It’s been a long time coming, but the Nashua Chamber Orchestra is finally back to its full size, and it should stay that way for the rest of the season.
For the first time since the pandemic, the Nashua Chamber Orchestra is going to be holding its season with a complete orchestra. While the group finished off last season in the spring of 2022 with an orchestral concert, the majority of the season had been with small string groups, says orchestra director David Feltner.
“I’m so happy to be back to a full orchestra and live concerts after the hiatus that most of the arts groups had to take,” Feltner said.
Feltner said he wanted the first concert of the full orchestra season to be something extremely special. The concert, titled “Beethoven and Friends,” will feature a selection of pieces from composers from Beethoven’s time or with styles that complement his own. The symphony for the show is Beethoven’s Eighth.
The music differs from other, more performed works of Beethoven in a few distinct ways, said Feltner. Primarily, the music is in a major key. This is a drastic change from the stormy and ominous-sounding music that Beethoven usually composed.
While Beethoven is played often by instrumentalists and orchestras, Feltner said it’s rare for the eighth to be played.
“His odd-number symphonies get played more often,” Feltner said. “It could be partially because of the key. Maybe people respond more to the intensity of the minor-key symphonies. Sometimes composers write pieces that aren’t great. That’s not the case with this one.”
Feltner added that the score is incredibly difficult and probably one of the hardest of Beethoven’s symphonies to perform. Because of that, he designs the concert programs around one piece of music.
Feltner said he chooses music that will complement the main piece, but will make sure the pieces aren’t too strenuous for the musicians when they have a challenging symphony to play later in the program. With Beethoven’s eighth being his main inspiration, Feltner added a dueling pianos piece that was adapted to include strings by Jean Sibelius and a bassoon solo by Carl Maria von Weber.
The opening piece of the concert might be a first for New Hampshire when it comes to classical music. The orchestra will play the first symphony of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, which Feltner believes has never been played in the Granite State.
Bologne is a little-known composer from the mid to late 1700s, said Feltner. The composer was born in the French colony of Guadeloupe to a white planter and an enslaved Black woman. As a child he was taken to study music in Paris, and at one point he was in consideration to become the next conductor at the Paris Opera, according to Gabriel Banat’s biography The Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Virtuoso of the Sword and the Bow. Bologne was not only a prolific composer and virtuoso, but he lived in Chaussee d’Antin for two and a half years at the same time as Wolfgang Mozart.
“[Bolonge] was a very influential and interesting person, and just now people are discovering his music,” Feltner said. “He was a very gifted violinist. … He has a connection to all the composers of the season. The orchestra he worked with was the one that commissioned Joseph Haydn to write his Paris Symphony.”
While this concert will focus primarily on Beethoven’s piece, Feltner hopes he can provide unique surprises at all the upcoming concerts in the season, as he did with Bologne in this concert. He said he’s excited to see people sitting in the audience and experiencing classical music the way it was written to be.
“Being in the space where the music is actually happening in real time,” said Feltner. “That’s my wish, that people get to enjoy it and make some new discoveries and have a wonderful evening out.”
Beethoven and Friends When and Where: Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Nashua Community College (505 Amherst St., Nashua), and Sunday, Nov. 6, at 6:30 p.m. at Milford Town Hall (1 Union Square, Milford) Price: Tickets are $20 for adults; $15 for senior citizens ages 65 and older, military, and college students, and free for children ages 18 and younger. Visit: nco-music.org
Featured photo: David Feltner, Nashua Chamber Orchestra director. Courtesy photo.
Get to know this Community-friendly Comfort Dog, a very social emu, cuddle cows and other famous local animals
Many dogs, cats and other animals have roles that go beyond the traditional house pet. From friendly farm dwellers to shop cats to therapy or comfort dogs (and even a pony!), these beloved animals all have a unique story to tell.
Augustus & Moo
Augustus the cat. Photo by Mya Blanchard.
At Cats Kingdom, a cat-based pet store in Manchester, Augustus and Moo are the kings of the castle. Although they differ in personality and demeanor, the two have become best friends since sharing the throne. As a pet store dedicated solely to cats, Cats Kingdom has something that every feline will love, from food to furniture and toys.
Customers, and their cats, who come into the store will likely be welcomed by Augustus, who is “a great store greeter,” store owner Cathy Hilscher said.
Augustus is an 8-year-old long-haired, mixed-breed cat who was adopted six years ago from New Hampshire Kittens. Friendly, independent and outgoing, Augustus is a cat that customers gravitate toward.
Moo is a shyer, 5-year-old domestic shorthair who loves to see other cats come into the store. Originally from Florida, Moo had a rough start until he was adopted by Hilscher from Darbster Kitty, a nonprofit based in Manchester.
Moo the cat. Photo by Mya Blanchard.
“He was returned a few times. I had been working with them years ago to help [with] adoptions and he had some health problems we’ll say. So finally three years ago I adopted him myself,” Hilscher said. “He was a work in progress. He has a lot of health issues, but I feel that he pretty much came to me for a reason.”
Cats Kingdom has earned a loyal customer base since its opening seven years ago. Hilscher was inspired to open the store when her late cat Pierre was diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 18.
“I realized there wasn’t a lot out there for cats, [like] supportive measures, foods [and] holistic care. Just on a whim right down the street there was a ‘for sale’ sign, so I took out a … loan and I built it from the ground up,” Hilscher said.
The health problems that Pierre had are rather similar to one that Moo currently faces. With his kidney issues, an autoimmune disease, and a history of neglect, Hilscher considers Moo to be the underdog.
“He probably would not be alive now if I didn’t take him,” Hilscher said of Moo. “I think him happening to find a cat store that focuses on kidney support care and him being so young to have kidney problems [is] kind of … ironic, and I think he’s here for a reason.”
— Mya Blanchard
Augustus and Moo the cats Where: Cats Kingdom, 679 Mast Road, Manchester Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info: catskingdom.online, 935-8321
Charley Mopps Brewdog
Charley Mopps Brewdog. Courtesy photo.
Five-year-old Charley Mopps — or just Charley — is the official “brewdog” of Blasty Bough Brewing Co in Epsom. He was just a puppy when the brewery opened its doors on the grounds of McClary Hill Farm in early 2018, owner and head brewer Dave Stewart said.
“When we first picked him up, we were already in the process of building out [the brewery],” Stewart said. “There’s an old song, and it’s obviously fanciful, but it’s about Charley Mopps, who is the man who invented beer, and it rhymes with barley and hops. … So that’s where the name comes from. He’s really just Charley, but when he’s not being good, he’s Charley Mopps.”
Charley was adopted from 3 Dogs Rescue in Berwick, Maine. In the early days of the brewery — before, Stewart said, a food menu was introduced — patrons would often find Charley roaming the floors of the taproom. While he’s no longer allowed inside where food is served, Charley is still known to make regular appearances out on the outdoor porch seating area.
“At the end of the evening, the regulars that are there will ask for an appearance. Everybody will ask, ‘Where’s Charley?’ and so we all go outside and let Charley out,” Stewart said. “Charley also gets to eat whatever’s left in the hot dog steamer after the evening is over.”
Quickly becoming something of a local celebrity among the taproom’s regulars, Charley has his own “Charley Mopps seal of approval” T-shirts, and there’s even a brewed beer named after him. The Charley Mopps Brewdog stout is a smooth coffee-oatmeal stout that’s brewed with organic French roast coffee beans — it’s slated to make its return to the brewery’s lineup in time for the winter months, Stewart said.
More details on Charley’s adventures can be found at blastybough.com/charley-mopps-brewdog. He also has his own Instagram page @charleymoppsbrewdog, where photos of him and his “dog friends” at the brewery are shared.
“He’s got a cushion under my desk and he sleeps there while I’m doing office work, and then when I’m doing other stuff, he’s hanging around supervising,” Stewart said. “We call him the Wonder Dog, because he’s always wondering what’s going on.”
— Matt Ingersoll
Charley Mopps Brewdog Where: Blasty Bough Brewing Co., 3 Griffin Road, Epsom Hours: Friday, 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m. (be there around closing time for a chance to see Charley) More info: blastybough.com, 724-3636
Clarissa, Ruby and Sadie
Clarissa the horse. Courtesy photo.
Sixteen horses live on the approximately 96-acre farm at UpReach, a therapeutic equestrian center in Goffstown. Among them are Clarissa, Ruby and Sadie.
Clarissa, a blonde Haflinger, is a fan favorite with an excellent work ethic. Now in her early 20s, she has been at the center since she was donated at the age of 7. Loving and outgoing, Clarissa is great with participants.
“She seeks people out,” said Allison McCully, the unmounted program director at UpReach.
Clarissa, also known as “The Driving Queen,” takes part in the hippotherapy and riding programs, and, as her nickname suggests, specializes in the therapeutic driving program in which she pulls carts.
Ruby is an expressive bay-colored Morgan who has been at UpReach for four years. She participates in the therapeutic riding program, giving walk, trot and canter lessons.
“Ruby knows she’s important and she likes being important. She wants to be good at everything,” McCully said.
Sadie, a 15-year old piebald Gypsy Vanner with a mellow, independent personality, was leased to UpReach in 2015. Her specialty is hippotherapy, but she is also involved in the therapeutic riding program. Her even-keeled demeanor makes her a perfectly hospitable horse.
“She takes care of people. She’s a caretaker,” McCully said.
UpReach serves about 160 participants with various challenges weekly. The participants can be anywhere from 3 years old to in their 80s.
“The challenges that people have vary. … It could be physical, could be emotional or … cognitive,” said Sara McCarthy, UpReach’s development director.
There are many ways to get involved and contribute to the cause and the horses at UpReach. One can volunteer, donate or even sponsor one of the horses.
“The sponsorship helps offset the cost of caring for a horse,” McCarthy said.
Sponsors get to have their picture taken with the horse they sponsor, receive a certificate, and get to go and spend time with the horse at the center.
“They’re doing all the hard work for us, so they deserve the best care that we can give them, and they get it here. … They’re very lucky horses,” McCarthy said.
— Mya Blanchard
Clarissa, Ruby and Sadie the therapy horses Where: UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center, 153 Paige Hill Road, Goffstown Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info: upreachtec.org, 497-5367
Cottonpuff the “unicorn”
Cottonpuff the “unicorn”. Courtesy photo.
When Deanna Levesque first encountered Cottonpuff at a rescue pen, she wasn’t sure the American miniature horse would have what it takes to be a “unicorn” for her entertainment service, NH Unicorns. Two weeks later she saw Cottonpuff again at a different rescue pen. She knew then that, unicorn or no unicorn, the horse was in need of a loving forever home.
“I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing this poor little thing being bounced from pen to pen until she was sick, hurt or worse,” Levesque said. “NH Unicorns had to save her. I didn’t care at that point if she would ever make it as a unicorn.”
As it turns out, Cottonpuff’s demeanor is a perfect fit for unicorn service. She’s sociable and huggable and loves nothing more than being the center of attention.
Well, that, and eating cupcakes.
“She loves vanilla cupcakes,” Levesque said. “That’s been her favorite part of going to kids’ parties.”
Standing at just under 36 inches tall, Cottonpuff is especially popular with the little ones. With her teddy bear-like features — big head, big eyes and big ears — rotund body and billowy white mane, Cottonpuff can be best described, Levesque said, as “the corgi of unicorns.”
“Her pretty white hair is so thick and fluffy, you can literally bury your hand in it,” she said.
Cottonpuff’s best unicorn quality is her ability to form a special connection with the children she meets.
“She’s been told by so many littles that she makes them feel safe, and that has been one of the highest compliments any of our animals has ever received,” Levesque said. “She has been the reason non-verbal children have spoken their first words. She has brought tears to the eyes of many parents as they witness the joy of their child’s unicorn encounter.”
Cottonpuff has become the most requested NH Unicorn, Levesque said, and though she officially entered retirement this past summer, she’ll take any opportunity she’s given to pop back into the spotlight and see her young fans.
“She always demands to be a part of things,” Levesque said. “We don’t take her out for long public events anymore … but she wants everyone to know she can still be seen at occasional visits to the farm.”
NH Unicorns is currently planning a rainbow birthday party at their farm in Barnstead to celebrate Cottonpuff’s 30th.
Cottonpuff the “unicorn” NH Unicorns offers parties, special appearances and photo shoots at requested locations throughout New Hampshire and at its farm in Barnstead. To learn more about opportunities to meet Cottonpuff and the other NH Unicorns, visit nhunicorns.com or call 867-6228, and follow NH Unicorns on Facebook.
Dundee the emu
Dundee the emu. Courtesy photo.
The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill in Bedford is home to many animals you’d expect to see at a New England farm — goats, cows, horses, sheep, chickens, alpacas — but there is one animal that may have you doing a double take.
Meet Dundee.
Dundee is an 8-year-old female emu, which is a large, flightless bird endemic to Australia.
“She’s a little unusual at our farm — a little different — but that’s part of what makes her so fun,” said Jessica Gilcreast, vice chair of the board for the farm. “She’s a species that’s not native to New England, and our visitors get to interact with her very closely, which they may not be able to do anywhere else.”
Dundee was hatched from an egg to a family in Maine. She was given to Live and Let Live Farm, an animal rescue and sanctuary in Chichester, in 2021, and adopted by The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill that same year.
Despite being the only emu at the farm, Dundee has had no trouble fitting in with the other animals. Standing over 5 feet tall and with a sprint speed of up to 30 mph, her closest companions are the horses.
“She lives with the horses in the horse pasture, and at night she’ll go into the trees to roost,” Gilcreast said. “During the winter, she lives in the barn … with a roommate, Trickster, a rooster. They keep each other company until the worst of winter is over.”
Dundee is very social, not only with her fellow animals but also with her human friends, especially if they come with a handful of her favorite snack, red grapes.
“She loves to interact with our visitors and volunteers and will often be at the fence to say hello,” Gilcreast said.
Though she’s lived at the farm for only a little over a year, Dundee has already secured her position as one of the farm’s most popular animals, her claim to fame being a penchant for wearing hats.
“She lets the volunteers put hats on her and take funny pictures. She never complains,” Gilcreast said.
You can see Dundee at the farm outside every day except during the winter, when you can see her as part of a guided barn tour. While you’re there, you can also purchase a cup of grain to feed Dundee and the other animals.
Emus can live to be up to 30 years old, Gilcreast said, “so we plan to have Dundee for a long time.”
— Angie Sykeny
Dundee the emu Where: The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill, 174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford When: The farm is open daily from dawn to dusk Cost: Admission to the farm is free. Purchase a cup of grain to feed Dundee and the other animals for $5. More info: theeducationalfarm.org, 472-4724
Eddy the comfort pony
Eddy the comfort pony. Courtesy photo.
Eddy is a 23-year-old Shetland pony who is the newest member of the Manchester Police Department’s Mounted Patrol team. According to the Friends of the Manchester Mounted Patrol’s website, the horse and his riders — which include MPD officers Kelly McKenney and Brianna Miano, along with intern Hannah Beaudry — focus their patrols in the downtown area of Manchester and the city parks, with the goal to provide an approachable police presence. Patrolling on horseback also allows officers access to some places a police cruiser cannot go.
General Stark, a 17-year-old Clydesdale cross gelding; and Bruno, a 9-year-old Percheron cross gelding, round out the Mounted Patrol team.
“Although the full-size horses are an incredible asset, they are also intimidating for a lot of people, especially children,” Manchester Police spokeswoman Heather Hamel told the Hippo in an email. “A pony was a smaller, perfect addition to the team.”
According to Hamel, Eddy was a therapy pony prior to joining the department. He’s now a full-time comfort pony, visiting area schools, assisted living facilities, summer camps, community events and everywhere in between.
“He is a great way to engage with the public and is a great ice-breaker with children,” she said.
There are numerous requests for Eddy’s presence at public events, Hamel said, and they are even booking into 2023. The Mounted Patrol Unit is a nonprofit that’s funded through private donations. Visit mpdmountedpatrol.com or follow them on Facebook @friendsofthemanchestermountedpatrol to learn more.
— Matt Ingersoll
Eddy the comfort pony Where: Manchester Police Department’s Mounted Patrol team, 405 Valley St., Manchester More info: mpdmountedpatrol.com, 792-5432
Mischka the comfort dog
Mischka the comfort dog. Courtesy photo.
Mischka — pronounced “meesh-ka” — is a 3-year-old purebred English Labrador who joined the Bedford Police Department in early 2021 as its certified comfort dog. Bedford Police Officer Whitney Mansfield serves as Mischka’s handler.
“She was actually my personal dog … and I was already training her to be a service dog for myself,” Mansfield said. “I ended up bringing her to work after convincing my captain to see if she could just hang out with me at work, because I was just doing paperwork on light duty. … There had been talk here and there about [having] a comfort dog, and the department pretty much fell in love with her, and so I just started creating a program and taking on that role.”
Mischka, Mansfield said, is a certified therapy dog through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, a nationally accredited therapy dog program. She also has a certificate of completion from a basic obedience training program at Hudson K-9 Training Center, based in Nashua.
Mischka was given her name while still a puppy at Bloomfield Labradors in Rindge.
“I did more research about it, and it actually means ‘bear’ in Russian, and she looked like a little bear cub when she was a baby, so that’s kind of where the name came from,” Mansfield said.
When Mischka isn’t responding to calls, she’ll accompany Mansfield on all kinds of community events — including, most recently, at a Trunk or Treat event put on by Bethany Covenant Church in Bedford. She also has her own Instagram page — follow her @mischka_the_bpd_comfortdog.
“Pretty much any event that the community has, we try to get out there … [and] introduce her to a variety of businesses, schools, stuff like that, just to create a positive relationship between the police and the community,” Mansfield said. “She can also be used on calls, so pretty much any call that can leave someone with traumatic stress, or we’ll go to calls where kids are involved. As long as a scene is safe and not still volatile, she can be used in pretty much any call, especially mental health-related calls.”
— Matt Ingersoll
Mischka the comfort dog Where: Bedford Police Department, 55 Constitution Drive, Bedford More info: Follow Mischka on Instagram @mischka_the_bpd_comfortdog to find out where she’ll be next
Mocha and the cuddle cows
Mocha, the most requested cow to cuddle with at Granite Oak Farm. Photo by Katelyn Sahagian.
While standard pets include dogs, hamsters, bunnies and cats, Brian Bradford chose a different type of animal.
“I’ve always wanted cows,” Bradford said. “I finally got the land and I had the space and the opportunity to do it, so I was like, ‘Alright, game on.’”
The three cows he first adopted — named Merl, Mocha and Moscato — were raised from bottle feeding to the full grown, nearly 2-year-old love bugs they are now. The herd, which includes a total of nine cows, all live on Bradford’s farm in Goffstown called Granite Oak Farm, and the three he first adopted are part of a program known as cow cuddling.
Bradford described the temperament of the massive animals as that of a big dog. True to that description, the cows were all extremely cuddly, giving licks with their rough, cat-like tongues, and rubbing their faces and horns against the metal fence.
Mocha, the most popular of the cow cuddlers due to her chocolate brown fur, is extremely affectionate, making sure that she gets as many scratches as possible from Bradford.
“I always loved going to the fairs and we spent a lot of time in the cow areas, and so you saw people want to constantly [be] with the cows, but a lot of them can’t spend much time with them,” Bradford said. “So I wanted to kind of bring that to everyone.”
While Bradford had intended to have Mocha and the two boys as his own pets at home, he saw how loving they were whenever he brought people around. He said that it sparked the idea to introduce the world to how affectionate and caring they are.
Even the baby cow, Caramel, who is kept separate from the herd until she becomes 3 months old, is incredibly affectionate, sucking on Bradford’s hand like a bottle and enjoying chin scratches from him. Bradford said he expects she’ll also be a cuddler once she’s old enough to join the herd.
Right now, cow cuddling isn’t available to the public at Granite Oak Farm. Due to some town ordinances, Bradford had to work on getting the farm set up with a better driveway and more accessibility for first responders.
He said that he expects the farm to open back up to the public sometime in December, after the town reviews everything. At that point, he hopes to have more than just the original three cuddlers available for people to choose from.
“They’re super-friendly,” Bradford said. “They are like a big dog. They will lick you and snuggle up against you and just love you. I think that’s probably what makes it such a huge bonding experience, because it’s such a large animal that you were just able to just be with.”
— Katelyn Sahagian
Mocha and the cuddle cows Where: Granite Oak Farm, 233 Goffstown Back Road, Goffstown When: Cow cuddling is not currently available to the public at the farm, but owner Brian Bradford expects it to reopen sometime in December. More info: graniteoakfarm.com, 417-4637
Moo the python
Moo the python. Photo by Katelyn Sahagian.
Plaistow’s New England Reptile Distributors is more than just an exotic pet store. They offer a program to show off reptiles and other exotic animals — like Moo, the reticulated python — at parties and for educational events.
The store’s main level has a few live-in pets, including a chinchilla right by the front doors, as well as a petting zoo with chickens, goats and koi fish that visitors can feed. Inside, its walls are packed with aquariums of tropical fish, shoeboxes of tarantulas, and an assortment of snakes, from large ball pythons to small colubrids like rat snakes or hognoses. There’s even a venomous room filled with different species of vipers and cobras for people to meet.
Above the store is where the shop keeps reptiles that are used for educational events and for breeding programs. In one room, each case was filled with different pythons. Some cases held babies and their mothers, while others had individual snakes.
Tia McLaurin, a New England Reptile Distributors photographer and snake handler, opened the door to one of the bottom habitats in the python room. She and another handler pulled out the 90-pound snake with a couple of tugs.
“Once you get this big, you don’t really get scared of anything anymore,” McLaurin joked about Moo.
Moo, a 14-foot female reticulated python in the color calico cow, immediately started slithering around with her tongue darting in and out to get a better sense for what was going on around her.
“I’m with these guys all the time handling them,” McLaurin said, while Moo started slithering around and investigating everything from the snakes in the other enclosures to my camera bag. “It can be a bit nerve-wracking at times … but overall it’s a really rewarding job.”
McLaurin said that Moo is taken out to different events close to once a week during the busiest times of year. Because of this, she has a very docile and curious personality. McLaurin said that Moo has a lot of fun with kids and adults, with reactions ranging from excitement to mild nervousness at the size of the python.
McLaurin said that it’s important for people to realize that snakes, like Moo, are just regular animals and that they are probably much more afraid of us than we are of them.
“They’re curious, they’re smart [and] they’re beautiful animals,” she said. “They just need more respect than a dog or a cat.”
— Katelyn Sahagian
Moo the python Where: New England Reptile Distributors, 149 Plaistow Road, Plaistow Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More info: newenglandreptilestore.com, 382-2772
Turbo and D’Ogee
D’Ogee at the Wadleigh LIbrary. Courtesy photo.
While libraries are often a quiet haven for getting lost in a good book, sometimes children who are struggling readers need assistance. According to a Tufts University study, kids who read out loud to a dog are more likely to gain confidence and a love of reading.
Reading dogs are trained therapy dogs that come to local schools and libraries to help young kids gain confidence in reading out loud. For Pam McKinney, a dog trainer and manager at American K9 Country in Amherst, this is only one of the types of therapies they offer.
“Turbo knows to settle right down as soon as the child comes over with a book,” McKinney said about the 9-year-old Labrador mix. “He’ll get right into what I call his listening position, which is pretty much on his side with his head down. Sometimes the kids look a little disappointed when they finish their books. They say, ‘Oh no, he’s sleeping,’ and I say, ‘Oh, no, no, that’s his listening position.’”
Turbo was one of McKinney’s foster dogs at first, but she was looking to retire a previous therapy dog when he came into her life. She said that he had a very calm and fun attitude and was a very loyal dog, which made him great for training to be a therapy dog.
McKinney, who trains all her dogs, has two other therapy dogs — Caro, who is older, has since been retired, while D’Ogee is fairly new to being a therapy dog and now takes on most of the library visits. Both Turbo and D’Ogee also compete in agility and obedience competitions, and even attended a national agility competition in Florida later this year.
For dog therapy outside of libraries, Turbo would go to hospitals, chemo treatment facilities and nursing homes to provide a little bit of comfort there as well. While they haven’t been to hospitals since the beginning of the pandemic, McKinney said she hopes to return to some soon.
McKinney, who is a court-appointed special advocate for children and teens who have been abused, will often bring Turbo with her to meet with the kids. She said that Turbo will help the kids calm down and give her a chance to bond with them over something neutral, like a love for dogs.
“It’s really a good icebreaker and of course a lot of times the kids, especially teenagers, really don’t want another adult stranger in their life and don’t want to share anything,” McKinney said. “But if I bring my dog with me, then you know he’s something that they can focus on and it really helps them open up and be comfortable with me.” — Katelyn Sahagian
Turbo, D’Ogee and other reading dogs Where: Dogs are trained at American K9 Country, 336 Route 101, Amherst More info: americank9country.com
Yuka the Arctic fox
Yuka the Arctic fox. Courtesy photo.
Yuka the Arctic fox is a 4-year-old New Hampshire state exhibit animal. Maria Laycox of Salisbury, Yuka’s licensed exhibitor, caregiver and partner, likes to call him a “fox ambassador” for all of the foxes of the Granite State — since becoming partners in 2018, Laycox and Yuka have given educational presentations at several area public schools and colleges as well as some other local venues, such as the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner.
When Yuka entered Laycox’s life, he was just five weeks old and still feeding on formula. Today, he mainly lives in a designated enclosure on her 116-acre property and enjoys a diet of chicken twice a day, as well as pellets that naturally include taurine, a chemical foxes need to survive.
Laycox and her husband and daughter are all certified handlers of Yuka. New Hampshire Fish & Game rules decree that Yuka cannot have contact with any of her pet dogs, or any family members that are not certified handlers.
During her presentations, Laycox will talk about Arctic fox species as a whole and answer questions from attendees, who are also welcome to take photos of Yuka in his cage.
“I have a minimum of five events that I do a year with him, but we get up close to 10-ish events a lot of times,” Laycox said. “We try to take him to places people enjoy seeing him. … He’s not a pet and was never brought here to be a pet. I always refer to him as my partner.”
According to Laycox, as an Arctic fox, Yuka is one of three species of fox — the other two being red and gray foxes — that come and go through the state of New Hampshire.
“He is part of what is called the true foxes. There are 37 [types of] foxes in the world, but there are only 12 true foxes,” she said. “You can tell that they are all of that variety, because they have that cute little short snout and those beautiful almond eyes and cute pointy little ears.”
The Arctic foxes, unlike the red and gray foxes, are nomadic, meaning they will follow a food source. If you’re lucky, Laycox said you’re most likely to see them during the wintertime.
“They can travel up to 2,800 miles a season, which is pretty phenomenal,” she said.
Another difference between Yuka and his red and gray fox cousins is that his fur coat will change color twice a year.
“He’s beautiful to watch change his colors,” Laycox said. “He goes from a gray-beige underside with a darker gray top [as] his summer coat, and then he’ll turn all white and it will actually come in to match the snow. It’s pretty amazing. … But it’s important to understand that all three of these foxes that we see here will have coat changes. They will molt twice a year, so if you see a fox in the spring and it looks pretty ratty, more than likely they are shedding.”
As Yuka’s exhibitor, it’s Laycox’s job to educate the public on resident foxes in the Granite State.
“People have to understand that these animals are here to help,” she said. “They are a forest cleanup crew … and are the No. 1 reason you’re not tripping over things out in the woods, because they eat everything.” — Matt Ingersoll
Yuka the Arctic Fox Where: Maria Laycox of Salisbury, Yuka’s exhibitor and partner, will often make a few trips a year to local schools, colleges, nature centers, museums and other places. Frequented venues include the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner) and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Granite State College (25 Hall St., Concord).
Animals without names: raptors of New Hampshire Audubon
The red-tailed hawk of New Hampshire Audubon perches on a high branch. Photo by Katelyn Sahagian.
While the animals kept at New Hampshire’s Audubon centers don’t receive a proper name, that doesn’t make them any less special.
“The reason we don’t give them any names is because we try to keep them as wild as possible,” said Shelby Morelli, the Audubon’s head of educational programming. “When you name something it kind of turns into a pet, and these guys aren’t my pets.”
Every single raptor held at the Audubon has an issue with its wings. The bald eagle, who is more than 30 years old, had one of his wings amputated at the elbow. The red-tailed hawk, meanwhile, had surgery to fix a wing after it was hit by a car.
Because the animals were wild, Morelli said, it’s important to keep that separation with them. If they had normal lives, they wouldn’t need to be at the Audubon in the first place.
While all four birds of prey are on display, only the red-tailed hawk is glove-trained, meaning it listens to its handler and will do small tasks, Morelli said. These are among the enrichment programs that she conducts with the birds.
“The red tail’s enrichment is really the work that we do with him, so I’m getting him on the glove and kind of showing him around,” Morelli said, adding that one thing they’re working on is getting him more comfortable in his travel box. “He does like the box when we’re out because that’s kind of his safe place, but as soon as the door opens he wants to come out and see what’s going on.” — Katelyn Sahagian
Raptors of New Hampshire Audubon Where: McLane Audubon Center, 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. More info: nhaudubon.org, 224-9909
Featured photo: Mischka the Bedford Police Department comfort dog. Courtesy photo.
Join MANIA the ABBA tribute band at the Chubb Theatre (44 Main St., Concord) today. The doors open at 6:30 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. The group has been performing the hits of ABBA since 1999 around the world and is bringing them back to Concord. Tickets start at $39 and can be purchased at ccanh.org.
Friday, Nov. 4
Comedian Paul D’Angelo, a former assistant district attorney and criminal-defense trial attorney who worked in courtrooms by day while honing his comedy craft at night, will perform tonight at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester) at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased at palacetheatre.org.
Saturday, Nov. 5
The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market opens for the season today at 9 a.m. behind the clock tower at Eagle Square. The lineup for the vendors at the market includes artisan bakeries, fresh winter produce, handmade soaps and more. Visit dcwfm.squarespace.com for more information.
Sunday, Nov. 6
The 35th anniversary of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (R, 1987) has the movie back today and Monday, Nov. 7, at AMC Londonderry, O’neil Cinemas in Epping and Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem. The movie follows business executive Neal Page, played by Steve Martin, as he tries to make it home to Chicago after a mix-up lands him in Wichita. He teams up with a salesman, played by John Candy, to try to make it home for Thanksgiving. For showtimes and locations, visit fathomevents.com.
Tuesday Nov. 8
See singer-songwriter Richard Marx at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry) tonight at 8 p.m. The Grammy Award winning artist is the only artist to have had seven singles reach the Top 5 on the Billboard charts, and has written songs for himself and for Keith U
Save the date! Sunday, Nov. 13 The Manchester City Marathon is back today with bib pickup time at 7:30 a.m. The starting line is at Veterans Park in downtown Manchester and the race will begin at 8:50 a.m. Registration for the marathon costs $110 and runners must register in advance. There are also virtual options and shorter races available for people to run in. Register at millenniumrunning.com/marathon.
Featured photo. MANIA the ABBA Tribute Band. Courtesy photo.
President and chief executive officer of Eversource Energy Joseph R. Nolan Jr. has expressed concern about possible energy shortages in New England this coming winter, WMUR reported. In a recent letter to President Joe Biden, Nolan said the region’s electricity grid operator and the federal Energy Regulatory Commission fear that there wouldn’t be enough natural gas to meet the region’s power needs during an extended stretch of cold weather. Nolan called on the president to utilize the emergency powers of the federal government — citing emergency authorities such as the Federal Power Act, the Jones Act, the Natural Gas Policy Act and the Defense Production Act — to ensure that New England has access to adequate fuel resources, should severe weather conditions occur.
QOL score: -2
Comment:Eversource has been working to increase investments in clean energy resources, Nolan said in the letter, but many of those projects are still years away from being implemented.
Third safest state
A recent WalletHub study ranked New Hampshire as the third safest U.S. state to live in. The study looked at various factors, such as rates of violent crime, the number of law enforcement employees and active firefighters, rates of substance abuse and overdose deaths, suicide rates, the number of registered sex offenders, household financial security and rates of bankruptcy, rates of workplace injuries and fatalities, Covid vaccination rates, motor vehicle fatalities and more. New Hampshire ranked especially well for its low numbers of murders and non-negligent manslaughters per capita (No. 1), assaults per capita (No. 2), fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel (No. 3) and fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 full-time workers (No. 4).
QOL score: +1
Comment: New Hampshire follows Maine at No. 2 and Vermont at No. 1 on the list.
New Hampshire surgical center recognized
The Bedford Ambulatory Surgical Center was recently named in Newsweek’s list of top 500 Ambulatory Surgical Centers in the U.S. According to a press release, the list, compiled in collaboration with the market research firm Statista, was based on a survey of more than 4,000 medical professionals and performance data from more than 5,000 ambulatory surgical centers. “To be named one of the top ASC’s in the country and the only one in New Hampshire is an honor and a testimony to our dedication and our caring doctors, nurses and staff,” BASC founder Nick Vailas said in the release.
QOL score: +1
Comment: BASC, now in its 30th year, employs 40 doctors and performs 13,000 procedures every year, including colonoscopies and endoscopies; imaging and orthopedics for total hip, knee and shoulder replacements; cataract removal and more.
Electric school buses
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program is awarding $2,765,000 from President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law to two school districts in New Hampshire. According to a press release, the funds will allow Henniker and Rumney schools to purchase seven clean electric school buses. “These buses are a win-win for our economy and the sustainability of our environment by giving us cleaner air, reducing health risks for children and often providing lower fuel and maintenance costs,” U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who helped negotiate the bipartisan infrastructure law along with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, said in the release.
QOL score: +1
Comment: The districts receiving the funds were chosen “with a particular focus on reducing air pollution in historically-disadvantaged areas with priority needs,” EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash said.
QOL score: 83
Net change: 1
QOL this week: 84
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].
When I come back in my next life I’m going to concentrate on making serious money.
The plan would be to come back in the ’70s and head straight to Vegas to bet on all the games I know the outcome of already, like Biff in Back to the Future Part II. Then after I get banned from the casinos I take my winnings to Wall Street to buy stocks like CMGI when it was at $1 a share and dump it at $140 right before the tech bubble burst.Then I’d find young BillGates and SteveJobs and be the angel investor for Apple and Microsoft, which would give me real money after the initial public offering.
All this would be for the purpose of going on a spending spree to buy my own professional teams and/or entire sports leagues or media-related entities so I could bring back good things that have faded away and eliminate insanities that have emerged as people are afraid to go against trends and say the emperor has no clothes.
I would do so emphatically if I owned any of the following.
Boston Red Sox
I’d fire the analytics department before I found my new office.
I’d hire a stadium architect to figure out a way to make up the equal number of seats that would be lost if they pulled out all the old/ancient seats at Fenway to put in modern replacements wide enough to actually be comfortable through a whole game. With the proviso that not a blade of grass will be changed on the playing field.
Then for on the field in 2023, I’d do the following;
(1) Fire ChaimBloom as GM. No hard feelings, buddy. You’re just not my cup of tea.
(2) Sign XanderBogaerts to a six-year deal at high market rates with the proviso that when MarceloMayer is ready he moves to center field, or third if RaffyDevers leaves or goes to first.
(3) Get seriously into the Aaron Judge sweepstakes to get the right fielder they need and make 3-4-5 in the order a bear, or to drive up the price for the Yankees to inhibit future spending.
(4) Give in to the bullpen-crazed world of today and make ChrisSale the closer, to save his arm, with GarrettWhitlock and TannerHouck the set-up guys to lock up the last three innings.
(5) Entertain trade offers made on everyone else to reset the team with the right deals. Though it would take a whopper to send Devers away.
The Patriots
Don’t care if it takes 20 years, I’d sign Coach B to a lifetime contract to insure he makes it to win record 348 as a Patriot to go past DonShula after his classless 2007 during the failed undefeated season, especially the “Beli-cheat” comments.
I’d go back to the colonial army-inspired blue and silver uniforms they won all their Super Bowls wearing, ’cause the new ones ain’t bringing them any luck.
To heck with the border war; I’d immediately put BillParcells in the team Hall of Fame because he’s the guy who resurrected the franchise when no one cared and set it on course to be the dynasty it became. The guy’s 81, time’s running out.
The Celtics
I’d dump the black uniforms with the green trim. Yuck.
On the belief you have to give up something to get something, I’d trade JaylenBrown and GrantWilliams to Cleveland for point guard DariusGarland and EvanMobley because it would improve their ball handling, make them bigger up front and give them the eventual replacement for AlHorford. And if they want to dump KevinLove’s $30 million expiring contract I’d take that on because it would give them $55 million to spend on free agency next summer.
Tell JaysonTatum to stop whining about every foul call and bench him when he takes it to the extreme and sulks the rest of the game. I mean who gets kicked out of an exhibition game for getting techs?
If not traded, I’d make GrantWilliams an inactive — coaching decision until he stops complaining about every call against him. Because he doesn’t understand it’s costing him the benefit of the doubt on 50-50 calls.
Major League Baseball
I’d ban all the stat geeks and robot managers like they’re going to do with the shift.
It would be illegal to take a pitcher out of any game with a no-hitter in progress.
Sports Media
All in-game coaches interviews with play underway would be banned.
It would be No Soup for anyone making contrived signature phrases to stand out, like JohnSterling’s annoying “the Yaaankeees win.” Authentic ones that come out of the moment like MikeGorman’s “Got it” or MarvAlbert’s “Yes!” that make the experience better get big year-end bonuses.
Since “superstar” is the most inflationary, inaccurately used and overused word in sports, it would be a month’s suspension of press passes for using it to describe any player below the level of TomBrady, LeBronJames, BobbyOrr or Secretariat. And it’s a lifetime ban for anyone on my staff if KyrieIrving is ever called that.
Finally, I do know CMGI came after Microsoft and Apple. But since it’s my fantasy I make the rules how I like. So this one goes back and forth in time as well. With stops in 1927 to see the Babe in person, 1941 for the 56-game hitting streak and as the Kid hit .406, 1951 to see the Giants win the pennant, 1962 to watch Wilt score 100, and 1970 to feel the electricity in MSG as he ended the suspense of whether he could or couldn’t play by drilling the elbow jumper to start the magical WillisReed game.
Adam Daley is the founder and owner of Granite State Discounts, a new discount retail store in Amherst that claims to sell name-brand household and essential products at the lowest price in the state while also partnering with local nonprofits to give back to the community.
Granite State Discounts
What is Granite State Discounts?
It’s almost like a combination of a thrift store and a regular retail store. We sell everyday essential household items, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, diapers, hair care products, health care products, feminine care products, adult diapers. We’re offering them at the lowest price in the entire state of New Hampshire. If you can find it at another retailer, we’ll beat the price. Even when Walmart has a certain item that’s on sale, if we have that item we’ll beat the price. We also have a very large selection of new and secondhand clothing for men and women, children and babies. We have toys, games, novelties, books, vinyl records, a little bit of everything.
How are you able to pull off a retail concept like this?
I’m licensed to buy overstock. There’s also been some personal investment and saving up, and we also make money in other ways, like doing consignments.
What gave you the idea for this store?
My entire life, I always had a love for small discount stores. As a kid, I used to love places like Building #19, flea markets, things like that. I’ve always been interested in advertising and the way stores look and display their products. Having my own place one day was always in the back of my mind. I wanted to have a place that could possibly create memories for kids, the way I have memories of going to certain stores when I was a kid. … My goal is to be able to earn a living to contribute to my family while also helping to make it easier for others to contribute to theirs. I wanted to leave a legacy of kindness and set a good example for my kids.
What kind of shopping experience would you like to create for your customers?
I want this to be a place that doesn’t feel like a regular store. I want it to be a place people can go to when they don’t have much money but need to provide for their family. I want it to feel different than a typical dollar store or big corporation. I want it to have that old-school feeling of a mom-and-pop shop where people can come in and engage in conversation.
How is Granite State Discounts giving back to the community?
In a few different ways. The second Wednesday of every month is Heroes Day, where we take an additional 20 percent off the total purchase amount of $40 or more for veterans, active military, first responders, nurses and school teachers. We’re planning to do in-store fundraisers every other month for local nonprofits and organizations. Our first one is going to be in December for 603 Sober Living out of Manchester. It’s going to be an in-store shopping event where I’m going to print out certificates for the owner of 603 Sober Living to hand out to whoever she chooses, and for anyone who comes in to shop with a certificate, 603 Sober Living will receive 30 percent of that total sale. If business picks up a little more, we might do those kinds of events every month. We partner with New Hampshire Artists for Autism; we have some of their T-shirts and decals in the store, and money from those sales goes to their organization. We’re also planning to start doing shopping by appointment only on Tuesdays for individuals who have sensory issues or need physical accommodations. We’ll set up the shop in whatever way they need, with lower lighting or lowered noise, things like that. That way, people will have a sensory-friendly place to do their shopping.
What are your future plans for the store?
I’m hoping that we can get a larger location eventually so that we can hold more stuff and have a little more space to move around. We’d possibly have more than one location. I’ve also been thinking about trying to find some spaces to do some pop-up shops in the meantime.
