a very smart guy who’ll come out of trading Kyrie with something better.

Miami: On paper Pat Riley’s moves look great, but their fortunes depend on whether (1) the tick down point for newly acquired big-game 35-year-old point guard Kyle Lowry isn’t on the horizon, (2) Tyler Herro stops being Miami Beach big-time boy and gets back to the guy who wrecked the Celtics in the 2019 playoffs, (3) Victor Oladipo can return to his pre-injury self to give them a major bench, and (4) Bam (love that name) Adebayo continues on his path to becoming one of the league’s top big men. 

76ers: Who knows what the impact of the Ben Simmons mess will be? But I do know GM Daryl Morey overplayed his hand in demanding too much for an overpaid crybaby who shrinks from the big moment, That gives him zero trade leverage to get close to equal value in his coming trade. And, sorry, Philly gets no sympathy here, after screwing their fans by losing on purpose for four years to get this joker during the bogus/failed “Trust the Process.” You reap what you sow.    

Hawks: A young up and comer, but not sure they are/were as good as the hot streak that catapulted them into the 2021 playoffs. Trae Young is great, but Tatum is better to make the Celtics better than Atlanta.

Lakers: In their continuing effort to break their tie with Boston for most NBA Championships won at 17, they made big news trading for stat-machine but hard-to-play Russell Westbrook. They also brought in an astonishing nine new players, including GM Lebron James’ buddy Carmelo Anthony and the returning Rajon Rondo (a good move). That’s a lot of adjustments. It won’t work if Westbrook plays point guard, but might if he plays off guard and LBJ runs the O as a point forward. Either way these dudes are work in progress.      

Suns: Bet my autographed Alvan Adams NBA card this team takes a big. I’m too impressed with myself, step back. And not just because Devin Booker is tempting fate by going out with one of the Kardashian clan. Though it is a reason, because their curse on sports people has taken down far bigger players than him.

Golden State: Steph Curry is unbelievable, and getting Klay Thompson back is major. But I don’t see this group getting back to what they were at peak.    

Arguments for Another Day: Chris Bosh in the Hall of Fame? The Top 75 NBA players list. I can assure you I have a lot to say about both in the days ahead.

Leading the way

New Hampshire celebrates school principals during October

As part of National School Leaders Month, Gov. Sununu has proclaimed October 2021 as School Principals Month in New Hampshire. Bridey Bellemare, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Association of School Principals, is currently touring schools throughout the state to recognize school principals for their service and to discuss how schools can be improved.

What is the New Hampshire Association of School Principals, and what is your role as executive director?

We are a nonprofit organization that focuses on fostering the development of school leaders in the state of New Hampshire. … A lot of times we focus on educators and teachers — rightfully so, because they’re critical to the profession — but my role is to represent the voices of … and elevate the [focus on] school leaders.

What is School Principals Month?

The National Association of Elementary School Leaders and the National Association of Secondary School Leaders recognize October as National School Leaders Month. … This year I worked with Gov. Sununu to develop a proclamation specifically for New Hampshire to recognize October 2021 as School Principals Month in the state of New Hampshire. … It’s been several years since school leaders have been in the center of a conversation. … Certainly, post-pandemic, school leaders are still dealing with difficulties in reopening schools and looking at how education has been and how it needs to continue to evolve, so it seemed rather timely to ask the governor to encourage citizens and local communities to recognize school leaders for what they are doing in service of their communities.

What is your school tour about?

I [extended] the invitation to [New Hampshire school leaders] and said, ‘Hey, if you want me to come to your school to see what’s going on and talk about what’s working and what’s not and how we can continue to network across the state to support each other, I’m happy to come visit.’ … Since most [school leaders] are pretty busy right now with reopening schools, assessing what kids need and meeting with parents, I thought I’d get maybe 10 schools or so that said, ‘Yeah, sure, come on by,’ but I received over 70 invitations. Obviously I can’t visit 70 schools during the month of October, but I’ve made a commitment to get to as many schools as possible before the end of the year. I’ve visited 16 schools in the past two weeks, and I have about 20 schools that I hope to get to next week. … I am posting each visit on social media to try to get the story out there about the great things that are happening in our schools and that our school leaders are doing, and as a way to help school leaders get to know other school leaders so that we can strengthen the school leadership pipeline in the state of New Hampshire.

Is there anything you’ve learned during the tour so far that surprised you?

A lot of [school leaders] north of Concord said they feel forgotten. Hearing those words really mattered to me, so I made it a priority to start in the North Country, and I’m going to continue the tour to the Lakes Region, southeast, southwest and south-central parts of the state.

What are some of the biggest challenges school leaders are facing post-pandemic?

The pandemic has upended almost every aspect of schooling. The focus has had to shift to management and operations in a whole different capacity, looking at things like ventilation systems and safety issues around masking and testing to ensure that staff, students and everyone in the school setting is safe. That has taken a lot of time away from focusing on school climate, culture, instruction, curriculum and attendance. … Learning loss continues to be a huge concern; [there are] students who are maybe one-and-a-half years behind what they would have been if school had been in full session for the past two years. … Going remote in some areas, whether they were urban or rural areas, created some [education] accessibility issues for students and families. … Some students were not coming to their classes, whether remotely or in person, because they were taking up part-time jobs to help their families who were out of work. … [Academic] achievement gaps aren’t the sole story here; students … also experienced anxiety and depression and different levels of [difficulty] as a result of the pandemic, some [of which] were even traumatic experiences.

What can families and community members do to support school leaders?

Please, afford your school leaders and educators grace during these times, when they’re making difficult decisions for all families and students. … Let’s assume best intentions and engage with one another in a healing-centered way so that we can work collectively to make a difference in students’ lives, both educationally speaking and otherwise.

Featured photo: Bridey Bellemare. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 21/10/28

Covid-19 update As of Oct 18 As of Oct 25
Total cases statewide 129,663 129,663
Total current infections statewide 4,430 4,430
Total deaths statewide 1,524 1,524
New cases 3,920 (Oct. 12 to Oct. 18) 3,920 (Oct. 12 to Oct. 18)
Current infections: Hillsborough County 1,210 1,210
Current infections: Merrimack County 522 522
Current infections: Rockingham County 683 683
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

As of Oct. 25 there were 3,295 active infections of Covid-19 statewide and 220 current hospitalizations. One additional death was announced on Oct. 25, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,544 since the start of the pandemic last year.

Last week the U.S. Food & Drug Administration greenlit the “mix-and-match” approach for Covid-19 booster shots in eligible individuals, or the receiving of shots from different manufacturers. According to an Oct. 25 report from WMUR, booster shots in New Hampshire are currently available for certain at-risk groups who previously received both doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, including people over the age of 65 and people over the age of 18 with underlying medical conditions. For those who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, boosters are recommended for all adults regardless of any risk factors. Boosters can be administered at least six months after the second Pfizer or Moderna dose, and at least two months after the Johnson & Johnson dose, according to the report. In New Hampshire, boosters are available through doctor’s offices, pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens and at weekly clinics in Manchester and Nashua. Visit vaccines.gov to book an appointment.

Several of New Hampshire’s largest health care systems, including Catholic Medical Center, St. Joseph Hospital, and SolutionHealth, the owner of Eliot Health System and Southern New Hampshire Health, issued a joint statement on Oct. 21 announcing mandatory Covid-19 vaccine policies for their organizations. “Each of our institutions has taken time to craft vaccine policies that achieve our shared goal of patient and staff safety while accommodating for medical and religious exemptions,” it read in part. “We are also confident that our policies will align with the forthcoming guidelines of the White House’s vaccine mandate for health care workers.”

Vaccine funding

On Oct. 25, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, along with Representatives Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas, held a virtual press conference with health care stakeholders to talk about the consequences of the New Hampshire Executive Council’s decision to reject $27 million in federal vaccine funding. According to a press release, the delegation discussed how this move has hurt prevention efforts across the state as Covid cases and hospitalizations continue to surge. “New Hampshire is one of four states with the highest numbers of infection rates,” Shaheen said in the press conference. “We’ve done our jobs. The federal delegation got the money that the State of New Hampshire said it needed. And when the federal government wasn’t forthcoming with what the state said it needed, we went back and we got those additional funds. Now it’s time for the Governor and the Republican Executive Councilors to do their jobs and to protect the health and safety of the people of this state.” Gov. Chris Sununu had encouraged the Executive Council to approve the federal funding and said in a statement after the vote that the council had shown “a reckless disregard for the lives we are losing while they turn away the tools our state needs to fight and win this battle against Covid.”

Meanwhile, the Joint Fiscal Committee voted to accept a proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services to use $4.7 million in ARPA funds to help compensate for the money that was rejected by the Executive Council, according to a press release. “New Hampshire is the only state in the U.S. to reject CDC vaccine funding, which has limited our ability to control how the vaccines are provided to Granite Staters. Today’s vote was long overdue and I hope the approved funds can be quickly implemented to make up for lost time,” Rep. Mary Jane Wallner said in a statement after the vote. In a statement, Gov. Chris Sununu said, “This funding is critical to ensure boosters are available to the State’s vulnerable and at risk populations, and will support Regional Public Health Networks to set up efficient vaccine clinics to improve access for individuals and parents who wish to have their children vaccinated.”

Sports betting

Nashua residents will vote on whether to allow physical sportsbook retail locations in the city, while Portsmouth residents will vote on KENO 603 during city elections on Tuesday, Nov. 2. According to a press release, the sports betting legislation was written to provide individual communities with the option to vote on whether to allow the operation of sportsbook retail locations within their communities, while the KENO 603 legislation allows communities the option of allowing that game by putting it on election ballots or town meeting warrants. So far, the release said, 20 communities have approved retail sportsbooks over the past two years, including Manchester, Candia, Derry, Hudson, Londonderry, Pelham, Pembroke, Salem and Windham, and 89 New Hampshire communities have approved KENO 603 during city elections and town meetings.

Police walks

The Manchester Police Community Affairs Division’s 2021 Fall Senior Walks continue, with the next one happening Monday, Nov. 1, at Livingston Park (meet in the parking lot near the playground), followed by one on Monday, Nov. 8, at the Massabesic Lake Trail (meet in the paved parking lot off Londonderry Turnpike, just south of the Massabesic Traffic Circle). According to a press release, these walks allow seniors to spend time with Manchester Police Officers while exercising, socializing and exploring different parts of the city. The walks are about 2 to 3 miles and take about an hour. Both of these walks start at 9 a.m. Visit manchesterpd.com for a full list of walk dates and locations.

Bilingual liaisons

The Manchester School District will hire three additional bilingual liaisons to improve communication with families who don’t speak English, according to an Oct. 25 report from NHPR. The Board of School Committee approved the positions at its Oct. 25 meeting and increased the starting salary from $20 per hour to $25 per hour. The district currently has two Spanish-language liaisons to serve approximately 1,600 Spanish-speaking families, the NHPR report said, and the district is hoping to hire additional staff to work with families who speak some of the city’s most common non-English languages, like Spanish, Vietnamese, Nepali or Portuguese. According to the report, the decision was made amidst pressure on the district to better serve English language learners and recently arrived immigrant families. Bilingual liaisons will interpret between English and a parents’ home language, as well as host workshops and conduct outreach to families. Federal Covid relief funds will provide a portion of these salaries, the release said.

More than 100 people gathered at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner on Oct. 11 to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day. According to a press release, a panel discussion aimed at supporting local Native voices was followed by drumming and dancing.

The Bedford Police Department has teamed up with BeBOLD, a Bedford-based nonprofit drug awareness, education and prevention coalition, to recognize Red Ribbon Week (Oct. 23 through Oct. 31) with an initiative called “Bedford Goes Red.” According to a press release, the community is invited to use red lights and/or red bows or ribbons on their homes and businesses. Free ribbons and lights are available for free while supplies last at Primary Bank in the Harvest Market Plaza and at Cohen Closing and Title on Route 101, and red light bulbs are available at Bedford ACE Hardware.

The Merrimack Rotary Club will host an electronics recycling fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Merrimack Town Hall from 8 a.m. to noon, raising money for scholarships and community projects. According to a press release, the event is a drive-by dropoff for electronics ranging from telephones and speakers ($5) to computers and laptops ($20) to air conditioners and large flat-screen TVs ($35). The club guarantees a 95-percent recycling rate, with components disassembled and recycled, not ending up in landfills, the release said.

Caring is sharing

On Nov. 9 UNH will be hosting its second program in the 2021-2022 Sidore Lecture Series. The topic will be Caregiving: Honor and Burden, Contributions, and Impact, and it will feature local and national subject matter leaders. All are invited to attend this virtual (and free) Zoom session.

My own involvement with caregiving is a personal one at both a familial and a community level. Having spent my entire life in New England, I have seen the ways the belief in individualism can ripple out into communal care. My grandmother hid her memory loss from her family and my Péperé struggled with managing his diabetes because neither one wanted to be seen as a burden. Relying on one another can seem counter to many of the values I’ve seen espoused in whiteness.

Intergenerational relationships have been paramount in my life and I see the ways that these connections have held mutual benefit for all involved. I can literally say I wouldn’t be where I am in life without them. There is something beautiful when we can honor the experiences and humanity of each other and, especially for me, when it transcends many of the social norms we’ve been conditioned to expect.

Being a member of the LGBTQIA community has given me heightened appreciation of the role of caregiving. The experiences shared with me from the “elders” are ones I’ll never find in the history books.

As the AIDS epidemic devastated the gay population, there were many members of their chosen family who were there to offer the care needed to navigate the virus. The stories I’ve heard are both heart-wrenching and uplifting as they have demonstrated the true value of love when we are at our most vulnerable.

As I’ve navigated this process, I can sense the fear of becoming too needy or overly relying on other people to live my life. I find this to be a devastating side effect to the notion of freedom and I often wonder what lies beneath these fears. Do we truly believe we are not an interdependent species? That without you there really cannot be a me?

Caregiving is a two-way street and I encourage all readers to tune into this important program on Nov. 9. You can find more information by searching “UNH Sidore Lecture” or just email me for the link. I am excited about the possibility presented in how we view this critical part of our society. We may be the “Live Free or Die” state but, maybe, we can begin to consider a new path grounded less in burden and more in honor, contributions and impact.

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