Mistaken identity
Dartmouth Health said in a statement on Feb. 24 that a local doctor has received threats of violence and false accusations of racism due to a misidentification of a man in a video clip that went viral on TikTok. In the video, a man uses a racial slur against a woman of color, the statement said. Andrew R. Spector, a Dartmouth Health clinician, was falsely accused of being the man in the video, the statement said. Spector “is being erroneously connected with a video on the TikTok platform involving hateful conduct by an individual who may have the same or a similar name. Dr. Spector is not the individual in the video, nor does he or his family have any connection to the person being filmed whatsoever,” according to Spector’s Dartmouth profile page. “Dartmouth Health stands united in defending Spector’s reputation and shedding light on the very real dangers of spreading misinformation, and we express our concern for the woman and any trauma she may have experienced as a result of the incident,” according to the Feb. 24 statement.
“My family and I are receiving threatening messages as a result of me being falsely identified as the man in the video. While I can appreciate that people rallied to support the woman who was targeted with vile, deeply hateful words and actions, the repercussions of spreading false accusations have been devastating to deal with, both personally and professionally,” Spector said in the statement.
“Dartmouth Health calls upon social media platforms, such as TikTok, and users alike to exercise greater responsibility in curbing the spread of misinformation,” the statement said.
Moose Plate grants
The New Hampshire. Department of Natural & Cultural Resources has opened the grant round for projects that “support the restoration, preservation and/or conservation of publicly owned items significant to New Hampshire’s cultural heritage,” according to a press release. The Department’s State Council on the Arts, Division of Historical Resources and State Library oversee three Moose Plate grant programs, which applicants can apply to (only one program in a given year) in a process that starts with a letter of intent that includes a brief description of the project and confirmation that the resource is publicly owned, the release said. Letters must be submitted by May 3. See dncr.nh.gov/about-us/moose-plate-program. For more on the Moose Plate program, including how to purchase a Moose Plate (the New Hampshire license plate featuring a moose), see mooseplate.com.
Invasive plants
The Milford Garden Club will have a program on “Understanding Invasive Plants” with Donna Lussier, UNH Cooperative Extension Master Gardener, on Monday, March 11, at 10:30 a.m. at First Congregational Church Parish House (10 Union St. in Milford). Learn about what differentiates an invasive species from a native species and the concerns surrounding these plants as well as practical control strategies, according to a press release. See milfordnhgardenclub.org.
Butterfly data
New Hampshire Audubon is partnering with New Hampshire Fish and Game to collect data on butterflies in the Concord region and beyond and they are hosting a six-part series of webinars offering butterfly ID trainings in March and April, according to the NH Audubon newsletter. The sessions are Wednesdays, March 6, through April 10, at 6:30 p.m. and will feature butterfly experts from across the state, the newsletter said. Learn about future field days in New Hampshire, including the July Butterfly Count, when your identification knowledge and results will help collect data about the overall population, according to nhaudubon.org, where you can register for the sessions.
Attn: poets
The John Hay Poetry Writing Contest, founded by poet Dianalee Velie of Newbury, is accepting unpublished poems on the theme “The Beauty of New Hampshire,” according to a press release from the Center for the Arts. Send two copies of one original poem (with one copy including the name, address, telephone number and email address and the other copy including no identifying information) to Dianalee Velie, PO Box 290, Newbury, NH, 03255, by Thursday, March 14. There will be prizes awarded for first, second and third place in the adult category and one prize each for high school, middle school and elementary school, the release said. Winners will be invited to read their poems at a Center for the Arts First Friday event celebrating poetry on Friday, April 5, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Newbury Library, the release said. See centerfortheartsnh.org/family-fest.
PILLAR Gallery & Projects in Concord is currently showcasing its third exhibition, “Excavations,” through March 22. The show “presents themes of geological time and forms…. Artists include Jonathan Mess, Julie Hamel, Shino Takeda, Debra Claffey, Cody Tamaian, Anne Kinne, Victoria Elbroch and Al Jaeger,” according to a press release. The gallery is open Sunday, Tuesdays and Fridays 3 to 7 p.m.; see pillargalleryprojects.com.
Robot Dreams, the hard-to-find nominee for Best Animated Feature at this year’s Academy Awards, will get a rare pre-Oscar screening on Wednesday, March 6, at 6:45 p.m. at Red River Theatres in Concord. According to IMDb, the movie is slated for theatrical release in May. See redrivertheatres.org.
Musician, educator and cartoonist Marek Bennett, will present “Rally Round the Flag: The American Civil War Through Folksong” on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. at the Pembroke Public Library (313 Pembroke St.), according to a press release. He will also conduct an all-ages Comics Workshop at 5 p.m.; his works include the graphic novel series The Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby, the release said. The event is free and open to the public.
The New Hampshire Boat Museum in Wolfeboro will host a NH Marine Patrol Boat Certificate Class on Saturday, March 9, and Sunday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for ages 16 and older and covering topics including boat navigation, boat safety equipment, invasive aquatic species and laws and rules, according to a press release, which also said anyone on New Hampshire waters age 16 or older operating a motorboat with more than 25 horsepower must have a valid boating education certificate. The cost is $40. See nhbm.org/boatcertificate.
Stockbridge Theatre in Derry will present 360 ALLSTARS, an Australian “urban circus complete with dancing, beat boxing, acrobatics, BMX biking and more,” on Sunday, March 10, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $35; see stockbridgetheatre.showare.com.