One out of ten houses in New Hampshire is a seasonal home; the homeowners pay taxes, just like everyone else, while demanding only a handful of services. But that could change if aging owners decide to retire here, turning their vacation homes into year-round residences.
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New Hampshire has the second highest rate of young people abusing prescription medications
New Hampshire is one of only two states in the country that does not have a prescription drug monitoring program. The other state without one is Missouri. But New Hampshire has another distinction– the second highest rate of prescription drug abuse among young people in the nation. The increase in abuse of prescription medications such as Oxycontin, Percocet and methadone has led to an increase in emergency room visits and an increase in deaths. Currently more people die here from drug overdose than from traffic accidents.
That’s sobering news for a state with a major prescription drug problem. New Hampshire lawmakers have consistently rejected setting up a statewide database that would allow health professionals and law enforcement to find out who is getting commonly abused prescription medications. The argument here in the “Live Free or Die” state is that documenting residents’ prescription drug use is a violation of their privacy.
The Obama administration disagrees. The White House sent its Drug Czar Gil Kerliowske to the state to defend the drug monitoring program. Kerlikowske says states can create a program that protects individual privacy rights. Continue Reading
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The AP offers another take on the challenges facing The Balsams Grand Resort, and other historic hotels across the country
New Hampshire’s grand hotels–including The Balsams Grand Resort at Dixville Notch–are the focus of an AP piece today examining how historic hotels nationwide are struggling in a bad economy.
The fact that the Balsams is having a hard time is not really news to anyone who’s been keeping up with the hotel’s saga. But here’s an interesting tidbit the article brings up:
“At The Balsams…there’s been talk about putting in a new roof, insulation and windows. While occupancy rates have been good, one concern is improving energy efficiency. The hotel runs on steam heat generated by a biomass plant that was used in past years to run Neil Tillotson’s nearby factory. Continue Reading
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New Hampshire is among the top ten states with the most expensive health insurance
By this time you might know that New Hampshire has some of the highest health insurance rates in the country. The state is among the 10 most expensive places in the US to buy health insurance. At the same time we rank second in the nation, right behind Massachusetts, for high numbers of private employers who offer health coverage for their workers. The latest figures show that almost 100 percent of large businesses in New Hampshire provide health insurance and about 50 percent of small business buy some form of coverage for their employees.
But in a market where the average health insurance plan now costs families more than $15,000 per year, how are the state’s small businesses paying for those health plans and what are they getting for their money? Continue Reading
Matthew Hurst / Flickr
Under new ownership...
BJ’s Wholesale Club has new owners, and its common stock will be falling off the New York Stock Exchange…at least for now. In a press release issued today, private equity firms Leonard Green&Partners and CVC Capital Partners announced they bought the club. According to the announcement, BJ’s stockholders approved the sale earlier this month. The company’s current stockholders will get $51.25 per share, and BJ’s (NYSE: BJ) will be removed from NYSE common stock by the beginning of business this Monday.
According to the announcement, this deal had been in the works since the end of June.
The AP reports Leonard Green and CVC bought the company for $2.8 billion.
“It was considered an attractive target because membership-based warehouse club operators were among the businesses that performed well during the recession as consumers looked to stretch their dollars further. They have continued to perform well during the ongoing economic uncertainty plaguing the US.”
Among its 190 warehouses nationwide, BJ’s Wholesale Club has six outposts scattered throughout New Hampshire. They’re located in Hooksett, Nashua, Portsmouth, Salem, Tilton, and West Lebanon.
Tracy Lee Carroll / Flickr
The debate over the Northern Pass power project is heating up
There’s another wrinkle in the Northern Pass controversy, with a number of smaller New England utilities–and potential Northern Pass competitors–coming out in opposition to the project. Annmarie Timmins reports today in the Concord Monitor that the New England Power Generators Association objects to Northern Pass on a number of grounds:
“Changes to the state’s eminent domain law and renewable energy requirements topped the list of concerns aired by the New England Power Generators Association.
High on the list too was a loss of jobs if Northern Pass puts smaller energy providers out of business. The group represents 16 generators of power, including gas, oil, nuclear and hydro, in New England. In a five-page paper released yesterday, the association urged state and civic leaders as well as lawmakers to consider those concerns before supporting Northern Pass.
“We feel like in order for this project to go forward, (Northern Pass officials) are seeking special treatment that our members . . . wouldn’t be able to get,” said Sandi Hennequin, vice president of the association. Such advantages, she said, would give…Northern Pass such a financial advantage, its competitors couldn’t compete and other, smaller sources of energy wouldn’t be developed.
Martin Murray, spokesman for Northern Pass, could not be reached for comment.”
By publicly coming out against the Northern Pass project, Timmins reports, the New England Power Generators Association joins the ranks of other dissenters, primarily environmental groups.
Frank O'Dwyer
New Hampshire has one of the highest percentages of baby boomers in the US
New Hampshire has a higher percentage of baby boomers on average than most of the nation: 30 percent.
“Relative to the rest of the country we have a larger proportion of that 45-65 age group.” says Steve Norton, Director of New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies. The Center released a report today looking at what will happen to healthcare costs in New Hampshire once all those boomers age into retirement.
The study found that by 2020 –the not so distant future–the state’s health care needs will be greater, and costlier, than they are today as boomers age. Continue Reading
There’s no doubt the US Postal Service is struggling. It faces a multi-billion dollar deficit, and is considering closing thousands of post offices. For years, the USPS has been complaining that email is eating into its market share. And they’re probably right. After all, how many letters, cards, and packages do you usually get in a week? What you’re more likely seeing in your mailbox is exactly what I’m seeing: mountains of ads, address labels, and catalogs you never asked for, and don’t want.
All of this commercial detritus begs the question: How much is junk mail propping up the US Postal Service?
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You'd be surprised at how important junk mail is to the Postal Service.
Andreas Rentz / Getty Images
New Hampshire ranks second in the nation for insured employees.
The US Census Bureau delivered some interesting numbers that are difficult to understand. New Hampshire’s private sector workers have the second highest rate of health insurance in the US. Massachusetts, with its mandated coverage, is number one. That state requires larger employers to provide health insurance to employees. But how did New Hampshire with its relatively small number of large businesses and its mostly hands off approach to government regulation get the number two spot?
Patrick Lauke / Flickr
The declining US Postal Service was the subject of a phone call...and now, it's the subject of a set of blog posts
My Mom is a one-woman focus group. I call her “America.” She’s your average Baby Boomer with a mid-level office job in the middle of the country. She loves the sitcom “Two And A Half Men” (at least, when Charlie Sheen was on), she’s a faithful “American Idol” viewer, and she always knows who will win presidential elections. But most importantly, she has an uncanny ability to tell me exactly which broadcast stories and blog posts will move, and why.
The other night, we were talking on the phone about the US Postal Service’s financial problems. With a $9.2 billion deficit, the USPS is teetering on the brink of insolvency. And in response, the agency is seriously considering closing about 3,600 facilities across the country. My home state of Iowa, where Mom still lives, could see 178 post offices close. Meanwhile, New Hampshire could see five of its USPS outposts shuttered. Postal distribution centers in Portsmouth and Nashua could also be consolidated with other facilities out-of-state.
Mom and I agreed that this was A Very Big Deal.
(And I promise you, this has everything to do with StateImpact.)
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