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The Common Core State Standards, a set of goal posts for public school students that have been adopted by 45 states, are well on their way to being implemented in New Hampshire. But those same standards are at the center of a widening backlash in other states that hasn’t really caught on in New Hampshire.

Support and opposition to the Common Core does not break down cleanly along party lines. On the one hand, Florida’s former Republican governor Jeb Bush is a big supporter of the standards, as are many liberal politicians.

Nearly a year after the Local Government Center was ordered to restructure and repay $52 million to communities, the organization has laid out its overhaul proposal. 

Governor Maggie Hassan, House Speaker Terie Norelli and Senate Minority Leader Sylvia Larsen all say expanding Medicaid under so-called Obamacare is a good deal for NH:  About 60,000 more people would have insurance,  and $2.5B would flow to the state at a cost of about $85M over seven years. Republicans in the senate didn’t include expansion in their budget, and instead have proposed a commission to study the issue. But Senator Larsen and Speaker Norelli say they support exploring whether expansion can take even if the Senate opposes it.

Congressional delegation members in Northern New England are looking for a down payment to help replace another aging span in the Seacoast.

All eight members of the New Hampshire and Maine congressional delegation have sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.

In it, they’re voicing support for a possible $25 million dollar federal transportation grant. 

If approved, it would be applied toward the $160 million cost for a new bridge to replace the aging Sarah Long Bridge between Portsmouth and Kittery, Maine. 

The top stories of the week for May 27 - June 2.

The NH Senate will be voting on its budget this Thursday; their plan calls for $10.7 billion in spending over two years, coming just under the House's budget, which calls for $11b, but doing it with large policy differences. One of those differences is Medicaid expansion, which the Governor and House favor. Looking forward to the 2014 US Senate election, in which incumbent Jeanne Shaheen is expected to run for re-election, Jim Rubens has been added to the list of possible Republican contenders, along with Jeb Bradley, Frank Guinta, and Scott Brown.

Governor Maggie Hassan is set to sign three pieces of legislation into law this week.

Gov. Hassan will be joined by a group of students in Derry on Tuesday, when she signs HB 535 into law.

The bill establishes the white potato as the state vegetable.

It’s believed the first white potato grown in North America was grown in Derry in 1719. Students from the town advocated for the legislation to be passed.

As New Hampshire marked the fourth anniversary of legalizing same-sex marriage today, Former Republican Congressman Charlie Bass joined a group calling for national marriage equality.

As a congressman in 1996, Charlie Bass voted for the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal benefits to same-sex couples.

But in late 2012, just before leaving office after losing his bid for re-election, he changed his position, supporting a bill to repeal the law.

We don’t often hear about seafood in our beer but it’s actually not new. Oyster stout was the traditional seafood beer in the 18th century when regular stouts were accompanied by oysters in local taverns and pubs. Later, oysters were incorporated into the brewing process which was first documented in the 1930s. That’s what we call “oyster stout” today. It fell out of fashion for a few decades but as craft beers become increasingly popular in New England, several brands are coming out with their own take. Harpoon did an oyster stout a few years ago and, last year, Dogfish Head made a very bitter chocolate lobster beer.

Lots of people climb Mount Washington. But a North Country non-profit group is wants help to go beyond a normal ascent.

They need people for the Sunrise Ascent to help push and pull two children and three adults with disabilities to the top.

NHPR’s Chris Jensen reports.

Sandy Olney is the head of Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country and she cherishes her volunteers but she calls them mules.

As this school year comes to a close, teachers are preparing for next fall, when a massive transition will begin. Starting next year, schools are expected to align their teaching to the Common Core State Standards. Those standards are a set of learning goals for public school students that have been adopted in 45 states and the District of Colombia. Released in 2010, they lay out what students should know when they finish each grade.

This episode of State of the Re:Union visits our neighbors across the Connecticut. Best of Public Radio airs Sundays at 3 p.m.

Serenity Place is a substance abuse recovery center in Manchester, offering detox programs and education to those struggling to overcome addiction. For Stephanie, Serenity Place provided a solid foundation for her recovery from drug and alcohol problems.