Tag: 230817

The week that was

The Big Story – Reinforcements Arrive: Those poo-pooing the idea that Chaim Bloom didn’t do much at the trade deadline because of what he had returning from injuries didn’t look so smart during two wins over Detroit last weekend. Trevor Story was 7 for 10 with six doubles, Garrett Whitlock got Sunday’s win with two shutout innings, and Chris Sale pitched 4.2 strong innings on Friday. And Tanner Houck should be back this week. All of which will give them their most complete roster of the year, just in time for the stretch run, where they start the week three behind Toronto for the final wild card slot.

Sports 101:Name the six teams to never win a World Series.

News Item – Pats Awful in Pre-season Opener:So much for those glowing reports out of camp. Yes, it was the pre-season opener, so it didn’t mean anything. But the Patriots were awful in Thursday’s 20-9 loss to 3-13-1-a-year-ago Texas. And the two worst things were very familiar: (1) offensive line, which opened few holes for the backs and gave Bailey Zappe no time to throw down field, and (2) the play-calling — with a steady diet of bubble screens, regular screens and few throws downfield, it looked like Matty P never left.

News Item – Eye-Opening Stat: Since I hate the yellow City Connect uniforms the Sox occasionally wear to juice merchandise sales I’m reluctant to repeat what Julian McWilliams just reported in the Boston Globe. But after two weekend wins over Detroit they’re 11-2 wearing yellow and blue in 2023. Overall it’s 26-6 in them, when they somehow have outscored the bad guys 155-91.

The Numbers:

37 – years in jail for the brother of former Patriot Aqib Talib after Yagub Talib pleaded guilty to the murder of a man he shot to death during an argument at a youth football game last August.

… Of the Week Awards:

Why Can’t We Get Guys Like That – Ryan Brasier:After being released by Boston with a 7.29 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and a .286 batting against, Brasier has turned into Mariano Rivera out west. With the Dodgers the ERA is 1.20, WHIP 0.86 and BA against is .149 in 22 games.

Play – Pablo Reyes Grand Slam Walk-Off: If you didn’t imagine doing what Reyes did last week as a kid, you weren’t a baseball fan as a kid. Everyone has pretended to hit a walk-off slam to win a game as Reyes did vs. KC in a 6-2 win. Though for me, it was a little more grandiose — it was to win the World Series.

Random Thoughts:

Is anyone ever on base when Triston Casas hits a home run? Well, OK, there was for Friday’s three-run bomb. But he has 19 homers and just 45 RBI. Haven’t seen an RBI-to-homer ratio that low since Aurelio Rodriguez had 15 homers and 39 RBI for the Tigers in 1971.

Pat Riley said upon his Hall of Fame induction last weekend that Dwayne Wade is the greatest ever Miami Heat player. Hard to argue with that for long-time sustained greatness. But I’d say LeBron James was better than Wade during the four years they played together after LBJ took his talents to South Beach.

Sports 101 Answer: The six teams that have never won a World Series are the Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers/Seattle Pilots, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay D-Rays, Texas/Washington Senators.

Final Thought:There’s trouble in River City and it starts at the offensive line, a problem the Patriots brass basically ignored in the off-season. It starts at left tackle, where Trent Brown is coming off his injury-plagued, penalty-strewn awful 2022 performance, one that begged for him being replaced. And right tackle was an even bigger disaster. I bring it up again because in light of the wretched performance of the back-ups used vs. Texas on Thursday it shows depth is a real issue on the O-line. It gives them a slim margin of error when it comes to injuries. And guess what? Along with starting guards Michael Onwenu and Cole Strange, Brown is already hurt and ominously saying he is “hoping” to be back for the opener vs. Philly. Meanwhile the QB’s are running for their lives in practice as their defenders dominate the lineman that are left.

Not a promising beginning to what many have said is a rejuvenated team. Unless the line can protect Mac Jones and open holes for their very thin running back corps there will be many days ahead for the offense like Thursday night. And I’ll add after Damien Harris was foolishly allowed to leave before signing for the veterans minimum with Buffalo, it’s a running game that totally will be upended by a big injury to Rhamondre Stevenson. Both potential disasters are totally on Bill the GM if a solution isn’t found in a hurry. And dithering with USFL cast-offs as he did last week ain’t gonna do that.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

Art, music, bees

Wildflower Festival celebrates pollinators

The inaugural Wildflower Festival, set for Saturday, Aug. 19, at Keyes Field on Elm Street, Milford, aims to bring together art, music and nature while highlighting the importance of pollinators and urban green spaces. Event organizer Griff Comtois discussed the festival’s origins, mission and planned activities. See Eventbrite for details and tickets.

Tell us about the festival and its activities.

There’s going to be an art market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The venue is this large wooden and stone amphitheater near a river. There’s a field in front of it. In the field and the parking lot, there will be around 30 art vendors and a food truck. The food truck The Sleazy Vegan will be selling all vegan food. We’ll also have burgers and hot dogs available. During this time, people can come, walk around, see the artists and just hang out. From 6 to 9 p.m., we have a concert. This requires tickets for entry. We’ll have three bands playing, all local to New Hampshire, from the Seacoast area and down to southern New Hampshire. The bands are Sneaky Miles, Watson Park and Five Feet. Also, during the day, the New Hampshire Beekeepers Association will be there. They’ll have an educational booth about pollinators and will bring observation hives.

What inspired this initiative, and what is the mission behind it?

There are two primary sources of inspiration. First, I’ve always been a big fan of the outdoors. Recently, my interest in urban development grew, especially in integrating nature into urban settings. I believe in creating spaces where people can connect with nature, enjoy their surroundings and just relax. … Art and music, to me, are closely linked. They’re ways for people to express themselves and understand the world. Nature ties into this as well, being a part of the world we live in. Many, especially myself, draw inspiration from nature. Second, I love concerts and festivals. A few years ago, our town built a new amphitheater. While some events have taken place there, I hadn’t seen any major festivals. I felt it would be an ideal location for such an event and believed it would be great for our community, bringing everyone together. Over time, this evolved into a mission to enhance the parks where the events take place.

Why dedicate the proceeds to pollinator gardens and pollinator hotels?

Native plants play a vital role in our cities, and supporting pollinators is crucial for producing food and maintaining a vibrant ecosystem. By enhancing the gardens in the park, we not only provide visitors with a beautiful view but also offer an educational opportunity. It’s essential for everyone to understand the significance of pollinators.

After the festival, how can people continue to support the initiative?

Depending on the funds we gather from the festival, we might need to host more fundraisers to reach our targets. Apart from that, I’m likely to need some volunteer help for the garden installations. I’ve been in touch with Petals in the Pines [a local pollinator garden and conservancy]. They provided some advice about the criteria to make a garden officially recognized as pollinator-friendly. I’m planning at least one major garden installation, followed by a few of the pollinator hotels. Depending on the money we have or continue to raise, we’ll determine the scale. We’ve also identified a location that could potentially be turned into a full wildflower meadow.

What insights about the natural world do you hope attendees gain from the festival?

I hope that they get a glimpse into the intricacies of even the smallest elements of nature, like a garden or the plants they pass by daily. … Beyond bees, there are hundreds of pollinating insects playing their role in these mini ecosystems. It’s fascinating to see how much effort goes into sustaining such small entities.

Wildflower Festival
Where: Keyes Field, Elm Street in Milford
When: Saturday, Aug. 19
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. — free Arts Market with more than 20 vendors
6 to 9 p.m. — Ticketed concert with Watson Park, Five Feet and Sneaky Miles; tickets cost $14.98 plus fees for general admission, $5 plus fees for children ages 2 to 10.
Find tickets on EventBrite.com

News & Notes 23/08/17

Funds for schools

The Manchester School District has received a $7.6 million federal grant to enhance its Multi-Tiered System of Support for Behavioral Health and Wellness (MTSS-B) model across all 21 schools, according to a press release. This framework is designed to provide students with social, emotional and behavioral support, thereby promoting wellness and boosting learning engagement. Over five years, the funding will enable the district to not only implement the MTSS-B framework but also set specific goals, such as bolstering student behavioral health, minimizing school violence and disciplinary exclusions and increasing the high school graduation rate. The initiative also aims to reduce stigmas tied to mental health treatment, elevate access to services and cut down on vaping among students. Community partners, including the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, will play a role in achieving these goals. The grant, part of Project AWARE, positions Manchester School District among 21 entities nationwide to benefit from this funding opportunity.

Home upgrades

The City of Manchester, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is offering residents the opportunity to apply for $1.9 million in funds for housing-related health and safety improvements, according to a press release. This is due to Manchester receiving the Healthy Homes Production Grant from HUD, which is aimed at addressing housing needs for low-income families. Manchester plans to utilize these funds to address health and safety issues in approximately 100 housing units over the next 45 months. The interventions range from electrical system upgrades to mold remediation and ADA upgrades for better accessibility. Each of the 100 units can receive up to $11,000, with a mandatory 10 percent match from property owners. The funding is provided as a three-year zero-percent-interest forgivable loan. If property owners comply with conditions for three years post-project, the loan will be forgiven. Additionally, the grant will fund RRP Certification scholarships for 50 individuals, aiming to increase the number of RRP certified professionals in Manchester. To be eligible, property owners must have a residential structure in Manchester that houses individuals 62 years or older, persons with disabilities, or children younger than 6 years old. Income restrictions also apply. Application details are at leadsafemanchester.com.

Helping out

St. Mary’s Bank Charitable Foundation has granted $5,338 to Stepping Stones, Greater Nashua’s sole center for homeless youth under 25. According to a press release, the funds will support two youths for six months, providing essentials like food, clothing, showers and laundry. Stepping Stones, since 2020, has aided over 130 young individuals, offering resources and recently introduced transitional housing. To find out more about Stepping Stones, visit steppingstonesnh.org.

Want a bridge?

The State of New Hampshire’s Department of Transportation is announcing the opportunity for interested parties to submit proposals for the removal and adaptive reuse of the historic General Sullivan Bridge, which connects the Town of Newington and City of Dover, according to a press release. This initiative falls under the 23 USC 144(g) Historic Bridges provision. For your proposal to be considered, ensure it is electronically sent by Aug. 29, to [email protected] with the subject line “Proposal for Adaptive Reuse of General Sullivan Bridge.” Comprehensive details about the bridge, such as location maps, bridge plans, inspection reports and historical covenants, can be found at nh.gov/dot/org/projectdevelopment/bridgedesign.

New doc

Patients in southern New Hampshire can now benefit from the expertise of fellowship-trained breast surgeon Kimberly G. Ellis, M.D., at Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics Manchester. According to a press release, Ellis specializes in breast surgery and oncoplastic surgery, aiming to reduce cosmetic damage from cancer-related procedures. Notably, Dr. Ellis introduces Magtrace technology to New Hampshire, a non-radioactive liquid tracer used to trace the possible spread of cancer within the lymphatic system, learned during her fellowship at the University of California San Francisco. Ellis highlights that residents now have access to state-of-the-art cancer care without needing to travel to major cities. For appointments, call 695-2840.

Federal grant

The New Hampshire congressional delegation, comprising U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas, announced a federal grant of $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Lakes Region Mental Health Center (LRMHC). According to a press release, this grant aims to enhance mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) outreach services for the homeless. Specifically, it will fund a dedicated staff role at LRMHC to help homeless individuals with mental health and SUD issues find treatment.

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation announced in a press release that, starting Aug. 21, they will close the bridge on Oak Street in Rollinsford for 11 days for maintenance over the CSX railroad. A detour will be available via Broadway, Saint James Street, Chapel Street and Route 4. Local traffic can access Oak Street on either side of the bridge. For real-time updates, visit newengland511.org.

Fifteen interns from MyTurn and Kimball Jenkins Summer Placemaking internship will present “Colors of Change: West High Mural Unveiling” on Thursday, Aug. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Manchester West High School (9 Notre Dame in Manchester). The project’s goal is to have more than 2,000 square feet of mural segments at West, according to a press release. The event will feature live music from a local string trio starring Nicholas So and food for sale by Don Quijotes, the release said. Find Kimball Jenkins on Facebook for more.

The Nashua Region Solid Waste Management District is hosting a Household Hazardous Waste collection on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Pelham Highway Department, 33 Newcomb Field Parkway. Residents of Pelham and 10 other local communities can dispose of specific hazardous household products for a $15 fee per vehicle, covering up to 10 gallons or 20 pounds of waste. Accepted items include oil-based paints, solvents, and various household chemicals. Businesses interested in participating must register in advance. The collection will not accept latex paint, electronics or medications. For a comprehensive list of items and further details, visit www.nashuarpc.org/hhw or call 417-6570.

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