On June 21, Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed a bill that would have abolished the death penalty in the state of New Hampshire. Twice before in the Granite State has capital punishment come very close to its demise, with an abolishment bill making it to the governor’s office, only to be vetoed each ...
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic and historic events of our time. Most feel it pales in comparison to another momentous event of that year, when Nashuans were glued to their TV sets watching the late Neil Armstrong proclaim, “One small step,” while becoming the ...
As the first-in-the-nation state, with the eyes of the world upon us, ensuring that New Hampshire’s elections are fair and secure could not be more important. Yet for far too long, too many lawmakers and state officials have used unfounded claims of voter fraud as a poor excuse to keep ...
July began with a developing heat wave that began on the final day of June. Hot and oppressively humid weather would linger across the region through July 6. Seven consecutive days would reach or exceed 90 degrees for a high temperature bringing the Gate City its fourth-longest heat wave on ...
“We know very little of what it might be like to be a bird. If we did, we would be awestruck.” – Sy Montgomery, Birdology. What do you think when you hear a bird sing? When you see a bird fly, soar, glide, perch, dive? The great mystery is that while birds are some of the most common ...
Granite Staters have worked for decades to create a vibrant and diverse economy that has attracted and helped grow innovative companies in fields including microelectronics, health care, advanced manufacturing and others. A tribute to this strong economy is one of the lowest unemployment rates ...
Happy Birthday Americans with Disabilities Act and Medicaid. July 26 marked the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. July 30 marked the 53rd anniversary of Medicaid, signed into law by President Lyndon B. ...
Nothing tugs on the emotions more than the cries of a child. Reasoning and circumstance go by the wayside, because one’s focus is on that poor child. You’re caught up in the moment and you don’t care why the child is crying, you just want to help the child stop crying. Nobody likes to see ...
There is no disappointment as perversely anticlimactic as when an expected debacle fails to materialize. Mention the three little letters, “DMV,” to almost any American and he will blanch, frown, mutter un-Christian language or even fall prostrate to the ground. A trip to the Department ...
“The true cognoscenti know graphic novels are – at their best – an amazing blend of art literature and the theatre of the mind.” – John Ridley MacDowell Colony Medal Day is nearly here – the one day in the year when the public is invited into the inner sanctum of the artist’s ...
Time is running out for timely action to ensure that Social Security is secure. Think back to 2002. It was only 16 years ago. For many of us, that doesn’t seem so long ago. Now, think forward 16 years to 2034. In that year the combined Social Security Old Age and Survivors Insurance and ...
I hate housecleaning. I never bother with spring cleaning. The concept is about as archaic as rotary phones and soap operas. So, why have we been cleaning our condo twice a week this summer? For the answer, we have to ask Barbara, a.k.a. Lady Baba. “I feel too confined in this condo,” she ...
With the signing of Senate Bill 313, the Medicaid expansion reauthorization legislation, the health care of more than 50,000 Granite Staters is protected. It can be the single, most effective way to combat our opioid public health epidemic, if implemented. Recently, substance misuse treatment ...
Daniel Webster wrote that our beloved Old Man of the Mountain (may he rest in peace) was God Almighty’s signal to others that in New Hampshire, “He makes men.” Which begs the question, what makes a man, and what is strength? We, as adults, have an obligation to teach our youth how to ...
When thinking about what a Chamber of Commerce does, most people associate a Chamber as a tourist-information center. The people who distribute colorful brochures about the region, advertise points of interest and answers questions for visitors. In regions where travel and tourism are the major ...
Fifteen years ago, we joined with other New Hampshire leaders in launching Americans for Campaign Reform in Concord. Our aim was simple: to end the corrupting influence of big money in politics by passing small donor citizen funding of elections. We were not campaign reformers first; we ...
As New Hampshire long-term care providers struggle with one of the nation’s worst Medicaid payment shortfalls, Massachusetts and Maine are rolling out the red carpet for our caregivers who want to cross the border. In Maine, legislators overrode a gubernatorial veto and, in overwhelming ...
“There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods and says, ‘Morning, boys. How’s the water?’ The two young fish swim on for a bit. Eventually, one of them looks over at the other and goes, ‘What the heck is ...
I received a coffee machine for Mother’s Day that allows me to make individual cups of coffee. I quite like it, because this means there are no more half-pots of coffee slowly growing bitter in my kitchen, and whenever I want a cup of coffee, I can make one quickly and easily. Well, as ...
We all get them. Most of us hate them. They disrupt our day, cause frustration and sometimes even result in fraud or identity theft. I’m talking about the dreaded junk calls, Robo calls, telemarketing calls or whatever moniker fits. OK, charities might get a pass. But I get up to five junk ...