It's Veterans Day - how does Congress work to support veterans? 

Liz talks with Congressman Chris Pappas, who serves on the U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, about what is happening in D.C. (and New Hampshire, of course). 

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Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email Liz: [email protected]

Links:

• Congressman Pappas' Constituent Services
• Health Insurance Marketplace
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Amendment backing full VA hospital in NH clears House (Union Leader)
• New Hampshire veterans moving into campus dedicated to veteran community (WMUR)

Support the show

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New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!

It's Veterans Day - how is New Hampshire doing when it comes to supporting our veterans?

Liz talks with President and CEO of Harbor Care, Henry Och, about initiatives to support veterans in New Hampshire, particularly when it comes to homelessness, health care, and employment. 

If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis or need support, call or text 988 for free, confidential, 24/7 help. Trained crisis counselors are available to listen, provide support, and connect you to resources. You can visit the hotline website at 988lifeline.org/chat.

You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect: Veterans Crisis Line.

This episode pairs well with - and references - a previous episode: Homelessness ... in New Hampshire? with Erica Diamond and Lauren Bombardier

New episodes on Tuesdays.

Become a supporter of the show --> this helps Liz continue to make episodes!

Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email Liz: [email protected]

Links:

• Harbor Care
• Information about Harbor Care's Thanksgiving Community Dinner
• New Hampshire's Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Amendment backing full VA hospital in NH clears House (Union Leader)
• New Hampshire veterans moving into campus dedicated to veteran community (WMUR)

Support the show

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.

New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!

Liz goes solo in this first-ever "mini-sode." Perhaps also the last...?

In less than 10 minutes, Liz covers the basics about what's happening with SNAP benefits given the government shutdown...and how some New Hampshire lawmakers are choosing to punch down instead of leading with empathy.

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Links - Resources (have one to share? Email Liz):

• SNAP and WIC Federal Shutdown Information (NH Department of Health and Human Services)
• New Hampshire Food Bank
• Gather
• New Hampshire Community Action Partnership
• Exeter Community Fridge
• NH Easy Gateway to Services (DHHS)
• The state and NH Food Bank are offering help during the shutdown. Here’s how to find that help (NH Bulletin)
• New Hampshire governor announces list of mobile food pantries for SNAP recipients amid government shutdown (WMUR)

Links - News+:

• Trump Administration to Send Only Partial Food Stamp Payments This Month (NYTimes)
• New Hampshire Announces Contingency Plan for Delayed SNAP Benefits (DHHS)
• Up to 76,000 Granite Staters, Particularly in Rural Areas, Face Food Assistance Disruptions Amid Federal Shutdown (NHFPI)
• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: An Overview of Potential Under Enrollment in New Hampshire (NHFPI)
• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
• Uncertainty Persists for Americans Waiting for Monthly Food Stamps (NYTimes)

Have an idea for an episode? Email Liz at [email protected]

Support the show

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.

New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!

What the heck is a "warrant article" and what does it have to do with property taxes? Should you go to a deliberative session? (yes!) Okay, fine, but what is it? 

Liz talks with Niko Papakonstantis, the Chair of the Exeter Select Board, about what issues towns face when New Hampshire and the federal government cut services and funding.

Niko asks Liz what folks have against street sweepers. Liz asks Niko what "work-life balance" means.

New episodes on Tuesdays.

Become a supporter of the show --> this helps Liz continue to make episodes!

Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email Liz: [email protected]

Links:

• Exeter to use $560K grant for new public safety complex amid rising costs (Portsmouth Herald)
• Londonderry billed $2 million to cover SchoolCare deficit (Union Leader)
• Concord school board approves budget and tax increase to cover portion of $5m shortfall (Concord Monitor)
• Risk pool seeks $30M from school districts to erase budget deficit (Union Leader)
• Lawmakers mull letting Claremont access state aid early to solve $5 million budget crisis (Concord Monitor)
• School districts look at savings and hiring freezes to cover a $30 million health care bill (NHPR)
• ‘A huge shock’: Concord among hardest hit by surprise health insurance assessment for school districts, other public entities (Concord Monitor)
• Scanlan says 2 municipal risk pools in danger of 'insolvency' (Union Leader)

Support the show

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.

New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!

Someone needed to ask: who would want to be governor of New Hampshire? Jon Kiper does! He ran in the 2024 Democratic primary and he's running again. He talks with Liz about why he's running and what exactly the governor does in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Has Issues (including Liz!) does not endorse candidates. New Hampshire Has Issues (including Liz!) does, however, love to have a good chit chat. 

And, of course, if the governor would like to come on the podcast, Liz would be happy to talk about New Hampshire's issues with her! 

New episodes on Tuesdays.

Become a supporter of the show --> this helps Liz continue to make episodes!

Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email Liz: [email protected]

Links:

• Jon Kiper's campaign website
• Jon Kiper enters NH governor’s race as Democrat, says Ayotte’s reelection isn’t certain (Seacoast Online)
• Conversations with the candidates in NH’s race for governor: Jon Kiper (NHPR)
• What is a New Hampshire governor’s job? (Granite State News Collaborative)
• 2026 NH Gubernatorial Primary (Citizens Count)

Support the show

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.

New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!

The issue so many Granite Staters (and beyond) have asked about: why isn't marijuana legalized in New Hampshire? The ::checks notes:: "Live Free or Die" state?

Devon Chaffee (Executive Director at ACLU-NH) joins Liz to explain just how close New Hampshire has gotten to legalizing cannabis...and why it will probably take some time to get over the finish line. 

Devon brings  numbers to the table, and Liz brings yet another musical reference.

New episodes on Tuesdays.

Become a supporter of the show --> this helps Liz continue to make episodes!

Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email Liz: [email protected]

Links:

• ACLU-NH
• Ayotte stands firm in opposition to marijuana legalization: ‘My concerns are quality of life.’ (NH Bulletin)
• New Hampshire House passes cannabis legalization, but enthusiasm lags (NH Bulletin)
• NH Senate committee opposes marijuana legalization bill (NHPR)
• NH Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte talks housing, marijuana, education freedom accounts (Seacoast Online)
• 2024 Gubernatorial Forum: Candidates views on marijuana legalization (NHPR)
• House kills cannabis legalization after failed compromise with Senate (NH Bulletin)
• NH law expands medical marijuana qualifiers; Sununu vetoes cannabis greenhouses (Seacoast Online)
• Adult Use Retail Sales Data (State of Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Office of Cannabis Policy)
• Reefer Madness (New Los Angeles Cast Recording) (Apple Music)
• Reefer Madness (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Original Los Angeles Cast Recording) (Spotify)

Support the show

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.

New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!

Celebrity guest! Liz asks Sam Evans-Brown to do some heavy lifting as Liz learned zero things about anything "energy" related in high school. As much as Liz hates change, it's time to learn a little bit.

Tune in to get answers to questions like, "What's a watt?" and "What kind of outlet do you need for an electric vehicle?" and "Is Massachusetts doing things worse than New Hampshire?" and "What on earth is 'net metering'?!"...and many more.

New episodes on Tuesdays.

Become a supporter of the show --> this helps Liz continue to make episodes!

Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email Liz: [email protected]

Links:

• Clean Energy NH
• Clean Energy NH on Instagram
• NH Saves
• ISO New England
• Ernie Moniz (and his hair)
• The Energy Transition and Why It's Inevitable (Sam's homework for Liz)
• The Accidental History of Solar Power (Outside/In)
• Advocates decry $43.5 M solar grant clawback (NH Business Review)
• A multi-million dollar grant for solar power in New Hampshire is set to be scrapped (NHPR)
• Sam also recommends the slidedeck from The Electrotech Revolution

Support the show

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.

New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!

The New Hampshire Executive Council has enormous power and almost no name recognition. What the [bleep] is it? And why does New Hampshire have it?

In this episode, Kayla Montgomery (VP of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England) returns to the pod to tell Liz an abbreviated history of the Executive Council. Liz references multiple musicals.

New episodes every Tuesday.

Become a supporter of the show.

Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email Liz: [email protected]

Links: 

• PPNHAF LizTok about the Executive Council (look how young Liz looks!)
• Find your Executive Councilor
• PPNHAF Executive Council page
• NH gerrymandering: ACLU-NH releases new analysis of proposed Executive Council map (ACLU of New Hampshire)
• Gerrymandering Makes the Majority the Minority in the NH State House (InDepthNH)
• PPNHAF LinkTree
• Sponsor a printer at PPNHAF 

Support the show

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.

New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!

Grab your passport! We're traveling to...your town clerk's office.

New Hampshire *loves* elections, but does it love helping eligible voters get registered to vote? 

In this episode, Liz talks to McKenzie Taylor, the State Director of the New Hampshire Campaign for Voting Rights, about registering in person, voting in person, requesting to vote absentee in person...yet, they are able to have this conversation from inside a computer. Science!

Remember: you are eligible to vote in New Hampshire if (1) you are a US citizen, (2) you will be 18 years or older on or before Election Day, and (3) New Hampshire is your home. 

New episodes on Tuesdays, which also happens to be the day elections take place...

Become a monthly supporter of the show --> this helps Liz continue to make episodes!

Links:

• New Hampshire Campaign for Voting Rights
• Check your voter registration (NH Secretary of State)
• Find your polling location (NH Secretary of State)
• Find your town or city clerk's information (NH Secretary of State)
• NH’s new ID requirements send some would-be voters home to grab passports, birth certificates (NHPR)
• Former Republican Rep. Troy Merner pleads guilty to wrongful voting, loses right to vote (NH Bulletin)
• NH disability rights advocates raise alarm over bills tightening voting requirements (NHPR)
• Federal judge hears arguments over NH's proof of citizenship voting law (NHPR)
• Sununu signs strict voter ID bill; law will take effect after November election (NH Bulletin)
• Ayotte signs bills to tighten absentee voting, ensure accessible voting (NH Bulletin)

Support the show

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.

New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!

Liz talks with Rep. Hope Damon about what is happening with the school district, which faces a multi-million dollar deficit in its school budget - and what the State of New Hampshire can / will / will not do, depending on who you ask...

This episode was recorded on August 28, 2025.

New episodes every Tuesday.

Become a supporter of the show.

Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Email Liz: [email protected]

Links:

• Financial woes could force Bluff Elementary to close, students would be reassigned (Valley News)
• Claremont school board meeting turns heated as district makes budget cuts in face of deficit (WMUR)
• Claremont schools terminate 19 new hires amid budget crisis (Valley News)
• 8/25/25 School Board Meeting (CCTV)
• 8/20/25 School Board Meeting (CCTV)
• 8/14/25 School Board Meeting (CCTV)
• State Representative David Luneau 8-26-25 (New Hampshire Today with Chris Ryan)
• ConVal Lawsuit (NH School Funding Fairness Project)
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum (This American Life, “I Work Better on Deadline,” Act One)
• Department of Education blocks key data in audit of education freedom accounts (New Hampshire Bulletin)
• NH Supreme Court: State falls far short on school funding, but leaves fix to Legislature (NHPR)
• Superior court judge again finds NH school funding model unconstitutional (New Hampshire Bulletin)
• Education Freedom Account Data Shows Wealthy Parents Flock to Free Money (InDepthNH)

Support the show

Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm. Learn how to start a podcast here.

New Hampshire Has Issues is generously sponsored by Seacoast Soils, an organic compost and topsoil provider for New Hampshire, Maine, and Northeast Massachusetts. Visit their website at www.seacoastsoil.com!