Poem: Simple Life
I walk the same roads, as my grandfather before, perhaps our world is a better place, though sometimes I’m just not sure. There was once an appreciation, for little things old, today thoughts have changed, or so I’m told. When I look back, my thoughts remember when, life was so simple, way back then. Perhaps my years are showing, I desire the years lived in the past more, I walk the same roads, as my grandfather before. James W....
Bulletin Board: Space camp scholarships, stamp collectors, etc.
Apply for space camp scholarships Applications for the 2019 round of Alex Higgins Memorial Space Camp Scholarships are now available on the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center’s website, starhop.com, and at the Discovery Center Reception Desk; applications are due to the Discovery Center by March 4. This competitive program is open to all New Hampshire residents ages 9-18, and covers full tuition and room and board at the U.S. Space...
CRVNA launches online auction
Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association, the largest home health and hospice provider in New Hampshire, reimagined its annual Passion for Caring event to a continuous, two-week, virtual campaign due to the ongoing pandemic. The campaign features Concord Regional VNA’s first-ever online auction, which launched on Aug. 20, and is live through Sept. 4. The auction includes 15 unique items and experiences valued at more than $3,700....
City Manager’s Newsletter: Special election notice, Rundlett food drive and more
The city of Concord’s public information officer, Stefanie Breton, sent out the City Manager’s Newsletter last Friday. The newsletter contained too much information for us to fit into this spot, so we’re just printing some highlights here. For the full newsletter, go to concordnh.gov and click the “Newsletter” button on the home page. Special election notice A special election to fill current City Council vacancies will be held in...
Parks and Rec prepares for fall
Concord Parks & Recreation is excited to move forward with fall programming after scaling back on activities this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Summer camps were very successful with protocols in place to keep campers and staff safe. Despite COVID-19 changing the way we typically do things, children were able to enjoy many different activities. We will be putting similar guidelines into place as we look ahead to fall...
This Week in Concord History
Jan. 8, 1878: A temperature of 35 below zero is recorded in Concord, an all-time record cold reading for the city that will stand for more than 65 years. Jan. 8, 1895: The Supreme Court and State Library buildings are dedicated in Concord. Jan. 8, 1988: During a visit to Pleasant View retirement community in Concord, GOP presidential candidate Alexander Haig impresses resident Millicent Sawyer. “He’s even better-looking in person than...
Book: A tough time gets tougher
A Long Time Coming By Aaron Elkins (255 pages, mystery, 2018) Valentino (Val) Caruso is a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. He’s feeling down in the dumps. His promotion just fell through, and his marriage has just ended. His ex-wife is a divorce attorney so he didn’t fare well in the divorce; she got the house. So now he must find a new place to live, and he just turned forty. He has a trip to Milan planned...
Book of the Week: ‘The Amulet of Samarkand’
The Amulet of Samarkand Jonathan Stroud 2003, 462 pages Middle-school fantasy It is wonderful and surprising to find that a book is narrated by a supernatural creature, in this case, a Djinni – immeasurably old, shape-shifting, wily, and a congenial and very funny narrator. His brain is so busy on so many levels that he thinks in footnotes while also describing his ongoing task of stealing a precious amulet from one of the most...
This week in history
Aug. 28, 1728: John Stark is born in a cabin in Londonderry. He will grow up to fight with Rogers’ Rangers in the French and Indian War, become the hero of Bennington during the American Revolution and, in an 1809 letter greeting veterans of Bennington, pen the words “Live Free or Die.” Aug. 28, 1988: New Hampshire Republican Sen. Gordon Humphrey and Rep. Bob Smith ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review last year’s $12,100...
What does 2019 have planned for us?
A lot went down in Concord in 2018. And we were there to not only enjoy it (like all the new places to grab a bite, sweet treat and have a little fun) but also share all the juicy details.While we would love to be able to look into the future and tell you exactly how 2019 is going to play out, we just don’t have those capabilities. Plus, where would be the fun in that? So instead, we’ve come up with some things to be on the lookout...
City news: Resources available for voting information
The city manager’s office sent out the City Manager’s Newsletter last Friday. The full newsletter can be found by going to concordnh.gov and clicking the “Newsletter” button. Here are some highlights: Election information The New Hampshire Secretary of State has a new website with everything you need to know about voting during COVID-19. Visit their website at sos.nh.gov/ or utilize the following links: Voting during COVID-19:...
The 2019 entertainment scene is stacked
As you all know quite well, Concord is a hot spot for entertainment. Between live music, performances and films, there’s always something to see and do. And since this is the Looking Ahead to 2019 Issue, we decided to check out the upcoming schedules and share some of the highlights we found. Community Players of Concord To continue the 2018-19 season, everyone’s favorite local theater group will perform The Farnsworth Invention, Feb....
Book: Supernatural visitors
Long Way Down By Jason Reynolds (306 pages, young adult fiction, 2017) Your brother was murdered. What do you do? A: Get revenge. B: Try to move on knowing that killing someone else will only perpetuate the cycle. Or C: Talk to yourself in an elevator going back and forth between A an B. C is what Will ended up doing, though it wasn’t his intention. Can the ghosts in his mind save him before it’s too late? Armed with a gun, Will is...
Crystal Reynolds is your new Insider teacher
Mom, high school teacher, manager, coach, waitress, housekeeper, nanny, Jasper at Chuck E Cheese, and now local newspaper columnist – just a few of the jobs I have had in my life. For as long as I can remember I have always felt the desire to help people in a meaningful way. The majority of the time my expertise is sought after and welcomed, and other times… well I’ve offered up my unsolicited healthful suggestions anyway. For the...
Poem: Before Morn
The distant thunder crept toward me, in the middle of night before morn, awakening me startling, at a time when thoughts are forlorn. Consuming the gentle evening, with lightning and so much noise, the dead of night can be deceiving, with more time for thoughts to poise. The humid breeze was replaced, by slight chill and misty air, a welcome relief from the heat wave, sacrificing my slumber, I did despair. Thoughts can be our friend,...
Our old friend Tim reacquaints himself with Concord
It’s only been a few months since I sadly left the Insider, but it feels like forever ago that I was scouring the streets of Concord in search of the next great story. As some of you know, I still work half my week for the Monitor (the other half for the Ledger-Transcript in Peterborough), but most of said work is done at home, and very rarely do I make my way to the big city.And I’ll have to say, I’ve missed this place. As a member...
Poem: Words
If yesterday was all we had, and tomorrow was just another day, would you reflect on a life well lived, or change what you think and say? For once the words are spoken, regardless if they are loving or sad, you carry them within your heart, for each day you ever had. Think before you speak, each word spoken you should weigh, if yesterday was all we had, and tomorrow was just another...
Sign up for comedy-writing workshop soon
Laughta In New Hampsha’s School of Comedy presents a comedy writing workshop taught by professional comedy writer and coach Brita Wanger. Wanger, who has spent her career nurturing, discovering and coaching comedy talent as a network programming executive for Saturday Night Live, Seth Meyers, The Tonight Show and as one of the founders of the NBC Late Night Writers Workshop, will present the workshop on Saturday, Jan. 26, from 2 to 4...
Book: Cursed child has special abilities
The Young Elites By Marie Lu (355, young adult adult fiction, 2014) If you like X-Men, you’ll love The Young Elites. Adelina isn’t like everyone else. She survived the blood fever, but sometimes surviving can be worse. Marked by the fever, she is ostracized as an abomination. A malfetto. A curse her father reminds her of daily. One that is hunted by the royal guard. But sometimes curses fight back. Those who survived were also given...
City Manager’s Newsletter: Christmas tree collection, natural gas safety and more
The city of Concord’s public information officer, Stefanie Breton, sent out the City Manager’s Newsletter last Friday. The newsletter contained too much information for us to fit into this spot, so we’re just printing some highlights here. For the full newsletter, go to concordnh.gov and click the “Newsletter” button on the home page. Christmas tree collection Christmas tree collection starts Monday. This two week program will allow...
Book: Fantasy page-turner
Halfway to the Grave By Jeaniene Frost (384 pages, fiction, 2009) If you’re a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you’ll love Halfway to the Grave. One spunky, sarcastic heroine plus one brooding, suave vampire equals a push and pull romance that will leave you wanting more. Cat, a half vampire-half human, is dead set on killing every last vampire to atone for the crime against her mother that caused her abomination. But Bones, a British...
Entertainment: New show at Hatbox, full slate at Red River
Now that we’ve all made it through the holidays, it’s time to sit back, relax – and enjoy all the great live entertainment Concord has to offer. Music Tuesday Scott Solsky at Hermanos Cocina Mexicana at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Open mic at Area 23 at 7 p.m. Paul Donahue at Hermanos at 6:30 p.m. Thursday Bach’s Lunch Lecture: “Come Rain or Come Shine” – Weather Songs with Jim Webber at Concord Community Music School at 12:10 p.m....
Theatre show has three in one
An evening of “Loose Connections” offers playgoers escape from reality, altered reality, and re-sets of reality for characters grappling with challenges forced on them by the unavoidable, the unexpected, and the inexplicable. Come get your reality checks at Hatbox Theatre’s production of three original one-acts by local playwrights Jane (“J.J.”) Hunt, Alan Lindsay and Doug Schwarz from Friday, Aug. 21, through Sunday, Aug. 30....
Tandy’s wants to find you a match
In today’s world, meeting someone to spend the rest of your life with – or even a few casual dates – just isn’t as easy as it used to be. In years gone by, you could go to a local watering hole, meet a nice lady, have a whirlwind romance that eventually leads to marriage and two beautiful children. At least that’s how it all went down for me. But with busy schedules, online dating apps and people being more guarded toward others, it...
Gibson’s has more author meet, greets
Gibson’s Bookstore continues to host author events virtually. Rick Tyler Rick Tyler visits Gibson’s Bookstore virtually on Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. to discuss how caring for your fellow man and environment are not exclusive from being politically conservative, with his book Still Right. A leading political analyst navigates an unfamiliar terrain of what it means to be a conservative in the Trump Era in Still Right. Since 2016, “conservative”...
This Week in Concord History
Jan. 1, 1819: The Phenix Hotel, built by Abel Hutchins, opens on Main Street in Concord as “a house of entertainment.” Jan. 1, 1865: Lewis Downing Sr. retires from Abbot & Downing, his coach and wagon company. Jan. 1, 2000: About 50 people from the state and the private sector huddle in an emergency operation center in Concord, ready to respond to whatever havoc the dreaded Y2K computer glitch may bring. To their...
City News: Concord Transit provides bus services
The city manager’s office sent out the City Manager’s Newsletter last Friday. The full newsletter can be found by going to concordnh.gov and clicking the “Newsletter” button. Here are some highlights: Everett Arena reopening After being closed since March due to COVID-19, the Douglas N. Everett Arena will be reopening this weekend. Once other businesses in New Hampshire started to reopen, the Everett Arena also started planning to...
Book of the Week: ‘The Power’
The Power Naomi Alderman 2017, 341 pages Fiction In Naomi Alderman’s feminist dystopia, The Power, girls and women develop the ability to electrocute people with their hands. This, predictably, leads to significant changes to the balance of power in the world. The reader experiences this evolution of this otherworld through the eyes of four main characters – Roxy, a tough British girl with a gangster father and a “skein” that no...
Everett Arena to reopen next weekend; ice rink to return in September
The Everett Arena will reopen next weekend after a four-month shutdown due to COVID-19, at half capacity and with masks required. Another change is that the front entrance will be closed to control traffic flow. Only the side door will be used to enter and exit. Ice rink operations are slated to return in early September. The first trade show will be the Little Giant Comics “Old School” Comic Show on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to...
Year in Review: 2018 was a long, strange trip – let’s look back on some of the highlights
Believe it or not, it’s already that time again. This will be the last Insider issue of 2018, so it’s only natural that we use this space to look back on the year that was.2018 was a whirlwind around here, with lots of big changes both for the city and for this paper. Interestingly enough, most of the major changes that took place over the year involved our old buddy Tim Goodwin, who will be making a cameo appearance next week as I...
