Poetry: Social distance
The people did walk, about town on the street, social distance a concern, another person not to meet. The air seemed purer, my thoughts were so clear, observing places passed on a normal day, places once far but now so near. Deep thought was easy, no interruption from people that do, social distancing and clear thoughts, tend to allow you to focus too. I passed this way many times, as a child long ago, when my...
Book of the Week: ‘The Immortalists’
The ImmortalistsChloe Benjamin2018, 346 pagesFiction When siblings Varya, Daniel, Klara and Simon Gold are bored during their 1969 summer vacation, they visit New York City’s Lower East Side to meet with a traveling psychic who tells each of them the date they will die. The siblings leave the psychic in a daze of confusion, sadness, and anger but do not share with one another the dates they’ve been given nor discuss the experience for...
City newsletter: Road work, leaf pick-up continues
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: City information during COVID-19 We are continuously updating our coronavirus web page with information and resources. You can access it here: concordnh.gov/coronavirus. Downloadable PDFs with information for residents and businesses are...
This Week in Concord History
Sept. 4, 1929: Two men are arrested on slot machine charges at the Bradford Fair a day after a visit from Willoughby Slattery, the county solicitor. The fair is in danger of being closed because of excessive gambling on the midway, a move the Monitor would not oppose. “The Bradford fair this year really isn’t a fair in any way, certainly not an agricultural fair,” the paper says. “There are no exhibits with the exception of a single...
This week in history
April 29, 1948: The New Hampshire Christian Civic League, formerly known as the New Hampshire Anti-Saloon League, faces the prospect of disbanding after 50 years of fighting for prohibition. Donations have fallen off, and the organization cannot pay its bills. Nowadays, on the issue of reducing the number of people who drink alcoholic beverages, “even some of the church groups are easy-going,” laments league official Herbert Rainie....
Take a tour of the arts in Concord with us
It’s no secret that Concord is a pretty good city when it comes to the arts. Whether you’re looking for music, film, paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs or theatrical performances, there are almost endless options for all of them.The Insider is also a pretty big fan of the arts, if you haven’t noticed. That’s why we decided to dedicate this whole issue to taking a tour of Concord’s arts. Specifically, we wanted to focus on...
Community notices and happenings
Virtual workout with Matt Bonner Planet Fitness will continue its “Home Work-In” series Friday at 7 p.m. The New Hampshire-based company streams the classes live on its Facebook page and welcomes different hosts to lead each day’s work-out. On Friday, May 1, former NBA player Matt Bonner will join viewers. The Concord native and former San Antonio Spurs player will go live Friday at 7 p.m. The virtual classes are 20 minutes and don’t...
Learn about food waste at the ‘Wasted!’ film event at Red River Theatres
In today’s hyper-politicized world with 24-hour news feeds, it seems like there’s always some huge issue for everyone to be concerned about. Whether that’s guns, drugs, immigration or assault or abuse of any kind, it’s safe to say there are plenty of important issues in the country and the world right now.But there’s a big one that goes on in virtually every household that gets very little press – food waste.Every year, 1.3 billion...
Look back at history: A shilling and a dream
A young boy with just a shilling in his pocket rode his mare into Concord on August 26, 1826. His destination was the Columbian Hotel down on Main Street and a job serving the people that resided there. Concord had recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Many a lad would still encounter people with the English accent down on Main Street as travelers arrived on the Concord Coach from...
Everett Arena to host massive end-of-summer yard sale Saturday
If there’s one thing virtually every human on earth loves, it’s a great deal. In that case, there’s a pretty good chance all of those people will be at Everett Arena this Saturday for the massive End-of-Summer Yard Sale.One of the more heavily attended events at the arena, the yard sale is always popular because of the vast array of random stuff for sale, and the often incredible prices to go with them. While it may seem odd to hold a...
Book of the Week: Don’t judge by the cover
Making Marriage Work: New Rules for an Old Institution By Lynn Toler (nonfiction/161 pages/2012) This lady knows what she’s talking about. I was skeptical at first. It’s got a bit of an outdated cover, and I’ve read so many relationship books that just gave bad advice. But not this one. This one knows where a good relationship is at. Toler gives you the recipe to have one of your own. As the judge on the TV...
Tasty Brews: 603 Brewery Scenic New England Session IPA at Cheers
We so enjoyed last week’s mild weather that we had to splurge for a brew on the clock – it’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.We hadn’t been to Cheers in quite a while, so we decided to stop over around lunchtime early last week to see what was on tap. There were several familiar beers that we’ve either reviewed before or are too common to be worth writing about, but one beer, whose tap handle was kind of hidden by the angles...
Book review: Best cleaning guide
Joy of Less By Francine Jay (nonfiction/286 pages/2010) This is by far the best cleaning, organizing, and downsizing book I have ever read. And yes, that includes Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. This book is practical. It is easy to digest. It has direct action you can take, like making 3 piles — one for trash, one for treasure, and one for transfer. It even goes room by room telling you exactly how...
Show your paddling skills at the Canoe and Kayak Pro Pursuit Race at NHTI
Tom Walton – Concord’s local paddling enthusiast and expert – is at it again. That’s right, there’s another paddling race coming up, and this one’s a little different from some of the other one’s he’s put on. This one is called the Canoe & Kayak Pro Pursuit Race, and it will take place at the NHTI boat ramp Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This will be a Handicap Pursuit Race, meaning handicaps will be placed to ensure an even...
Book of the Week: Something for the children
The Little Blue Truck By Alice Schertle and Jull McElmurry (children’s fiction/28 pages/ 2008) Hop on board for a fun ride with your friends Toad, the Little Blue Truck and a whole host of barnyard characters. Learn about how to make friends as the rhyme and rhythm take you along the road, meeting friends like Goat, Chicken and Duck. Children will learn the sounds each animal makes as you travel down the road with Blue....
Bulletin Board: Library card month, stamp collectors and Toastmasters moving
Stamp collectors to hold meeting The Merrimack County Stamp Collectors will hold its monthly meeting at the Bow Mills United Methodist Church, 505 South St., Bow, on Sept. 18, beginning at 1 pm. We invite all who are interested in stamp collecting to attend, share their interest, buy, sell and trade. Meet other collectors and learn more about their hobby and enjoy the fellowship of others with varied interests in Philatelic resources...
City newsletter: Spring projects around the city
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: City information during COVID-19 We are continuously updating our coronavirus web page with information and resources. You can access it here: concordnh.gov/coronavirus. Downloadable PDFs with information for residents and businesses are...
Entertainment: A light week as the calendar flips to September
This is somewhat of a sad time of the year for a lot of people, as many consider the end of August the unofficial end of summer. The weather cooling down lately only seems to add to that feeling. That doesn’t mean there won’t be any live entertainment to catch, though. In fact, there’s even a summer concert – the Club Soda show at Eagle Square, which is a make-up show because of a rainout some time in the middle of the summer. Here’s...
Best bets for early spring ’20 on N.H. Audubon sanctuaries
In order to “flatten the curve” and reduce the spread of COVID-19, please do your part to abide by official guidelines and recommendations, including social distancing, in order to recreate responsibly. As of the writing of this article, N.H. residents have not been discouraged from going outside. Thus, our wildlife sanctuaries remain open to the public at this time. However, we strongly urge those – including those in the outdoors –...
On the Road: The ‘Insider’ takes a riverboat cruise along the Mississippi
Recently, Gloria Faretra, Jean Chase, Beverly MacInnis and Rita Faretra went on a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River starting in New Orleans and ending in Memphis, Tenn. Various stops included Oak Alley; Baton Rouge, La.; Natchez, Miss.; and Vicksburg, Miss.“Of course, we brought the Insider with us,” Chase said. “It was a fun trip for all of us.”Are you going somewhere cool? Take us along with you and take a picture of you...
6 ways to celebrate Arbor Day
Friday is National Arbor Day. As communities, schools, organizations, companies, and residents adjust to a new routine, there is still a lot of uncertainty (and anxiety) in the air. We’re witnessing shutdowns and event cancellations across the country to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the spirit of Arbor Day remains strong. This public health crisis has taught us to be more agile and creative in finding ways to celebrate trees and...
Drop in to the City Wide Community Center for some volleyball on Thursday nights
When we told you a few months ago about the new City Wide Community Center on the Heights, we told you it was going to be a multipurpose, multigenerational facility, and we weren’t making stuff up. The latest evidence? Drop-in volleyball. The sprawling, brand-new, rubber-floor gymnasium will be open for adult volleyball on Thursday nights from 6 to 8 through Sept. 27. Volleyball will be open to anyone 18 or older, whether you’re a...
In search of calming feelings
My favorite season was canceled. Well, not really. It’s been a bountiful sugar season in New Hampshire, and there’s still work going on as sap is boiled down to syrup. But the state’s annual March Maple Weekend was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic. It was a reasonable response amid a devastating month for humanity. It is interesting, however, how life always finds a way — even in the darkness — and maybe that’s why...
Instagram: What a pleasant shot of the docks at St. Paul’s around sunset
We love a good outdoorsy shot, and luckily for us, Instagram has no shortage of them. One particular photo really caught our eye last week – this one here by user @sheldonmckinley_, who has quite an eye for nice outdoor shots in Concord. This one was taken at the docks at St. Paul’s School at seemingly the most perfect time of day imaginable. This shot gives us a cozy, safe feeling for some reason, and makes us want to go camping....
Poem: Long Ago Easter
As we reflect alone, on our Easter from long ago, family together then, this year not quite so. Missing the people, I love so very dear, knowing they are safe, though they can’t be near. I understand this is life, how it must be, perhaps next year will be fine, we shall see. The gathering was missed, love was still there though, as we reflect alone, on our Easter from long ago. James W....
Book of the Week: ‘Fire and Hemlock’
Fire and HemlockDiana Wynne Jones2012, 415 pagesJuvenile Fantasy While packing her books for her second year of college, Polly, a young woman from 1980s England, discovers that she has two sets of memories of growing up, and that these memories diverge at the moment when she gate-crashed a funeral on Halloween when she was 10 years old. There she met a young man, Tom Lynn, who helped her escape outdoors for some air, and joined her in...
Bulletin Board: Virtual movies and more
Virtual Red River Red River Theatres has created a “Virtual Cinema” to allow audiences to rent the indie films they would typically be showing right now, with proceeds benefiting the theater. New films are available each week and added to an ever growing library. Find a full list of titles at redrivertheatres.org. The “ticket” fees vary but most are $12. When people purchase a film to screen they are emailed a unique link to access...
This Week in Concord History
Aug. 28, 2000: The board of directors of First Night New Hampshire announces it won’t hold its annual New Year’s Eve celebration this year. The organization has accumulated debts over the past three years, in part due to cold weather and a 1999 bomb scare. Aug. 29, 1862: While ministering to soldiers of the 2nd New Hampshire Infantry at Second Bull Run, Harriet P. Dame of Concord is captured. She is taken to Stonewall Jackson’s...
Brief novel covers complex problems
Ghost Wall By Sarah Moss (fiction, 152 pages, 2018) Ghost Wall chronicles a family’s two-week stay in the woods of Northumberland in North East England. This setting is all too important – Northumberland is known as a prehistoric stronghold with evidence of early civilization found in rock structures and hillforts across the county. The family accompanies a group of young students and their professor for an excursion of what is...
It’s been real, Concord, but I’m making moves
It’s always hard to say goodbye. So why don’t we make this a bye for now kind of deal. Yes, the rumors are true: I am no longer the editor of the Concord Insider. An urge to spend less time commuting (I live in Keene) and translate that into more time with my wife and two young girls happened to come at the perfect time. There were some changes on the horizon at the Monitor and it allowed me to pull an old switcharoo. While this may...
