Start the weekend off with some music: Ali McGuirk, described on her website as “blending classic soul power with a folk songwriter lyricism,” will perform tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $25 (plus fees). Hear her at alimcguirk.com. Find more concerts this weekend and beyond in our concert listings on page 58. Find laughs in our Comedy This Week listings on page 56 and places to get in some friendly competition at area trivia nights on page 58.
Looking for some live music along with a cool beverage or some eats? Find live music at area bars, restaurants and breweries — such as Brad Aiken and Friends’ Friday, May 27, performance at the Millyard Brewery in Nashua from 6 to 8 p.m. — in our Music This Week listings, which start on page 53.
Thursday, May 26
It’s the first home game of the season for the Nashua Silver Knights, described on their website as a “wood-bat baseball team competing in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League of New England.” The Silver Knights will play the Pittsfield Suns tonight at 6 p.m. at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St. in Nashua). The team will also play at Holman against the Worcester Bravehearts on Saturday, May 28, at 6 p.m. and they’ll face the Westfield Starfires on Monday, May 30, at 1 p.m. See nashuasilverknights.com.
Saturday, May 28
The Jaffrey Woman’s Club will hold its “Everybody Loves a Plant” sale today, 8 a.m. to noon, at the Cutler Memorial Building (33 Main St. in Jaffrey), according to jaffreywomansclub.org. Know of a plant sale? Let us know at [email protected].
Sunday, May 29
The Memorial Day parade returns to Bedford today, stepping off at 1 p.m. from the Bedford High School and proceeding down County Road to Liberty Hill Road and McKelvie Intermediate School, where there will be vendors, according to bedfordnh.myrec.com.
Tuesday, May 31
Keep the baseball fun going when the New Hampshire Fisher Cats return to Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester for a string of games against the Portland Sea Dogs starting tonight at 6:35 p.m. Games continue through Sunday, June 5. See milb.com/new-hampshire.
Save the Date! Friday, June 3 — and maybe for two days after that The Granite State Children’s Alliance, a nonprofit that responds to child abuse investigations and supports children who are victims of abuse, is holding a Jet Gala on Friday, June 3, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Pro Star Aviation Hangar (8 Kelly Ave. in Londonderry). Well, maybe until 10 p.m. For one winner of the event’s raffle, the night will end with a limo ride to a Boston hotel. The second-place winner will ride a helicopter to a luxury hotel at a resort, and the grand prize winner will board a private jet for a weekend at a surprise city destination, according to a press release. All three winners will receive round-trip transportation, lodging and more and return to Manchester on Sunday afternoon, the release said. Gala-goers are expected to come with a suitcase packed. Even the people who don’t end up on a surprise weekend getaway will get an evening of music, cocktails, appetizers and more, the release said. Tickets cost $200 per person (plus fees). See jetgalanh.org.
New Hampshire is 2022’s 5th best state for military retirees, according to a new report from personal-finance website WalletHub. The report looked at retirement-friendliness toward veterans, including job opportunities for veterans, housing affordability and quality of VA hospitals in all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C. The Granite State ranked No. 1 for percentage of veteran-owned businesses, 12th for veterans per capita and 17th for veteran job opportunities, according to the report.
Score: +1
Comment: Our sister state of Vermont ranked dead last at No. 51, the report said.
Tourism getting stronger
New Hampshire’s fall 2021 tourism season set new records as 4.3 million visitors came to the state and spent nearly $2 billion. According to a press release, the number of visitors is an increase of 38 percent from 2019, which was the previous record year, and the amount spent is an increase of 65 percent from 2019. The state has expanded its advertising to include destinations within a 600-mile radius, the release said, and investment in those markets has shown that visitors are staying longer, traveling with more people and spending more while they’re here. “In the 2021 Fall Season, the Merrimack Valley Region alone saw a 49-percent increase in spending and a 32.2-percent increase in overnight visitors to the area,” Lauren Getts, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Greater Manchester Chamber, said in the release. “As we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, [those percentages are] equivalent to $577.2 million in spending and 990k visitors — numbers that are significantly higher than any previous year in over a decade.”
Score: +1
Comment:The top activities by visitors during fall of 2021 include scenic drives, dining, shopping, visiting State Parks, hiking, wildlife-watching and visiting breweries, the release said.
Record high gas prices
QOL hasn’t mentioned gas prices in a while, but given the record highs and the effects they’re having on Granite Staters’ quality of life, it can’t be avoided. According to a press release from GasBuddy, average gasoline prices in New Hampshire have risen 15.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.67 per gallon as of May 23. Prices in the state are 64.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and $1.78 per gallon higher than a year ago, the release said.
Score: -2
Comment:Remember at the beginning of the pandemic, when one of the only good things happening was that gas prices were going down (the average price in New Hampshire was $1.92 per gallon on May 23, 2020, according to GasBuddy)? Yeah. That was nice.
Formula scams
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office is warning parents about scams and potential price gouging amid the ongoing national infant formula shortage. “No New Hampshire family trying to provide critical nutrition to their children should be price gouged or scammed. Anyone seeking to take advantage of this crisis in a manner that violates the law will be held accountable,” Attorney General John M. Formella said in a press release. “If Granite State consumers notice any exorbitant spikes in baby formula prices, I encourage them to report them to my office immediately.”
Score: -1
Comment:The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office is also monitoring the shortage’s impact on children and is suggesting that parents who are having trouble finding formula speak with their child’s doctor rather than watering down formula or making their own, both of which can be potentially dangerous, the release said.
QOL score: 77
Net change: -1
QOL this week: 76
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].
It was a busy week again. Here’s a look at some top stories and sidebars.
News Item: NBA playoffs carry on
By the time you see this Golden State may have closed out Dallas (down 0-3 as I write this) for a place in the NBA Finals and it’s possible Miami will have the Celtics on the brink (or on vacation) after their embarrassing “Back To December” non-effort to put them down 1-2 after somehow resting on the laurels of an impressive 25-point Game 2 win. Game 4 on Monday will show whether they’ll bounce back as they did vs. the Bucks or continue with the turnover fests of Games 1 and 3.
As for the Warriors, while they’ve faced a pretty weak field out west, they’re proving me wrong after I said last November I thought their glory days were over. Despite playing less than 70 games for the fifth year straight, 32-year-old StephCurry has shown he’s still a major force as GS has gone 11-3 behind his 25 points, five rebounds and six assists per playoff slash line.
News Item: It’s not whether Brady will be any good on Fox, but whether he’s worth $375 million
I learned a long time ago not to question RupertMurdoch when he spends what seems like a ridiculous, unrecoverable amount of money on something related to broadcasting. That moment came when Fox Sports outbid the field by over $100 million to bring the NFL to his fledgling Fox Network. The other three more established networks whined that you couldn’t make money at that exorbitant rate. Except that’s not what he was after. He wanted stations around the country who wanted/needed NFL games on their station to become Fox affiliates. So what he actually bought was an entire network overnight, which made those seemingly titanic rights fees chicken feed.
I have no idea how or whether the 10-year, $375 million Brady deal will be recouped by Fox. But I know they usually have something up their sleeve. So I’m guessing there’s a plan in place, and if I have to bet (no pun intended) it probably will have something to do with the emerging new revenue source sports betting will provide the NFL over the next decade.
News Item: Do people watch games because of announcers?
I’d love to see the research on this question. I know I don’t. I watch for the teams playing and put up with the rest or enjoy it a little bit more if it’s someone like IanEagle and CharlesDavis or the VanGundy brothers in the booth.
News Item: Parcells shut out again
It’s becoming an annual thing to congratulate the newest New England Patriots Hall of Fame inductee and then rant over the exclusion of inductee BillParcells. First congrats to VinceWilfork for his most deserving honor. A great player and a true Patriot in every way during 11 years in Foxboro.
But BobKraft, what about the Tuna? Since I’m not in the room for the discussions I can’t say it is simple pettiness over the ugliness of his departure and the border war that followed. And far be it from me to pat Parcells on the back, because his behavior at the end was questionable and far from gracious, so I understand the hard feelings.
But enough is enough. That happened 25 years ago and if the Hall is to stand for anything more than a feel-good summer day for Bob it should honor all those who made the Patriots dynasty what it is. Parcells and DrewBledsoe are Nos. 4 and 5 behind the Big Three for bringing the stability and legitimacy that got every football fan’s attention while laying the foundation for what was to come, including bringing BillBelichick here as an assistant under Tuna.
I know you have a rule for one inductee per year voted on by fans. Sorry, break it. If you need a clue as to how dumb fan voters are, look at any starting line-up for the MLB All-Star game. There’s nothing I hate more than Hall voters suddenly realizing a guy like DennisJohnson or RonSanto belongs in after he passes on. Parcells is now 80. So, Bob, make an exception. Put Tuna in, because he earned it and you should be a big enough man to make happen.
News Item: Sideline reporter during playoff game
Sometimes it’s prudent to ask what planet people are living on when they make decisions that simply defy common sense. One such incident is the NBA forcing coaches to speak to sideline reporters at the beginning of the second and fourth quarter when a playoff game is going on. I think it’s pretty stupid and generally useless during the regular season, but during the playoffs teams’ seasons are on the line and their being forced to take attention away from a critical moment to answer some question is insulting to players, coaches and the fans whose teams are playing in such important games. Come on, Adam, wake up and fix this nonsense and give greater respect to the game itself.
News Item: Belichick pokes the bear
Bill Belichick gets pounded by the media, often unfairly. OK, make it sometimes unfairly. I get his desire for playing it close to the vest and how the media can cause distractions, often for little reasons beyond bringing attention to itself. But I have no sympathy for Coach B because he brings the vitriol on himself. Take what he did last week. The NFL has a rule that each team must make its assistant coaches available to speak to the media twice each off season. So what does he do, schedule those meetings a month after the draft and five weeks before summer camp opens on back-to-back days in mid-May when no news is going on. An unnecessary provocation just to poke the bear. So you reap what you sow, Bill.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Covid-19 news
On May 19, state health officials reported 3,889 new positive Covid-19 test results between Friday, May 13, and Wednesday, May 18. Moving forward, all weekly updates will cover Thursday of the previous week through Wednesday of the following week, according to a press release. As of May 19 there were 36 people statewide that were hospitalized with Covid.
On May 20, Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed HB 1131, which would have prohibited schools in the state from creating their own mask-wearing policies for students, teachers and faculty. “Just because we may not like a local decision does not mean we should remove their authority,” Sununu said in his veto message. “The State must remain steadfast in protecting local control as decisions like this are best left to authorities closest to parents and families where they can work with their neighbors to decide what is right for their children.”
Manchester budget
On May 17, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 11-3 to approve a Fiscal Year 2023 General Fund budget that allocates $187,097,818 to the school district and $169,867,998 to the city. According to a press release, the budget adheres to the expenditure cap and includes a 3.52-percent property tax increase, for a total tax rate of $18.30. Compared to the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, expenditures increased by $5,296,413 and include funds for a Residential Assessor; staff salary increases at the Mayor’s Office; Fire Department training; an additional sergeant in the Juvenile division and an evidence technician for the Police Department; increases in utility costs for the Department of Public Works; a security officer and library clerk at the library; severance pay and contingency funds. Expenditures decreased total $3,863,368 and came from anticipated health insurance savings; Fire and Police Department retirement savings; and savings due to a bill that will bring $5.2 million to the Manchester School District in FY23, the release said. “Manchester is a growing city with a strong economy as evidenced by the more than $83 million in new growth generated over the last year.” Mayor Joyce Craig said in a statement following the vote.
Recovery-friendly
Last week, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr. Rahul Gupta visited New Hampshire to hear about the Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative that launched in 2018. According to a press release, since its inception here, the program has been adopted in 28 states across the country, as well as in Washington, D.C., and Canada. In New Hampshire, more than 300 businesses have been designated as Recovery Friendly Workplaces for about 84,000 employees. “New Hampshire led the nation in addressing our opioid crisis head-on with innovative programs like Recovery Friendly Workplaces,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in the release. “Through this program, we’ve worked hard to change the culture around addiction by engaging employers as part of the solution. Ensuring access to tools and resources is easier than ever before.” Gupta met with Recovery Friendly Workplace employers to hear about their experiences with the program, which is part of the state’s comprehensive strategy to reduce the number of overdose deaths. Unlike most other states, the release said, New Hampshire is projected to reduce the number of lives lost to drug overdoses by nearly 14 percent from 2017 to 2021. There were 490 overdose deaths in 2017, 471 in 2018, 415 in 2019 and 417 in 2020. Preliminary data suggests there were roughly 425 overdose deaths in 2021.
Affordable internet
The Affordable Connectivity Program lowers internet costs for eligible families, and the New Hampshire Department of Education is encouraging families to take advantage of the program in order to stay connected to reliable broadband services. According to a press release, students approved to receive benefits under the National Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program and school breakfast program are typically eligible for the program, as are those with an income that is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, or those participating in certain assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC or Lifeline. These families may receive up to a $30-a-month discount for internet service and a one-time $100 discount for purchase of a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers. “Consistent and reliable internet access is an important tool to help students thrive throughout the summer months and the entire school year, and is a necessary resource for learning. We are pleased that this service is available for low-income families, and we urge Granite State residents to take advantage of this opportunity,” Frank Edelblut, education commissioner, said in the release. Families can complete the application at ACPBenefit.org.
A two-day regional public safety summit for first responders was held at UNH in Durham last week, offering first responders health and wellness training workshops. According to a press release, first responders experience higher rates of depression, post-traumatic stress, burnout, anxiety and other mental health issues. The event offered guidance, statistics and best practices for all members of the public safety community, the release said.
Hannaford Supermarket at the John E Devine Drive location in Manchester unveiled New Hampshire’s first Volta Elective Vehicle charging stations with a ceremonial “first charge” May 12. Hannaford and Volta company leaders will participate in the ‘first charge’ and celebrate the sustainability initiative.
Nashua is holding its Household Hazardous Waste Collection Thursday, June 2, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Nashua City Park & Ride, 25 Crown St. According to a press release, residents of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, Pelham and Windham can drop off their hazardous waste for $15 per vehicle (quantities exceeding 10 gallons or 20 pounds will have an additional fee). Cash or checks will be accepted. Latex paint, electronics and medications will not be accepted. Visit nashuarpc.org for a list of accepted items.
