NH News

One year after Tropical Storm Irene, the recovery process is still in high gear.  

It’s partly about pounding nails and painting walls, but it’s also about planning – and deciding what can be done to minimize the devastation of future storms.

Peter Edlund’s office has four wheels and gets about 40 miles to the gallon.  

As construction analyst for Central Vermont Community Action, Edlund oversees the work of rebuilding homes around the state damaged by Irene.  He spends his days in his car and today he’s in Moretown.

No candidate in the  2012 gubernatorial race benefited more from a major loophole in New Hampshire's political-finance regulations than Republican Kevin Smith. 

State election law limits corporate campaign contributions to $7,000 per election cycle, the same as individual donors. But nothing in the law prohibits multiple limited-liability companies controlled by the same individual to donate on behalf of each LLC, making it easy for wealthy donors to exceed the statutory limits.

You might have seen more than a few political TV ads this summer. Many candidates are gearing up for the general election this November, but New Hampshire still has a Primary coming on September 11th. Granite Staters will be voting to winnow the field of candidates for governor, and these candidates are using TV commercials as part of their campaign strategy.

To analyze these ads we spoke with…

The bipartisan committee of 11 house members will examining what House Speaker Bill O’Brien called the “numerous allegations” made against the commission.

According to O’Brien, the list includes improperly hiring a lobbyist, oppressing state officials, mis-allocating $100,000 in wine, and engaging in bootlegging activities.

O’Brien says the committee will determine if there is mismanagement, waste or illegal activities taking place at the liquor commission.

More than 1,200 patients potentially exposed to the outbreak of Hepatitis C at Exeter Hospital were tested at public clinics last week, according to officials at Health and Human Services.

Anyone who received treatment in Exeter’s intensive care unit or operating rooms between April, 2011 and May of this year has been asked to get tested.

Former employee David Kwiatkowski is accused of reusing syringes of pain medication at the hospital during that time period.

So far, 32 patients have tested positive for matching strains of the blood-borne virus.

The Department of Transportation says the Boston Express is the most successful new bus line in the country.

Democratic candidate for Governor Jackie Cilley is defending breaking with her party to oppose mandatory seatbelt laws and banning pay-day loans. Former State Senator Cilley defended her record on NHPR’s the Exchange with Laura Knoy. Her primary opponent Maggie Hassan has criticized her refusal to support a seatbelt law and outlaw payday loans.

New housing data released today show a continued upswing in residential sales. Twelve-hundred-and-sixty homes were sold in July. That’s a jump of about 20% from a year ago.

John Rice with NH Association of Realtors believes that with sales on the upswing, housing prices may be starting to turn the corner.

“If they are not as low as they are going to get, they’ve got to be close to it," says Rice.

The median sale price in July was $215,000, basically the same as it was in 2011.

Health officials announced today that a Manchester resident has been infected with West Nile Virus.

It’s the first confirmed infection since September, 2010 in New Hampshire.

West Nile Virus first appeared in the state in 2000. Since then, four other humans have contracted the mosquito-borne virus.

National data from the CDC shows that the number of confirmed cases has risen dramatically in recent weeks.

There have also been 41 deaths; more than half in the state of Texas, where over 500 cases have been reported.

New Hampshire apples are already ripe, about two weeks ahead of schedule. They're available at farm stands and farmers' markets, but that doesn't mean you can head to the orchards to pick them yourself –  just yet.

Today, a legislative committee investigating pension privatization issued a request for information from several companies that manage retirement funds. Listen at StateImpact New Hampshire.

Police have canceled this weekend’s fireworks festival in Jaffrey because of a bomb threat.

A hearings officer has ruled the Local Government Center must refund more than $50 million to its clients – New Hampshire cities and towns.

Smuttynose Brewery breaks ground tonight on its new facility in Hampton about 10 miles down the coast from its current location in Portsmouth.

Smuttynose says it’s moving to Hampton to support its growth.

The brewery has been creating craft beers in New Hampshire since 1994. After the company produced 15,000 barrels in 2006, its status changed from a ‘micro-brewery’ to a ‘regional independent brewery.’

But Smuttynose president, Peter Egelston, says there’s more to the move than acquiring more space.

New Hampshire athlete Victoria Arlen headed to Europe Wednesday in preparation for the Paralympics on August 29.

Victoria Arlen’s chances at a medal are pretty good. The Exeter High school senior broke two world records for competitive swimming at the Paralympics trial this past June. Arlen was an avid swimmer before an undiagnosed spinal inflammation put her in a vegetative state at age 11, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down.

Only three years after waking from her coma she broke records in the 100 and 400-meter freestyle, securing her place on the U.S. team.