What happens when the Insiders get curious?
We all get curious about things from time to time.Like how many full pizzas could we make with all the leftover slices from a given day at pizza shops around Concord? What are the day-to-day duties for Mayor Bouley? And what do people actually think about the Insider?And those are just a few random things that popped into our heads as we sat down to write this intro to what can only be summed up as the Curiosity Issue.Throughout the...
Lend out your yard to a family who needs it
For the last two summers, Bob Reals and Jim Plato have had less lawn to mow.That’s because the two Concord homeowners have turned a portion of their yards into large gardens for refugee families to grow food in.For Plato, a 40-foot by 40-foot square in his Branch Turnpike backyard is where Hari Adhikari and Prem Khatiwada grow their vegetables and greens for the season. Reals lends out a 12-foot by 15-foot space in his front yard on A...
What are those large yellow horns anyway?
A while back, we got an email from a reader named Jeff.He was curious about the yellow siren horn attached to a telephone pole at the corner of North State Street and Horseshoe Pond Lane. At first he thought it had something to do with Concord Fire Department’s Central Station near by, but then he saw one by Rolfe Park along Community Drive in Penacook, which is nowhere near a fire station. He said he had tried to research and find...
Read about the Civil War at the state library
We get all kinds of requests for old editions of the Insider, links to stories and questions of, “Have you ever covered this?” And usually it doesn’t take long to get things squared away, considering the Insider is only a little over a decade old.But this latest one required a little more investigation – it dated back over 150 years. A faithful reader named William was curious as to whether or not we had any information about Civil...
We had to see what WeCycle is all about
We all have stuff that we don’t want anymore. Either it’s old, broken or we just feel it’s time for something a little newer.It usually ends up in a pile in the basement until you figure out what to do with it. Sometimes you can find a friend who wants it, but depending on the condition, the whole process typically ends with a trip to the dump or put out on the side of the road with a free sign. But there’s also the donation route,...
Get ready for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
If you’re around Memorial Field on Oct. 15, you’re going to see a lot of people wearing pink.That’s because Oct. 15 is the date for this year’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Concord event, which is celebrating its 25th year of raising money for the American Cancer Society.Concord was actually the first walk in the country (along with Boston) and now there are more than 250 walks nationwide. Talk about being a trend...
Go Try It: Pick some peaches at Carter Hill Orchard
Over the years, we’ve done a lot of pick-your-own fruits.Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and apples are ones we like to pick ourselves at least once a year. Nothing against the containers you can find at fill-in-the-blank of your favorite farmstand, but there’s nothing quite like going out in a field/orchard and deciding exactly which fruit you’re going to bring home. You almost feel like a farmer in some sense.But one fruit we...
Many volunteers get Audi looking sharp for season
The Friends of the Audi held its annual three-day Pitch In last week, where they get the Concord City Auditorium ready for the next season. During the final day, the chandeliers came down where we found Joanna Otis and Joe Hayden polishing one in the balcony. A total of 60 volunteered for a total of 288 hours of work, with more to be done on Sept. 6 at 9 a.m. – if you’re interested. And now when you catch a show, the Audi will look...
Impressive furniture at Concord Chamber
The American Furniture Masters are hosting a display of high quality creations by participants in the New Hampshire and Maine prison outreach programs (identified by first name and prison number) at the Furniture Masters Gallery – at the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. The exhibit runs through Sept. 22.
Get involved with the annual Day of Caring
Are you looking to get your volunteer career off the ground, but aren’t really sure where to start? Well, have we got just the thing for you. For the 25th year, the Granite United Way is hosting its Day of Caring on Sept. 6, where individual volunteers and local organizations come together to help out area nonprofits. And you could be one of the volunteers that helps get the total number of helpers to 550 – the goal of Val Guy, area...
Meet the new state youth poet laureate
It was late June and Laila Ruffin was scrambling. She had just seen an email from the Poetry Society of New Hampshire seeking submissions for the position of youth poet laureate. The only problem was the deadline was the next day and the list of requirements was lengthy. But she was definitely interested, so she sent an email to see if she could get an extension. “I thought it was a great opportunity for someone who is into poetry,”...
We got a glimpse of the eclipse at its peak
Like most of you, we were super psyched about the solar eclipse. Even though Concord wasn’t in the path of totality, who doesn’t want to see a partial black out of the sun by its nighttime counterpart.Then we heard some pretty disappointing news: Those special glasses you need to see the eclipse were just about impossible to find. Shame on us for waiting till the last minute.Now we could have been defiant and just starred at the sun,...
Movie listings for the week
With two movie theaters in Concord, we decided to see what was playing this week – and let you know. As of press time, the schedules were only set through Thursday, so check redrivertheatres.org and Google Regal Cinema Concord for up-to-date information. Regal Cinemas The Hitman’s Bodyguard: 1, 3:55, 7:20 p.m. Annabelle: Creation: 1:20, 4:20, 7:45 p.m. Leap!: 1:15, 4:10, 7:15 p.m. Logan Lucky: 12:30, 3:30,...
Live music roundup for this week
Summer is basically over, for all intents and purposes, but live music never stops around these parts. Thanks to so many eating and drinking establishments in Concord, there’s always somewhere to go to listen to some good live music. Since we know everybody loves a good live band, we dug up a bunch of listings for the week ahead so you can plan your social life around these performances. With shows almost every night, you’ll want to...
Art exhibits on display this week
Concord is home to lots of great artists and art galleries. So each week, we are putting together a list of current exhibits and ones that will soon open, so you can have a handy guide to all the art world happenings. That way, when you’re looking to scope out some great art, you don’t have to look too far. Just think of it as our little gift to you. If you know of an exhibit not listed, let us know. McGowan Terra Incognita:...
Bulletin Board
Concord High Class of 1967 reunion The Concord High School Class of 1967 is holding its 50th class reunion during the weekend of Sep. 9-10. The Saturday night dinner/dance will be held at the Grappone Center beginning at 6 p.m. and a Sunday brunch is also planned at the Common Man from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A tour of Concord High School and a golf outing for interested members will also be held on Saturday. If you know of any class member...
This Week in Concord History
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 headquarters and will be released the next day. As long as the 2nd serves, Dame will be its “angel of mercy,” according to Maj. J.D. Cooper. “Many days,” he will write, “she has stood by the side of our noble, patriotic sons who have gone to their long homes,...
Book of the Week: ‘84, Charing Cross Road’
84, Charing Cross Road Helen Hanff 1970, 97 pages Nonfiction This tale is about a long-distance relationship between a book lover in New York City and the Marks & Company bookstore in London. In 1949 Helen Hanff, a spirited script writer and book lover, wrote to Marks & Company, a London bookseller of rare and secondhand books. She had a long list of books she would like to own, and hoped that Marks & Co. could find...
