The Insider met Rick Broider a few weeks back when we profiled his wife Melody's new skate shop, Spank Alley, at 8 N. Main St. While we were there, he showed us what he was working on in the suite next door. To our surprise, he was building a mixed martial arts gym, complete with a cage to simulate the real ultimate fighting experience. I knew it would be perfect for a story.Usually,…

Arnie's Place on Loudon Road has boasted fresh-cut Christmas trees for more than 20 years. And the early bird most definitely gets the worm."They're fresh-cut trees, so what's the difference if it sits here or it sits in your garage or back shed? Get the stress out early and get your tree," owner Tom Arnold, who has already sold out of most trees taller than 12…

Name: Colby ApichellJob: Salvation Army bell ringerWhat kind of difference do people make when they put money in your bucket?They put food into empty stomachs, they help veterans, and they help the local community during disasters.What's the most rewarding part of the job?Having people tell me I'm doing the most good.What's your ringtone?The generic one the phone came with.…

Donna Kelley came to the front of the room, swinging a handmade basket on her arm.She said that for thousands of years in earlier cultures, many things were carried or stored in baskets. They were the original shopping bags and were indispensable before the advent of metal pails, plastic buckets and cardboard boxes.Kelley was presenting a program in mid-November at the Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum of Warner about…

The Snob spotted Hong Kong Island during a recent restaurant-scouting sweep. We were intrigued by its location, attached to a Cumberland Farms gas station and convenience store, and we had to find out more.So, we enlisted a dining companion and headed out to Hong Kong Island, a Manchester Street establishment, ready to take on anything.When we arrived, we were pleased to see that Hong…

Dec. 13, 1863: Major Edward E. Sturtevant of Concord, a member of the Fifth New Hampshire Infantry and the state's first Civil War volunteer, is killed leading his regiment in a suicidal assault during the Battle of Fredericksburg. His body is not found. His men assume it is one of many stripped and buried on the field.Dec. 13, 1991: Campaigning in Concord for her husband, Hillary Clinton tells a reporter how she and Bill Clinton have prepared their daughter Chelsea for the negativity of a presidential campaign:"We've told her to be ready for it. We try to take criticism - fair of…