The Exchange

The Exchange explores the Lakes Region as part of our ongoing series, Going Local . The Lakes Region is a huge tourism draw, featuring outdoor recreation from boating to bike week. Yet the region struggles with maintaining a strong workforce and providing affordable housing for people living and working there year-round.

This year, New Hampshire is experiencing a 22 percent increase in traffic fatalities. With the relatively recent introduction of a hands-free driving law, and vehicle safety features increasing every year, it raises the question: What is driving this increase in traffic deaths? We check in with some of the people on the front lines of New Hampshire's highway safety, and ask what we can do to prevent more fatalities on our roads and highways.

As part of a series of interviews with GOP candidates in the 2nd Congressional District primary, we sit down with Brian Belanger. Belanger is a native of New Boston, and a business owner in the region. He is running his campaign with an emphasis on border security. " NH Primary Source: New Boston businessman Belanger jumps into 2nd District U.S. House race ," from WMUR. "Campaign Cash Snapshot: 2nd Congressional District, " from NHPR.

We talk with the author of "Small Town, Big Oil" about a David-and-Goliath tale of community activism that played out in N.H. In 1973, Aristotle Onassis, arguably the richest man in the world, proposed to build the world's biggest oil refinery in the town of Durham. We learn about the three women who led the fight against the project: activist Nancy Sandberg; Dudley Dudley, a freshman state representative; and Phyllis Bennett, a local newspaper publisher who alerted the public to Onassis' secret

State Sen. Jeff Woodburn arrested on domestic violence and assault charges, followed by calls for his resignation. Governor Sunuu's commission on diversity is inciting some strong - and some say racially charged - reactions. Rudy Giuliani, former New York City Mayor, visits the state to endorse Republican Eddie Edwards in his bid for N.H.'s First Congressional district. New Hampshire Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut condemns a statement by a departmental spokesman that has been called

Job growth in the Granite State is still healthy - while wage growth remains slow. Consumers seem in the mood to spend, but some local retailers say they lack shoppers. And New Hampshire's housing crunch just gets tighter -- especially for renters.

State Sen. Jeff Woodburn arrested on domestic violence and assault charges, followed by calls for his resignation. Rudy Giuliani, former New York City Mayor, visits the state to endorse Republican Eddie Edwards in his bid for N.H.'s First Congressional district. New Hampshire Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut condemns a statement by a departmental spokesman that has been called racist. And prosecutors say a former Wolfeboro dog breeder found guilty of animal abuse misled the court during her

We look at the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region as part of our series, Going Local . The area is a hub for research, healthcare, and academia, and it hosts popular spots for winter and summer recreation. But the region also struggles with a high cost of living, meaning long commutes for many.

Mt. Washington is an icon in New Hampshire, and "The White Mountain" author Dan Szczesny spent 365 days there as a hiker, cook, weather observer and journalist. We discover the hidden culture and characters who populate the mountain's rugged landscape and take up the challenge of the extreme weather. Szczesny seeks to understand the outsized mystique of "the rockpile" and its role in our passion for exploration and discovery.

In this Race for the 1st conversation, The Exchange talks with Paul Cardinal , a Democrat running in the closely watched race for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District. Cardinal is a lifelong resident and businessman in New Hampshire, where he works with Connection, Inc. He is running his campaign with a focus on campaign finance reform, marijuana legalization, and restoring net neutrality. Our Race for the First conversations focus on the issues at the forefront in the CD1 race, including