Portsmouth Blues Club Opens + PFAS At New Athletic Field?

Morning, Portsmouth! Let's get you started this Friday with everything you need to know going on today in town.

If you're a fan of musicians like Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite or Charles Lloyd, you can see them perform at the new Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club, which opened on Congress Street in the 1905 YMCA building.

Meanwhile, an activist claimed that the city's new synthetic turf field at the Community Campus contains PFAS, and a "throwback" Yoken's restaurant menu has given some nostalgia.

Check out these items and more and have a great day!

Are you a local business owner or marketer in Portsmouth? Our premium local sponsorships will keep you at the top of inboxes around town every morning. Contact us here for the lowdown.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High: 68 Low: 64.

Here are the top stories today in Portsmouth:

1. Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club Opens Thursday, September 30, in Portsmouth, NH Featuring World-Renowned Jazz and Blues Artists in a Newly Restored State-of-the-Art Venue (PRNewswire)
2. Is There PFAS in Portsmouth, NH's New Synthetic Field? (Seacoast Current)
3. 10 Things To Do In N.H. This Weekend: Manchester's Glendi, Portsmouth's Market Square Day, Concord Multicultural Fest (New Hampshire Public Radio)
4. Chamber Collaborative Of Greater Portsmouth: Woodman Museum Fall Speaker Series 2021 (Press Release Desk)
5. Throwback Menu of Yoken's in Portsmouth Makes us Nostalgic (wokq.com)
6. Portsmouth's legal department involved in 30 cases, Dover only nine. Is there a reason? (Seacoastonline.com)
7. 'Burnout' at Seacoast hospitals: Health-care worker shortages are straining staffs (Foster's Daily Democrat)

Today's Portsmouth Daily is brought to you by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community — and to get access to this amazing technology — click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Portsmouth!

Today in Portsmouth:

• Leaping Learners Outdoor Pre-K Storytime: Apples (10:30 AM)
• Back-To-School Sealebration - Little Harbour School (4:00 PM)
• Historic Portsmouth Photo Walk - Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce (5:00 PM)
• Telluride by the Sea (5:30 PM)
• Loading Dock Concert: Marjorie Senet and the Broken Home Boys (6:00 PM)

Portsmouth Patch Notebook

• Strawbery Banke Museum: "The museum's Collections Department often uses historic maps to help understand how the landscape has changed over time. One of the earliest depictions of Strawbery Banke is on this c. 1670 map of the Piscataqua River region by an Englis..." (Facebook)
• Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire: "We have 3 great tours this weekend! Jack Stains and the Portsmouth Green Book tour in Portsmouth, and the Harriet Wilson tour in Milford. If you haven't gotten out to see one of our great tours, this would be a great weekend to do it! In..." (Facebook)
• Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire: "We are so looking forward to the unveiling of our new marker in Hancock on Saturday! Big thank you to Eric Aldrich for all the work you've done on this project and to Peterborough Marble and Glass for this fantastic instillation! If you'..." (Facebook)
• HAVEN NH: "A little #ThrowBackThursday to our last in-person Annual Fundraiser! This year's Waves of Change, 6th Annual Signature Fundraising Event, will look a little different. More guidelines to keep people safe, different venue (the beautiful E..." (Facebook)
• Portsmouth Public Library (NH): "Pointy elbows putting holes in your favorite sweater? Worn cuffs not looking their best? Aggressive and delighted donning of fall clothing resulting in a few rips and tears? Join us this Saturday morning from 11-1 under the tent beside t..." (Facebook)
• Portsmouth Rotary Club: "President Justin Fin is shown with Paul Harris Fellow recipient Sam Reid & Butch Ricci Jr." (Facebook)
• The Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth: "Trying their hands with the lobster claw putter at the Chamber hole. (Close!)" (Facebook)
• The Clipper Foundation: "The Collaboration Zone. This was a grant awarded to Heather Perigny, at Little Harbour School in 2020. This grant funded flexible, configurable furniture to create a space adaptable to any group. This innovative, flexible learning enviro..." (Facebook)
• Leadership Seacoast: "Read to learn more about how Portsmouth is looking at addressing Affordable Housing. https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/local/2021/09/13/portsmouth-nh-city-council-discuss-affordable-housing-pha/8275133002/" (Facebook)
• Seacoast Outright: "⚓ SIGN UP TO PERFORM AT Portsmouth PRIDE ⚓ We're looking for youth performers (12 - 21) to perform at Portsmouth PRIDE on Saturday, October 9. This is a vaccinated event. Masks required. Sign up NOW! https://bit.ly/PRIDEPerformers #Ports..." (Facebook)
• Leadership Seacoast: "Raise your hand if you will attend Market Square Day!🙋‍♀️ https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/local/2021/09/13/market-square-day-festival-10-k-road-race-returns-portsmouth-nh-2021/8280139002/?itm_medium=recirc&itm_source=taboola&i..." (Facebook)
• Seacoast Outright: "⚕️Transgender Medical Panel Discussion ⚕️ THURSDAY, September 23, 7-8p Join us for a panel discussion with a diverse panel of professionals to discuss hormone blockers, gender affirming hormone therapy, the parent experience, and more. h..." (Facebook)
• The Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth: "Nomnomnom Thanks Jan and Phil from @kilwinsportsmouth!" (Facebook)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Add your business here

Events:

• Goss Farm Fall Fair (September 18)
• Opening Reception: KATRAK & KENNY (September 18)
• Comedian Mike Whitman headlines allstar show! (September 18)
• Social Security Seminar (September 21)
• Virtual Spirit of AIR Celebration (September 22)
• The Basics of Bankruptcy Webinar (September 23)
• Wallys Presents Last Child - #1 Aerosmith Experience (September 25)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with another update. If you're enjoying these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Jason Claffey

About me: I grew up in Massachusetts outside Boston and started my journalism career at 19 when I earned an internship at The Boston Globe sports department. I graduated from Boston University and worked as a news reporter at Foster's Daily Democrat in New Hampshire before joining Patch in 2010.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Portsmouth Daily? You can contact me at jason.claffey@patch.com.