The renowned family history resource AncestryLibrary has returned to Concord Public Library thanks to a gift from the Concord Public Library Foundation. It is only available for use on our public internet computers or via our Wi-Fi network. If you have a valid library card, you may use our computers for up to 90 minutes a day. If you have a laptop and are interested in doing family history research, come in and log onto our Wi-Fi network. You can search as long as you want on your laptop. If you are a Concord or Penacook resident and don't have a library card, you can call the library's reference…

As a standup comic, I'm often times asked where comics get their material. Do we all just lead hysterical lives, filled with pratfalls and shaving-cream pies? Not so much, although the world would be a pretty cool place if that was true! But joke writing is a skill, and good comedy is frequently the result of taking events that are fairly mundane, and using that joke-writing skill to create something humorous. The…

We are fortunate to have many magnificant churches in Concord, but it's the people that make them special. My special place is the Carmelite Monastery. One day nearly 30 years ago, I decided to stop there. As I entered the grounds, I immediately felt the overwhelming presence of peace. I was curious about the Carmelite sisters who lived there. I knew that the Carmelite order was one…

Stepping onto the grounds of the Carmelite Monastery on last week, we weren't quite sure what to expect. Would the place of worship on Pleasant Street be a place so stuffy we'd be afraid to sneeze, or would we see nuns running around, shimmying and praising Jesus like Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act? Neither, as it turned out. Once inside, we were greeted by Sister Claudette Blais, a…

Join cycling enthusiasts from around the state on Sept. 18 at the Pedaling for Payson fundraising event to raise money for the Gene Gillis Fund. The event begins at Rollins Park at 7:30 a.m. Bicyclists of all ages and abilities are invited to join us for a 75-mile ride, a 50-mile ride, a 25-mile ride or a 5K family fun ride. Also at Rollins Park, there will be a raffle, a cookout for participants and children's activities. For more information on how to participate, race times or to purchase a raffle ticket, call the Concord Hospital Trust office of philanthropy at 225-2711, ext. 3076, or visit…

The Zonta Club of Concord and The Friendly Kitchen will sponsor a moving sale on Aug. 28 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sale will be held at 149 Mountain Road. There will be household items, books, tools, jewelry, glass and more. Proceeds will benefit programs that help women locally and globally and The Friendly Kitchen. A craft fair will be held on Nov. 13 at the Bektash Shrine Center. Interested crafters should contact merifred@comcast.net.