Politics
Biden pardons his son Hunter despite previous pledges not to
By ZEKE MILLER, ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and COLLEEN LONG
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the...
Squirrels, magic mushrooms and cat claws: A look at New Hampshire’s offbeat bills
By SRUTHI GOPALAKRISHNANand CHARLOTTE MATHERLY
From a social media-famous squirrel named Peanut that’s inspiring legislative action to hot-button issues like cat declawing, hallucinogenic mushrooms and sticky rodent traps, New Hampshire’s State House docket is set to feature some quirky...
‘It hits government too’: With cuts on the horizon, here’s what to know about New Hampshire’s next budget cycle
By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY
It’s no secret that New Hampshire’s headed toward leaner times. Outgoing Gov. Chris Sununu hoped to get ahead of the revenue problem by asking state agencies to reduce their budgets requests.Still, this year’s proposals totaled $17 billion – more than...
New attempt made to drop circumcision from Medicaid coverage in NH
By RICK GREEN
New Hampshire lawmakers will consider next year whether the state should end Medicaid coverage for routine circumcision, an elective procedure frequently done on newborn boys.The proposed legislation is similar to House Bill 1683, which the N.H. House...
Chances for pot legalization in NH seem to dim
By RICK GREEN
New Hampshire lawmakers will pursue efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use next year, but their chances seem slim, with Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte and new state Senate President Sharon Carson in firm opposition.“Hopes have dimmed to near zero...
‘Trash juice’ gets a legislative spotlight following management failures
By CLAIRE SULLIVAN
When it rains over a landfill, water trickles through the waste, picking up contaminants in the trash and forming a polluted liquid called leachate.Lawmakers will consider a bill next session that would create more comprehensive requirements around...
New Hampshire lawmakers to revisit medically assisted death in next legislative session
By SRUTHI GOPALAKRISHNAN
Legislation allowing terminally ill individuals to legally end their lives through medication is back on the table for next year’s legislative session but with one change – patients would be prohibited from taking the prescribed medication in public...
A law enforcement resume helped Kelly Ayotte rise. It may also shape how she leads.
By JOSH ROGERS
Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte sometimes describes the time she spent leading the New Hampshire Department of Justice as serving as “the people’s lawyer.” But from the moment she launched her run for governor this year, Ayotte tended to highlight one...
Republicans push to extend new voter ID law next year; Democrats seek repeal
By ETHAN DeWITT
The new law that will require hard proof of voter ID and citizenship to vote in New Hampshire just barely took effect – six days after the Nov. 5 general election.But already, Republican and Democratic lawmakers are seeking to change it this...
Ayotte forms Public Safety Task Force to tackle labor shortages, bail reform
By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY
State leaders warned of climbing labor shortages throughout New Hampshire’s government agencies during budget hearings this month and Governor-elect Kelly Ayotte plans to tackle that issue.Ayotte assembled a Public Safety Task Force, her transition...
On the trail: Sununu’s swan song
By PAUL STEINHAUSER
MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — Gov. Chris Sununu was busy making the rounds this week, as he attended his final annual winter meeting of the Republican Governors Association after eight years steering New Hampshire.Sununu is in his final weeks of serving as...
Advocates urge legislative panel to reject proposed landfill regulations
By CLAIRE SULLIVAN
North Country advocates are asking a legislative committee to object to the Department of Environmental Services’ proposed updates to its landfill rules, arguing they aren’t protective enough and were overly shaped by industry interests.The Joint...
Ayotte looks to balance budget without cutting state services
By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY
The budget ball is in Kelly Ayotte’s court.After 50 state agencies presented their budget proposals for the 2026-27 cycle, the governor-elect has about three months to piece together her draft spending plan and present it to the state Legislature.Her...
What’s next for the state’s education minimum standards?
By RHIANWEN WATKINS
Long-awaited updates to New Hampshire’s education minimum standards for schools, otherwise known as the 306s, are being voted on this Thursday by the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, known as JLCAR.On Aug. 14, the State Board of...
Karoline Leavitt, at age 27, will be the youngest White House press secretary
By MICHELLE L. PRICE
President-elect Donald Trump named Karoline Leavitt, a former Congressional candidate from New Hampshire, to serve as his White House press secretary.Leavitt, 27, currently a spokesperson for Trump’s transition, would be the youngest White House press...
On the trail: Ayotte sits down and talks priorities as transition from Sununu is underway
By PAUL STEINHAUSER
Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte says that the transition process between her incoming administration and that of current Gov. Chris Sununu is underway.“We’ve already met several times,” Ayotte said from her transition office in Concord, just over a week after...
As EFA program grows, Democrats push for more oversight
By ETHAN DeWITT
New Hampshire’s education freedom account program grew by 12 percent over the past year, the Department of Education announced Thursday. But as Republican lawmakers seek to expand the program and potentially remove all income limits, Democrats...
Under an emboldened Republican legislature, Democrats push for more accountability on Education Freedom Accounts
By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY
Republican Sen. Ruth Ward argued that Education Freedom Accounts – and the outcomes for students who use them – are measured well enough already. Democrats disagreed, saying they want more oversight on what those roughly 5,300 students are...
State Senate leadership, bill requests, recounts, and more: Tracking the Election Day ripples
By CLAIRE SULLIVAN and ETHAN DeWITT
A week past Election Day, a clearer picture has emerged of legislative priorities, voter turnout, and results ranging from Executive Council seats to a proposed constitutional amendment.Both parties – Republicans with bolstered control and Democrats...
On the trail: 2026 starts to come into focus
By PAUL STEINHAUSER
Votes are still being counted in some states across the country, and some races have yet to be called in the 2024 election.But in New Hampshire, the campaign spotlight will quickly shift to the state’s 2026 Senate election, which will likely be one of...
Your Daily Puzzles
An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."
A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.
Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.
Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.
Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.
