N.H. News Recap

One year ago this Sunday, Bradley Haas, a security guard at New Hampshire Hospital, was killed when a former patient walked into the lobby and opened fire. Moments later, a state trooper shot and killed the gunman, John Madore.

The tragedy prompted calls to reform New Hampshire's gun laws and security measures at public buildings. In this edition of the NH News Recap, we look at where those efforts stand now.

Guests:

• Paul Cuno-Booth, NHPR
• Annmarie Timmins, NHPR

Top stories stories from around New Hampshire this week:

NH gun reform failed after hospital shooting. Advocates will try again in 2025.

A push to add mental health records to the federal background check system fell short this year in the Legislature.

Security improvements remain a work in progress, one year after NH Hospital shooting

New Hampshire has completed some upgraded safety measures at the state hospital, but officials are only just beginning to take on most of the other recommendations, including a professional safety assessment of all state facilities.

More New Hampshire headlines:

New Manchester coalition tackles rising demand for adult English classes

Four people plead guilty to damaging NH building owned by Israeli defense contractor

Recent Republican gains in Manchester reflect party's statewide wins

Judge gives NH more time to end ER boarding of psychiatric patients

Voters turned out in record numbers this week to cast their ballots. New Hampshire Democrats won the federal races, while Republicans claimed victory at the State House. We dive into the election results on this edition of the New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests:

• Amanda Gokee, Boston Globe
• Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin

Top stories stories from around New Hampshire this week:

Ayotte wins race for governor with promise to keep NH on the ‘Sununu path’

The race pitted two experienced campaigners against each other in a contest that attracted lots of national attention — and national money.

NH Republicans claim big State House wins and strengthen majorities in House and Senate

While New Hampshire Democrats won the federal races, Republicans claimed victory nearly everywhere else on the ballot: in the state House of Representatives, the state Senate and the Executive Council.

Pappas, Goodlander both win, as NH Democrats maintain hold on Congressional seats

Democrats appeared to sweep New Hampshire’s congressional district races on Tuesday.

At a post-election peace vigil in Nashua, some express concern and a need for honesty

The event was planned before the election results were called, anticipating a need for people to reflect on a long election season.

More New Hampshire headlines:

Sanborn goes around AG, asks court for help selling casino

Climate change could affect fall colors. 35 years of data from NH might provide insights on how.

Some NH communities are turning to ‘housing navigators’ for help with the housing crisis

Voters across New Hampshire will head to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots for president, the state’s next governor and more.

In this edition of the New Hampshire News Recap, we discuss the top issues on voters’ minds ahead of the election. We also discuss the latest updates from the campaign trail.

Guests:

• Josh Rogers, NHPR
• Anna Brown, Citizens Count
• Carol Robidoux, Manchester Ink Link

Other election news from around New Hampshire:

Plenty at stake, including State House control, in NH’s down ballot races

Democrats are hoping to flip control of the NH House, as Republicans works to hold their legislative majorities.

Follow the ballot: What happens after you vote in NH?

Votes will be cast and counted on Nov. 5, but final results for New Hampshire’s elections won’t be ready immediately, as recounts and the formal certification process take time to complete.

Where they stand: Candidates for NH governor, CD1 and CD2

Get caught up on where the top-of-the-ballot candidates stand on issues that matter to Granite Staters, such as housing, abortion, immigration, and addiction.

Split decisions: NH election outcomes could hinge on voters who cross party lines

Ticket splitting has played a major role in recent New Hampshire politics. It's likely to shape this year's election as well.

Should NH judges retire at 70 or 75? Some aren’t sure that’s the right question

Plus: Explore the data on how raising the judicial retirement age to 75 could affect New Hampshire courts.

As Election Day nears, candidates are trying to mobilize voters with campaign events and high profile endorsements. President Joe Biden made a stop in Concord at NHTI with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders at the New Hampshire Democratic party headquarters. U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries also visited the state this week to support Maggie Goodlander in her bid to represent New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District.

And Gov. Chris Sununu says new allegations about Donald Trump’s support for authoritarians don't change his support for the former president. We discuss these stories and more on this edition of the NH News Recap.

Guests:

• Josh Rogers, NHPR
• Paula Tracy, Indepth NH

Top stories from around New Hampshire:

Biden, Sanders Tout Success in Bringing Down Drug Prices at NHTI Event

President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders came to New Hampshire Tuesday to tout “consequential progress” in taking on what Sanders called “the greed of the pharmaceutical industry” through the Inflation Reduction Act.

Housing Is Big Issue in Race for Governor: Ayotte, Craig Weigh In

With estimates that the state will need close to 90,000 new affordable housing units by 2040 to address the state’s needs and it is already 23,000 units behind, housing is a big issue in the upcoming governor’s race.

As Ayotte and Craig clash, race for NH governor expected to break spending record

The New Hampshire governor's race in 2024 is on pace to top the previous record for fundraising among the candidates.

Top stories from around New Hampshire:

Hantz Marconi says Chief Justice MacDonald approved her meeting with Sununu

Portsmouth bank executive sues ex-police officer over November 2023 assault

EPA fines NH developer for violating lead paint rules

In less than a month Granite Staters will elect a new governor. Former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and former US Senator Kelly Ayotte are vying for the corner office, and we hear the top issues they’re campaigning on as they work to sway voters.

And the Keene Board of Education met this week to discuss possible changes to its lunch debt policy. Advocates have raised concerns that Keene’s middle and high schools could withhold food from students who have lunch debt.

We discuss these stories on this week’s edition of the New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests:

• Josh Rogers, NHPR
• James Rinker, Keene Sentinel
• 
  

Top stories from around New Hampshire:

Ayotte and Craig keep focus on their core issues, as governor race enters home stretch

With less than a month until Election Day, both candidates appear locked in on their chosen issues and are largely talking past each other — and spending less time on issues of most concern to voters, like housing and the broader economy.

KBOE stresses need for better communication in lunch debt, bullying discussions

Amid public scrutiny on how the Keene School District addresses bullying and lunch debt, the Keene Board of Education discussed next steps and potential community solutions for both issues at its meeting at Keene High School Tuesday.

More New Hampshire headlines:

Do you know if your water service lines contain lead? Watch for a letter from your water system.

Two Republican candidates sue Goffstown library over election questionnaire

NH Sec. of State orders use of affidavit ballots on Election Day, despite law’s conflicting dates

Hundreds gather for vigil marking first anniversary of Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel

A group of parents is suing the Bow School District after officials barred two of them from school grounds for protesting transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ sports.

And the city of Manchester has passed an ordinance regulating syringe service programs. It’s the first municipality in the state to do so. Manchester Public Health Director Anna Thomas says harm reduction initiatives have reduced overdoses by 25% and fatalities by 44% over the past two years.

We talk about these stories and more on this edition of the New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests:

• Lau Guzmán, NHPR
• Sruthi Gopalakrishnan, Concord Monitor

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

As Bow parents protesting trans athletes take legal action, others plead for them to stop

“We don't want you supporting our girls the way you are,” Alex Zerba, a parent of a girls varsity soccer player, said of the protests.

Manchester passes first-in-state ordinance about syringe service programs

The ordinance requires programs to register with the city, share more data with city officials and places limits on where mobile exchanges can operate.

As regulators scrutinize Exeter Hospital cuts, patients brace for the consequences

The cuts are on hold for six months. But they've already left some patients feeling betrayed and uncertain about what comes next.

More New Hampshire headlines:

NH hospitals face shortage of IV fluids, but say patient care is unaffected

Scientists are teaching NH kids how to test wells for water contamination

UNH research shows how carbon might move around in New England forests as climate change continues

The legal fight over how the state funds its schools continues as the New Hampshire Supreme Court takes up two separate lawsuits. The plaintiffs claim claim the current funding model is unfair to school districts and taxpayers and that the state is not providing an "adequate education." Republican and Democratic lawmakers are also weighing in.

And with the cost of buying or renting a home in New Hampshire more expensive than ever, affordable housing is a top issue in the state political races this year — especially in the race for governor.

Guests:

• Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin
• Josh Rogers, NHPR

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

Democratic lawmakers ask Supreme Court to implement need-based school funding model

In the brief filed to the court this week, the lawmakers are asking for a “needs-based arrangement,” in which the state distributes funding based on what each district needs to succeed.

Housing is big in the NH governor race – and Ayotte and Craig both have skin in the game

As New Hampshire faces a shortfall in affordable housing, candidates for governor promise action but fixes are complicated.

Exeter Hospital cuts are postponed for 6 months, after pressure from AG’s office

State officials said the hospital will keep neurology, pediatric dentistry and other services open for six months while regulators review the planned cuts.

More New Hampshire headlines:

Top NH National Guard general defends response in wake of harassment investigation

Manchester community has mixed reactions to officers involved in ‘manhunt’ incident

NH Food Bank hopes new Berlin warehouse will bring ‘systemic change’ to North Country food access

The role of school meals when nearly half of NH children live with food insecurity

A new voter ID law has already faced its first legal challenge. Gov. Chris Sununu signed the law just a week ago. It would require people to show proof of citizenship and residency when they register to vote at the polls.

Exeter Hospital says it will stop offering certain services in just a couple weeks. The state attorney general says the hospital isn’t being fully transparent about the decision. We hear how this is affecting patients on this week’s edition of the New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests:

• Todd Bookman, NHPR
• Paul Cuno-Booth, NHPR

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

Concerns about noncitizen voting drive sweeping new restrictions in New Hampshire

A new law in New Hampshire will require anyone registering to vote for the first time in the Granite State to provide documentation they are U.S. citizens, like a birth certificate or passport, a noteworthy win for conservatives who argue, without evidence, that elections nationwide may be tainted by noncitizen voting and therefore need more restrictions.

NH Youth Movement sues to overturn new voter ID law

The new lawsuit from the New Hampshire Youth Movement, filed in federal court on Tuesday, alleges that the law violates the U.S. Constitution by making it “substantially harder—and in some cases impossible—for many New Hampshire citizens to register and vote.”

NH attorney general demands answers on Exeter Hospital cuts

In a statement Monday, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said his office is “carefully reviewing” whether the planned cuts violate the terms of Exeter Hospital’s merger with Beth Israel Lahey Health last year.

Exeter Hospital delays closure of paramedic intercept program, after AG steps in

The hospital’s Advanced Life Support program sends paramedics in a specially equipped “intercept” vehicle to emergencies that call for more advanced care than EMTs can provide. Local fire chiefs say it’s critical for smaller towns that don’t have their own paramedics on staff 24/7.

More New Hampshire headlines:

In Keene, students who owe more than $20 could miss lunch. Some say that should change.

CNN investigation finds rampant sexual harassment, assault in NH National Guard

In wrongful death lawsuit, Harmony Montgomery's mother alleges negligence by NH officials

NH Libertarian Party's post on 'assassination' of Harris attracts attention of state, federal law enforcement