The Exchange

We talk to NHPR reporter Paige Sutherland about two topics in her series, " Alternatives - N.H. Gets Creative to Curb Ongoing Opioid Crisis ": an acupuncture detoxification treatment and involuntary commitment.

500 years ago this month, the German monk Martin Luther delivered his 95 theses to an Archbishop of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Reformation was born. Among Luther's complaints about the Catholic Church: the practice of granting indulgences in exchange for good works or acts of piety. Although he didn't intend to cause a religious revolution, Luther would become a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation, inspiring a schism in Christianity that resonates to this day.

For many Americans, the Vietnam War is a long, complex, and oft-misunderstood chapter of American history. But the recent ten-part documentary by filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novak stirred up a national discussion about Vietnam. We speak with four veterans of the war about the documentary, and their own experiences. (Scroll down to read the story of Natt King, another New Hampshire veteran who shared his story with us off the air.)

We preview New Hampshire's mid-term elections. While actual voting is a year away, a crowd of potential candidates is already weighing the possibilities. That's especially true in the First Congressional District: with an open seat and a reputation for being unpredictable. We find out more - also, an update on how President Trump's health care order may affect New Hampshire. GUESTS: On The Health Insurance Executive Order: Governor Chris Sununu Alex Feldvebel - Deputy Commissioner for the N.H.

Gov. Sununu nominates House Speaker Shawn Jasper to be the next Commissioner of Agriculture. Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter announces she won't run for re-election, and speculation begins on who might run for the first congressional district seat. State health official say residents on public water in Merrimack and Bedford have been exposed to toxic chemicals. And the state and EPA differ on the risks posed by a superfund site in North Hampton.

After the Las Vegas massacre, the debate over guns is back, in Congress and in the Granite State. At one point soon after the shooting, it seemed there might be a narrow area of agreement: banning or regulating a device called a "bump-stock" that accelerated gunfire in the most recent mass shooting. Still, as our conversation made plain, vast differences of opinion remain, and common ground may be fast disappearing.

The Gulf of Maine is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and versatile seaweeds, also known as sea vegetables, ocean herbs, or marine macroalgae. We discuss what's fueling the increasing demand for this latest superfood; it's turning up in some surprising places - from sophisticated restaurants to craft breweries. We learn the basics of foraging for seaweeds for use in home cooking, as well as efforts to develop a market for sustainably farmed seaweeds.

Boston commuter cities like Nashua are jumping on the chance to develop a private passenger rail, after years of unsuccessful campaigning for a public rail system. New Hampshire's zoning ordinances and city planning processes are drawing criticism for their contribution to the current over-priced housing market. And millennials get their own commission to help the state appeal to a younger population.

New Hampshire is the Granite State...we like our landscapes and our people to be tough. But New Hampshire is also known for its beauty, our forests and mountains. Our trails, fields, and cold-water coastline. What this state isn’t known for are its islands. But today, we’re changing that. With the end of summer rapidly approaching we're dedicating this episode of The Exchange entirely to the islands of New Hampshire. We’ve got stories from the Seacoast and the Lakes Region to the North Country.

Sen. Maggie Hassan announced she is helping to introduce legislation designed to prevent modifications that allow for the rapid fire of semi-automatic weapons. One of the Manchester VA whistleblowers has announced he will challenge Democrat Annie Kuster in New Hampshire's second district as a Republican. And Granite Staters fill more than 20 trucks with supplies for Puerto Rico, thanks to a N.H. state house drive that exceeded expectations.