Tag: 250626

This Week 25/06/26

Thursday, June 26

Comedian Demitri Martin will perform at the Chubb Theatre (Chubb Theatre at CCA, 44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m. as part of his “Quick Draw Tour.” Tickets start at $56.

Friday, June 27

Shop the Block! This evening from 4 to 8 p.m. Manchester’s Hanover Street will be closed for a special event co-hosted by the Palace Theatres and the Downtown Collaborative. There will be more than 20 retailers and live music, as well as food and drinks for purchase.

Friday, June 27

Watch high school football players from across the state at the NH East-West High School All-Star Football Game, benefiting Dartmouth Health Children’s and the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, tonight at 6 p.m. at Grappone Stadium at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). General admission tickets are $15 in advance, $20 on the day. Kids 5 and under get in for free. See chadkids.org

Saturday, June 28

The Black Heritage Trail of NH (222 Court St., Portsmouth, 570-8469, blackheritagetrailnh.org) has collaborated with community leaders to bring people together to read Frederick Douglass’s historic protest speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” in 15 locations throughout the state at noon today. It will also be broadcast live online. Visit blackheritagetrailnh.org/frederick-douglass-statewide-readings.

Saturday, June 28

Take the intensity of your rock climbing to a new level. Vertical Dreams Nashua (25 E Otterson St., Nashua, 943-7571, verticaldreams.com) will host its first headlamp climbing night tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. There will be a DJ, a party atmosphere and climbing. This event is $15 for non-members. Participants should bring their own headlamps. Visit facebook.com/verticaldreams.

Saturday, June 28

Manchester Pride 2025 takes place today, with the theme “Picture Our Future.” The day will start with a parade on Elm Street at 11 a.m. headed to Veterans Park for a festival that runs from noon to 6 p.m. with entertainment, food, vendors and more, according to a Facebook post from Manchester True Collaborative about the event. See manchestertrue.org/pride-2025.

Saturday, June 28

The Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) presents an evening of Dancing with the Celts tonight, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $44.25.

Sunday, June 29

There will be a Wicked Sing-Along at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) today beginning at 2 p.m. Watch the film Wickedand sing along to all your favorite songs. Tickets are $15 in advance through the Capitol Center’s website, or $20 at the door.

Save the Date! Saturday, July 5
The Big Bounce America 2025 tour is coming to Merrimack from Saturday, July 5, through Sunday, July 6. This is the biggest touring inflatable event in the world and includes seven massive inflatable attractions, including a newly expanded 24,000-square-foot World’s Largest Bounce House. It will be held at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 DW Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, anheuser-busch.com/breweries/merrimack-nh). Book tickets at thebigbounceamerica.com/event/manchester.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 25/06/26

Hot hot heat

Following up on this year’s unusual rainfall, earthquakes, reduced air quality from Canadian wildfires, and even zombie moose, WMUR reported on the possibility of record-high temperatures in New Hampshire between Monday, June 23, and Wednesday, June 25. “Expect hazy, hot and humid conditions for many spots,” WMUR reported in a June 23 online weather advisory, “as temperatures climb well into the 90s. It will feel like it is near or just over 100 degrees in parts of the Merrimack Valley into southwestern New Hampshire…. In Manchester, we have not hit 100 degrees since July 22, 2011. A nearly 14-year-old streak could be broken on Tuesday. A high temperature of 100 degrees would also tie the all-time record high temperature for June in the Queen City.”

QOL score: -3 (one for each day predicated to have been blech)

Comment: In a June 23 online weather advisory, WMUR defined an extreme heat warning, which it described as “fairly uncommon in New Hampshire,” as a warning issued “when the combination of heat and humidity will make it feel like it is 105 degrees or higher for at least two hours.”

Overdue recognition

A new monument was dedicated in the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, Thursday, June 12, memorializing the contributions of New Hampshire women in military service. As described in a June 28 press release from the Women in Service Memorial Committee, “The monument itself, an outline of the state of New Hampshire, is filled with the medallions of each of the six Armed Services on the branches of the state’s official tree, the White Birch, [and] is surrounded by a memorial planter and a reflection bench.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: As described on the monument’s webpage, an effort to memorialize the service of New Hampshire’s servicewomen has been underway since 2018. Visit nhvca.org/donate/womens-service-memorial.

That’s going to leave a mark

As reported in a June 20 online story on Manchester InkLink, a New Hampshire athlete will make his professional debut in Las Vegas this weekend as a power-slapper. Zak Lansing, a Manchester Central graduate, will compete as “a super-heavyweight at Power Slap 13 when he will take on Ro Montana, a professional wrestler who will concede more than 100 pounds to Lansing,” InkLink reported. “For those unfamiliar with power slapping as a professional sport, it is almost exactly as it would seem: Two competitors stand across from each other and take turns striking each other with an open palm to the cheek, with the intent of knocking out their opponent. Most fights are three rounds, or three slaps each, and if no one is knocked out — similar to boxing or mixed martial arts — the decision goes to a panel of judges.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to PowerSlap’s website, Lansing’s debut fight will be recorded for future broadcast. His opponent, Ro Montana, won the coin-toss to slap first. Visit powerslap.com.

QOL score last week: 63

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 62

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

C’s reshape on the clock

The Big Story – Celtics Restructuring Begins: By now we know how the money-induced restructuring of the Celtics began. It may have been by using the 28th overall pick in Round 1 of Wednesday’s NBA draft to get younger. Or they could have traded up for a better pick by adding the 32nd overall pick they have tonight to 28. Or maybe the rumored trades of either Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis happened. Whatever it was, it promises to be the start of an interesting off season for Celtic Nation.

Sports 101: What did the Celtics do the two times they owned the first overall pick in the NBA draft?

News Item – Who’s Hot:

Ceddanne Rafaela: The 24-year-old CF who is often described as light hitting is batting .340 since May 27 with four doubles, six homers and 10 RBI. It’s brought the overall average up from .220 to .255 with 13 doubles, two triples, eight homers and 29 RBI.

Aroldis Chapman: The Sox got him to be the eighth-inning guy. But the 37-year-old lefty with 347 career saves picked up his 14th on Friday with a scoreless, two-strikeout ninth in the 7-5 win over the Giants to lower the ERA and BA against to 1.46 and .144 respectively.

Who’s Not – Red Sox Future Struggling: It hasn’t exactly been the dynamic start of Fred Lynn and Jim Rice from the Red Sox’ vaunted prospect class of 2025. The prized 1975 rookie duo both hit over .300 with 20-plus homers and 100-plus RBI, leading Lynn to be named MVP and the Sox going to the World Series. For Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell it’s been different. They’ve come out of the box with Anthony hitting .111 in his first 12 games, Mayer at .197 after 24 and Campbell being shipped back to the minors after hitting below .150 from May 1 on after being named AL Rookie of the Month for April.

The Numbers:

10 – billion with a B the L.A. Lakers are about to be sold for in the largest purchase in U.S. sports history.

28 & 29 – homers hit by Seattle’s Cal Raleigh after going deep twice in a 9-4 win over the Cubs Friday to break Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for most homers by a catcher before the All Star Game. He then hit two more over the weekend to make it 31.

29 & 12 – points and assists by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in leading OKC to the NBA title with a 103-91 Game 7 win over Indiana.

Of the Week Awards

Thumbs Down – Rafael Devers: For saying he’ll play wherever the Giants want him to in his introductory press conference to show what an absolute petulant dog he was with the Red Sox. Good riddance.

Thumbs Up – Quote of the Week. It’s fromthe young hurler Kyle Harrison acquired for Devers upon being sent to the minors as told to the Boston Globe: “I’ve been in Triple A a decent amount of times in my life now. It’s not about where I want to be today. It’s about where I want to be five, 10 years from now, and where I see myself getting better. I think this is going to be a place where I get better and develop. I’m just excited for the opportunity.” That’s what you want to hear from a guy who gets it.

Random Thoughts: With his trade to Houston on Sunday, Kevin Durant continues his title-hunting travels.

Sports 101 Answer: They traded down both times (1980 and 2017) and still wound up with the best player in each draft.

A Little History – The Trade Down Results: In 1980 they sent it and the 10th pick to Golden State for Robert Parish and the third overall pick, Kevin McHale, while GS took center Joe Barry Carroll. In 2017 they traded it (and their 2018 pick) to Philly, who took star crossed Markelle Fultz, then the Lakers took Lonzo Ball before they grabbed Jayson Tatum with the third pick.

Final Thought – Celtics Questions Going Forward Reshaping: One thing for sure is my hoped-for trade of Jaylen Brown to shake loose up and comers Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith from Houston ain’t gonna happen, because after the blockbuster deal they pulled off to get Durant earlier in the week they got the big dog they were after.

While I’m not opposed to trading anyone for the right price, Brown makes the most sense to me because he’ll bring back the most and getting his $70 million per salary off the books will solve the financial crunch and then some. That would let Porzingis play out the last year of his contract before trying to re-sign the less than durable KP to slide into Al Horford’s big off the bench role. But so much for my thoughts.

The good news is all the decisions going forward are in the capable hands of Brad Stevens — whose track record is better than mine.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 25/06/26

Fund for bikes

AARP gave a grant of $15,000 to the Queen City Bicycle Collective to help with the group’s program to provide bike lights, locks and rechargeable sashes to “enhance bike security and safety. It aims to benefit new riders, children, older adults, and low-income individuals, making cycling a safer and more viable option for all,” according to an AARP press release. See qcbike.org for more on the events and programs at Queen City BIcycle Collective. See aarp.org/communitychallenge for more on AARP’s grants.

10 years of Primary

Primary Bank celebrated its 10th anniversary at its Bedford headquarters last week, according to a press release. “Primary Bank was an important vision at a critical time as New Hampshire saw a proliferation of large national banks gobbling up smaller local banks, which had a negative impact on businesses, particularly during the banking crisis,” said Bill Greiner, Chair of the Primary Bank Board of Directors, in the release. “We started with 129 investors before we were even approved by FDIC. Today, we have over 700 shareholders who really believe in and support our mission.” Gov. Kelly Ayotte, Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais, Bedford Town Manager Rick Sawyer and other officials attended the event, according to the bank press release.

Gift of cookies

More than 70,000 packages of Girl Scout cookies were donated via the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains to food banks, veterans and military organizations and “numerous police and fire departments, health care facilities, schools, and other hometown heroes,” according to a Girl Scout press release. The cookies were donated as part of the Gift of Caring program, which takes donations from cookie customers as well as the council, the release said. See girlscoutsgwm.org for more about Girl Scouts.

6 Triple 8

Retired U.S. Army Col. Edna W. Cummings, author of A Soldier’s Life: A Black Woman’s Rise from Army Brat to Six Triple Eight Champion after her own 25-year military career, will discuss the World War II-era Women’s Army Corps’ 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion at the Wright Museum, 77 Center St. in Wolfboro, on Tuesday, July 1, at 7 p.m. “The primary mission of the ‘Six Triple Eight,’ … was to sort the two- to three-year backlog of undelivered mail for U.S. service members in the European theater of war. The unit, organized on March 4, 1945, in Birmingham, England, contained about 850 officers and enlisted personnel who formed four companies. Whereas most Black units in the military contained white officers, every position in the 6888th was staffed by Black women,” according to a museum release. Doors open at 6 p.m.; admission to the event costs $12, with pre-paid reservations encouraged, the release said. See wrightmuseum.org/lectureseries or call 569-1212.

A new St. Mary’s Bank branch at 16 Manchester St. in Concord held a ribbon cutting on June 13 and will hold a public open house on Saturday, July 19, from noon to 2 p.m. when people can stop by for refreshments, games, prizes and more, according to a press release. See stmarysbank.com.

The Franco American Centre will hold Canada Night to celebrate “La Saint-Jean / Fête Nationale du Québec” on Thursday, June 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Diz’ Cafe, 860 Elm St. in Manchester. The event is free to attend — “just pay for your meal” — according to a newsletter. See facnh.com.

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats have put together a 2025 Manchester Chicken Tender Passport featuring eight Queen City purveyors of chicken tenders, available at Delta Dental Stadium and at milb.com/new-hampshire/community/tenders-passport. Visit at least four locations and turn in your passport by July 26 to the Greater Manchester Chamber to enter a raffle for grand prizes. See the website for rules.

The Nashua Farmers Market is looking for musicians to play at its Sunday markets, which run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 26 at the Nashua Public Library parking lot (6 Hartshorn Ave.). Email support@downtownnashua.org.

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