Police: Cache of drugs, gun seized in search

Concord police said they seized a cache of drugs during a search of a Joffre Street address following a tip from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police about illegal drugs being shipped through the mail.

End of life options bill shelved for the remainder of legislative session

By SRUTHI GOPALAKRISHNAN

The end-of-life options bill will remain off the table for the rest of this legislative session after a failed attempt on Thursday to bring it back for discussion.

‘Open up some doors’: Concord urged to make itself more attractive to developers

By CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN

After a push to reimagine the way the city regulates development was quietly abandoned, the City of Concord will pursue changes to some zoning rules in the coming months to the relief of local business leaders.

‘Like my child had died’: For parents trying to help their kids, New Hampshire’s mental health system forces a hard decision

By MICHAELA TOWFIGHI

The top stair was Nicole Sheaff’s bed for months.

Pittsfield schools facing major shortfall caused by longstanding financial mismanagement

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

The Pittsfield School District is facing a shortfall of roughly $1 million due to longstanding financial mismanagement, according to interim superintendent Lori Lane.

Concord Hospital leaders assure mayor they're committed to Laconia campus

By GABRIEL PERRY

Councilors at their meeting on Monday night heard from Mayor Andrew Hosmer that his meeting with leaders at Concord Hospital went well, and included assurances they’re sticking around Laconia long-term.

Legislators advance ban on sexual content in schools, plus 5 GOP-led bills on transgender issues

By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY

House lawmakers passed what’s effectively a statewide ban on sexual content in K-12 schools on Thursday, which would also create a complaint and appeals process for parents to challenge books they feel are inappropriate.

Republicans move forward with three different plans to expand EFAs

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Republican politicians are pushing forward three different plans for expanding New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account program.

Arts Alley in Concord on schedule for summer openings

By DAVID BROOKS

Downtown Concord has been watching the construction work on what will be Arts Alley for months, but not everything is visible from the sidewalk. Not by a long shot.

Turning down school resource officer and adding maintenance spending, Concord School Board approves $111.5 million budget

By CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN

Narrowly turning down the addition of a School Resource Officer at the middle school while increasing facility maintenance spending, the Concord Board of Education unanimously approved a roughly 2.75% budget increase for 2025-2026, bringing its general fund spending to $111.5 million.

As Ayotte’s COGE digs deeper, here’s where they’re looking to save state money and time

By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY

Selling state-owned properties, streamlining equipment purchases and outsourcing government services prevailed as some of the leading ideas among a group of New Hampshire business leaders as they spit-balled ideas to curb state spending.

Back to drawing board for Franklin opera house

By DANIEL SARCH

Acting City Manager Scott Clarenbach brought new information to a Franklin city council workshop Monday about the cost of renovations to Soldiers Memorial Hall, the building which houses City Hall and the Franklin Opera House.

Mother of son killed by drunk driver joins Governor’s task force for safer roads

By SRUTHI GOPALAKRISHNAN

Beth Shaw spent years pushing for tougher penalties on drunk drivers after a repeat offender killed her son in Bow in 2018.

Ascent Training and Performance gym transcends barriers for entry to fitness

By ALEXANDER RAPP

Their motto speaks volumes about the type of business they wanted to create.

Want to ‘sip and stroll’ outside with an alcoholic beverage? The N.H. House thinks you do

By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY

Picture this: You’ve finished enjoying dinner and drinks at a restaurant, and you pour your alcoholic beverage into a to-go cup. You can bring it home or sip it as you wander around downtown.

Plan released for strengthening New Hampshire food system, reaching ambitious food production goal

By REBECA PEREIRA

In 2023, a coalition of organizations across New England began exploring what it might mean for the region to produce 30% of the food we consume by 2030.

Hopkinton faces leadership changes at town and school district level

By SRUTHI GOPALAKRISHNAN

Hopkinton is preparing for two major departures this year as town administrator Neal Cass and school superintendent Michael Flynn get ready to move on.

‘We’re still there’: Ascentria resolved to continue support for refugees despite federal funding halt

By CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN

Amid federal funding cuts forcing staff reductions, Ascentria Care Alliance is working to maintain its ability to provide refugees coming to New Hampshire with services.

Competing bills take aim at ‘surprise billing’ for ambulances

By DAVID BROOKS

The thorny question of how much patients should pay for ambulance service is moving through the legislature with competing bills in the House and Senate. So far, there’s agreement on one thing: The current system of “balance billing” or “surprise billing” by insurance companies is broken.