Latest Links: Needy Not Using Nutritional Assistance Program, Making The Case For Retail Jobs, And How To Pay For Hiking Rescues

New Hampshire’s Economic and Business News In Brief:

N.H. Sees Drop In Nutritional Program For Women And Children – “More New Hampshire mothers and their children qualify for nutritional assistance, but fewer are taking advantage of the program.” Eagle-Tribune

Industry Group Exec Makes A Case For Benefits Of Retail Jobs – According to the president and CEO of the Retail Merchants Association of New Hampshire, recent negative comments in the media regarding retail employment “are the same old tired, misguided assumptions about pay in the retail industry made by those without data and up-to-date information. A recent report issued by Brian Gottlob of PolEcon Research helps to dispel those untruths and show that retail provides good-paying jobs and opportunities for growth in a retail career.” The Concord Monitor

Rochester Couple Join Fight Against DOMA – …. “When Wil decided to go back to school for an advanced degree and could not join his partner’s health plan, the reality hit them both — their rights as a couple weren’t the same as those established for others. ‘We didn’t lobby. We didn’t protest. We, quite frankly, wanted to live our lives,’ Wil said. ‘It’s not until we found the effects of these laws and these restrictions that we felt we should be a part of the cause.’” Foster’s Daily Democrat

Paying The Tab For Rescuing Unprepared Hikers Is An Uphill Climb – “The cost of searching for hikers who get lost in the state’s vast outdoor playground annually reaches more than $300,000 a year, with much of the money siphoned away from funds intended to provide services to hunters and fishermen.” The Union Leader