■I would like to wish all my readers on the East Side and the City of Concord Departments in City Hall, including the City Clerk’s Office, Finance, Motor Vehicle registrations, Tax Collectors, Assessment, City Manager’s Office and other departments I may have missed, a very Happy New Year and a healthy and safe 2021.
■Immaculate Heart of Mary Church will have a New Year’s Eve Mass on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. and New Year’s Day at 10 a.m. East Congregational Church, Grace Episcopal Church, Immanuel Community Church, Concordia Lutheran Church and Granite State Baptist Church also offer a variety of worship services. Please check your church’s website and YouTube page to access Masses and worship services online. Weekend service times will be normal.
■I would like to extend deepest sympathies to the family of the late Richard Cantara, who resided on Ripley Street for over 70 years. His two sons, Russell and Brian, were classmates of mine and my sister at Dame School.
■I would also like to extend deepest sympathies to John Sweeney for the loss of his wife, Donna, who passed away this past week. The Sweeneys have lived in the Heights for over 60 years on Dudley Drive. They were both extremely active at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.
■The National Grange has selected NH State Police Trooper Det. Sgt. Eric Shirley as the 2020 National Grange Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. This is the first time a recipient from New Hampshire has been selected for this prestigious honor. Each grange is asked to submit a local police officer, county sheriff, state police officer, firefighter and educator to the National Grange for consideration. The Concord Grange 322 will hold a formal presentation of this honor at a Community Awards celebration, on a date to be announced later. Grange Master Dick Patten will be celebrating his 50th year coordinating the Community Awards. Grange Secretary Esther Herrick and Master Dick Patten have been sending out speciality cards to members and friends this year. New Year cards were recently sent out.
■As we close out 2020, thank you to everyone who has submitted items for the East Side Town Crier. I especially would like to thank Mark and Andrea Grainger Riel of Pittsfield, Fred and Elizabeth Hast, Rob Freese, Brian Blackden, Tim Sink and the editors for Town Crier for all their support and assistance.
RICHARD PATTEN
496-2917
dickpatten7@gmail.com
■The Concord Public Library has returned to curbside services only and has a new return bin that is open 24/7. Curbside pickup of items is available by appointment only. Place items on hold with your library card and pick them up after you are notified that they are ready (by appointment only). Make an appointment online or call 225-8670 to schedule one. As always, online resources are available.
■City Offices will be open until 4:30 p.m. on Thursday and closed on Friday in observance of the New Year’s holiday.
■There will be no trash and recycling collected Friday (New Year’s Day) due to the holiday. Monday through Thursday will be collected as usual and Friday will be moved to Saturday.
■City Offices will be open until 4:30 p.m. on Thursday and closed on Friday in observance of the New Year’s holiday.
■Reserve your spot now as space is limited at the Pope Memorial SPCA low cost vaccinations on Jan. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon. The online form must be completed and sent in before the appointment. Bring your cats, dogs and ferrets for rabies vaccination ($20), microchip ($25), kennel cough vaccine ($15) and distemper vaccine ($15). Proof of past rabies vaccinations is needed to determine whether your pet needs a one-year or three-year vaccine. Cats must be safely in carriers and dogs on leashes. Payment is due at time of online registration. Follow COVID-19 protocol. For more information or to reserve your spot, call 856-8756. Walk-ins are not allowed.
■Happy New Year! Hope you have a wonderful 2021!
LYNDA PLANTE
717-1632
soxpatscats@gmail.com
■Have fun and exercise with SSG Corey MacDonald, future soldiers and others that love to work out with the encouragement of like-minded people (ages 16 and up) on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Army Recruiting Office (211 Loudon Road). Sessions may involve playing basketball, running, ultimate Frisbee and more! Call 224-1590 and ask for Corey MacDonald for more information about this free event.
■City offices will be closing early at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday in observance of New Year’s Eve. Offices will be closed and there will be no trash collection on Friday in observance of New Year’s Day. Collection will be postponed until Saturday.
■The Capitol Center for the Arts will stream “Crona Watch 2020! Bob Marley Comedy Special” on Thursday at 8 p.m. Check ccanh.com and banknhstage.com for information on other virtual shows.
■Red River Theatres has new films available for streaming and new “Dinner and a Movie” packages to open 2021. Call Red River Theatres to purchase a gift card to a local restaurant and two tickets for a (future) movie at Red River! The packages also help support local restaurants like Revival Kitchen & Bar and Hermanos Mexican Restaurant, all for a good price! Call Red River Theatres (224-4600 ext. 18) and keep an eye out for packages from other local restaurants in the upcoming weeks!
■Gibson’s Book Club has gone virtual! On Jan. 4 the club is reading and discussing “The Mothers” by Brit Bennett. The book club is free and open to the public. Newcomers are encouraged! Join every month, or deal yourself in as the spirit moves you. The group has chosen an eclectic, ambitious list of books for the coming year. More information is available at us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrdeCsqj0sH9Wr6CBQ9EY-7P320rON1UOa. Registration is free, but required.
■Merrimack Valley SCORE is holding a webinar about using social media on Jan. 4 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. On Jan. 6 at 2 p.m., Nanette Perrotte will present on how to get the best results from Instagram and Instagram Stories. SCORE also will host a webinar on Jan. 6 at 10:30 a.m. with Christine Halvorson, founder of Halvorson New Media, on how to create a business page on Facebook. Contact georgina.noriega@scorevolunteer.org for registration information.
■“If you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. That’s my wish for you, all of us and my wish for myself. Make new mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art or love or work or family or life.” – Neil Gaiman
■Happy, Happy, Happy New Year!
JEAN VER HOEVEN
856-304-5830
jeanann@voicenet.com