MANCHESTER, NH — Patch.com in New Hampshire won four press association awards for government, political, and spot news reporting, while news partners affiliated with the site also earned many honors.
Tony Schinella, a senior local editor with Patch, won four awards for stories published in 2023 as Class II Division entries. The Class II Division is for freelancers or media outlets with less than four employees.
In the Political Reporting category, Schinella took first place for Concord NH Patch’s 2023 municipal election coverage package which included five stories — the announcement that the city’s longest-serving mayor was stepping down, a story about non-compliant campaign signs, a story about all the money being raised and spent by city candidates for what are essentially volunteer positions, a data piece analyzing incomes, home values, and political affiliations of the outgoing city and school officials as well as the candidates, and a results story. In the entry, it was also noted that Schinella co-hosted debates between candidates in 12 of the 13 competitive city and school races in an eight-week campaign sprint — an unprecedented accomplishment for one journalist and two cable access employees. Patch also offered free profiles to candidates, with dozens of links included in the 2023 campaign stories.
The third-place entry concerned a gun threat incident at the Concord Heights Burger King, which was published not long after the incident and included video and updates as police and state troopers searched for the suspect.
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In Government Reporting, Schinella also earned a third-place award for the story about the city’s longest-serving mayor in Concord deciding not to run for reelection.
New Hampshire Patch news partners and freelancers also won several awards.
Jeffrey Hastings, who covers breaking news in the southern part of the state as a freelancer for Patch, won seven awards for General News and Spot News photography.
A number of freelancers at InDepthNH also won awards, including Paula Tracy, Damien Fisher, columnist Michael Davidow, Beverly Stoddard, another columnist, and Ani Freedman, who won the Rookie of the Year award. Some of Freedman’s impressive coverage included PFAS issues in Merrimack and surrounding communities.
Fisher also won awards with NH Journal — including a piece on RFK Jr. and his reporting on disgraced former Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave involved with theft charges, accused of using money to fund activities with a mistress and trips, and a combined award with Michael Graham, publisher of the site, for their coverage of the riot and siege of a Merrimack defense contractor owned by an Israeli company as part of Palestinian protests. Graham also won for Best Video for his Dinner Table Economics series.
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New Hampshire Bulletin, another news partner, won several awards for stories published, including second and third-place finishes for Journalist of the Year for Annmarie Timmins and Ethan Dewitt.
Carole Soule of Miles Smith Farm in Loudon, who writes a weekly column published on the Concord NH Patch site, won a third-place award for a feature photo. All won entries in the Class II Division.
The full list of winners in the state will be listed here when published.
Sunflowers are my absolute FAVORITE flowers. I truly feel like they have magical uplifting abilities. Hence, why I’ve always kept fresh sunflowers in my house, brightening up my kitchen table or even my TV stand.
Obviously, it was a dream of mine to have my maternity photos taken in a sunflower field. They reflect sunshine and exude happiness.
Not to mention, one of my favorite quotes is about sunflowers! “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.” Helen Keller
A beautiful reminder to keep an optimistic outlook on life and not dwell on the negative.
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So, you can imagine the joy I felt when I learned that New Hampshire had its very own Sunflower Festival at Coppal House Farm in Lee!
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
About the Sunflower Festival:
During the summer, the farm transforms into a sea of golden blooms, giving visitors the chance to wander through thousands of sunflowers, snap photos, enjoy local food vendors, artisan crafts, listen to live music, and experience one of New Hampshire’s most beautiful summer traditions.
Other unique activities on the itinerary? Sip-n-snip! Guests can enjoy a cocktail or mocktail of their choice and cut their own fresh bouquet of flowers.
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
Or maybe you’re a yoga fan? You can join a 60-minute sweat session from Lee, New Hampshire yoga instructors right in the heart of the flower field.
And because the farm grows oilseed sunflowers for culinary oil (which they harvest in the fall months), the flowers only stay at their peak for a brief window, making the festival a limited-time experience, according to the festival organizers…
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What makes this event even more special is the reason behind it. The festival started as a way to share the beauty of the sunflower fields, but it has grown into something much bigger. Organizers say the event has raised more than $90,000 for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire over the years and now shares a portion of its proceeds with several local nonprofit organizations serving the Seacoast community.
Anyone who knows me knows that paying it forward is something that’s incredibly important to me. It’s right up there with my love of sunflowers because both fill my cup in the best way. So, when I found out this festival celebrates my favorite flower and gives back to the community, I knew I had to share it.
Sunflower Festival Details:
This festival only runs from Saturday, July 25th until Sunday, August 2nd. You can get the full list of activities and more on the Coppal Farm website.
Daily Field Hours
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10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (last admission at 6PM because fields close at 6:30) Weekend Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free Weekend Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm): $16 per person ages 13 & older $14 per person ages 5-12 $14 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free includes: access to sunflower fields, craft fair, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, farm animals, & live music
Weekday Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $8 per person ages 13 & older $6 per person ages 5-12 $6 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
Weekday Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
What tickets include: Access to sunflower fields, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, and farm animals
READ MORE: A Classic Fairy Tale Comes To Life At Portsmouth’s Prescott Park This Summer
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This festival might just leave you smiling long after you leave the fields!
What Flowers Thrive in New England
See what flowers thrive in New England weather: Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Gallery Credit: Logan
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering Locally Grown Strawberries
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering PYO Strawberries
Ed. Note: If this was you and you are interested, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP.
“Dear PoPville,
I was biking home from a doctor appointment a little before noon on Friday, and stopped at a red light on New Hampshire & L st nw. There was a woman across the street who was looking fine in her dark blue (I think they were) scrubs. I might be crazy, but it felt like we kept checking each other out. By the third time,
if we were in a romcom, one of us would have waved. Sorry I didn’t, but if you are reading this and date men, reach out to the Prince if you are interested in that man on the bike. Have a great weekend!”
Ed. Note: If this is you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. PoPville is not affiliated with either party, please proceed with any potential connection at your own risk using caution as you would any online encounter. For those curious about past missed connections, many have been made and when possible I’ll try to update when/if more are made.
A New Hampshire motorcyclist who had been missing since the Fourth of July was found dead in Shelburne late Thursday night.
State police say they received a request from the Berlin Police Department just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday for help locating 41-year-old Wesley Grondin — the Berlin man was last seen riding his motorcycle on Saturday, July 4, and had been reported missing.
Troopers received a call a couple of hours later, around 10:10 p.m. Thursday, from a concerned resident who had been out looking for Grondin along Route 2 in Shelburne. The person told police they had found Grondin dead, along with his Harley Davidson.
According to state police, a preliminary investigation determined that Grondin was riding his Harley on Route 2 westbound in Shelburne when, for reasons that remain under investigation, he crossed over into the opposing lane, struck a post, and came to a final rest in the wood line.
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The crash is believed to have occurred just before midnight on July 4. At this time, police say there’s no indication that another vehicle or person was involved.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation, however. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Hunter Newsham at Hunter.P.Newsham@dos.nh.gov.
