This Week in Concord History
Jan. 26, 1839: In Concord, rain falls for 24 hours straight. The Merrimack rises 15 feet in 15 hours. Several bridges are destroyed. Jan. 26, 1968: U.S. Sen. Eugene McCarthy brings his presidential campaign to Concord. He meets with Gov. John King, who is leading President Johnson’s campaign in the state, and says of New Hampshire: “It looks like Minnesota.” Jan. 26, 1984: Webster Bridges, chairman of the state Sweepstakes Commission,...
City Briefly
Last week, City Manager Tom Aspell was so excited about the upcoming Black Ice Pond Hockey Championship that he spent afternoons skating the White Park pond and used one of his trick routines to carve out his weekly city memo, which we’ve printed here for you in a less melty version. Don’t worry City water supply just fine Recent news about the drinking water in Flint, Mich., may give a reason to pause concerning the safety of the...
Lots of outdoor winter fun, colorful flowers and plenty of art
Thursday There’s nothing quite like a splash of spring in the middle of winter. And if you’re in need of some bright, colorful floral arrangements accompanied by fantastic works of art, then look no further than McGowan Fine Art. The annual Art and Bloom opening reception is tonight, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The show only lasts three days because it’s done with flowers, so make sure not to miss it. Work Nest is kicking off the new year...
Take a walk into the world of the Enamelist Society at the League
The League of N.H. Craftsmen is kicking off the new year with a show featuring selections from the Enamelist Society’s 15th biennial international juried enamel exhibition and 11th international juried student exhibition. It features artists’ work from around the world – and as you may have guessed, each piece uses enamel. The show, which just opened Friday, will be on display through March 18.
City Briefly
Last week, City Manager Tom Aspell began writing an original song about the inter-workings of city hall that he planned on taking on tour of the city’s many open mic nights. Soon, though, Aspell realized it was less of a song and more of a city memo, so he decided to release “the lyrics” for all citizens to enjoy. Voting time Absentee ballots available Absentee ballots for the Feb. 9 presidential primary election are now available...
Bulletin Board
Symphony N.H. returns to the Audi on Friday Symphony N.H. orchestra returns to the Audi stage on Friday at 8 p.m. as Maestro Jonathan McPhee conducts a program of Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Ravel and Prokofiev. Tickets are $18 to $49 and available at SymphonyNH.org, by calling 595-9156 or at the door. Friends of the Audi Artists reception at The Place Gallery Saturday On Saturday, there will be a gallery opening reception for the work...
This Week in Concord History
Jan. 19, 1942: Sylvia Esty, an 8-year-old Jehovah’s Witness, puts her hand over her heart but refuses to say the words of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Garrison School in West Concord. She says God has forbidden her to pledge allegiance to flag and country. Concord’s school board says it may have to expel her. Jan. 19, 2001: The state Supreme Court rejects a lawsuit that has delayed the construction of an addition at John Stark...
Book of the Week: ‘Body Respect’
Body Respect Lucy Aphramor and Linda Bacon 2014, 208 pages Fiction Body Respect starts by debunking established dietary advice. Fat? It’s not that bad for you after all. Dieting? It can actually make you fatter. Exercise? It won’t necessarily help you lose weight, even if it offers other benefits. What Aphramor and Bacon suggest instead of dieting and following a strict exercise regimen is – get this – listening to your body. They...
Plenty of good live music and mac ‘n’ cheese for you to take in
Wednesday Who doesn’t love midweek live music? Hopefully you didn’t just say, “Me!” because DJ Rob Azevedo is hosting an artist-in-the-round monthly series, called “Granite State of Mind with Rob Azevedo,” at NEC Concord, and the series kicks off at 7:30 p.m. The first guest will be Pat Gochez, lead singer of Pat and the Hats. The night will include a live performance, with a Q-and-A session hosted by Azevedo throughout the hourlong...
Jessica Fligg likes painting outside so much she did it for a year
Over the course of one year, starting in October 2014, New Hampshire-based artist Jessica Fligg set out to paint one en plein air painting each week. Using oils on birch panels, Fligg, a juried member of the New Hampshire Art Association, painted at least four outdoor scenes each month with one month (July 2015) painting as many as seven. A selection of her work from that year experiment is hanging at the Concord Chamber of Commerce...
Mac and cheese time, ya’ll
This is a little last minute, but the pure deliciousness of what we’re about to tell you about will far outweigh any stress that will ensue. So get ready to hop online and buy some tickets because you’ll want to be at the Grappone Conference Center on Saturday. It’s the sixth annual New Hampshire’s Own Macaroni and Cheese Bake Off – and as you could probably tell from the name of the event, there will be lots of mac and cheese to eat....
Well, the first edition of ‘Insider’ Trivia didn’t quite go as planned
We don’t really ask a lot out of you. Just answer the phone when we call, read the paper each week and send us cookies every once in a while. So we never thought a little Insider trivia would be too much for you. We figured “Hey why not test their Insider knowledge from 2015 and see what kind of responses we get?” We thought we’d at least get a couple emails with a mixture of funny, correct and odd ball answers, but not a single one...
Where did we go this time?
Pam Peterson, along with her son Brandon and his partner Roberto, spent some time soaking in the beautiful sights in Gallipoli, Italy, this fall. We sure do wish people would bring us on these fun trips instead of the paper, but that works too. Send your pics with the Insider to news@theconcordinsider.com.
This Week in Concord History
Jan. 12, 1943: State Rep. Norris Cotton leads the charge for a ban on smoking in Representatives Hall during House sessions. The tobacco habit, he says, “is distasteful and obnoxious to the many non-smoking members.” He says the House is the only legislative body in the world that allows smoking during deliberations. The bill passes 203-129. Jan. 12, 1952: The Monitor reports on plans to make Main and State streets one-way, with one...
City Briefly
Last week, City Manager Tom Aspell created a game where he cut up his city memo into individual letters and had city staff put it back together. Obviously they did a pretty good job because we have it here for your reading pleasure. Get out the w2’s Time to do the taxes Through a partnership with AARP, the Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting Tax-aide, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning Feb. 2 and running through April...
Book of the Week: ‘Romie Futch’
The New and Improved Romie Futch Julia Elliott 2015, 378 pages Fiction Romie Futch is a middle-aged taxidermist in South Carolina, obsessed with his ex-wife and deep in debt. Surfing the internet in a drunken haze, Romie sees an ad seeking participants for an “intelligence enhancement study” in Atlanta that promises $6,000. All he has to do is “undergo a series of pedagogical downloads via direct brain-computer interface.” At the...
The Bulletin Board
Grace Episcopal to host monthly supper Friday Grace Episcopal Church will host its free monthly community supper Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. The January supper features meatloaf with gravy, mashed potatoes, string beans, rolls and chocolate cake for dessert. So come, bring your family and friends and take the night off from cooking. There is no charge, but donations are welcomed and support our Take-A-Tote Ministry, which helps to feed...
We told you there’s nothing like a festive scavenger hunt
In the final Insider before Christmas, we wanted to test just how much you had noticed the holiday cheer this year. So we put together eight clues and asked for you to provide some answers. Well, Sandy and Andrew Garfunkel got all eight correct after a couple of hours of fun they said put them in the holiday spirit. For their efforts, the Garfunkels will receive a $25 gift card to a Concord business.
Books, games and lots of exercising
Tuesday ∎ If you’re into D & D, then your Tuesday night plans just got better as a trip to the Concord Public Library is in your future. If you don’t know what D & D is, then you might want to sit this one out cause there will probably be some veteran Dungeons and Dragons players at tonight’s game night, which runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. ∎ It might be pushing the envelope a bit, but ConcordTV is hosting a trio of classes tonight....
Here’s what we’d like to see in Concord
We sure do like Concord. And that’s a good thing because if we didn’t, our jobs would not be all that fun to go to each day. Luckily, we get to enjoy all the sights and sounds that come with covering the capital city – along with the people, things and animals that make Concord an amazing place to live, work and play. But, like all of you, we have some ideas as to how Concord could be even better. We know, some of you may be wondering...
Nothing says science more than sending rockets 300 feet in the air
As part of school vacation week, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center offered a couple of one-day workshops for kids looking to stay sharp in the learning department. And one just happened to be all about building small rockets and then shooting them 300 feet into the sky from the NHTI soccer fields. They constructed the rockets from a kit, painted them and also added an engine, igniter and a couple other rockety type things.
Making a difference
The Capital Region Food Program named Debra Bourbeau of Bow (second from right) and Jackie Whatmough of Concord (second from left) as their 2015 Volunteer Hero Award winners at the 42nd Annual Blessing of the Baskets ceremony at the National Guard Armory.
City Briefly
City Manager Tom Aspell was so excited to usher in the new year, he decided to put the final two city memos for 2015 into one release on Dec. 23 and call it a year. This version was sent to us right before Christmas, so it’s like the gift that keeps on giving. Paying the bills Property tax time Property owners are reminded that third quarter property tax payments were due on Jan. 2. (Editor’s Note: Original city memo said “property...
Book of the Week: ‘The Hollow Land’
The Hollow Land Jane Gardam 2014, 158 pages Fiction The Hollow Land is a series of linked stories about Harry Bateman, who is a little boy the first time his family comes from London to stay in an old farmhouse called Light Trees owned by the Teesdale family. Harry and the Teesdales’ son Bell get into a number of scrapes, such as getting stuck in an old silver mine shaft (hence the hollowness of the land) and lost in a blizzard while...
This Week in Concord History
Jan. 5, 1776: In the first of five Provincial Congresses in New Hampshire, delegates adopt a temporary constitution. The document makes New Hampshire an independent colony six months before the colonies jointly declare their independence. Recalling the objectionable actions of recently departed Royal Gov. John Wentworth, the framers make no provision for a governor. Meschech Weare becomes New Hampshire’s president. The permanent state...
Bulletin Board
Author Hannah Papp to present book Friday Author Hannah Papp presents The Mystical Backpacker: How To Discover Your Destiny in the Modern World, Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St. Part memoir, part guidebook, The Mystical Backpacker invites you to explore your inner terrain and learn how to create your own unique version of a modern day vision quest or walk-about. Tired of living a life based on other’s...
