For the first time since the pandemic began, the Currier Museum will host its Summer Block Party on Saturday, July 16. From 4 to 9 p.m. the museum will host a slew of free entertainment for the public, including live music, food trucks, a beer and wine tent and art activities. The museum will also open its doors to allow visitors to view the exhibitions for free.
Organizers of the event, which is historically the biggest of the year for the Currier, hope to bring in fresh faces this time around.
“It’s our big no-barriers event that welcomes the community into our doors,” said Corrine Benfield, the Director of Community Partnerships for the museum. Performers will include The Jessye DeSilva Band, Emperor T-Jiga and the Akwaaba Ensemble, and Ruby Shabazz featuring Ken Clark and Fee the Evolutionist, all hosted by Laura Boyce from iHeartRadio’s Rock 101 station.
In addition to the food and music, the art activities are a big draw. The previously popular face painting station takes on a new identity this year as local tattoo artists join to perform (temporary) tattoo-inspired face painting. In addition, there will be hands-on art activities inspired by the current exhibition at the museum, works by Arghavan Khosravi.
Khosravi’s work combines many influences, including Persian miniatures, Iranian printed textiles, ancient Western sculpture and contemporary fashion. Her paintings often appear on three-dimensional canvases and center around ideas of freedom, exile and empowerment. During the block party event, the exhibit will be free to the public to see.
Other exhibits available to view for free inside the museum include Alexandria Smith’s “Memoirs of a Ghost Girlhood: A Black Girl’s Window,”and a last chance to see “Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests” before the exhibit ends on July 24.
“Memoirs”invites museum-goers to participate in the exhibit themselves, asking them to submit a voicemail responding to the prompt, “Where do you see reflections of your wholeness here?”
The block party also invites visitors to participate in another major art activity: the making of a mural. Artist Colby Goon, formerly of Manchester, returns to the city to create a mural with the help of block party attendees.
“Everyone is invited to take part,” Benfield said.
The mural will combine the ideas and drawings from everyone, and will be completed by Goon, whose murals appear in Manchester, Boston and California, where he currently resides.
“It’ll have a lot of different voices and mirror the community we have at the event,” Benfield said.
The event is part of a commitment by the museum to provide “family-friendly programming” to engage the community.
The Currier offers a myriad of additional art and educational programs through the rest of the summer, including drawing classes, jewelry making classes for teens, and online educational programming. Additionally, the museum offers free admission and tours on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. as a part of their Art After Work program.
Currier Museum Summer Block Party Where: The Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester When: Saturday, July 16, 4 to 9 p.m. Tickets: Free More info: www.currier.org
Featured photo: Photos courtesy of the Currier Museum of Art.
Explore camping, hiking and puzzle-solving at New Hampshire’s outdoor gems
New Hampshire has 93 state parks offering recreation for outdoor-lovers (or just the outdoor curious) of all interests. And not all the action is up north — there are several parks in and close to the southern part of the state providing you a place to camp, hike and have other adventures out in the fresh air. Looking for something new to do this summer? Here are some ideas to help you get the most out of our state parks.
You don’t need to go far to find a campsite within New Hampshire’s state park system — there are 23 campgrounds statewide with a total of 1,419 campsites, offering a wide variety of opportunities from tents and cabins to some RV sites with water, sewer and electric hookups.
New Hampshire has experienced a steadily large increase in outdoor recreational activity across the board, including camping in state parks and private campgrounds. According to Shawn Hamilton, deputy supervisor of state park operations, the 2021 calendar year saw a record-breaking number of campers — more than 135,000 — within the state park system. Two years earlier, in 2019, a total of 118,000 campers utilized the parks, also a record at the time.
“We have campers who have been coming to the state parks every summer for 50 to 60 years, and that’s not an exaggeration,” Hamilton said. “It’s almost like a badge of honor for them, something that they take pride in. … It’s such a nostalgic experience for people to go back every summer and experience what they have with their parents, and now they share it with their kids.”
Campgrounds within the New Hampshire state park system are operationally self-funded, and there are all kinds of ongoing projects to improve their quality and accessibility. Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, for instance, has 110 sites with recently renovated cabins, Hamilton said. Five dishwashing stations were also recently installed at Greenfield State Park’s campsites.
A majority of the state park campgrounds offer traditional tent camping or cabins, but there are three — Hampton Beach State Park, Franconia Notch State Park and Ellacoya State Park in Gilford — that have full-service RV parks with hookup sites.
“We just recently upgraded the amperage at Hampton Beach State Park to better accommodate some of the newer RVs that are coming on to the market,” Hamilton said. “We’re planning to do the same at Ellacoya in the near future.”
Other sites, like Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham, offer multiple activities to campers.
“You can go to the beach one day, rent some boats and go out on the water … but then at the same time, the next day you can go out on the hiking trails,” Hamilton said, “so I think that type of versatility in terms of what we offer is really what people respond to. … At most of the parks we offer playgrounds as well. We make a concerted effort to add and upgrade the playgrounds so that the kids are fully occupied and having fun for the whole day.”
While July and August are two busiest months of the year for camping in the state parks system, Hamilton said the season runs from April through October. Campsite reservations can be made on the state park’s website up to 11 months in advance of your arrival date.
“Some of the campgrounds offer a couple hundred sites just in and of themselves … so there’s a lot of opportunity within each park as well,” Hamilton said.
Where to camp at some of New Hampshire’s state parks
Here’s a list of southern- and central-area campgrounds and RV parks within New Hampshire’s state parks system. Campsite reservations can be made online 24 hours a day and up to 11 months in advance. Visit nhstateparks.org or call 1-877-nhparks (647-2757) to reserve your spot. Rates cover two adults and up to four children on the site (maximum number of adults per site is four, with a maximum of six people total). A fee of $6.50 applies for all reservations, with $10 per night for each additional adult and $5 per night for each additional child.
Bear Brook State Park 61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9869 Cost: Ranges from $25 to $55 per night, depending on the site (no hookups) At more than 10,000 acres, this is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. Campers have two options within the park — Beaver Pond Campground (600 Lower Road, Deerfield), as well as the cabins at Bear Hill Pond (15 Bear Hill Pond Road, Deerfield), featuring two sizes occupying up to four or six people. The cabins are furnished but do not have electricity. There is also an Adirondack-style lean-to shelter overlooking Smith Pond. Renters have access to two wide wooden bunks, a stone cook place and two outhouses inside.
Ellacoya RV State Park 266 Scenic Road, Gilford, 293-7821 Cost: $47 per rig per night (includes water, electric and sewer hookups) Located on the southwest shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, Ellacoya State Park features an RV campground with 37 available sites by reservation only. Each offers three-way hookups. All of the sites are open daily to reserve now through Columbus Day weekend (no tents or pets are allowed inside the RV park).
Greenfield State Park 52 Campground Road, Greenfield, 547-3497 Cost: $25 per night (no hookups) This 400-acre park features 256 campsites that are available by reservation only, including family group campsites with two Adirondack-style shelters. RVs are welcome in sites where they fit, but no hookups are available. Leashed pets are permitted in the campground but are prohibited in the park’s day-use and beach areas.
Hampton Beach RV State Park 160 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 926-8990 Cost: $50 per rig per night (includes water, electric and sewer hookups) According to the New Hampshire state parks website, this is the only RV park directly on the coast, at the mouth of the Hampton River. The park is located south of the main part of Hampton Beach on Route 1A, at the Seabrook town line. There are 28 sites that are open for reservations now through Columbus Day weekend. Camping units must be able to hook up all three services (water, electric and sewer) and be self-contained — no pop-ups or tents are allowed.
Monadnock State Park 169 Poole Road, Jaffrey, 532-8862 Cost: $25 per night (no hookups) Gilson Pond Campground became the first new camping area in the New Hampshire state parks system in more than 40 years when it opened in July 2010. Located just down the road from the headquarters area of Monadnock State Park, Gilson Pond Campground has 35 sites that can accommodate tents and pop-ups, as well as five remote hike-to sites. There are several trails leaving the area that lead to the summit of Mount Monadnock.
Mount Sunapee State Park 86 Beach Access Road, Newbury, 763-5561 Cost: Ranges from $23 to $29 per night, depending on the site (no hookups) Mount Sunapee State Park has a campground with 11 sites that offer either lean-tos or tent platforms. The sites are wooded and are for tent camping. One campsite is non-reservable and available for walk-in campers.
Pawtuckaway State Park 7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031 Cost: Ranges from $25 to $30 per night, depending on the site (no hookups); cabin reservations are $65 per night or $360 per week This state park’s campground includes nearly 200 wooded sites, providing many views of Pawtuckaway Lake. Each campsite has an open fire ring, a picnic table, flat areas for a tent, and a parking space. There are no hookups at any of the sites, but the bathhouses are equipped with running water, flush toilets and 24-hour-access coin-operated showers. There’s also a camp store where canoe and kayak rentals are available, as well as a public canoe and kayak launch. Pets are not allowed in the campground or beach area of the park.
Pillsbury State Park 100 Pillsbury State Park Road, Washington, 863-2860 Cost: $23 per night (no hookups) Pillsbury State Park’s campground is open for reservable stays now through Columbus Day weekend. Amenities include handicap-accessible pit toilets, a playground, a kayak and canoe rentals, firewood and a boat launch for non-motorized boats. Eleven of the 41 campsites are remote and accessible by foot or canoe only.
New Hampshire is home to a variety of state parks with trails carving through them, showing off the state’s beauty to new and experienced hikers alike.
“Science has proven that a lot of the healthy chemicals in our bodies rise when we are in green space, so just being [in nature] is really important for people,” said Jake King, a co-founder of Thrive Outdoors, a team-building and leadership organization based in Manchester.
State parks are popular places to take a hike, and many are home to everything from beginners’ nature walks to advanced mountain passes. King said that it’s important to differentiate the two.
Pleasant Mountain hike with Gear Up. Photo courtesy of Thrive Outdoors.
It’s important for people who are new to getting into nature and walking to do something on the easier side, like going up to New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center in Concord.
“There are nature walks, and they shouldn’t be considered hikes,” King said. “People who are going to start hiking are going into more remote areas and [taking] on more of a challenge.”
Hiking has always been a popular pastime in the Granite State, said Kimball Rexford, the creator of TrailsNH.com. But during the height of the pandemic, he said, it has exploded in popularity.
“Since Covid, like everything, all popular hikes are more than double than what they used to be, maybe even triple,” Rexford said. “It’s starting to come down and people are less nervous being around others, but during Covid, hiking was through the roof.”
Across the board, the most recommended trail on both the Hike NH and Girls Hike NH Facebook groups was Pawtuckaway State Park’s South Loop. Many group members suggested that people take the hike up to the fire tower for a beautiful view.
Rexford suggested a more challenging trail within Pawtuckaway State Park.
“I usually do the North Loop,” he said. “It has a long bony ridge, meaning it’s rocky. It’s a lot of bang for your buck.”
King’s favorite trail, the Cardigan Loop, is for hikers who feel comfortable with the activity, but the trail isn’t extremely challenging by any means.
“It’s got beautiful views and it’s not super remote,” he said. “People walk their dogs and run on the trail. It’s not [as] if you were to go up the [White Mountains] where you won’t see someone for days.”
While Rexford’s website is a good place to find what’s currently popular and trending for hiking, people who are members of hiking Facebook groups, like Hike NH, will help and offer suggestions for their favorite paths.
“Pawtuckaway is unbeatable for what it is,” commented Randall Schanck, a member of Hike NH, in response to the Hippo asking for state park hiking recommendations. “[It is] big enough to explore for a long day and [there is] so much to see if you know where to look. It might as well be Jurassic Park.”
Terra Anna Merry, a member of Girls Hike NH, also said that she enjoys hiking in Pawtuckaway, but added that there were beautiful hikes in Northwood Meadows State Park in Northwood, Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, and Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown.
Rexford said that the Granite State has a seemingly endless number of trails, peaks and loops for avid hikers to explore.
“There’s a lot of everything,” he said. “You could spend a lifetime hiking in New Hampshire and not do it all.”
Where to go hiking in New Hampshire’s state parks
The Hippo reached out to the local Facebook groups Hike NH and Girls Hike NH for suggestions from members on the best trails to hike within New Hampshire’s state parks. Here’s a list of what we received for responses. Visit nhstateparks.org for more details on each trail.
Bear Brook State Park 157 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9869 Trail: Catamount Loop Difficulty: Strenuous
Cardigan Mountain State Forest 658 Cardigan Mountain Road, Orange, 227-8745 Trail: Mount Cardigan Loop Difficulty: Moderate
Miller State Park 13 Miller Park Road, Peterborough, 924-3672 Trail: Wapack Trail Difficulty: Moderately strenuous
Monadnock State Park 169 Poole Road, Jaffrey, 532-8862 Trail: Wantastiquet-Monadnock trail Difficulty: Moderately strenuous
Northwood Meadows State Park 755 First New Hampshire Turnpike, Northwood Trail: NALMC Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Odiorne Point State Park 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 436-7406 Trail: Odiorne Point Trail Difficulty: Easy
Pawtuckaway State Park 7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031 Trail: South Mountain Tower Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Rhododendron State Park 424 Rockwood Pond Road, Fitzwilliam, 532-8862 Trail: Wildflower Trail Difficulty: Easy
Wellington State Park 614 W. Shore Road, Bristol, 744-2197 Trail: Peninsula Nature Trail Difficulty: Easy
Winslow State Park 475 Kearsarge Mountain Road, Wilmot, 526-6168 Trail: Rollins Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking difficulties source: National Park Service, nps.gov
Essential hiking gear Visit hikesafe.com for more details. • Pocket knife • Rain jacket and pants • Fire starter • First aid kit • Whistle • Headlamp or flashlight • Water and food • Warm clothing • Compass • Map
Maybe hiking isn’t your thing. Maybe you don’t look forward to a trudge among the flora and fauna amid the summer heat. Luckily, this does not exempt you from enjoying the many state parks in southern New Hampshire.
Outside of hiking, there are a plethora of activities available for park-goers, including educational and beautiful historic sites, boating activities and the exciting hunt for geocaches.
Historic sites
For those interested in learning some local history, or for museum-frequenters who want to get outside this summer, here are some great options:
Fort Constitution Historic Site 25 Wentworth Road, New Castle, 271-3556 Located on a peninsula on the northeast corner of New Castle island, the ruins of Fort Constitution provide a great picnic spot for those interested in American history. First used during the War of 1812, the Fort also served as a training site during the Civil War, and was updated in 1897 to be used during the Spanish-American War, as well as World Wars I and II. Returned to the state in 1961, it now sits as a historic landmark with gorgeous views of the water. Source: nhstateparks.org
Fort Stark State Historic Site 211 Wildrose Lane, New Castle, 271-3556 Historically known as Jerry’s Point, Fort Stark sits on the southeastern peninsula of New Castle Island. Built following the Spanish-American War, the fort helps preserve the history of the island as an important military operation used during World War II. Of note is the Ordnance Machine Shop Museum, which displays military artifacts as well as a detailed history of the fort. Source: nhstateparks.org
Robert Frost Farm Historic Site 122 Rockingham Road, Derry, 432-3091 See the farmhouse of the late renowned poet Robert Frost, where he lived with his family from 1900 to 1911. In addition to being the setting for some of Frost’s most acclaimed poems, the site offers a variety of activities for visitors, including poetry readings and a self-guided tour of the property. Source: nhstateparks.org
Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion 375 Little Harbor Road, Portsmouth, 436-2233 Home to New Hampshire’s first royal governor, Benning Wentworth, the Wentworth-Coolidge mansion is a feat of 18th-century architecture. With tours of the sprawling mansion available every day this summer (which include a spy closet), and a gorgeous waterside walking path, the site is a must-see for fans of local history. Additionally, the grounds are covered in purple lilacs, descendents of the first European stock imported by Wentworth. Source: nhstateparks.org
White Island Historic Site Rye, 271-3556 Visit New Hampshire’s only off-shore lighthouse on White Island for a whole day’s worth of historic sights. Originally built in 1820 and rebuilt in 1859, the lighthouse has seen many influential visitors and residents. Acclaimed poet Celia Thaxter was the daughter of the lighthouse’s keeper and wrote many of her works about that period. White Island itself is nestled in the Isles of Shoals, originally known as the Smith Islands (named after Jamestown settler Capt. John Smith). Source: lighthousefriends.com
Geocaching
Originating in 2000 in Oregon, geocaching has had a recent resurgence in popularity amid Covid. By downloading the free “Geocaching” app available for any smartphone, users can hunt for hundreds of hidden treasures called “caches” all over various area parks. The app gives mysterious clues as to the exact location of each cache, and turns any regular hike into an interactive scavenger hunt. It’s perfect for families with curious children, and for anyone who enjoys solving a mystery. When a cache is found, simply sign your name in the log book and leave it for the next person to find.
There are geocache locations hidden in every local state park, and the larger walking trails provide opportunities for finding upwards of 10 caches. For a geocaching challenge that doesn’t require the app download, we’ve hid our own geocache in one of New Hampshire’s state parks — test your mettle and see if you can solve the riddle and find our cache:
Whose cache this is I think I know His box is rather hidden, though He will not see me crossing here Beneath my feet the water flows.
My little phone seems sure it’s near I’ll wait until the coast is clear The gurgle of my much-loved brook Is all that I do long to hear.
I’ll give my weary legs a break For coming here was no mistake The only other sound’s the croak Of that which is my spot’s namesake
These woods are lovely dark and deep But I have promises to keep And caches to find before I sleep And caches to find before I sleep
Canoeing and kayaking
According to nhstateparks.org, canoe and kayak rentals at applicable state parks are $15 per hour, $30 for four hours, $50 for a full day, or $150 for a full week. Oars and life vests are provided. Boaters must have a driver’s license to rent within the state parks system.
Bear Brook State Park 61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9874 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Clough State Park 455 Clough Park Road, Weare, 529-7112 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Ellacoya State Park 266 Scenic Road, Gilford, 293-7821 Admission cost: $5 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats
Greenfield State Park 52 Campground Road, Greenfield, 547-3497 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Livermore Falls Recreational Area 86 Livermore Road, Holderness, 238-9284 Admission cost: $5 per car; no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats
Odiorne Point State Park 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 436-7406 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats
Pawtuckaway State Park 7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031 Admission cost: $5 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Pillsbury State Park 100 Pillsbury State Park Road, Washington, 863-2860 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Silver Lake State Park 138 Silver Lake Road, Hollis, 465-2342 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); kayak rentals available only
Wentworth State Park 297 Governor Wentworth Hwy., Wolfeboro, 569-3699 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats
Featured photo: Camping at Pawtuckaway State Park in Allenstown in Nottingham. Photo courtesy of New Hampshire State Parks.
The Center for Life Management is hosting its 14th annual silent auction and concert benefit at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry). The silent auction will start at 5:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m., featuring 33 1/3 LIVE, which will perform their Killer Queen Experience. Tickets are $40 for the mezzanine, $45 for main floor, and $50 for the lower level. Find information at tupelomusichall.com.
Friday, July 15
Loudon is hosting racers for the Ambetter 301 NASCAR weekend starting today at noon at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106) and continuing through Sunday, July 17. The weekend will be filled with races, fan events, live music and more. Friday night will feature dirt duels. General admission tickets start at $20 and attendees 12 years old and under are $10. For the Ambetter 301 weekend, single adult tickets start at $59 and tickets for children 12 years old and under are $10. Visit nhms.com/events/nascar-cup-series for more information.
Saturday, July 16
The Aviation Museum (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) is rolling out vintage cars for the classic car show today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Classic cars of various makes and models will compete for the people’s choice award, and the Amoskeag Reserve Engine Co., a local chapter of the national fire apparatus preservation society, will show off restored antique firetrucks. There will be food trucks, a raffle and a yard sale. Registration will be from 9 to 10 a.m. and costs $10. Spectator tickets will cost $5 for adults; children 12 and younger are free. For more information, visit nhahs.org.
Saturday, July 16
The annual New England vintage boat and car auction is today, with the first in-person bids being placed at 10 a.m. Some of the featured items available at this year’s auction include a 1961 24-foot Chris Craft Sportsman, a 1968 20-foot Chris Craft Grand Prix and a 1947 22-foot Goodhue Race Boat. While the online auction started on July 7, there will be a showing of boats and cars on Thursday, July 14, and Friday, July 15, from noon to 5 p.m. at The Nicholas J. Pernokas Recreation Park (10 Trotting Track Road, Wolfeboro). Additional viewing before the bidding will begin at 8 a.m.
Saturday, July 16
The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter) is hosting the 32 Annual American Independence Festival starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m. The festival will have historical reenactors, an artisan village with everything from ropemaking to tinsmithing, and musicians playing traditional instruments such as clavichords, dulcimers and harpsichords. Tickets are $4 for kids ages 4 to 8, $10 for adults, and free for children under 4 years old.
Tuesday, July 19
Gibson’s Bookstore (45 South Main St., Concord) is hosting local author Sarah McCraw Crow for a paperback release party for her novel The Wrong Kind of Woman today at 6:30 p.m. The event is free to attend and does not require registration. See gibsonsbookstore.com.
Save the Date!Saturday, July 23 The Rebel Collective is performing at the Bank of NH (16 S Main St, Concord) to support Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Hampshire. The Rebel Collective is a New England-based American/Irish pub rock band that was started in 2015. CASA is a nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and supports community volunteers to advocate for children who have suffered abuse or neglect. The doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $18 and can be purchased at ccanh.com.
Featured photo. The Rebel Collective will be performing July 23. Courtesy photo.
The American Red Cross is calling for blood and platelet donations after experiencing a “steep drop” in donations last month, according to a press release. The organization was approximately 12 percent short on donations needed in June — 14 percent short in the Northern New England Region — making June 2022 one of the largest monthly donation shortfalls in recent years. In efforts to increase donations and prevent a blood shortage this summer, the Red Cross has partnered with Discovery to give everyone who donates during Shark Week, which is July 21 through July 24, an exclusive Shark Week T-shirt, while supplies last, and everyone who donates during the month of July a chance to win an exclusive Shark Week merchandise package.
QOL Score: -2 for the shortfall (but plus a shark-ton for the Shark Week promotion)
Comment:To book a donation appointment at a Red Cross blood donation site near you, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.
Backpack to school
The New Hampshire Department of Education’s annual backpack drive is going on now through Aug. 12. Now in its 7th year, the drive was created by Diana Fenton, an attorney at the Department, to help New Hampshire families that cannot afford to purchase a new backpack for their children. “We want to make sure that every child can start the new school year with a fresh start and a new backpack,” Fenton said in a press release. The backpacks will be distributed at schools across the state by school nurses to the students who need them.
QOL Score: +1
Comment: Donations of new backpacks may be dropped off at the department’s office, at 25 Hall St. in Concord, on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. When you arrive at the front entrance, call Natasha Lupiani at 271-3196 for assistance.
Expensive energy
A recent WalletHub study ranked New Hampshire as the 8th most energy-expensive state in the U.S., calculating the average monthly cost of energy for New Hampshire households to be $550. The study looked at the average retail or residential costs of electricity, natural gas, home heating oil and motor fuel in each state relative to the state’s average monthly consumption rate of those energy resources. New Hampshire made the top 10 for highest price of electricity (8th) and highest price of natural gas (9th) and came in 20th for the highest price of motor fuel.
QOL Score: -2
Comment: Among the New England states, however, New Hampshire’s energy costs are on the lower end; the study found Connecticut at No. 4, Massachusetts at No. 5 and Vermont at No. 7, with Rhode Island and Maine not far behind New Hampshire at 11th and 13th, respectively.
Model pets
The Salem Animal Rescue League is accepting submissions now through July 30 for its 7th annual Pet Calendar Photo Contest. In the past, the calendar has exclusively featured pets that were adopted from SARL, but this year, in celebration of the shelter’s 30th anniversary, the contest is open to all cats and dogs, “including those that have crossed the rainbow bridge,” Executive Director Jinelle Hobson said in a press release. The public will vote for their favorite pet. The pet that receives the most votes will get a professional photo shoot and be featured on the cover of SARL’s 2023 calendar and on the month of the winning pet owner’s choice.
QOL Score: +1
Comment: Head to gogophotocontest.com/salemanimalrescueleague to submit a photo of your pet, along with a mini bio or favorite memory and a $20 donation. Then, share your submission on social media and ask your friends and family to vote; a $1 donation equals one vote, and there is no voting limit.
QOL score: 84
Net change: -2
QOL this week: 82
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].
We are a few days away from baseball’s All-Star break, the time in the good old days when MannyRamirez would announce (again) the same relative had died for an eighth time to get him out of playing in the once great game.
Even though it’s long past that point in games, it’s the unofficial midway point for the season. So let’s take a look at some of the big first-half stories and one looming on the horizon.
Pennant Race: After splitting last weekend’s series in Boston, the Yanks were 61-25, among the best starts ever. Meanwhile, after their glacial start, Boston was 47-39 and 14 back. A big but not insurmountable lead, as history shows Boston led NY by (gulp) 14.5 on July 17 in 1978 and lost.
Assuming 95 wins takes the division, the Sox need to go a doable 48-28, a .613 winning percentage, which translates to a 102-win season. But it requires a 34-47 Yankees collapse, not for Boston to play out of their jocks.
AL News
I’m not against it and I’ll sorta buy the nod for the 8-4, 2.44 pitching record, but with him 14th in homers (19) and 15th in RBI (54) can we all agree taking ShoheiOhtani as a “two way” All-Star is a gimmick?
There was a time MerlotJoeMaddon was considered a managerial savant as low-budget Tampa Bay won with him in the dugout. But after ending the Cubs’ 108-year curse in 2016, it’s been straight downhill since. He got pushed out of Chicago in 2020 and then didn’t even last till June in Year 2 with Anaheim. In the meantime, still budget-conscious Tampa mostly just kept winning. So maybe it wasn’t Joe after all.
NL News in case you’re interested
Thealwaysunlikable MannyMachado is living up to the big money he got from the Padres (.309, 14 bombs and 50 RBI). That’s not good news for the XanderBogaerts contract front. Because with Xander better and more reliable it’s another benchmark his agents can use at the bargaining table.
How about the FreddieFreeman nonsense? In his first trip back to Atlanta since leaving last winter he acted like a homesick puppy, which followed his firing the agent who convinced him to take the bigger deal from the Dodgers. We can only guess how that played in the Dodgers locker room.
What is it with the Dodgers and the weird (dis) spirited first baseman? A couple of years back an injured AdrianGonzalez actually went on vacation when they were in the playoffs. Though with those hated Dodgers on pace to win 106-games (again) Freeman hasn’t been an issue yet.
Alumni News in case you’re wondering
Andrew Benintendi: Off having a nice first half hitting. 327 with 3 homers and 35 homers, rumors have him headed to the Yanks at the deadline.
Kyle Schwarber: His 28 homers are second in baseball. Along with his 57 RBI and the modest deal he got in Philly, it makes not re-upping him to DH a titanic mistake by ChaimBloom.
Hunter Renfroe: With him hitting .247 with 13 homers and 27 RBI he’s no loss.
Eduardo Rodriguez: Amid family problems he left Detroit a month ago and hasn’t been heard from since. Sad news for him and Detroit, but a disaster averted for Boston.
News From The Empire
With all due respect to the upcoming Bogaerts free agency saga, it’s not gonna touch the looming drama that could ignite a full on war in the Big Apple.
If you ain’t been paying attention there’s a gigantic game of chicken going on between AaronJudge and the Yankees, which the Yanks are really screwing up with a lot more at stake than usual.
First, since Yankee fans have never seen them lose a free agent they wanted to retain, Judge has the leverage in the contract negotiations in a normal year.
But with him challenging TheBabe (60) and RogerMaris (61) for the Yanks’ treasured single-season home run record, the leverage grows stronger, as that’s a pretty good way to walk into free agency.
Finally, that leverage will explode if the Mets step up to try and outbid them for Judge after a historic year, a very real possibility.
Their (still) new owner SteveCohen is nuts enough to do it because (a) he’s a lifelong diehard Mets fan from Long Island who’s been taking guff from Yankee fans his whole life, (b) after bringing in MaxScherzer and FranciscoLindor he’s already shown he’ll spend big, and (c) since he’s the richest owner in baseball he’s got the incentive and dough to do it.
Most importantly, even with the extreme expense, it would be good business for New York’s JV baseball team to steal the face of the Yankees franchise away from them, because (a) it would be like when the Jets gave rookie to be JoeNamath the richest contract in sports in 1965, which sucked in all the PR oxygen and the tabloids ate it up,and(b) it could swing the pendulum their way in NYC if it leads to an immediate World Series with Judge as the star, as, oh by the way, it would make a beloved former Yankee star the face of their hated crosstown rival. Thus it’s the biggest event in their joint history since the Mets arrived in 1962. Not to mention likely the biggest and most expensive free agent battle in history.
So all the pressure is on HalSteinbrenner and GM BrianCashman. Who have played it so far the same lowball way that sent JonLester to free agency all ticked off in 2014.
The only thing missing is GeorgeSteinbrenner, who would have it in the headlines every day while making it a nasty fight to boot!
The American Independence Museum in Exeter was recently awarded a grant to increase its exhibition space to share a more comprehensive history of the founding of America. Jennifer Carr, the museum’s curator and collections manager and acting executive director, discussed what that will look like and the importance of inclusive storytelling in American history.
What will the grant be used for?
The Samuel P. Hunt Foundation has generously awarded us $21,250 to enhance our archival and exhibit infrastructure … [with new] archival museum cases, as well as some smaller-ticket items that will help us to tell stories about inclusive history. For the past couple years, the museum has been taking a look at how we interpret the founding of the American nation, and we’ve seen that we tell the story from really one perspective, which is the military perspective. That left a lot of people out of the equation. We’ve been doing research on local and state history and looking at our collections to see how we can bring more inclusive history into what we do with the museum. We’ve discovered that we have a collection of more than 3,000 items, and there are different stories we can tell with those items than what we’ve been telling. There are many different ways for historians to interpret the same item. … With the grant, we’ve been able to purchase five new cases, as well as labels which are ADA-compliant. With that, we can bring more of our collections out of storage and put that research to use, sharing those incredible stories with our guests.
What are some of the stories you plan on telling with the expanded exhibit space?
We’re looking to expand to as many different underrepresented groups as we can. We’ve been working with Black history, women’s history, indigenous history, and we even have one story that covers LGBTQ history. We have a military order book written by General von Steuben, who helped General Washington whip the Continental Army into shape and start winning battles, and it turns out there’s an interesting LGBTQ history related to General von Steuben, so we’re able to bring that book out and talk not only about military strategy but also about the contributions of the LGBTQ community to the founding of our nation. We also have indigenous artifacts uncovered during the 2019 archeological dig at the Ladd-Gilman House … so we’re able to tell the pre-contact history of indigenous peoples right in our own backyard.
When will these updates be ready to view?
The company that manufactures these museum cases actually has a pretty long lead time at this point, so we won’t be able to get them out on exhibit until next season. In the meantime, we’re going to continue working on research to dive deeper into our collections and see how many more stories from different perspectives we can uncover to prepare for getting those museum cases in place to share with our guests in 2023.
Who does this historical research, and what does that process look like?
It’s primarily me. Before I began serving as acting executive director, I was primarily focused on curatorial work. I was taking the lead on all the research and interpretation. We also had a couple fantastic volunteers who helped us with research and going to the historical societies and digging through deeds and archives. It’s been a team effort.
What led the museum to pursue these updates?
It’s something happening industry-wide. I think America has realized so much of its history has gone untold. There’s a reckoning right now with that. We’re looking at everyone who has gone underrepresented in this nation. We feel it’s important to tell a balanced story of the founding of the nation, not just from the military perspective, not just the grand stories of the founding fathers, but of everything the people of this nation went through to gain independence. … Independence wasn’t won only on the battlefield; it was about boycotts women were engaged in to fight the taxes Britain was levying on the colonies; it was about the enslaved people who left their families to go off to fight in a war they believed would lead to freedom for them, only to come home and remain enslaved. There are a lot of stories, good and bad, that led to the founding of this nation.
Has there been an interest from the public in learning about these stories?
Yes. I’ve personally led some tours over the past couple years that included these new stories we’ve uncovered, and I’ve heard people making comments like, ‘Wow, I had no idea that happened here. I’m glad you’re telling these stories, because it’s something I didn’t hear in school.” That has been great to hear. Overwhelmingly, the feedback has been positive. I think people enjoy hearing stories that are different from what they learned in school. We’ve all heard the story of the Boston Tea Party; it’s a great story, but it’s nothing new. I think people are interested in hearing new things and learning on a deeper level.
