Here’s the lowdown on the Bow Public Safety Building project
We assume you’re all familiar with the old adage ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.’ It’s somewhat of an inspirational message of hope and maybe the only thing that’s kept the Bow Public Safety Building Committee moving forward all these years. After three failed attempts to win over residents at town meeting, (including a couple of painstakingly close votes) the committee is bringing back another proposal with the hope...
It’s gonna be a crazy couple days for those in the flower business
Just for a second, imagine your busiest work day of the year. We know, it’s not all that fun reliving the stress that comes with it, but we wanted you to have that feeling. We wanted you to visualize the chaos that it means. Because for local florists at D. McLeod, Cobblestone Design Company and Cole Gardens, that day is just around the corner. Yep, you guessed it, Valentine’s Day is by far the most hectic one on the calendar, and...
Bow fourth-graders are putting a new twist on Valentine’s Day
We all remember Valentine’s Day as a kid. Your parents went out and bought a box of cards with superheroes, princesses or the latest and greatest trend on them. You spent about a half hour after school one day filling out your classmates names on the To line and yours on the From, and maybe added a few pieces of chocolate to a bag. You’d hand them out the closest school day before V-Day and get about 15 to 20 from your classmates to...
Want to connect with people all over the world? Try using a ham radio
Kilo (K) Alpha (A) One (1) Sierra (S) Kilo (K) Yankee (Y) Those words strung together probably don’t mean a whole lot to you, but in the world of ham radio, that’s the call sign of The Sky is Not the Limit Amateur Radio Club at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. It’s their way to connect with the rest of the world – and the way other amateur radio enthusiasts can identify who they’re speaking with. They use the phonetic alphabet...
There’s lots to learn at Super Stellar Fridays
Have you ever wondered what the sky looked like hundreds of years ago over Concord? What about how the stars aligned just last week high above the Arctic Circle? Well, if you make your way to the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center this Friday night, you might just find out. Tonight’s Sky is a planetarium show that’s part of a little program called Super Stellar Fridays, which is not only held this week, but the first Friday of every...
It’s a cold day at the office for the city’s pond-spraying crew
Most people have zero interest in being awake at 5 a.m. And even fewer want to be at work well before the sun pops up, especially these days when a child who can only count to 10 can read the thermostat. Now try having the jobs of Patrick Lanman, Justin Wheeler and the rest of the Concord Parks and Recreation grounds division. Cause most days, they’re in the shop by 5 a.m. and out on one of the city’s frozen skating surfaces by 6....
Get set for some good old winter fun
By now, you’ve probably noticed that winter’s in full swing. The things that gave it away for us were the frigid temperatures, slippery walking surfaces and snow covering the ground, which there will likely be more of before spring makes its much-anticipated appearance. And you have two choices: either stay inside and only leave your house when absolutely necessary – like for food, beer and work, in that order – or embrace the frozen...
We teed it up on the new golf simulators at Beaver Meadow
If you haven’t noticed, it’s not exactly the ideal time of year to be playing golf. At least outside that is. But unlike prior years, now you don’t have to sit around and stare at your clubs for the next few months. The bad news is that we’re not sending you on an all-expenses-paid trip to a state where the sun is shining and snow isn’t in the vocabulary. If we had that kind of money, don’t you think we’d send ourselves first? The...
Want to be a rock star? Why not try out open mic or karaoke first?
We’ve all dreamt about becoming a rock star. Standing up on stage with millions of screaming fans in front of us all while playing songs that we wrote about life, love and the pursuit of fame. Unfortunately, the chances of becoming a famous musician like that have the same odds as winning that huge Powerball jackpot. Which, by the way, we didn’t win, and that’s why we’re still going to work every day. But you don’t have to be a rock...
Nothing says winter fun like sledding, skating and ugly sweaters
Usually we try to avoid going outside this time of year. Between the slippery walking surfaces, cold vehicles, colder temperatures and piles of snow, we tend to prefer a warmer climate – like indoors, under a blanket, watching lots of movies. But sometimes, you’ve just got to layer up, grab a cup of hot chocolate and embrace all the season has to offer. Especially when we’re talking about a winter carnival. For the last 20 years or...
You can play (and live) in a fantasy world once you get in the game
Do you ever have the urge to be someone else? Or find yourself in a fantasy world, away from all the ups and downs of every day life? Well, we hear you. That’s why we created Insider Man. But you don’t have to create a fictional character who works as a journalist by day and is a superhero by night in order to escape whatever you’re trying to escape on that specific day. That does sound quite familiar, though, doesn’t it? All you have...
Believe it or not, you can win big money right here in Concord
Our years of television consumption taught us that bingo is a game played by retirees, sitting in a large hall with another retiree pulling balls out of a spinning wheel. Well, this is just another instance when television has failed us. ’Cause we checked out bingo night at the Bektash Shriners last Thursday and it’s way more popular and involved than TV ever led us to believe. Sure, there were retirees filling out cards as a...
We decided to play catchup on a few stories we wrote last year
We know the final issue of 2015 was all about last year. We also know that this week’s edition is supposed to be an exclusive look into what 2016 has in store, but unfortunately we couldn’t fit everything in last week. So think of this as a bit of bonus 2015 coverage. We went over the stories that defined the Insider in the previous 12 months, but there were some we wrote that probably left you wondering what ever happened after the...
Lending a helping hand around the holidays sure does feel good
When I walked into the N.H. National Guard Armory last week, the sight of more than 1,100 boxes sitting on the concrete floor was a little intimidating. Especially since my directive for the next couple hours was to help fill all of those boxes with nonperishable food items. Luckily, I wasn’t alone in this endeavor, ’cause if so, I’d probably still be there, sleep deprived and with some pretty sore muscles. Instead, I was part of a...
Merrimack Valley gets new b-ball unis from Monahan Foundation
The last time the Merrimack Valley varsity basketball programs got new uniforms, current players like Ian Curtin and Sammi Osborne were in sixth grade. They’re seniors now. And if it wasn’t for a generous donations from the Frank Monahan Foundation, they would have been the seventh set of seniors to don the same old white and navy jerseys and shorts. Instead, Curtin and Osborne (and the rest of the varsity players for that fact) are...
Send Concord 250 out with a bang at the New Year’s Eve Gala
We know, there’s still 10 days till Christmas, but as you are more than aware of, we’re in the business of planning. So despite the fact that the biggest holiday in December is more than a week away, it’s time to start thinking about plans for the final day of 2015. Yes, we’re talking about New Year’s Eve and have we got an idea for you. If you can think back to Dec. 31, 2014, (and we know that’s not easy) Concord 250 and the Concord...
Why make just a house when you can build a gingerbread village?
So we had this grand plan. We were going to bake our own gingerbread, whip up our own frosting and create snowmen, Santas, trees and wreaths from scratch using whatever tasty treats we could put together. But like many things we do at the Insider, things didn’t quite go as we had hoped. The gingerbread failed miserably, the frosting had its own issues and we kind of just abandoned the whole creating holiday cheer out of fear of...
CRTC competition leads to lots of cool stuff for Toys for Tots
You probably never knew this, but there’s some healthy competition among the students at the Concord Regional Technical Center. Oh yeah, throughout the course of the school year there’s quite a few spirit challenges, which we can only assume that a win results in some pretty serious bragging rights. So when the powers that be at the CRTC decided to collect toys and change for Toys for Tots, the students stepped it up a notch. “This...
If you haven’t seen ‘The Nutcracker’ this year, here’s your chance
There are just some things you can count on this time of year. Christmas music before Thanksgiving, extra people in every store you go to and the St. Paul’s School Ballet Co. putting on its annual performance of The Nutcracker. The school has been dazzling audiences with its production since the 1970s and that includes when Jennifer Howard, who is now in her fourth year of directing the ballet company, was a student at St. Paul’s....
Concord High sure knows how to put on a Thanksgiving feast
When Peter Bombaci arrived at Concord High School more than 20 years ago as a special education teacher, he was charged with creating a more inclusive environment. Where students with disabilities and students without did things together, something that wasn’t typical more than two decades ago. So Bombaci had a thought. “What better way to do it then with food,” he said. For almost as long as Bombaci has been at Concord High, he’s...
There seems to be a lot of trash hanging around our city streets
If you happen to be one of those people who toss your empty Dunkin’ Donuts cup out the window or just watch as your McDonald’s cheeseburger wrapper floats away in the wind, then shame on you. And if you happen to do it within the sight of Amy Moffet, you might just want to make a run for it. Because you’ll soon learn that she has no patience for people who use the city as their personal garbage can. “If you can take the time to drive...
If you like shopping at night, then Midnight Merriment is for you
If you haven’t noticed, it’s December and that means your holiday shopping days are dwindling. Before you know it, you’re going to be driving around to any place that’s open on Christmas Eve looking for a gift that no one can definitively say was bought the night before. Don’t be like this (insert your name using the Direct TV commercial voice). We know you think you’ve got plenty of time, but you really don’t. It’s going to come a...
We got an up-close look at how a pie is made at The Crust & Crumb
You can’t really bring up Thanksgiving without your favorite pie combination creeping into the conversation. Pies are as big a part of the holiday tradition as football, turkey and family. So we went down to The Crust & Crumb Baking Co. and watched owner Alison Ladman make some of her tasty creations. In the 24 hours before Crust & Crumb closes for Thanksgiving, the ovens will be cranking out pies in staggering numbers to...
If you like Christmas tree lightings, then you’re in the right place
While you’re always amazed at the job you do of stringing the lights on your Christmas tree each year, there’s probably never a big tadoo like Clark Griswold got. It’s just not practical to openly invite the community to your house cause it’s likely not as entertaining as you might think. Plus, think about the parking nightmare and all the nasty looks you’d get from your neighbors. So it’s probably a good thing that Concord, Bow and...
Now that North Main Street is done, attention turns to the south
Now that North Main Street is all shiny and new, you’re probably curious as to what the deal is for South Main Street. We’re glad you asked – we were also kinda wondering when that area of downtown was going to get an upgrade. It’s looking a little behind the times compared with its neighbor to the north, if you smell what we’re stepping in. Well, the plan is to tackle that side of Main Street starting in the spring. It’s slated to...
Shop local this week during Plaid Friday, Small Business Saturday
As you well know, once the clock strikes midnight on Thanksgiving night the focus turns exclusively toward Christmas shopping. Black Friday has been a thing for a long time, where people wake up well before the crack of dawn, go to (insert name of big-box store here) and wait in line for the doors to open. In the last few years, the crazy shopping tradition even spilled into Thanksgiving night. But who wants to end their holiday...
There’s a new look to New Hampshire history, and it’s on the web
If you haven’t checked out the New Hampshire Historical Society’s website recently, it might be a good idea to take a quick gander. We know what you’re thinking: “It’s history, how much can it possibly have changed?” Well, the answer is quite a bit – at least the way the website looks, functions and what’s on it after the society launched a brand new one a little over a week ago. The address is still the same (nhhistory.org), and...
With shelters closed, coalition to end homelessness feels the pressure
When we get cold, we turn the heat on. When it’s snowing or raining outside, we snuggle up on the couch with a blanket and a cup of hot cocoa. And when we’re hungry, we go to our refrigerator and make something to eat. But unfortunately, there are many people in and around Concord that don’t have that luxury. The issue of homelessness in the capital city is a real thing, and those involved with the Concord Coalition to End...
It’s always hard to say goodbye, but we must to Hargate Gallery
If you happen to be a fan of the Hargate Gallery at St. Paul’s School, you might want to stop in for a visit. ’Cause if you don’t get there by Saturday, then the school’s longtime home for art exhibits simply won’t be there – at least how you remember it. The final exhibit in Hargate history, appropriately named Farewell to Hargate, closes this weekend and after that there won’t be another art show on the campus for who knows how...
Pedro Pimentel made another movie and it will be at SNOB
When Pedro Pimentel began writing the screenplay to The Priest, he pictured it taking place in Concord. So it’s only right that it was shot entirely at the Kimball-Jenkins Estate, made its world premiere at Red River Theatres and will make its film festival debut at the Somewhat North of Boston Film Festival this weekend. You may remember Pimentel from his days as the president of the Concord High School Film Society or the previous...
