Updates

On Tuesday, a bill that would ban all New Hampshire employers from making COVID vaccinations a condition of employment passed the New Hampshire House Education Committee 11-8 after an eyeopening public hearing.

New new redistricting maps drawn by New Hampshire Republicans mean big changes for Portsmouth and other Seacoast Communities.

After a 41% increase in active cases over the most recent 7-day period, active COVID-19 cases in NH have hit their highest levels since Jan. 31. Vaccinations are off to a slow start for children ages 5-11. Meanwhile, a solution to the state’s vaccination data collection and reporting issues may be months away. More here...

The legislative filing period for the New Hampshire House of Representatives for the 2022 session ended last week with a flurry of bills that will tie the hands of public health officials when it comes to ending the COVID pandemic and when it comes to fighting communicable diseases in the future.

Twenty years ago, the most devastating attacks to take place on American soil since Pearl Harbor united the country and much of the world in shared shock, anger, and grief. For every person old enough to remember 9/11, there is a story.

Yesterday the Majority Leader of the New Hampshire House of Representatives framed the most extreme budget in state history as a “transformational symphony of reforms.” But a more accurate description would be a “symphony of depravity” that will likely create a “symphony of accountability” for Gov. Chris Sununu, who seems to be just fine with signing off on the worst budget in NH history. 

On Thursday June 24, both branches of the New Hampshire state legislature will get together (separately) to vote on a state budget for the 2022-2023 biennium. Here are five things you should know about the state’s $13.5 billion 2022-2023 budget.

Tonight at midnight, New Hampshire’s year-long COVID-19 State of Emergency will be allowed to expire. While COVID-19 continues to be with us (51 new cases and three additional deaths announced on Thursday), New Hampshire public health officials say the end of the State of Emergency marks the beginning of a transition to living with the virus “at a baseline level”. They also repeated their call for everyone to get vaccinated to minimize the risk of the virus surging back in the fall.

After two deaths were announced on Friday, New Hampshire public health officials announced one additional death on Saturday, bringing the state’s pandemic death toll up to 1,352. Also reported on Saturday were 73 new COVID-19 cases. There were 500 active infections reported statewide and 46 people were hospitalized. Here is the rest of the pandemic-related state and regional news you need to know to start your Sunday.

On Thursday, New Hampshire public health officials acknowledged that as new cases and hospitalizations continue to trend downward, the pace of vaccinations is also slowing. Five additional deaths were announced along with 298 new cases. That brings the the total number of active cases to 2,610. There were also 87 people hospitalized with the virus. Here is the rest of the pandemic-related state and regional news you need to know to start your Friday.

Last week’s three-day session of the New Hampshire House of Representatives was filled with moments that were intensely, and sometimes emotionally, debated. Here are some of the highlights and lowlights of a contentious three days.

Vaccination registrations open today for residents age 30 and over. Meanwhile, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced 408 new positive test results for COVID-19 and no new deaths on Tuesday. There were 2,864 active COVID-19 cases diagnosed statewide and 80 people were hospitalized. Here is the rest of the pandemic-related state and regional news you need to know to start your Wednesday.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced three additional deaths and 287 new cases on Saturday. Active infections statewide decreased to 2,672 and current hospitalizations dropped by five patients to 93. Here is the rest of the pandemic-related state and regional news you need to know to start your Sunday.

On Friday,  the NH House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee met for another marathon series of public hearings on legislation. Here’s a recap and some observations.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced six additional deaths on Saturday and 537 new positive test results. Here is the rest of the pandemic-related state and regional news you need to know to start your Sunday.

Here’s how to participate in the legislative process via Zoom in the comfort of your home or office without worrying about driving to Concord in a blizzard—or catching COVID at the State House.

This is the text of a letter I sent on Friday, January 15 to New Hampshire Speaker of the House, Sherman Packard.

On Wednesday, New Hampshire public health officials announced 594 new positive test results for COVID-19 and 6 additional deaths. Here is the rest of the coronavirus-related N.H. news you need to know to start your Thursday.

On Sunday, N.H. health officials announced 491 new COVID-19 cases and 3 additional deaths. Here is the other pandemic-related news you need to know to start your Monday.

State health officials reported 126 new coronavirus infections Friday, two new hospitalizations, and no new deaths. Rockingham County led the state with 44 of the new cases—more than double the number of new cases in any other N.H. county. Here is the rest of the pandemic-related N.H. news you need to know to start your Saturday.