NH Gay Men's Chorus Plays Holiday Program at Park Theatre This Saturday

The acclaimed singing group performs Saturday, December 10

JAFFREY, New Hampshire (December 5, 2022). The internationally acclaimed New Hampshire Gay Men's Chorus was established in 1998. This nonprofit group of over 25 singers has played extensively in New England and the United States.

They celebrate their 25th year with a special holiday program entitled "Suddenly Silver Bells." This concert comes to Jaffrey's Park Theatre performing arts center this Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m.

The New Hampshire Gay Men's Chorus has an incredible, endearing history of triumphs and struggles, good times and bad. Through it all, the Chorus has delivered high-quality entertainment and musical joy to tens of thousands of people. Despite overcoming fears and doubts in its early years, when acceptance of gay people in New Hampshire was scarce, the NHGMC today is more popular than ever all over the state and beyond. In the words of NH Governor Christopher Sununu, in his 25th Anniversary Commendation, the Chorus is "truly a Granite State musical treasure."

"The New Hampshire Gay Men's Chorus is excited and honored to be partnering with the beautiful, historic Park Theatre of Jaffrey to perform our 2022 Holiday Concert, Suddenly Silver Bells," said John McGeehan, President NH Gay Men's Chorus.

In addition to the singers, the Chorus ensemble will include a pianist, percussionist, and cellist.

This special event is sponsored by the Eppes-Jefferson Foundation and TD Bank.

All tickets are $20. They may be purchased online by visiting theparktheatre.org, by calling (603) 532-8888 or directly at the theatre box office.

The Park Theatre performing arts center is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, New Hampshire, just 90 minutes from Boston. There is a bar lounge, and the facility is fully accessible. The Lounge will open at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday with music provided by Bernie & Louise.

Unreleased Neil Young Film About "Harvest" Album To Play Park Theatre

1971 documentary of Young's most popular album plays Dec 8 and 16 at Jaffrey performing arts center

JAFFREY, New Hampshire (December 5, 2022). The year was 1971, arguably the most significant year in rock n' roll history. High above the Bay Area at his sprawling Skyline Boulevard ranch, a 26-year-old Neil Young would convene a star-filled ensemble to create one of music's most enduring albums, Harvest. The album would become 1972's best-selling album, which includes the #1 hit Heart of Gold, and is considered by many to be the musical apex of Neil's career. The good news is that Neil had the cameras rolling.

The Harvest album would include musical guests such as James Taylor, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen Stills, and the London Symphony Orchestra. The album is a nonstop tour of classic Neil Young. Harvest Time offers a view into the creative process.

On December 8 and 16, 2022 (both 7pm), Harvest Time, a never before released film from 1971, will be coming to The Park Theatre in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, as part of a worldwide cinematic release. Harvest Time will provide fans a chance to take a step back in time to watch part of the process that went into creating an iconic and influential album. The special event film will be shown in the theatre's 333-seat Eppes Auditorium with its giant 27-foot wide screen and 17-speaker surround sound system.

Ticket price for Harvest Time is $12. Purchase online by visiting theparktheatre.org, by calling (603) 532-8888 or at the theatre's box office.

The Park Theatre performing arts center is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, New Hampshire, just 90 minutes from Boston. There is a bar lounge, and the facility is fully accessible.

Park Theatre To Sell Posters To Raise Funds for Rigging, Lighting & Sound

Hundreds of movie & event posters from past shows on sale Saturday, Dec. 10
Plus, the cookie tour

JAFFREY, New Hampshire (December 5, 2022). The Park Theatre in Jaffrey has hundreds of posters in its inventory from past movies, concerts, and other events. Now you can have one of these large "one-sheet" posters that measure 40" high by 27" wide in your own home. The Jaffrey theatre is conducting a fundraising sale of the posters in their lobby on Saturday, December 10, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Poster range in price from $5 to $35.

All of the proceeds from the sale will be placed in their 100 Fund. This fund was set up to help fund the rigging, stage lighting, and sound for their 333-seat Eppes Auditorium. All monies raised for this effort are matched by a Northern Border Regional Commission grant that The Park Theatre received this fall.

"These posters make great holiday gifts. If you or a family member or friend has a favorite movie or band we have presented, a poster from it looks great on any wall. The monies raised will be very helpful in our effort to achieve our final funds for our stage and sound equipment," said Steve Jackson, CEO of The Park Theatre.

Simultaneous with the poster sale will be the Currier & Ives Cookie Tour at the theatre. This is the first year The Park Theatre has become a participating member of the tour. Theatre staff promise to have a wide variety of delicious cookies.

If you have any questions about the poster sales of the cookie tour, you can contact the theatre box office (603) 532-8888.

The Park Theatre performing arts center is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, New Hampshire, just 90 minutes from Boston. There is a bar lounge, and the facility is fully accessible.

This Weekend at Nova Arts

Friday, December 9, we have a Pure Magnetik label showcase featuring performances by Taylor Deupree, Hotel Neon, Micah Frank & Chet Doxas, and BlankFor.ms. Brooklyn-based label Puremagnetik brings its musical artists and collaborators to Nova Arts for an evening of tape-infused lofi, lowercase sound design, and glacial ambient soundscapes. Deupree is an accomplished sound artist whose recordings, rich with abstract atmospherics, have appeared on numerous record labels, and in site-specific installations at such institutions as the ICC (Tokyo, Japan) and the Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media (Yamaguchi, Japan). Hotel Neon is the Philadelphia-based trio of Michael Tasselmyer, Andrew Tasselmyer, and Steven Kemner. Together they create music to get lost in: cavernous, reverberating guitars and synthesizers, matched with visual projections in an immersive audio/visual experience. New York based producers Micah Frank and Chet Doxas have worked together since 2018 when they converged on their debut ambient album All the Roads where upon its release became the #1 top-selling Bandcamp album for two weeks straight. Throughout 2019 the duo performed several ambient, tape and woodwind-infused live shows on the east coast. BlankFor.ms uses degraded tape loops and analog synthesizers to create sounds meant more for the body than the mind. AKA Tyler Gilmore, he has been a composer of chamber music ranging from jazz to modern classical. He led Ninth+Lincoln, an orchestra that fuses big band sounds, 20th century symphonic influences and electronic textures. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. with music starting shortly after that.

Sunday, December 11, we will be hosting the annual Last Minute Larry Holiday Arts Market. Featuring 15 makers, craftspeople, and artisans, join us for a sweet and festive day while also getting your shopping done! We will have a number of vendors in addition to Billies + Tilli, Keene on Vinyl, Feeding Tube Records, and Brewbakers & Terra Nova gear and coffee! Of course we will also have great food, snacks, beer, and wine, as well as a thoughtfully curated playlist.

Nova Arts is located at 48 Emerald St., Keene, NH.

Nova Arts is supported by and under the fiscal sponsorship of Arts Alive. novaarts.org

Schedule for the Park Theatre "Happy Holidays at the Park 2022"

JAFFREY, New Hampshire (November 7, 2022). The Park Theatre will be humming throughout December with a wide variety of holiday events. They include concerts, two classic holiday movies, a filmed ballet as well as a stage play plus Santa live for the kiddies.

Saturday, December 10, 7:30 p.m.
New Hampshire Gay Men's Chorus "Suddenly Silver Bells"
The acclaimed singing group will have its first-ever concert in the southwestern part of the state. They have been performing around the country for over 25 years. The Eppes-Jefferson Foundation is sponsoring the concert. All tickets for this holiday-themed show are $20.

Wednesday, December 14, 7:30 p.m.
Irish Christmas in America
The hugely popular holiday show from Ireland (in its 17th season) brings a fascinating performance of music, song, dance, and stories of seasonal Irish traditions. This family-friendly performance features lively instrumental tunes on fiddle, flute, uilleann pipes, harp, and bouzouki, along with thrilling Irish dancing. Tickets are $30 to $40.

Saturday, December 17, 1:00 p.m.
Santa's Annual Christmas Party!
This program of a free movie and Santa in-person was first conceived by the founder of The Park Theatre, Romolo Vanni. The tradition was brought back last year with the opening of the new theatre. First, there is a free screening of the holiday comedy movie ELF, followed by photos with Santa Claus. Plus, free gifts. Sponsored by The Given Family. No admission, but reservations are recommended.

Saturday, December 17, 7:30 p.m.
The Heather Pierson Trio presents A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack
The Heather Pierson Jazz Trio has been performing the famous Vince Guaraldi score from the 1965 animated film, A Charlie Brown Christmas throughout New England for over ten years. The award-winning score is now part of the top ten lists of holiday music. Tickets are $25 and $10 for children 12 and younger.

Sunday, December 18, and Wednesday, December 21. 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The Nutcracker and The Mouse King
A brilliant and imaginatively conceived production of the Tchaikovsky classic holiday produced by Ballet Zürich. Christian Spuck puts the literary origin at the heart of his choreography of "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", emphasizing the fantastical nature. Filmed live at the Zürich Opera House. Presented on the Eppes Auditorium's big screen, it is a feast for your eyes and ears. Tickets are $20 and $10 for children 12 and under.

"A theatre should be a magical place over the holidays. We have assembled a line-up of wonderful and enchanting shows that appeal to all interests and ages. We hope our existing fans and new fans will join us throughout December," said Steve Jackson, CEO and Managing Director of The Park Theatre.

Tickets for all of the holiday events can be purchased in advance by visiting theparktheatre.org or calling the box office (603) 532-8888.

The Park Theatre performing arts center is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, New Hampshire, just 90 minutes from Boston. The facility has a bar lounge and is fully accessible.

Cornerstone Bank donates $5,000 to Venture Forum in Worcester

Funds will help strengthen the local entrepreneurship ecosystem

WORCESTER Mass. - Cornerstone Bank, a community bank with 10 locations throughout Central Massachusetts, has donated $5,000 to Venture Forum, a startup community committed to helping entrepreneurs launch and scale their businesses in Central Mass.

"Many of our customers are local entrepreneurs and we are proud to help them grow and sustain their businesses," said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. "We hope that our support of Venture Forum enables more people to succeed in our local business community."

Venture Forum, formerly WPI Venture Forum, helps local entrepreneurs start and scale their businesses by connecting them to resources and mentors and providing educational opportunities in the form of events and webinars.

"We are grateful for Cornerstone's support," said Zachary Dutton, executive director, Venture Forum. "The ultimate use of the donation will be to help strengthen the local entrepreneurial ecosystem with a goal of keeping companies in the region."

About Cornerstone Bank
Cornerstone Bank was formed in 2017, born of a long history of supporting the community, and providing a strong foundation to help people and businesses thrive. Serving Worcester County, Massachusetts, Cornerstone Bank's local presence and community-based banking model enables a unique ability to deliver outstanding service, with a personal touch. Cornerstone provides the highest level of service and expertise for individuals, businesses, and community organizations with branch locations throughout Central Massachusetts. Cornerstone works to connect customers with opportunities, through a broad range of deposit and loan products, and services. Built on Trust is not just a tagline, but also one of our guiding corporate values. Whether a business or personal partnership, Cornerstone stands on the foundation that relationships are built on trust. To learn about Cornerstone Bank's personal and business banking offerings, please visit cornerstonebank.com or call 800-939-9103.

State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg Receives the Freda Johnson Award

Recognizes a Woman Trailblazer, Leader, Innovator, and Mentor

Boston- Northeast Women in Public Finance (NEWPF) along with the Bond Buyer will present State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg with the Freda Johnson Award at the Bond Buyer's Annual Deal of the Year Awards ceremony in New York City on December 6, 2022.

The Freda Johnson Award has been created in honor of NEWPF Founding Board Member Freda Johnson, whose highly successful career in public finance has been an inspiration to many people, particularly women in the industry.

The award recognizes a woman serving or who has served in a position for a public or non-profit issuer who exemplifies the qualities that Johnson brought to the financial industry as a trailblazer, leader, innovator, and mentor.

"Treasurer Deborah Goldberg is dedicated to improving the lives of the citizens of Massachusetts through both her public position and her non-profit work," said Freda Johnson. "She is a dynamo, a role model, and an outstanding mentor to women."

Since taking office in 2015, Treasurer Goldberg has brought an innovative leadership style, and an unwavering commitment to create opportunities for every Massachusetts resident. Her initiatives and programs have supported and advocated for policies that advance effective strategies and foster long-term, sustained growth and stability for everyone.

"The Treasurer has demonstrated a commitment not only to public finance, but also to the women within it," said Vivian Altman, Managing Director of Northeast Women in Public Finance. "For her pioneering work and a highly accomplished career in public finance, for her unwavering dedication to diversity and supporting, promoting, and developing women in the industry, Massachusetts Treasurer Deborah Goldberg embodies all the qualities of the Freda Johnson Award. It is with the greatest esteem that we award her the 2022 Freda Johnson Public Sector Award."

In 2016, the Treasurer started the Women + Finance Fellowship, the first fellowship of its kind sponsored by a government organization. Understanding the importance of building a network and pipeline, the Treasurer wanted to identify and foster diverse talent for the financial industry, and advocate for the placement of women and non-binary people in leadership roles.

"To receive an award named after someone who was a tremendous trailblazer and overcame incredible barriers is an unbelievable honor," said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. "Freda exemplifies everything about staying the course, persevering, hanging in there, and then succeeding. So being awarded the Freda Johnson award is thrilling."

Coalition Pushes for Alternative to Expanding Gardner's Sludge Landfill

The Millers River Watershed Council (MRWC) and the Coalition for a Sustainable Alternative to the Gardner Sludge Landfill Expansion have released an informational flyer calling for a less harmful and less costly sludge management solution for the City. The sludge is a product leftover from the treatment of wastewater. The expansion project is currently going through the local Conservation Commission permitting process in Gardner. (Click here to download the flyer (PDF).)

Woodard & Curran, the City's engineering consultant, submitted a Notice of Intent (NOI) to the Gardner Conservation Commission on June 23rd of this year, which included a detailed Engineering Report. According to MRWC director Ivan Ussach, the Commission received extensive comments from MRWC and others that were critical of the expansion project and its ability to effectively meet the City's long-term needs. The Commission ultimately decided to extend the Public Hearing on the NOI, and has since hired Tighe & Bond consultants to perform an independent Peer Review of the NOI. That report is expected to be on the agenda at the Commission's next meeting on November 14th.

Since 2016, MRWC and concerned Gardner and Templeton residents have urged the City to find an alternative solution that provides more favorable economic and environmental outcomes for Gardner and its neighbors. The Coalition aims to bring greater attention and resources to a sludge management approach that can generate income for the City and avoid threats to local drinking water supplies. These concerns are detailed in the informational flyer, which is available in both physical and digital versions from Athol-based MRWC.

The flyer, Ussach said, "lays out simply why the landfill expansion is a bad idea and why an alternative is not only needed, but desirable." Gardner officials and City Council members are being urged, he said, "to find a practical alternative and to utilize government contacts and resources to help make such a project happen."

Alan Rousseau, a landfill abutter and organizer with local Coalition member Gardner Clean Air, noted that if the City needs more time, it could have its sludge hauled out of town for a year or two until a better system is operational. "That would be a lot smarter, and cheaper," he said, "than locking the City into a 17-year landfill commitment where it can't adopt available technologies."

An appeal was submitted to the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) on December 1st, relative to the Sludge Landfill expansion Notice of Intent (NOI) and Order of Conditions (OOC) that was approved by the Gardner Conservation Commission on 11/14/22. The appeal was filed by Nathaniel Stevens, of the law firm of McGregor, Legere & Stevens, on behalf of Alan Rousseau (as property abutter and aggrieved person) and a Ten Resident Group (all living in Gardner). The appeal requests that the Department of Environmental Protection issue a Superseding Order of Conditions (SOC) denying the proposed work, based on outstanding issues with wetlands protection and stormwater management identified by the City's Peer Review consultant, Tighe & Bond.

Mr. Rousseau is an organizer for Gardner Clean Air, a citizen's group that is part of the Coalition for a Sustainable Alternative to the Gardner Sludge Landfill Expansion.