“Report: Homelessness In N.H. Down 4 Percent In 2012″
While the headline is good news, as NHPR’s Michael Brindley reports, the report on Granite State homelessness is mixed.
- Source: Nhpr
Amanda Loder
Multi-Platform Reporter
Amanda Loder joined StateImpact New Hampshire following four years of reporting and hosting at Spokane Public Radio in Washington State. She earned a Master's degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University, where she dabbled in both commercial and public media. Amanda is originally from Iowa.
- Email: aloder@nhpr.org
“Furniture Store Sees Success In Selling Prisoner-Made Goods”
Budget cuts at New Hampshire’s Department of Corrections forced it to consider an unusual public-private partnership. The result? An unorthodox destination for last-minute holiday shoppers looking for classic New England arts and crafts.
- Source: Nhpr
“LGC Releases List Of Cities, Towns Owed Refunds”
Elizabeth Dinan of SeacoastOnline.com breaks down how much towns in the region are set to get back from the Local Government Center insurance risk pool surplus. There are also some original documents available for your perusal below the story, so you can see what, if anything, the LGC plans to return to your community in the coming year.
- Source: Seacoastonline
Coalition Of Towns Challenges LGC Refund Plans
Amanda Loder / StateImpact New Hampshire
While the LGC remains the go-to place for municipal services, it's facing continued opposition over its handling of insurance surplus payments
It’s been a busy week on the Local Government Center beat.
Recently, we reported for NHPR that a coalition of 12 towns has banded together to demand what it calls its “fair share” of health insurance surplus payments from the Local Government Center. In the interests of bringing you up to speed, we’ll outline the gist of what happened with this ongoing saga. Continue Reading
What the LGC’s Reorganization Means To Communities (And Taxpayers)
NHPR
The Local Government Center case is incredibly convoluted. But it involves the majority of communities--and taxpayers--in the state
The on-going fight between the state of New Hampshire and one of the nation’s largest insurance risk pool managers is an important one, with millions of dollars of taxpayer money at stake.
It’s also incredibly complicated.
As the Local Government Center implements changes ordered by a hearing officer–even as it appeals the ruling to the state’s Supreme Court–we thought it would be a good time to bring everyone up to speed on the basics of the case, and why it matters. Continue Reading
“Wood Pellet Company From Jaffrey Agrees To $100,000 Fine”
More than a year after a series of explosions and fires at its southwestern New Hampshire plant, New England Wood Pellet has agreed to pay a hefty federal fine–and make safety improvements.
- Source: Unionleader
“For Some N.H. Stores And Shoppers, Thanksgiving Will Be ‘Black Thursday’”
A good rundown of what’s open (and when) for extra-early-bird holiday shoppers in the Granite State.
- Source: Unionleader
What Governor-Elect Hassan’s New Budget Could Look Like
Emily Corwin / NHPR
Maggie Hassan campaigned heavily on budget issues
For political junkies, policy wonks and other assorted budget watchers, February 15th is a big day. That’s the deadline for new Governor Maggie Hassan to submit her proposed FY 2014-2015 budget to the legislature. The House and Senate will then have until the end of this fiscal year, June 30th, to hash out an agreement.
But that long timeline hasn’t prevented speculation. Part of the interest, of course, is that Hassan–a Democrat–was a vocal opponent of budget cuts and tax cuts championed by the last, Republican-run, legislature.
She campaigned on reversing many of those cuts.
So it’s a safe bet that this upcoming budget won’t look just like the last one.
But how, exactly, will it be different? Reporter Ben Leubsdorf of the Concord Monitor offers some clues: Continue Reading
Company Faces OSHA Fine In Fatal Redhook Keg Explosion
Selbe B. / Flickr Creative Commons
OSHA found safety violations at Redhook Brewery in Portsmouth contributed to a fatal keg explosion last spring
Redhook Brewery’s parent company, Craft Brew Alliance, faces $63,500 in fines for safety violations tied to the death of a worker last spring.
In April, 26-year old Ben Harris was killed when a plastic keg he was pressure-cleaning at the Portsmouth brewery exploded. After a six-month investigation, OSHA issued three citations to CBA, covering a series of safety violations ranging from minor to serious.
The Portsmouth Patch runs down the basic list of violations. Robert Cook writes:
“According to [Department of Labor spokesman Edmund] Fitzgerald, the biggest violations that Redhook committed that led to Harris’ death were:
…
- The explosion resulted from excess pressure introduced into the keg from the keg cleanout line.
- The cleanout line lacked an air regulator that would have limited its air pressure to below 60 pounds per square inch or PSI, the maximum air pressure limit recommended by keg manufacturers.
- Other employees who used the cleanout line were exposed to the same hazard while cleaning out steel kegs.”
One of the more mysterious aspects of this accident was the presence of a plastic keg at the brewery in the first place. Continue Reading
Keene Crib Company Adds Jobs Thanks To New Defense Contract (Really)
Sean Freese / Flickr Creative Commons
New Hampshire can now add "baby crib manufacturer" to its eclectic list of Defense contractors
As we’ve frequently noted, New Hampshire’s economy heavily depends on Defense contracting. In the case of large defense-oriented companies like BAE Systems in Nashua, Elbit Systems of America in Merrimack, or GE Aviation in Hooksett, the connection is obvious. And, of course, there are a bevy of smaller high-tech components manufacturers that also benefit from catering to DOD’s needs.
Then there’s Whitney Brothers, Inc. of Keene.
The company makes wooden cribs.
And it seems the Army needs 3,000 of them before 2013. Continue Reading