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As end to federal eviction moratorium approaches, relief applications pile up
With the federal moratorium on evictions ending July 31, there are more than 3,000 rental relief applications pending and about $175 million still available to tenants who need help with utilities, heat, rent, internet, and other housing bills, according to the program’s website. Marta Hurgin, a lawyer with 603 Legal Aid, said her office is […]
Here’s what you need to know about the monthly child tax credit payments
Big changes to the child tax credit, especially new monthly payments for each child, have made child care bills, rent, and car repairs easier to cover. But they’ve also triggered questions among parents and even fears that the government will try to recoup the money, as the state did with some unemployment benefits. “A lot […]
Officials report 22 current hospitalizations, three deaths this week related to COVID-19
Over 99 percent of COVID-19 deaths in a several-state study over the last six months were unvaccinated people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reported the number while urging more people to get vaccinated. In New Hampshire, that data is not being closely tracked for deaths or hospitalizations, Gov. Chris Sununu […]
State officials urge administration to open Canadian border
New Hampshire officials are calling on the Biden administration to change course on the decision, announced Wednesday, to extend the closure of the Canadian border another month. Canada has announced that its border will be opening to vaccinated Americans as of Aug. 9. But in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security announced that […]
Public employers also receive guidance on ‘divisive concepts’ from Attorney General’s Office
This story was updated July 22, 2021 at 3 p.m. with information from the state Attorney General’s Office. In addition to guidance for school officials, the state Attorney General’s Office has also released advice for public employers on upholding the state’s new “divisive concepts” law during trainings. The public employer guidance says the new law […]
U.S. House passes PFAS bill regulating ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water
WASHINGTON – The U.S. House Wednesday passed bipartisan legislation that would regulate toxic chemicals found in drinking water, as well as designate two types of those toxic chemicals as hazardous substances that would spark federal cleanup standards. The bill, H.R. 2467, also known as the PFAS Action Act of 2021, passed 241-183, with 23 Republicans […]
Taxation, open spaces, and the great divide over current use
When Rusty Keith looked at the numbers, it seemed wrong. Then serving as a selectman in Lyme, Keith was taken aback to see that the poorest residents were subsidizing the taxes of the wealthiest landowners in the rural western New Hampshire town. Because of a tax policy called current use, it was completely legal. “They […]
State releases ‘divisive concepts’ guidance for educators, public employers
This story was updated July 22, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. with a statement from NEA-NH. Public school educators will not be violating the state’s new “divisive concepts” law if their lessons on slavery, the civil rights movement, and the treatment of marginalized people leave some students feeling “uncomfortable,” according to guidance issued Wednesday evening by […]
U.S. Senate Republicans block advance of bipartisan infrastructure plan, but talks continue
WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats’ attempt to start debate on a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan was blocked by Republicans on a party-line vote Wednesday, as lawmakers hustle to wrap up negotiations over drafting that legislation. In the 49-51 test vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., switched his vote to “no,” a procedural move that […]
Legislation aims to reduce amount of food waste that ends up in landfills
Two bills introduced to both the U.S. House and Senate last Friday aim to help tackle climate change by reducing food waste. U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, was one of the lawmakers to introduce the legislation. Climate change and food waste are connected because discarded food sent to landfills […]
Democrats unite around ‘climate corps’ that could employ youth, prevent fires
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged on Tuesday to include a Civilian Climate Corps in a $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill later this year, as a broad swath of Democrats rallied around a framework of employing thousands of young people to do conservation work. Schumer, D-N.Y., appeared with a handful of congressional Democrats, led by […]
How will the state’s new ‘divisive concepts’ law affect municipal training programs?
Since 2016, the city of Manchester has used a catchy mnemonic for its employee training: SPIRIT. The acronym stands for Service, Pride, Integrity, Respect, Initiative, and Teamwork, and forms the backbone of the city’s training efforts for employees and supervisors. But this summer, organizers of the trainings have added a new disclaimer: The instructional sessions […]