Michael Brindley

9:50: Shurtleff says, “We need to have common sense any time we use deadly force.” There are some circumstances where we have to use deadly force and retreat is not possible, but “If you’re just involved in a verbal confrontation, just walk away.”

9:46: Boutin says he’s never owned a gun; when asked whether person would be held responsible if bystander shot in Stand Your Ground situation, “Police officers shoot bystanders too…Things like that can happen.”

New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte says states should be able to decide for themselves whether to legalize same-sex marriage.

The United States Supreme Court heard arguments this week challenging Proposition 8, a referendum passed by voters in California that bans same-sex marriage.

Senator Kelly Ayotte says it’s critical that states to be able to make their own decisions on the issue.

Since same-sex marriage became legal in New Hampshire in 2010,  2,257 couples have wedded in the Granite State.

But female couples have been far more likely to get married than men.

Nearly three-quarters of all same-sex marriages conducted in New Hampshire since 2010 have been between two women.

Data from the state Division of Vital Records show 1,634 female couples have exchanged vows in the last three years.

Keene State College has named Anne Huot as its tenth president.

Huot comes to Keene State from the Brockport campus of the State University of New York, where she has been the provost and vice president for academic affairs for the past six years.

She replaces Helen Giles-Gee, who stepped down last year. Jay Kahn is serving as the interim president this year.

Huot will start in July.

Governor Maggie Hassan is making her support for same-sex marriage clear on Facebook.

Like many, she changed her profile photo on Tuesday to a red equality sign, part of an online movement by the Human Rights Campaign.

So did Ann McLane Kuster. 

9:56: Huddleston on UNH School of Law, “It’s been a wonderful partnership so far,” two joint degree programs so far, our faculty have been working on research projects.”  

9:51: On money from collegiate athletics, Huddleston says college sports for overwhelming majority of schools is a “huge money loser.” Says only a handful of institutions able to generate revenue from programs. Hockey and football at UNH “make a little money” for the school.

9:50: Huddleston says UNH has had to explore public/private partnerships because of cuts to budget.

A House Finance Subcommittee wants to scale back state funding being restored to the University System of New Hampshire.

Governor Maggie Hassan has proposed restoring $20 million in fiscal year 2014 and another $15 million in fiscal year 2015 to the university system.

But Representative Dan Eaton says his subcommittee made cuts in this area.

“There’s a $6 million reduction each year in UNH from the governor’s recommended funding.”

The university system also covers Plymouth State University, Keene State College and Granite State College.

The House Finance Committee will consider Tuesday whether to approve a subcommittee recommendation to cut funding for new charter schools over the next two years.

Governor Maggie Hassan has set aside nearly $2.5 million for new charter schools in her budget proposal.

But Representative Dan Eaton said during a budget presentation Monday that his subcommittee recommends freezing funding in two areas of proposed education funding.

“Basically, there’s a moratorium on charter schools and building aid for the biennium.”

A snow day isn’t what it used to be for some students in the Granite State. Many New Hampshire schools are adopting what are known as blizzard bag days.

The concept has been popular among the schools that use it, but the program has yet to take off statewide.

You're 8 years old, and you're excited that there's a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. Then you get a phone message.

“Due to inclement weather and treacherous road conditions, school is canceled for all Governor Wentworth Schools.”

You start thinking snow day. But then...

President Obama has granted New Hampshire’s request for a major disaster declaration for the blizzard that hit the state last month.

The state estimates it cost nearly 5 million dollars to respond to the storm that struck the second weekend of February.

The declaration covers the counties of Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford and Sullivan.

One eligibility requirement for disaster aid is whether counties received record or near-record snowfall. Carroll County got 30.5 inches of snow. Its previous record was 19 inches.

A former state representative and a union president face off Tuesday in a special election to fill a vacant House seat in Manchester.

Republican Win Hutchinson is looking to reclaim the seat he lost representing Manchester in the November election.

His opponent is Democrat Bill O’Neil, who is president of the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

The seat became vacant just after the November election.

Home sale prices in New Hampshire rose sharply last month, marking the largest one-year increase in the six years the data has been tracked by the New Hampshire Association of Realtors.

The median price of single family homes sold in New Hampshire last month was $199,000.

That’s a 12.2 percent increase in median price compared to February of last year.

New Hampshire Association of Realtors President Bill Weidacher says the spike is a result of simple supply and demand economics.

Red River Theatres in Concord is going through a transformation this week. Technicians put the finishing touches on installing digital projection equipment at the nonprofit theatre.

For Barry Steelman, going digital presents an internal conflict.

Steelman is the facilities manager at Red River Theatres. He knows the upgrade will make for a better movie-watching experience.