This is the time of year when the New Hampshire Primary usually heats up. As the leaves change, presidential candidates are seen across the Granite State. But how real is the New Hampshire Primary these days?

New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation status has been under threat, especially with plans from the Democratic National Committee to move South Carolina first. But that’s not the only threat to what we think of as threat New Hampshire Primary.

Guests:

• Annmarie Timmins, New Hampshire Bulletin
• James Pindell, Boston Globe & MSNBC

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

How robust and real is the NH Primary these days? The final votes are still being counted.

From the New Hampshire Bulletin, nine experts assess the health of the first-in-the-nation presidential race.

Grading the debate performances of the Republican candidates

From the Boston Globe, seven Republican presidential candidates met in their second debate this week. Donald Trump, the front runner, was absent again.

NH joins suit against Amazon in monopoly case that could be existential for the retail giant

The Federal Trade Commission and 17 states, including NH, accuse Amazon of suffocating rivals and raising costs for both sellers and shoppers. The lawsuit could be existential for the company.

Officials say any federal shutdown will hurt NH more the longer it goes

A top state official says some federally funded program would be curtailed, and jobs would likely be cut, if the shutdown goes beyond October.

More New Hampshire headlines:

• Nashua rejected a proposed asphalt plant. But the company’s applying for a permit with the state.
• Facing constitutional questions, NH prosecutors drop ‘loitering and prowling’ case against climate activist
• Catholic Medical Center considering merger with for-profit hospital chain

Democrats won a seat in the New Hampshire House in a special election Tuesday. Democrat Hal Rafter’s victory in Northwood means the Republicans’ majority in the New Hampshire House is down to just one seat.

Voters in Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city, picked their top two choices for mayor this week. Republican Jay Ruais and Democrat Kevin Cavanaugh will face off in the November general election. The city's elections are technically nonpartisan, but party politics still inevitably play a role.

We discuss these stories and more in this edition of the New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests:

• Andrew Sylvia, Manchester Ink Link
• Josh Rogers, NHPR

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

AG investigation finds NH lawmaker lived outside of his district for more than a year

Former Rep. Troy Merner claimed there are “multiple” other state lawmakers also living outside their districts but declined to provide details or evidence.

In NH swing, Haley looks for momentum — and consensus — from Republican voters

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley used the first stops on her two-day trip to New Hampshire to stress that supporting Ukraine’s resistance to Russia is vital to America’s national security, emphasize that the GOP’s future needn’t involve Donald Trump, and suggest that abortion policies don’t have to be a pitched battle.

High cost of living in NH drives more people to get welfare assistance for the first time

Local welfare administrators say high rental, child care and utility costs in New Hampshire are driving an increase in first-time and elderly clients seeking assistance.

How undocumented immigrants in NH make a living without the right to drive

This summer, neighboring Massachusetts became the fourth state in New England to grant driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. In New Hampshire, not having that simple form of ID weighs on thousands of people, complicating work and family life.

More New Hampshire headlines:

• Tuesday’s victorious mayoral candidates begin laying groundwork for general election
• Fall foliage is coming. But this summer’s rain makes peak color a bit less predictable.
• Buddy Teevens, longtime Dartmouth College football coach, dies at 66
• Culverts, climate change and the future of NH’s Seacoast
• Antisemitic graffiti found at Laconia State School; NH Attorney General and FBI investigating
• Dusty painting purchased for $4 at Manchester, NH thrift store sells at auction for $150,000

The attorney general and secretary of state say former President Donald Trump is eligible to run as a candidate in New Hampshire’s presidential primary- despite his involvement in the events leading to the January 6th insurrection. Also- the state board of education considers whether to allow a conservative media group to provide online classes to New Hampshire high schoolers.

The state is facing a court-imposed deadline to eliminate the practice of holding psychiatric patients in hospital emergency rooms. It's known as ER boarding and has been a long time issue in New Hampshire. So what's the state's plan?

Nursing homes are pushing back on a new Biden Administration proposal to establish minimum staffing requirements. And there's been an increase in harm reduction programs across New Hampshire in recent years as a different approach to addressing the opioid crisis.

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

Guests:

• Paul Cuno-Booth, NHPR
• Amanda Gokee, Boston Globe

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

New England workers face extra hazards from heat and few specific workplace protections

As a heat wave sweeps through New England, many of us are feeling the effects of sweltering weather. But people who work outside, or in hot indoor environments, are particularly at risk for heat illnesses.

Bettencourt and backers stress personal growth at hearing for state’s top insurance job

Gov. Sununu's pick to be NH's insurance commissioner defended a resume marked by both ambition and scandal during his confirmation this week.

Advocates rally against ordinance allowing police to sweet homeless encampments in Manchester

From Boston Globe's Amanda Gokee: The alderman who proposed the ordinance wants police to be able to hand out citations for public camping even if no shelter beds are available.

NH organic certification program at risk of shuttering

From Boston Globe's Amanda Gokee: Local farmers say the loss could harm their businesses, forcing them to pay more on out-of-state certification or lose their organic certification all together.

Legal scholars are debating whether the 14th amendment could disqualify former President Donald Trump from appearing on the presidential primary ballot in New Hampshire. The state Attorney General and Secretary of State say they haven’t taken a position.

Labor Day weekend is usually a turning point for campaigning ahead of the presidential primaries. Candidates’ efforts to win over voters intensifies around this time. Voters tell NHPR’s Josh Rogers that the mood is gloomier than usual this year.

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

Guests:

• Josh Rogers, NHPR
• Steven Porter, The Boston Globe

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

• NH Secretary of State, AG say they've taken no position on Trump candidacy, challenge
• Alleging COVID relief fraud, NH regulators say Andy Sanborn is unfit to run a casino
• Franklin restaurant targeted by white supremacists sues mayor, police chief, over response

More environmental news from NHPR:

• A carbon offset company that bought more than 100,000 acres raises concerns in NH's North Country
• 'Where it rains, it can flood.' Your guide to navigating flood damage and insurance in NH
• What was NH like during the Ice Age? You can find clues at the Flume Gorge — and far beneath some local ponds

Other New Hampshire headlines:

• Low income families struggle with getting childcare in New England
• ‘Loads of Love’: Manchester laundromat's free wash nights offer ‘heavenly’ moments

Manufacturing company Saint-Gobain is closing its plant in Merrimack. That facility has been at the center of a long-running controversy over PFAS contamination in the area.

The company may be closing the plant, but the PFAS contamination left behind isn’t going away. We hear what’s next for residents in the wake of the plant’s closure on this week’s New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests:

• Hadley Barndollar, New Hampshire Bulletin
• Mara Hoplamazian, NHPR
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Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

‘Our work is not done’: Advocates and lawmakers say goodbye to Saint-Gobain

Saint-Gobain has been at the center of concerns over contamination from PFAS — a group of harmful man-made chemicals — for years. The French manufacturing company announced the closure of their Merrimack plant Wednesday morning, citing a larger restructuring effort.

Going out to swim or hike this weekend? Here are some tips to stay safe.

New Hampshire Fish and Game is warning Granite Staters that water conditions are more dangerous than usual.

Flooding wrecked Acworth’s roads twice in two years. Now, leaders are calling for change.Small towns in New Hampshire are still rebuilding from the floods this summer. And as climate change drives more intense rainfall and flooding, some say the process for responding to these disasters needs to change.

More New Hampshire headlines:

• Eyeing more community-based care, NH health officials aim to eventually make nursing homes a last resort
• Heavy rains have led to unsafe conditions at some NH swimming holes
• NH expands efforts to address crimes against older adults
• Mosquitoes abuzz after a summer of heavy rain in NH
• North Country preserve expands by 870 acres, protecting drinking water and floodplains
• NH's coastal communities are trying to protect drinking water access from climate change

The state will see tens of millions of dollars from legal settlements tied to the opioid crisis. At the same time, some federal funding for substance use disorder services will end in the next year or two. How could this affect systems of care the state has built over time?

Guests:

• Paul Cuno-Booth, NHPR
• Amanda Gokee, Boston Globe

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

Strafford County sheriff charged with theft, perjury and falsifying evidence

Sheriff Mark Brave has been arrested and charged with eight felonies as part an investigation into his misuse of county credit cards, the state attorney general announced Thursday.

Saint-Gobain in Merrimack approved for new state operating permit

The permit comes after criticism from Merrimack residents, town officials and environmental activists, many of whom said the company’s record of pollution disqualified it from expansion.

Dartmouth Hitchcock researchers working on nasal vaccine for COVID

The lead researcher says the vaccine would be easier to store and administer and could boost immunity in new ways.

More New Hampshire headlines:

• NH at a crossroads in fighting substance use disorders
• Fewer NH reps have civic experience than in years past. Does that matter?
• NH Supreme Court: Sexual abuse lawsuit against Bishop Guertin stemming from 1990s assault can proceed
• UNH student is part of landmark Montana climate lawsuit

The New Hampshire Board of Education tabled a contract with far-right nonprofit PragerU after hearing public testimony. The group’s application was recommended to the board by Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut.

The Attorney General’s Office is asking a judge to reconsider his decision to dismiss a case against white supremacist group NSC-131. State prosecutors made their argument in court this week.

We discuss these stories and more on this week’s New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests:

• Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin
• Todd Bookman, NHPR

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

State board tables effort to approve PragerU financial literacy course after pushback

Educational leaders, teachers, parents and elected officials spoke against PragerU’s bid to offer a financial literacy course. The far-right nonprofit's application was recommended to the board by Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut.

Commission to study state-run cannabis retail model moves ahead

Gov. Chris Sununu signed a bill this week creating the study commission that will explore a state-run approach to legalizing cannabis. That model is the only legalization approach that Sununu has indicated he would support.

For Manchester arts community, uncertainty after New England College shuts down its city campus

New England College announced it would shut down its Manchester campus earlier this year. For some, the end of the arts program in Manchester feels like a broken promise.

More New Hampshire headlines:

• ‘It's about a change of culture.’ In Littleton, supporting people in recovery is a team effort.
• In northern NH, the opioid crisis is getting worse. Communities are searching for answers — and more attention.
• Another soggy record reached atop Mount Washington
• NH nurse and her young daughter freed, nearly two weeks after abduction in Haiti

Former President Donald Trump plead not guilty in court on Thursday to federal charges related to the efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Trump is also the frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary here in New Hampshire.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrapped up his latest visit to the Granite State this week as he also campaigns for the Republican nomination. We talk about these stories and more on this edition of the New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests:

• Josh Rogers, NHPR
• Steven Porter, Boston Globe

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

NH Republicans size up DeSantis, as he offers harsh rhetoric in primary campaignEvery Republican running for president not named Donald Trump has to hope they benefit from the former president’s latest criminal indictments. But no candidate may need the lift more than the one every poll shows in second place: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

NH had more flash flood warnings in July than any full year on record

According to data from the National Weather Service, the state issued 38 flash flood warnings in July. Until now, the weather agency has never recorded more than 36 flash flood warnings in a year.

Study finds wealth students have admissions advantage at Dartmouth, other Ivies

A new study finds students from the wealthiest families are far more likely to attend Ivy League schools than less affluent peers — and that advantage was especially pronounced at Dartmouth.

More environmental news from New Hampshire:

• NH farmers experience long-term damage after rain, flooding
• Emerald ash borers are killing NH’s ash trees. Meet the wasps that could save them.

Other New Hampshire headlines:

• Seeking an AccuVote replacement, NH election officials take new ballot counting devices for test run
• After documenting the war in Ukraine for over a year, a Seacoast photographer returns to NH
• Approaching absolute zero: A trip to one of the coldest places in New Hampshire

It’s been a tough few years for Granite Staters with the pandemic and inflation. Now, a new study shows one in three New Hampshire adults say they’re struggling to pay for basic household expenses.

And climate experts predict more severe heat waves and more extreme precipitation in New England in the future. What does this mean for farmers?

Guests:

• Paul Cuno-Booth, NHPR
• Amanda Pirani, New Hampshire Bulletin
• Kate Dario, NHPR