Briefs
Biden signs stopgap spending bill, avoiding government shutdown
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has signed the stopgap spending bill, giving his administration and Congress about two months to work out agreement on the dozen annual spending bills. Those appropriations measures were supposed to become law by the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, but disagreement about whether to adhere to the […]
VA secretary says agency will cooperate with investigation into veterans crisis line
WASHINGTON – Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough sought to defend the veterans crisis line Wednesday in a letter to the Kansas senator who has raised concerns with how some veterans are treated after calling it. McDonough wrote in the three-page letter to Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran that the VA “takes any allegations […]
Parental rights case divides New Hampshire Supreme Court
A lower court’s decision to terminate a mother’s parental rights has divided the state Supreme Court, resulting in two justices arguing the other three are using the bench to write state policy. The case involves a mother who while living in Maine was convicted of sexually assaulting one of her children. A Maine court sentenced […]
After frozen feet 911 call, Fish and Game warns about winter conditions in White Mountains
After a hiker on Mount Carrigain called 911 over the weekend reporting his feet were frozen, the state’s Fish and Game Department is warning that winter conditions are already very much present in the White Mountains. The 22-year-old hiker from Newport phoned for help on Saturday, Nov. 11 around 11:30 a.m., saying he’d been separated […]
Federal dollars helping DNA backlog at state’s forensic laboratory
Cases requiring DNA analysis are currently taking more than 10 months to analyze at the State Police Forensic Laboratory, the sole provider of such services in the state. A series of federal DNA Backlog Reduction grants awarded to the state Department of Safety will hopefully assist in increasing throughput, the department wrote to the Fiscal […]
Department of Energy will make new hires with federal funding
The state’s Department of Energy is slated to hire three people to manage two pots of federal dollars – one for efficiency and home electrification rebates, and the other for outage prevention and grid resiliency. The bulk of $568,000 in Inflation Reduction Act money accepted by the Executive Council on Wednesday will go toward two […]
Executive Council to vote on extending Doorway contracts
Executive councilors on Wednesday will vote on a request to extend contracts for The Doorway, the state’s hub and spoke approach to addressing substance use disorders. The Doorway is made up of nine locations throughout that state, each intended to provide a single entry point for individuals seeking assistance with addiction and recovery. The program […]
Key NH housing panel recommends 88,000 new housing units by 2040
A panel of housing experts is recommending that New Hampshire aim to build 88,000 new housing units by 2040 – echoing recent research that found that target is necessary to adequately reverse the state’s housing crisis. At its Oct. 24 meeting, the Council on Housing Stability agreed to adopt the goal, which follows the Fair […]
NH would see $31 million more for child care under Biden’s request to Congress
The Biden administration’s request to Congress for $16 billion in new child care funding would bring New Hampshire $31 million, according to a White House announcement Thursday. The money would benefit an estimated 320 providers and 29,700 children, the White House’s communication office said. “This directly relates to the biggest issue that families face today […]
Sununu joins call for Biden to abandon proposed staffing requirements for long-term care facilities
Gov. Chris Sununu has joined health care leaders in calling on the Biden administration to abandon proposed minimum staffing requirements for long-term care facilities as providers struggle to fill existing jobs. In a letter to Biden Wednesday, Sununu and 14 other Republican governors warned the proposed requirements from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services […]
Open enrollment for ACA health insurance begins
If you buy your health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace or want to, Wednesday is the first day you can change plans or enroll in a new one. There are two other dates to remember: Enrollment will end Jan. 15, 2024, but if you want coverage to begin Jan. 1, you must enroll […]
Biden launches ‘Investing in Rural America’ push with Cabinet officials
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and administration officials are kicking off an “Investing in Rural America” event series, starting with a visit to a Minnesota farm Wednesday to announce nearly $5 billion for conservation, economic development, and “climate smart” agriculture. Biden, who is running for reelection in 2024, has been highlighting what the administration calls […]