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Two returnees, one newbie, represent New Hampshire on James Beard semifinalist list – Manchester Ink Link

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Two returnees, one newbie, represent New Hampshire on James Beard semifinalist list – Manchester Ink Link


Kristina Zontini, of Super Secret Ice Cream in Bethlehem, was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Outstanding Pastry Chef award last year. This year, her ice cream shop is a semifinalist. Photo/Super Secret Ice Cream, Faceboook

MANCHESTER, NH – Two New Hampshire repeat nominees and one new addition are among the James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists announced this week.

The James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards, presented since 1991, celebrate excellence across all types of dining experiences, from fine dining to casual establishments. The New Hampshire establishments recognized this week are among 38 semifinalists across New England named in 25 categories.

Super Secret Ice Cream, of Bethlehem, and chef Lee Frank, who owns Otis in Exeter, were both semifinalists, though each with a twist, last year. Nicole Nocella, owner and chef at Stalk, in Dover, is a newcomer to the Best Chef Northeast Region category.

Super Secret Ice Cream is one of 20 semifinalists in the Outstanding Bakery category, which recognizes “bakers of bread, pastries, or desserts that demonstrate consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations.”  

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Kristina Zontini, of Super Secret, was named a semifinalist for outstanding pastry chef or baker last  year.

The shop, at 2213 Main St. in Bethlehem, makes its own ice cream base with local milk and cream from neighboring farm Hatchland Dairy. “We don’t use flavored syrups or artificial anything,” Super Secret says on its website. “Everything that goes into our ice cream is made in our kitchen or sourced through partnerships with local farms.”

Super Secret Ice Cream, which began as a food cart, opened its bricks and mortar location in 2022 with a takeout window, and then as a full ice cream shop in early 2023. It operates year-round.

After Kontini was nominated last year, she told New Hampshire Magazine, “We feel really lucky, and I hope it sheds light on ice cream as a craft. Also, our area is really cool, and I don’t think New Hampshire is represented enough — and there’s some really cool female-owned businesses in our town, and surrounding towns.”

Lee Frank, owner of Lee Frank’s in South Berwick and Wells, Maine, is a James Beard Foundation Best Chef Northeast Region semifinalist. Last year, he was one as well, in his role as owner and chef at Otis, in Exeter. Photo/chefleefrank Instagram

Lee Frank, owner of Otis Restaurant in Exeter is a semifinalist for Best Chef Northeast Region, but as owner and chef of Lee Frank’s in South Berwick and Wells, Maine. 

Last year, Frank was named a semifinalist in the same category, but in his role at Otis.

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Lee Frank’s opened in South Berwick in 2021, and Frank plans to open a third Lee Frank’s location in Exeter soon, according to the restaurant website. The hot dog and burger restaurant harkens back to the chef’s early culinary days in California, he said.

“I am incredibly humbled and honored to be named a James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef Northeast, let alone for a second time,” Frank posted on his Facebook page. “The talent throughout New England is amazing and being mentioned next to any of these names is truly an honor. Congratulations to all those nominated and all those that work so hard and are so talented!”

Nicole Nocella, owner and chef at Stalk, in Dover, is a James Beard Best Chef Northeast Region semifinalist this year. Photo/stalkrestaurant.com

Nocella, chef and owner of Stalk, at 286 Central Ave., in Dover, is also one of 20 Best Chef semifinalists in the Northeast Region, which includes the six New England states. Stalk is celebrating its fifth anniversary this month.

The category recognizes chefs who “set high standards in their culinary skills and leadership abilities and who are making efforts to help create a sustainable work culture in their respective regions, while contributing positively to their broader community.”

“I am absolutely floored & over humbled by receiving the news of being nominated for a Semi Finalist James Beard Award!,” Nocella said in a post on Stalk’s Facebook page. “Thank you  for the amazing support & love shown for my cooking over the years! Can’t Wait to Cheers you all!”

The James Beard Foundation accepts nominees for its awards during an online open call in October and November. Candidates for restaurant awards must be establishments (restaurants, pop-ups, or food trucks) that serve food and are open to the public. They must be reasonably accessible to the public and be open for business (or accept and fill orders) a minimum of twice a month. Nominated individuals must be actively making food or beverages that are available  to the public. A subcommittee of judges reviews nominees, including a tasting period, and votes on semifinalists, as well as finalists.

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Finalists for the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards are announced April 2, and the winners are announced June 16, at an awards ceremony that will be held at Lyric Opera, in Chicago.

This year, in honor of the 35th anniversary of the awards as well as “in recognition of the ever-evolving independent restaurant landscape,” there were three new categories as part of an expanded focus on beverages: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. The James Beard Foundation lists all the semifinalists on its website.




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Bank Robber, Sexual Assaulter, With 40-Plus Year Criminal History, Wanted On Parole Violation: NH DOC

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Bank Robber, Sexual Assaulter, With 40-Plus Year Criminal History, Wanted On Parole Violation: NH DOC


CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Department of Corrections is asking for the public’s help in finding a sex offender and robbery convict, with “violent tendencies,” who is wanted on a parole violation.

Michael J. Wells is 60, white, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall, and weighs around 150 lbs. He has dirty blond hair and hazel eyes. Officials said Wells sometimes uses the following aliases: “Michael Morris,” “Michael Morse,” and “Michael Kirby.” He has Tasmanian devil, star, moon, and skull tattoos on his right arm and a cross over a skull with a spider web on his left arm.

The warrant against Wells was issued by the New Hampshire Parole Board as well as Manchester police for duty to report, after accusing him of absconding from parole and failing to register as a sex offender.

“In December 1994,” an alert stated, “Wells was convicted of aggravated felonious sexual assault and as a result, is required to register as a Tier III sex offender for the remainder of his life. Wells is currently on Parole Supervision for robbery.”

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In December 2018, Wells robbed the Citizens Bank in Manchester, passing a note stating, “I have a gun. No tracking. No dye bag. $20-$50 quickly. No alarm.” In August 2021, he committed the same offense under similar circumstances, officials said, after he was placed on escape status from the Calumet Transitional Housing Unit. He was arrested in Massachusetts a few weeks later.

Wells is known to frequent both Concord and Manchester.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the New Hampshire Department of Corrections and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains how to request the removal of a name from New Hampshire Patch police reports.

Wells criminal history dates back more than four decades, according to superior court records, after he was accused of forgery in Nashua in August 1985. In June 1988, he was convicted on one forgery charge.

Wells was accused of theft in 1990 and he pleaded guilty to the charge a month later.

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Wells was accused of bail jumping in February 1989.

In 1994, Wells was accused of aggravated felonious sexual assault, sexual assault, and second-degree assault charges in Nashua. In December 1994, he pleaded guilty to the second-degree assault charge. Wells was found guilty by the court on one aggravated felonious sexual assault charge in January 1996.

Wells was also accused of escape in December 1998.

In 2005 and 2006, more charges were racked up, including four acts prohibited counts in Nashua, a false report to law enforcement, receiving stolen property, two acts prohibited counts in Salem, and forgery in Manchester. Wells was found guilty on two of the drug charges in Salem and the Manchester forgery charge, while the others were nolle prossed.

In April 2019, Wells was convicted on the December 2018 bank robbery charges. He was given a three-and-a-half-to-10-year sentence with 136 days of time served credit and a 10-to-20-year sentence, suspended for 10 years.

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N.H. lawmakers to vote on increasing tolls, civil rights, and k-12 education – The Boston Globe

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N.H. lawmakers to vote on increasing tolls, civil rights, and k-12 education – The Boston Globe


One proposal (Senate Bill 627) would generate more than $53 million per year in estimated revenue for turnpike projects by essentially doubling what certain cars pay on the state’s toll roads.

The cash fare for Hampton’s main toll booth on Interstate 95, for example, would jump from $2 to $4 for cars and pickup trucks. The toll wouldn’t increase at all for motorists who use New Hampshire’s E-ZPass transponders.

“Surrounding states already have the same in-state discount structure in place,” Democratic Representative Martin Jack of Nashua wrote on behalf of a House committee that unanimously recommended the bill.

A potential hitch: Governor Kelly Ayotte. She’s expressed opposition to the whole toll-hiking idea, and proven she’s not afraid to use her veto pen.

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Modifying civil rights standard

Another proposal (Senate Bill 464) would add a few words to the state’s Civil Rights Act. Instead of addressing conduct that is merely “motivated by” a legally protected characteristic, the proposed revision would address conduct that is “substantially motivated by hostility towards the victim’s” protected characteristic (such as their race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, or disability).

The prime sponsor, Republican Senator Daryl Abbas, an attorney, testified the change was small and aligned with the law’s intent. But the attorney who oversees the Civil Rights Unit at the New Hampshire Department of Justice, Sean Locke, testified in opposition, saying the proposal could reduce protections, especially since the meaning of “substantially” is somewhat vague.

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The House is also weighing a proposed amendment that would add a few more words than Abbas’s version, potentially narrowing the Civil Rights Act’s applicability a bit further.

Open enrollment for K-12 schools

A third proposal up for a vote on Thursday (Senate Bill 101) would make every K-12 public school in New Hampshire an “open enrollment” school. That way, students could freely choose to transfer to a district other than the one where they live.

The proposed policy is controversial, partly because of how schools are funded. Districts rely mostly on local property taxes to cover their costs, as the state government chips in relatively little, and property tax rates vary widely from one community to the next. That generates concern about who will foot the bill when a student transfers.

In light of those concerns, Republicans are offering a compromise amendment to SB 101 that would require the state to provide more money per pupil that a district receives via open enrollment, as the New Hampshire Bulletin reported. Democrats are offering their own amendment to establish a study commission on this topic, rather than adopt the proposed policy now.

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Lawmakers have until May 14 to take action on the bills that came from the other chamber, though they have until June 4 to iron out any discrepancies.

Amanda Gokee of the Globe staff contributed to this report.


This story appears in Globe NH | Morning Report, a free email newsletter focused on New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles elsewhere. Sign up here.


Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.





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Boston MedFlight expands into NH

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Boston MedFlight expands into NH


Boston MedFlight often touches down at the scene of some of the worst tragedies in New England – where minutes can mean life or death for a victim. The critical care transport operation is now expanding with a new base in New Hampshire.

The organization is hosting an open house at the new Manchester location on Thursday.

Boston MedFlight flies a critical care transport paramedic and nurse on every flight. Jaik Hanley-McCarthy says their helicopters and ground vehicles are equipped to handle just about any emergency medical procedure.

“Anything that can be done in the ICU,” explained Hanley-McCarthy. “We have a mobile lab so we can draw blood and run labs in real time.”

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Boston MedFlight now has five bases across the region.

“Having a base in Manchester just expands this Boston-level care even further north to the more remote areas of the state,” said Hanley-McCarthy.

Boston MedFlight operates as a network of bases and some of the locations are staffed 24 hours.

Chief Executive Officer Maura Hughes says the nonprofit operation survives on public and private donations.

“We provide about $7 million in free care every year to patients,” said Hughes. “Not every hospital can be everything to every patient. We’re really the glue that keeps the health care system together.”

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Heather Young says her daughter, Teighan, is still alive because she was flown for a critical assessment and procedure after falling off a truck and hitting her head.

“She should not be driving and walking and talking and all the things she’s doing as quickly as she is,” said Young.

Teighan just turned 18 and plans to go to college to study the medical field.

“I want to be a nurse and help other people,” she said.

It’s stories like this that keep the men and women who work Boston MedFlight focused on their mission.

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“I think we just go call by call and try to do the best we can,” said Hanley-McCarthy. “I think when we stop and truly think about it, I think that weight is pretty heavy.”

Boston MedFlight also has a yearly reunion where patients and the team get together here in Bedford to meet and check in on their progress. It really shows you how connected they are to the people they help.



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