Best year ever?
Predicting 2009
By Heidi Masek, Jeff Mucciarone, Dana Unger & Doran Dal Pra news@hippopress.com

Will Barack Obama fix the economy?

Will taxes increase in New Hampshire?

Will you lose that 10 pounds you keep worrying about?

Hippo’s reporters asked people from all over southern New Hampshire for their thoughts on the new year — what will happen, what do they wish would happen and what are their personal resolutions? Silly, serious, worried, hopeful — here are some of the things your neighbors foresee and desire in the new year

PEOPLE: What will the future bring?
Shea-Porter vs. Gregg? Raised toll prices?

Beckah Boyd, self-proclaimed Manchester psychic, says plenty is happening at the turn of the new year. The 23-year-old is co-author of Ghost Quest in New Hampshire, which details the Ghost Quest group’s investigations into various haunted locations in the Granite State. The group may soon get the chance to investigate Manchester City Library. In the spirit of beginning-of-the-year predictions, Boyd was asked to make her guesses about what 2009 could bring. Visit Boyd’s blog at www.carrieanddanielle.com and lean more about Ghost Quest at www.ghostquest.org.

THEATER: Tapping into the spotlight
Aaron Tolson brings tap dance to the Palace
By Heidi Masek hmasek@hippopress.com

Manchester native and tap dancer Aaron Tolson spent six years performing in Riverdance. That took him to Broadway. He also helped create a show in Chicago, Imagine Tap, with his friend Derrick Grant, according to Emily Tolson. Aaron is now on the dance faculty at Plymouth State University.

LONGSHOTS: Predictions and Wants for the new year ahead
by Dave Long

With the new year looming on the horizon, here’s a mix of things I’d like to see happen as the year plays out and some predictions about whether they will happen or not.

FOOD: Zacky’s to go
Pizza in Auburn an offshoot from Meredith
By Linda A. Thompson-Odum food@hippopress.com

Zacky’s Pizzeria, which opened this past spring in Meredith, has opened a second location at the Myles Travel Plaza in Auburn.

TECHIE: The road ahead
Totally non-random predictions for 2009
By John “jaQ” Andrews  jandrews@hippopress.com

Playing oracle in the technology industry is a double-sided coin. Heads, there’s so much going on that any semi-educated guess will probably end up being at least partly true. Tails, everything moves so quickly that it’s easy to miss something from left field that makes something you predict obsolete before it even happens.