The Hillsboro Summerfest will take place from July 9 to July 12. According to the festival chair and creative director, Katherine Charrette, the celebration has been going on in one form or another for 36 years, offering carnival rides, music and community events to raise money for Hillsborough’s Fire Department and in recent years the Lions Club.
”It’s been a few different things over the years,” she said. “We were originally the Fireman’s Muster, so they would get together and compete, and it’s really grown since then. We were the Balloon Fest for a long time, and we’ve recently rebranded in the past seven years as the Hillsboro Summerfest, so we could kind of broaden our scope a little bit.”
“Our proceeds go to the firefighters,” Charrette said, “and their association, which provides lots of medical equipment.and materials that we need. It also splits with the other partner we have, which is the Lions Club. They provide lots of free meals for senior citizens. They do lunches with kids and students at the school. They provide eyewear. We’re completely nonprofit and our goal is to get money from this festival into the pockets of other nonprofits.”
Charrette said that aside from raising money for good causes the goal of Summerfest is to provide affordable entertainment.
“We really try to provide as much free stuff as we possibly can,” she said, “in order to have people not spending a ton of money and be able to really enjoy themselves without a huge price ticket. [What you see] all depends on the day that you show up. If you show up on Thursday, you’re going to see kids and teens running around everywhere, going on all the rides as many times in a row as they can. If you were to show up on Saturday, you could see a 12-foot-tall butterfly, a strongman performance by two-time world record holder Mighty Mike — he’s coming here from Nova Scotia to perform for us — we have stilt walkers, we have a long and very good fireworks show. We have a magic show. We have an RC truck crawler meet-up on Sunday this year — we have a truck that dumps off a bunch of rocks and you can take any kind of RC vehicle that you would like and you’ll be able to just kind of get tips and tricks from other RC enthusiasts … it’s really just about RC vehicles meeting up and learning from one another. And we are doing a giveaway for like a $300 RC crawler truck, which is like … a very tiny version of a lifted Toyota Tacoma.”
Another high point of this year’s Summerfest will be a 5K road race, Charette said.
“We have one of the most beautiful 5K courses in the world. Our route goes along our river and over a beautiful, very old bridge. So that’s a really unique experience.” Another not-to-be-missed event that has become a yearly tradition, she said, is the Women’s Skillet Toss. “All of the proceeds for that go to women’s heart health,” she said. “And this is exactly what it sounds like, which is hucking a skillet as far as you possibly can — only underhand, no overhand. And this year we have added a Men’s Marshmallow Long Drive so we can provide something for men as well. The money raised from that will raise money for men’s mental health.” The Long Drive is golf-oriented, Charette said. “You take your driver and hit a ball as far as you can, only we’ll be using marshmallows because mental health is messy sometimes.”
The Hillsboro Summerfest When: Thursday, July 9, from 6 to 10 p.m.; Friday, July 10, from 5 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, July 11, from 2 to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, July 12, from noon to 5 p.m. Where: Hillsborough Fair Grounds on Henniker Street in Hillsborough. More: hillsborosummerfest.com
Puppeteers for Fears return with AI-themed Robopocalypse
The premise of Robopocalypse: The Musical! sounds, on paper, like a high-speed collision of several ideas.
A tech billionaire invents a self-driving car that accidentally kills his wife, a tragedy that estranges him from his teenage daughter. Unable to communicate, each begins work on AI projects. Neither finishes, but their creations merge accidentally and go rogue, threatening the world, and the only ones who can stop it are two people who can’t talk to each other.
Oh, and there are puppets — wonderfully weird, and futuristic in a zany, retro way.
“It’s a wholly irrational project by any reasonable measure … it shouldn’t exist,” Puppeteers for Fears founder Josh Gross said in a recent Zoom interview. Yet it does, and with sufficient momentum to carry the Portland, Oregon-based hand-and-rod troupe through a 30-city national tour that includes a stop at BNH Stage in Concord on July 14.
Gross first wrote and performed Robopocalypse in 2018, and the world caught up to him some time later. The musical addresses AI at a moment when it’s become, as he puts it, “not science fiction anymore — just science.” When tools like ChatGPT launched a couple years ago, he continued, the company decided it was time to take the show nationwide.
Gross’s production has evolved, but it remains grounded in a philosophical tension between two AI schools of thought.
“One is that it’s a tool; another is that people are actually trying to create life,” he said. “But the thing about all life and consciousness is that a key component is a sense of self-preservation. If something is created as a tool but then achieves consciousness, it’s going to understand that a tool is property. And property doesn’t have control over its own outcomes.”
What’s changed about the show is what it’s wrapped in — a story that’s ultimately about what a parent owes to the life he helped create, and what it owes him. A father is trying to invent his way back to happiness after a tragedy, as his daughter tries to earn his attention by matching him on his own terms.
That two people can’t heal until they’re forced to face something they can only stop together is “a human story that anyone can relate to,” Gross said. “And putting it in the context of what we’re all facing right now, where people have very strong opinions on AI. It’s happening whether we want it to or not; we’ve got to figure out what to do.”
Puppeteers for Fears’ fun characters, Gross believes, are ideal for conveying the hard messages in Robopocalypse. “Puppets exist somewhere between reality and simulation. You can see them doing things, but we also know it’s a performance … someone putting on a mask. We make the conscious decision to accept that this thing lives in between.”
That liminality mirrors the many questions being grappled with when it comes to AI itself, like is it real consciousness or simulated? Is virtual reality real because it’s experienced as such, or manufactured because it’s made of ones and zeros? Hearing it all from talking cars and other next-level creations softens the blow.
The entire score for Robopocalypse was written on analog synthesizer, which Gross learned for the first time from how-to VHS tapes uploaded to YouTube. The Arturia MiniBrute he purchased from Portland vintage store Control Voltage wasn’t easy to tame, he said. “It’s not exactly an instrument you play so much as a runaway train you’re trying to hold on to.”
Gross is quick to say that his puppet musical isn’t for children — but not because of the usual reasons.
“Kids don’t have the attention span for a feature-length show about the nature of grief and technology,” he said. “There are a few f-bombs and some mature content, but the biggest thing is it’s just a bit long.”
That said, BNH Stage lists the performance as 18+.
Puppeteers for Fears is self-contained on the road, traveling with its own screen, lighting trusses, and sound. A recent grant from the Oregon Community Foundation to upgrade what Gross called “technology we’d been holding together with duct tape and shoelaces for a while” really helped elevate Robopocalypse to national tour-worthiness.
It’s a long way from their debut in Ashland, Oregon, on Halloween 2015 in a Renaissance Faire-themed bar that held 30 people but drew over five times that and inspired them to continue. “It continues to astonish me,” Gross said. “I’ve played a lot of empty rooms in other projects.”
Puppeteers for Fears presents Robopocalypse: The Musical! When: Tuesday, July 14, at 8 p.m. Where: BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord Admission: $26, ccanh.com 18+
A look at the creations that take ice cream to another level
There is, of course, no single surefire guaranteed way to put somebody in a good mood. But ice cream comes close and an ice cream sundae adds even more deliciousness.
Perhaps a sundae even helps sell the idea that ice cream is a meal unto itself? Karissa Grey, a scooper at Cremeland Drive In in Manchester said that while scooped ice cream and sundaes sell about equally well, as the day gets later customers are more likely to order sundaes. “Some days it’s just scoops, other days I get a lot of orders for sundaes, but we definitely sell more sundaes in the afternoon than we do in the morning.”
How to sundae? Here are some ideas from some area sundae purveyors.
• Rhubarb Sundae
$4.35 from Richardson’s Farm (170 Water St., Boscawen, 796-2788, richardsonsfarmnh.com)
“It’s a standard sundae,” owner Jim Richardson said, “two scoops of ice cream, whatever kind of sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and cherry. But in this case the sauce is our homemade rhubarb. Several years ago a woman came running up to the front door, pointing at our rhubarb, going, ‘Is that rhubarb?’ I wondered what was wrong with her — it’s obviously rhubarb, but she said she’d never seen it before. I asked her where the heck she came from, and she said, Maryland. I just shook my head.”
Richardson admitted that rhubarb is a bit old-fashioned.
“When I was a little kid,” he said, “my grandmother always had a rhubarb sauce on the stove in the springtime. And you had to have it to thin your blood. If you didn’t thin your blood in the springtime, you’d overheat in the summertime. So anyway, after the Maryland lady left, I thought, ‘Geez, I haven’t done that in years,’ so I made a big pot of rhubarb sauce.”
The rhubarb sauce was popular enough that Richardson added strawberry-rhubarb and blueberry-rhubarb ice creams into his rotation. “It sells better than plain strawberry does,” he said. “We have a constant demand for it.”
• Strawberry sundae
Strawberry Sundae at King Kone Photo by staff.
$6.75 for a small at King Kone (366 DW Highway in Merrimack, kingkonenh.com)
Known for their massive soft-serve ice cream cone, which you can get dipped or with toppings, King Kone also offers banana splits and sundaes, which are equally generous in size. Sundae offerings include hot fudge, peanut butter, pineapple, hot butterscotch, brownie and, for your berry cravings, a Strawberry Sundae, which you can get with your choice of soft-serve. At a recent visit, options included vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, blueberry and, for maximum flavor, strawberry. The strawberry soft-serve was topped with syrupy strawberries, whipped cream, nuts and cherry.
“It’s like a banana split, without the banana,” said scooper Damaris Gilbert. “There’s three scoops of ice cream, and three — all of the toppings match up to the flavors, so there are strawberries on the strawberry [ice cream] and hot fudge on the chocolate ice cream, but what kind of topping matches up to vanilla? Well, pineapples are kind of the same color.”
Gilbert said that in her professional opinion the Dudley’s Special should be split between two or more people. “If I was going to eat a banana split or a Dudley’s Special or either of them, I would bring a team, personally,” she said, “but loads of people eat it by themselves. The Dudley’s Special is one of those mysterious types of things with aura where you remember when someone orders one. You remember the specific person who ordered it.”
• Ice Cream Sundae (bespoke)
A small for $6.50 at Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885, granitestatecandyshoppe.com)
“I wanted to make you happy today,” said scooper Tasha Ross, “so I made you a lovely small sundae which consists of two scoops. I added one scoop of fudge brownie and another scoop of our peanut butter cup ice cream. On top, I put a little bit of chocolate fudge, and peanut butter sauce. The toppings I added were mini peanut butter cups and I also added some almonds since how can you have fudge brownies without almonds? And then I finished it off with some rainbow sprinkles and topped it with whipped cream and cherries.”
Granite State Candy sells more than 25 flavors of hard ice cream at any given time, Ross said. “If you order a large [sundae], you can add an extra flavor. We have four vegan flavors that are available in kinder, small, large, pint, or quart-sized. And our sundaes come in micro, small, and large sizes.”
“Because,” she repeated, “we want you to be happy.”
• Medium Three-Topping Sundae
$9.76 at Social Club Creamery (138 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2111, socialclubcreamery.com)
At the Social Club Creamery there are two ice cream menus. One menu is permanent, featuring always-there, familiar flavors, like double chocolate, maple latte, honeycomb or gooey butter cake. Additionally there is a second, smaller menu of seasonal flavors that changes each month. In July, for instance, it’s possible to order black raspberry chip, blueberry cheesecake, raspberry-brownie batter, or strawberry lemonade sorbet, which is vegan.
Asked to make a “very good sundae,” scoopers Maddie Dwyer and Chloe MacNevin consulted briefly and made a medium sundae with three toppings — a scoop each of Patty’s peppermint and double chocolate ice cream, with hot fudge, whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. This particular sundae has not been named yet, they said, but if it were, it would be a staff favorite.
A Happy Cake Bowl is a sort of hybrid sundae, said Sweet Bel’s owner Jennifer Belmore.
“We cut cake up into cubes, and we put it in the bottom of a bowl and then you get to pick your ice cream. You get to pick your hot topping and then it’s covered in whipped cream and sprinkles and a cherry. It’s kind of like a throwback to your younger days when you had a birthday and you had your cake and ice cream. We’ve got away from that for some reason. And who doesn’t love cake and ice cream?”
• Fried Dough Sundae
$10.95 at Cremeland Drive In (250 Valley St., Manchester, 669-4430, see page on Facebook)
“The Fried Dough Sundae is pretty popular,” said Cremeland scooper Karissa Grey, “but not as much as the banana split, which is the favorite, especially in the afternoon. But the Fried Dough Sundae is literally just exactly what it says. It’s a piece of fried dough with ice cream, liquid topping, with cream and a cherry.”
The number of flavors of ice cream Cremeland carries depends on the time of year, Grey said. “It really depends on the time of the season, because we’re seasonal. So sometimes we have just our bare-bones flavors, like at the beginning of the season, at the end of the season. And other times, like right now, I think there’s 27 on the board.”
The secret to making a good sundae, Grey said, is attention to details.
“It’s my favorite thing to do,” she said, “making them look nice. It’s important not to rush, honestly. A lot of people, when it gets busy, will just rush to get things out. But you eat with your eyes first, not your mouth, and that plays a big part in — I feel like, that’s one of the things that make people want to come here or not.”
• Large Hot Fudge Sundae
$9.95 at The Big 1 (185 Concord St., Nashua, thebig1icecream.com)
Jeanne Marquis, the owner of The Big 1, said a traditional hot fudge sundae is far and away the most popular of her treats.
“The classic vanilla hard ice cream with hot fudge is the most popular,” she said. “Our parfaits run second to that. We have hot caramel and hot butterscotch sauces as well. They all sell extremely well. And they’re all kind of classics, really.”
• Brownie Sundae
$7.83 at The Inside Scoop (260 Wallace Road, Bedford, 471-7009, theinsidescoopnh.com)
According to scooper Courtney Winands, the brownie sundae is the most popular enhanced ice cream dish at the Inside Scoop.
“It’s a fudge brownie on the bottom, with ice cream and a topping,” she said. While you can get any flavor ice cream, she recommends Maine blackberry: “It’s a red raspberry base, with chocolate raspberry truffles. That goes really well with hot fudge, whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles.” She said that when ordering for themselves most customers order a single scoop of ice cream or a kid’s size ice cream. Full-sized sundaes are generally a team effort, she observed.
• Classic Banana Split
$11.94 at Moo’s Place Homemade Ice Cream (27 Crystal Ave., Derry, 425-0100, moosplace.com)
Moo’s has more than 30 flavors of ice cream — not counting soft-serve, frozen yogurt, sorbets and other frozen treats — all made on the premises. One of its most popular sundaes is a classic banana split, with three scoops of ice cream, a banana, three toppings, whipped cream, chopped walnuts and a cherry, according to its website.
• Small Banana Boat
$12 at Hayward’s Ice Cream (364 DW Highway, Merrimack, 424-5915; 7 DW Highway in Nashua, 888-4663; haywardsicecream.com)
You are pretty much spoiled for choice with ice cream flavors at Hayward’s in Merrimack and Nashua. There are always at least 45 flavors of hard ice cream, which is made in house. A small banana boat has two scoops of ice cream, two types of sauce, a banana, whipped cream, chopped walnuts and a cherry. Like the ice cream, the sauces can be customized. The choices include strawberry, hot fudge, marshmallow and pineapple.
• Banana Float Sundae
$10 at Trombly Gardens (150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net)
Trombly Gardens is better known as a farm stand and garden nursery but has a steady stream of ice cream customers, said scooper Mackenzie Burke. One of the most popular sundaes is Trobley’s Banana Float Sundae.
“It has three scoops of strawberry ice cream,” she said, “hot fudge, caramel, and butterscotch toppings, with walnuts on it, whipped cream and cherries. Strawberry is our most popular flavor for our banana float sundaes, especially now, during strawberry season.”
Burke said her personal favorite is “chocolate with chocolate on chocolate.”
Cookie Monster Sundae at Hayward’s Family Ice Cream of Milford. Photo by John Fladd.
• Cookie Monster Sundae
$9.75 at Hayward’s Family Ice Cream of Milford (383 Elm St., Milford, 672-8383, haywardsfamilyicecream.com)
A Cookie Monster Sundae is made with bright blue Cookie Monster ice cream, marshmallow sauce, and frozen nuggets of cookie dough, topped with more Cookie Monster ice cream, more marshmallow, and even more frozen cookie dough.
• King Shake
$12.95 at Lickee’s & Chewy’s Candy and Creamery (53 Washington St., Dover, 343-1799, lickeesnchewys.com)
Meaka Cruz is one of the managers at Lickee’s & Chewy’s. She said the store focuses on King Shakes, though the two are very similar.
“We offer a lot of creative sundaes, I suppose,” she said, “but we’re probably more about the King Shakes, which can be made as sundaes. They have chocolate rims on the side and fun toppings to mix with the ice cream, like Nutella, hot fudge, and then nuts and sprinkles. They all have kind of intricate toppings and themes that we typically strive for. A new one that we have right now … [has] Nutella and strawberries. Our chocolatiers decorate the cups with hard chocolate syrup on the side [and] top it with frozen strawberries and a Kinder Bueno bar.”
Cruz has a theory about why ice cream places develop such elaborate desserts with their ice creams.
“I think it’s to be creative and draw people in,” she said. “Everywhere else does something cool and unique, so I feel like each store wants to express themselves and tries to put something great out.”
SUNDAE PANEL The Big 1 185 Concord St., Nashua, thebig1icecream.com Cremeland Drive In 250 Valley St., Manchester, 669-4430, see page on Facebook Dudley’s Ice Cream 846 Route 106, Loudon, 783-4800, facebook.com/dudleysicecreamshop Granite State Candy Shoppe 13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885, granitestatecandyshoppe.com Hayward’s Ice Cream 364 DW Highway, Merrimack, 424-5915; 7 DW Highway, Nashua, 888-4663; haywardsicecream.com Hayward’s Family Ice Cream of Milford 383 Elm St., Milford, 672-8383, haywardsfamilyicecream.com The Inside Scoop 260 Wallace Road, Bedford, 471-7009, theinsidescoopnh.com King Kone 366 DW Highway in Merrimack, kingkonenh.com Lickee’s & Chewy’s Candy and Creamery 53 Washington St., Dover, 343-1799, lickeesnchewys.com Moo’s Place Homemade Ice Cream 27 Crystal Ave., Derry, 425-0100, moosplace.com Richardson’s Farm 170 Water St., Boscawen, 796-2788, richardsonsfarmnh.com Social Club Creamery 138 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2111, socialclubcreamery.com Sweet Bel’s Ice Cream & Dessert Creations 608 DW Highway, Merrimack, 670-2161, sweetbels.com Trombly Gardens 150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net
The Majestic Theatre presents The Secret Garden, the musical based on the 1911 Frances Hodgson Bernett novel, this weekend at the Derry Opera House, 29 West Broadway in Derry, according to a press release and majestictheatre.net, where you can purchase tickets. “Orphaned in India, 11-year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his disabled son Colin. The estate’s many wonders include a magic garden which beckons the children with haunting melodies and the ‘Dreamers,’ spirits from Mary’s past who guide her through her new life, dramatizing The Secret Garden’s compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal,” the release said. Catch the show tonight at 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 11, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, July 12, at 2 p.m.
Friday, July 10
The Raymond Town Fair will be held today through Sunday, July 12, featuring “live music, fireworks, children’s activities, educational exhibitions, games & vendors,” according to facebook.com/RaymondTownFair. On Saturday, July 11, there will be a children’s parade, with registration at 9:30 a.m. at the middle school. On Sunday at 11 a.m., catch the dog parade on the common (register your dog at 10:15 a.m. at the middle school), a post said. The Hugh Holt Memorial Road Race, a 5-mile race, will also take place on Sunday, with registration at 7:30 a.m. at the middle school and the race starting at 8:30 a.m., according to the Hugh Hold Memorial Road Race Facebook page, where you can preregister.
Saturday, July 11
Shop the Concord Arts Market at Rollins Park in Concord today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to concordartsmarket.org. Arts in the Park features local artists and makers as well as food vendors, live music and activities, the website said.
Saturday, July 11
Get more outdoor art at the Art Walk in the Garden today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the NH Audubon’s Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way in Auburn, according to nhaudubon.org, where you can RSVP for the event. “This family-friendly gathering will feature local artists and delicious food truck eats from Cali Arepa,” the website said. A guided tour will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. and the Summer Camp Art Show will run inside the center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the website said.
Saturday, July 11
The American Independence Center will hold the American Independence Festival in downtown Exeter today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring a live reading of the Declaration of Independence, demonstrations of historic 18th-century trades, reenactment groups, colonial games and music and more, according to aicnh.org/american-independence-festival.
Saturday, July 11
The Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, 18 Highlawn Road in Warner, will hold its 25th annual Pow Wow today and Sunday, July 12, with gates opening at 10 a.m. and a grand entrance at noon, according to indianmuseum.org, where you can purchase tickets. “Experience the vibrant colors of regalia, powerful dances, heartwarming music, and over 20 traders with handmade crafts,” the website said about the event. Admission costs $17, $10 for children, with discounts available, the website said.
Wednesday, July 15
The Granite VNA Hospice Home & Garden Tour of homes on or near the waterfront of Lake Winnipesaukee will take place today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to granitevna.org/ways-to-give/hospice-home-garden-tour, where you can buy tickets.
Save the Date! Monday, July 20 Catch Shinedown on their “Dance, Kid, Dance Act II” Tour at SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St. in Manchester, on Monday, July 20, at 7 p.m. with Coheed and Cambria, From Ashes To New and DJ Rock Feed, according to snhuarena.com, where you can purchase tickets.
The Big Story – Is USA Still Alive: We ask it that way because right after I file this on Monday they face Belgium in their first chance to get to the Round of 8 in the World Cup since 2002.
Which pushes the Celtics’ controversial trade of JaylenBrown to Philly to story 2.
The good news, however fair it is or not, is top USA scorer FolarinBalogun will play in the game after his red card penalty/suspension from their win over Bosnia-Herzegovina was magically pushed into the future after the convicted felon in the White House appealed to FIFA chief GianniInfantino because “it was unfair” and he rolled over like he was about to face a primary challenge for disagreeing with the boss.
Belgium was justifiably irate, as United States corruption now extends to even World Cup soccer.
Sports 101: With baseball’s All-Star Game coming up on Tuesday seems a good time to ask: \Who holds the ASG records for RBI, homers and games played?
News Item – Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown: No, that was not an earthquake aftershock that hit Celtic Nation last week. It was RedAuerbach rolling over in his grave at the dumbest trade made in team history.
It sent the prime-of-life 29-year-old coming off an MVP-caliber year to the 76ers for limping-to-the-finish-line 36-year-old one-time All-Star PaulGeorge, who has averaged playing just 47 games per year over the last seven seasons. A preposterous move that sets them back and makes their historic rival co-favorite (with NYK’s) in the Eastern Conference.
News Item – Mind Numbing All-Star Picks: Somehow wins don’t matter these days in MLB. The latest example is 10-1 SonnyGray with a 2.69 ERA somehow being passed over for the All-Star squad in favor of teammate RangerSuarez, who is 4-3, 2.94.
Love to hear the rationale on that.
The Numbers:
2 – more professional athletes added to growing list of sports gambling indictments. This time it’s MalikBeasley, who’s kissed his multi-million-dollar NBA career goodbye along with Bucks teammate Ed Davis.
6 – errors by Sox right fielder WilyerAbreu, which is a lot for a full season, let alone by mid-year. There goes that third straight gold glove.
1,364 – career strikeouts by AroldisChapman where the K of the Angels’ DenzerGuzman on Friday made him the all-time strikeouts leader among closers.
… Of the Week Awards
Who’s Hot – Caleb Durbin: On June 1 Durbin was hitting .186 with 2 homers and 22 RBI. As of Sunday he’s up to .227, 8 homers, 37 RBI, 8 stolen bases. Not great, but comparable to the departed AlexBregman’s .240, 7 homers and 31 RBI with the Cubs. They even are identical in the field with each having 4 errors and .978 fielding averages. The only difference is that Bregman makes $40 million per and it’s $790 K for Durbin.
Rumor Mill: The most interesting recent one has former Celtics owner WycGrousbeck among the bidders to buy the Seattle Seahawks from the estate of Microsoft co-founder PaulAllen.
Random Thoughts:
I’ve got zero interest in LeBronJames’ coming narcissistic “hey look at me in my final year” tour.
Hate to tell LBJ, the truly beloved players are identified with their team — Jordan/Bulls, Bird/Celtics, Duncan/SA, Kobe/Lakers. Which of the four teams you abandoned will you be identified with?
Definitely not L.A. And unless he goes back to Cleveland it’ll probably be none.
Instead he’ll likely go to Miami or Philly because he wants to close it out with another manufactured title team that he had to join others to get. That’s the career pattern anyway.
Sports 101 Answer: With 12 TedWilliams has the ASG record for RBI. Stan Musial’s 6 are the homer record. Musial, WillieMays and HankAaron played in a record 24 games.
Final Thought – Thumbs Down On Jaylen Brown Trade:BradStevens is not dumb enough to make the worst trade in Celtic history. Which is to move a 29-year-old coming off a powerhouse season for an injury-prone 36-year-old cheaper guy.
If they’d gotten electric rookie VJ Edgecombe, fine. Instead it’s for a guy who’s missed 35 games played for seven seasons, two first-round picks too far into the future to help now and two second-round picks who’ll likely have little impact.
So why do it? Money, of course. Brown is eligible later this month for a two-year extension to the remaining three years on his already giant contract and ownership apparently didn’t want to pay it. Hence the willingness/haste to accept a deal that makes them immediately weaker and their archrival much better. Where if Philly does win the title, to me it will be the new owner’s BillBuckner moment.
But at least the playing hurt Buckner tried to catch MookieWilson’s grounder, while the Celtics just let the moment go by without much effort.
As reported by NH Audubon (nhaudubon.org) in a July 1 update on its website, Madi, the sole peregrine falcon hatchling this season from the falcon nest at the Brady Sullivan Building in Manchester, has been found after “fludging” (falling rather than fledging) from the nest last week. “[She] is safe and is with local rehabber Maria Colby,” the Audubon announcement read, “while she recovers from some dehydration. We will work with Maria for the best course of action to reunite her with her parents at the Brady Sullivan Tower.”
QOL score: +1
Comment: June 30 commentary from the log accompanying nest-cam footage from the falcons’ YouTube channel reported that a volunteer “flushed her [Madi] out on W. Salmon St. in the middle of the bridge access; some construction guys came over with an empty cardboard box to put her in until Maria Colby arrived…”
Something old, something new, something Manchester
According to multiple media reports, Manchester’s own Adam Sandler officiated the big event of the Fourth of July weekend: the Friday, July 3, wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in New York City. According to People.com, Kelce had a cameo in Sandler’s 2025 movie Happy Gilmore 2.
QOL score: +1
Comments:TMZ also reported that Sandler sang an original song for the couple. Meanwhile, Sandler’s 1998 The Wedding Singer is streaming on YouTube TV and fubo and available for rent or purchase, according to JustWatch.com.
That 2026 Taco Tour green
According to a July 1 press release from the Greater Manchester Chamber, this year’s Taco Tour generated nearly a million dollars for the local economy. “On Thursday, May 28, more than 28,000 attendees filled the streets of downtown Manchester,” the press release read, “delivering a powerful economic boost to local restaurants, retailers, and service businesses. With more than 100 participating restaurants and vendors, Taco Tour Manchester generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct spending in just four hours. Accounting for the broader economic ripple effect, the event is estimated to have generated $700K–$1 M in economic activity.”
QOL score: +1
Comment: According to the Manchester Chamber, Taco Tour will have an ongoing effect on business in downtown Manchester. “81.7% of attendees surveyed were introduced to a restaurant they had not heard of before, and 87.4% of attendees are likely/very likely to return to Manchester’s downtown to visit a restaurant experienced at Taco Tour. 40% of surveyed attendees traveled from other NH destinations outside of Manchester. Additionally, overall attendance at Taco Tour Manchester increased by 25% from 2025.” Visit TacoTourManchester.com.
QOL score last week: 46
Net change:+3
QOL this week: 49
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