Governor seeks public input on expanded gambling

Front Door Politics looks at how e-democracy is being used to study expanded gambling in New Hampshire. The state’s new web site seeks your input on slots to racinos to high-end resorts. Speak up now—the deadline is March 15.

New Hampshire could see new jobs and renewable energy initiatives this summer, if a newly proposed amendment to a Senate bill is approved. But some think it gives an unfair advantage to large utilities over small business. Debate heats up at the public hearing on March 4.

More of New Hampshire agriculture is at stake this year than whether cider or milk is named as the New Hampshire state beverage. The House Environment & Agriculture Committee also wants to know what rights farmers should have if genetically modified organisms from other fields accidentally drift into their crops.

UNH professor Ross Gittell predicts more economic struggles

Recovery from a major economic skid can take a number of shapes, according to UNH professor Ross Gittell. The simplest is the V shape, in which the economy rapidly plummets and then turns sharply around and rapidly grows. The U shape is similar but involves a slower recovery process. Worse than either of those is the L shape, in which the economy drops and then flatlines, never bouncing back. The W shape is a bit more complicated, and Gittell fears the current economic recession has entered that second dip in the W trajectory. A brief period of optimism has subsided and reverted into doubt. 

opinion

As a community that’s been blessed more than most, it’s fitting that the Seacoast should send Haiti—a community that’s long needed help more than most—a generous outpouring of support, by whatever means we can manage, to help alleviate their suffering as quickly, and enduringly, as possible. Local businesses and non-profits are leading the way, and by getting together face-to-face with your neighbors at a local business, dinner, carwashes and concerts, you are helping to strengthen the social fabric of our community, even as you are helping others.

opinion

The National Priorities Project estimates that Congress has appropriated $64.5 billion toward the war in Iraq and $72.3 billion toward the war in Afghanistan in fiscal year 2010, combining for a grand total of $136.8 billion. Without getting into a debate over whether these wars are actually making our nation safer—or whether they were justified to begin with—an examination of the total cost elicits some striking comparisons.

new year, old bills

The N.H. House was full of energy on Jan. 6 when representatives dug into 123 bills left over from last year. The debate was bound to be heated, noted Rep. Thomas Buco (D-Conway), since these are bills that legislators couldn’t agree on last year.

Meeting for only the second time since it took summer recess in June, House Speaker Terie Norelli (D-Portsmouth) had to remind the 400-member chamber to behave on several occasions when collective boos, cheers and jeers followed various speeches and votes.

Portsmouth has been declared the winner in its friendly competition with Keene for the N.H. Carbon Challenge. Between Earth Day on April 22 and Jan. 4, 275 Portsmouth residents took a 10-minute survey and committed to the Challenge, while 189 Keene residents participated.

Portsmouth also led all New England communities in households that took the Challenge within the last 30 days, edging Keene and Cambridge, Mass. Lee came in sixth on the list.

Opinion

Guest columnist NH State Rep. Jim Splaine, primary sponsor of House Bill 436 creating marriage equality, reminds us that the law takes effect on Jan. 1. Other states will eventually extend equality to all of their citizens, he says, just as we are doing here. But we must give it a chance.

The Portsmouth Police Department has been on Facebook for more than two months now, and Capt. Mike Schwartz said the Internet tool serves a variety of purposes. It enables police to let the public know about winter parking bans or traffic tie-ups due to accidents.

The department also posts what it deems to be noteworthy arrests, with mugshots, every few days.

When asked if he would post information about an arrestee being found innocent, Schwartz wavered. “I suppose we could,” he said. “We haven’t had that happen as of yet.”

It’s just another historical year for lawmakers in Concord

Gay marriage. Expanded gambling. Medical marijuana. Capital punishment. Seat belts. Transgender rights. The New Hampshire Legislature considered a number of controversial bills in 2009.

as activists protest Afghanistan troop surge, Peace Treaty Forum shows Obama’s Nobel Prize speech

Many are skeptical of the Nobel Committee’s decision to give Barack Obama the prize for peace—especially in light of the president’s recent announcement of plans to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Obama made the announcement on Dec. 1, detailing his plan to begin withdrawing troops in mid 2011. The next day, anti-war activists rallied in downtown Portsmouth to protest the surge. Meanwhile, the Peace Treaty Forum, will Obama's historic Nobel acceptance speech with a full rebroadcast on Saturday, Dec. 12, at Wentworth by the Sea Hotel in New Castle.

opinion

Portsmouth could be in danger of losing some of its downtown festivals, but residents now have an opportunity to come to the rescue.

Russian activists discuss nuclear plant decommissioning in Portsmouth

Few people are as familiar with the inherent complications of shutting down nuclear power plants as Oleg Bodrov. In 2002, the Russian nuclear engineer-physicist was attacked while walking home from his office. He suffered a serious head injury and spent weeks in the hospital.

Bodrov believes the attack was motivated by his activism against a Russian plant that was re-smelting radioactive metal. Bodrov is co-founder and chairman of the environmental organization Green World, which is currently focused on determining best practices for decommissioning Russia’s aging nuclear reactors. Among the obstacles to shutting down nuclear plants is that they employ thousands of people who are not keen on losing their jobs. The attacker who assaulted Bodrov was trying to send a message, he believes.

City Council approves $37.5 million bond for Portsmouth Middle School work

After nearly six years of debate, the City Council has approved a $37.5 million bond for renovations and expansion to the Portsmouth Middle School on Parrott Avenue. Although three of the city’s nine councilors voted against the bond on Aug. 17, it acquired exactly the two-thirds majority it needed to pass.

Principal John Stokel, for one, was pleased with the vote. He said the construction will enable the school to get up to snuff on 21st century educational standards, providing larger classrooms, science labs and other facilities.
“We’ll be able to bring all the classrooms up to standard,” Stokel said.

The project will expand the school building onto what is now Alumni Field, adding some 30,000 square feet to its footprint. It will also include sorely needed renovations to the 79-year-old building, which first opened in 1930. Stokel said parts of the building are cracking, several stairwells are worn and the plumbing is outdated. He believes the renovations will increase the building’s lifespan by 50 to 75 years.

catching up on local news

Delaney is the state’s new AG

Gov. John Lynch swore in Michael Delaney as New Hampshire’s new attorney general on Aug. 24. Delaney replaces former AG Kelley Ayotte, who resigned recently to consider running for the U.S. Senate.

Delaney graduated from Holy Cross in 1991 and earned a law degree from Georgetown University in 1994. He worked for a law firm in Manchester before joining the Attorney General’s Office in 1999. There he served as chief of the homicide unit and rose to the rank of deputy attorney general in 2004.

catching up on local news

Portsmouth promotes new deputy police chief

Brand new Portsmouth Police Chief David Ferland presented brand new Deputy Chief Stephen Dubois with his badge on Aug. 12. Dubois replaces retiring Deputy Chief Len DiSesa. He launched his law enforcement career as a part-time member of the Hampton Police Department, UNH Police and the Portsmouth Police Auxiliary. He became a full-time officer in Portsmouth in 1993 and has worked in both the patrol and detective divisions. He is commander of the Seacoast Emergency Response Team and commander of operations for the Field Training Officer Program. He is also coordinator of the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program and has been highly involved in recent sobriety checkpoints. Originally from Dover, Dubois received a sociology degree from UNH and a masters degree in business administration from Southern New Hampshire University. He is president of the N.H. Police Association and a recent graduate of the FBI National Academy.

glycine in space

After analysis of samples of the comet Wild 2 brought back by the Stardust spacecraft, NASA researchers have found the amino acid glycine to be present in the comet, according to a recent NASA release. Glycine is considered to be one of the building blocks of life, and this strengthens the case that substances favorable to the formation of life may have been delivered to Earth from space—and may likewise have been delivered to other planets by other comets.

This is the first time that glycine has been found in a comet.

The scene outside Portsmouth High School on Aug. 11 demonstrated the intensity of the debate surrounding health care reform. President Barack Obama arrived that afternoon at Pease Air National Guard Base in Air Force One and traveled to the school for a town hall-style forum. Protesters for and against the president’s proposed health care overhaul gathered along Andrew Jarvis Drive early in the morning and remained long after the president had departed. They assembled like street gangs on opposite sides of the road, angrily shouting back and forth.

Police later estimated the size of the outdoor crowd at about 1,500 people. They waved signs and hollered into bullhorns, with opponents calling Obama a socialist and supporters chanting that health care is a right. When Democratic U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes exited the school and walked down the street, a heckler with a megaphone challenged him to address the crowd.

“Why don’t you talk to your constituents?” he repeatedly yelled, following Hodes along the sidewalk.

catching up on local news

new unit picks up old murder cases

A new law creates a Cold Case Unit within the N.H. State Police Department, dedicating more resources to investigations of unsolved homicides. Gov. John Lynch signed House Bill 690 into law late last month. The law allows State Police to allocate investigators to work in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office on cases that have stymied law enforcement agents for years. More than $1 million in funding comes through the federal Edward Byrne Justice Assistance grant program, made possible through federal stimulus funds.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on the mend

After unexpectedly switching to its backup computer last week, NASA’s 4-year-old Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is again operating with its primary computer, according to a recent space.com story.

This is not the first time that the craft has switched to its backup computer and then recovered, as it has happened on two previous occasions during the craft’s mission. Engineers are uncertain of the cause.

A visit to downtown Dover now offers a stroll through the city’s history. “Faces of Dover” posters are now on exhibit at 12 locations along a downtown walking tour, providing vivid glimpses of significant figures and places of the past.

The exhibit marks the first community project organized by the Faces of Dover Committee, a group of people and agencies dedicated to preserving the Garrison City’s history in multiple media format. Each poster showcases a different person or family who shared their stories and recollections with the committee. The idea is to raise awareness about the importance of Dover’s history and spark conversations about days gone by.

further adventures in interesting rocks

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has spotted an odd, dark rock on the Martian surface, which scientists now believe to be a meteorite.

First noticed on July 18, the rover was sent back for a closer look, and after examining the rock with the X-ray spectrometer it seems certain that the rock is a meteorite, similar to one found by Opportunity in 2005.

It is roughly two feet in diameter.

catching up on local news

Portsmouth releases annual report

Portsmouth’s Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Report shows some positive trends for the city, especially in the area of education. As many as 77 percent of graduating Portsmouth High School students went on to post-secondary programs, 66 percent of these to four-year colleges. In addition, Portsmouth Public Library recorded 293,772 visits over the course of the year, up by 8,200 from the previous fiscal year.  

There were 260 marriages in Portsmouth in FY ’09, down from 306 in ’08, as well as 15 civil unions, down slightly from 17. There were 602 babies born in Portsmouth, down nearly 50 from the year before, but the number of children born to Portsmouth residents increased from 136 to 153. There were 308 deaths, up by just two from ’08.

presentation will explain how Seacoast citizens changed the world

Had it not been for the peace negotiations that took place in Portsmouth in 1905, the Russo-Japanese War could have devolved into a disastrous world conflict. At that point, the battle between Russia and Japan constituted the largest land and sea war ever fought between two nations, and it could have easily engulfed the rest of Europe and Asia.

In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt became the first president in U.S. history to win a Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his efforts to end the war. Roosevelt brought delegates from both warring nations to Portsmouth and helped mediate negotiations that resulted in the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty. But few people fully understand the critical role local residents played in the peace process.

“The fundamental thing is that in Portsmouth, you wonder if you can make a difference internationally, and the bottom line is you could and you did, and if you can do it once you can do it again,” said Charles Doleac, chairman of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum.

catching up on local news

multi-day drug sweep in Portsmouth

The Portsmouth Police Department is cracking down on drug sales with a multi-day sweep that has netted nine arrests. The department’s Special Investigation Unit began conducting the sweep on July 19, hunting down suspects accused of selling marijuana, cocaine, heroin and pills. They arrested nine people over several days and issued warrants for at least seven others. Undercover agents focused on street-level dealers, some of whom allegedly targeted high school-aged kids. The department asks anyone with information to contact the detective division at 603-436-2511 or call Crime Stoppers at 603-431-1199 or 207-439-1199, or visit www.seacoastcrimestoppers.org.

Portwalk concerns

bam

On July 19, something crashed into Jupiter, leaving an impact site roughly the size of Earth itself, according to several sources.

First discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley, the object is believed to have been a small comet or asteroid several football fields in diameter—but the effect on Jupiter’s atmosphere rivalled that of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet impact in 1994.

The impact site may be seen in Jupiter’s south polar region.

locals launch online community channel

The concept went from vague idea to reality over the course of a single beer.

Videographer Dan Freund began working several months ago on a series of profiles highlighting Portsmouth’s artists and professionals, but he lacked a forum to share his videos with the community. The city has long been working to establish a public access television station, but that process has dragged on for years. Freund chatted with multi-media guru John Herman over a beer at The Press Room.

“He was kind of bemoaning that Portsmouth doesn’t really have a community access channel yet,” Herman said.

Freund described his vision for an online media venue that would enable him and others to “shine a light on the interesting people from the community, the people that were making a difference, the people that stand out,” Freund said.

not so fast, New Hampshire

In two separate cases, courts last week temporarily froze $119 million critical to the New Hampshire’s brand new state budget. This won’t leave the Granite State to issue IOUs like California has resorted to.  But, it could mean a summer session for the Legislature. And that could mean a second chance for gambling, another go at business and other taxes, or deeper cuts to services.

After much debate last month, the House and Senate narrowly approved—and Gov. John Lynch signed into law on June 30—a two-year budget that counted on transferring surplus money from two accounts into the general fund. But two groups of plaintiffs already had filed lawsuits to prevent the state from tapping into what they say is their money. Now, Superior Court judges have given them a chance to make their case and told the state to hold off on using the money. 

Seabrook and Belmont eliminate live dog racing

Greyhound racing may be a thing of the past in New Hampshire, a sport relegated to the archives of state history. The last two remaining tracks that held live races—Seabrook Greyhound Park and The Lodge at Belmont—have both permanently discontinued their live dog races. Another track in Hinsdale closed late last year.

A provision in the new biennial state budget recently approved by the N.H. Legislature enables tracks to cease live racing and still offer wagers on simulcast races from elsewhere. Shortly after the budget passed, the tracks in Seabrook and Belmont applied to drop live racing, and the N.H. Racing and Charitable Gaming Commission quickly approved their applications.

Animal rights groups lauded the development. “This is a victory for everyone in the state who cares about animals, and it ends a sad chapter in New Hampshire’s history,” said Carrey Theil, executive director of Grey2K USA.

catching up on local news

piercing the budget

Fairness was in the eye of the beholder at the State House last Wednesday when the N.H. House and Senate grudgingly approved the 2010-11 budget. House Bills 1 and 2 contain the state’s general fund spending and revenue, respectively. Earning few cheers, the legislation has been called everything from a legitimate compromise doing the “least possible harm” to an illegal “dung heap.”

With demand for services up and revenue down, legislators faced a $500 million projected shortfall in the general fund, which comprises about one third of the state’s $11.6 billion biennial budget. The other two thirds come from federal funding, dedicated funds, and a host of one-time monies like the federal stimulus package. Use of short-term dollars is not new in the budget balancing act, but neither is criticism of the technique. Detractors say it fails to address a “structural deficit” that always leaves budget writers with problems.

Michael Jackson and the speed of information

On the afternoon of Thursday, June 25, Michael Jackson’s fame peaked with the sharp spike of fascination that comes moments after the death of a celebrity.

First reporting the story was TMZ.com, the Jerry Springer of entertainment Web sites. While Fox News, CNN and MSNBC were starting to post news of the singer’s collapse, TMZ had already declared Jackson dead. (For the first 40 minutes, CNN listed the singer as suffering “serious cardiac arrest.” Well, yeah. It’s always serious when your heart stops beating.)

catching up on local news

catching up on local news

• After months of delays, crews have finally begun demolishing the old Parade Mall building in Portsmouth. The structure will be replaced with the Portwalk development, a multi-use project with a hotel, shops, restaurants and offices. The first Portwalk construct will be a 128-room Residence Inn by Marriott, with retail shops and dining on the street level.

New Hampshire's unbalanced budget

New Hampshire is one step closer to finalizing its budget for the next two years, although a final plan may still be a long way off.
A Committee of Conference has pieced together a compromise $3.2 billion general fund plan for the next two years, starting July 1. These select members of the state House and Senate reached the required unanimous approval for their report, but that does not guarantee their colleagues will go along with it. The full House and Senate are scheduled to vote on the budget—and dozens of other Committee of Conference reports—on Wednesday, June 24. 

Meanwhile, a new lawsuit filed on the final day of budget negotiations seeks an injunction that would keep the Legislature’s hands off a critical $110 million it has claimed. Gov. John Lynch and legislators plan to tap surplus funds from the N.H. Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association. But more than 200 JUA policyholders say the insurance money is rightfully theirs.

a new liquor license and a new look at the death penalty

While the House and Senate decide whether to bring slot machines into New Hampshire to fund the budget, smoke shops in the Granite State have a new card up their sleeves.

new liquor license
 
In 2007, New Hampshire tightened its public smoking ban by adding bars and restaurants to its list of forbidden places to smoke. But if House Bill 392 is signed by Gov. John Lynch, businesses that make at least 60 percent of their quarterly sales from cigars or cigar-related paraphernalia like humidors, cigar cutters, lighters and ashtrays, can start serving their stogies with a swig. The proposed new liquor license has passed both chambers and would take effect in 2010 if signed by Lynch.

Rep. Edward Butler (D-Hart’s Location) co-sponsored HB 392 with Rep. John Hunt (R-Rindge). Butler doesn’t think it challenges existing policy. “There are many cigar bars … in states where smoking is banned in most public accommodations,” he says.

freedom to marry - or not

On June 3, New Hampshire became the sixth state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage. Following a contentious debate over the last several months, the mood that day was highly energized, with hundreds of supporters and opponents congregating on the front lawn and crowding the halls and gallery of the State House in Concord. By late afternoon, Gov. John Lynch had signed three bills into law that redefine marriage and re-affirm religious freedom regarding marriage.

In this case, “religious freedom” means that while any organized religious entity is welcome to marry same-sex couples, they are not required to do so by law. House Bill 310 affirms the right of religious entities to not participate in a marriage ceremony that violates its beliefs. But it doesn’t go far enough for Gov. Lynch.

Eco-friendly business and art will unite at the inaugural Green Expo on Saturday, June 13. Organized by the Green Alliance, a business union composed of 57 area businesses, the event takes place at the Haley Art Gallery in Kittery, Maine.

The free event, similar to the Sustainability Fair in Portsmouth, will showcase local green businesses ranging from renewable energy companies to sustainable clothing merchants and food vendors. The expo will include workshops on green energy systems like solar, geothermal, biofuels and composting.

After a sorely disappointing eight-month trial period, the town of Kittery, Maine, is shutting down the 50-kilowatt wind turbine it installed at the Transfer Station last fall. Real-time data from the 124-foot turbine shows that it generated less than 15 percent of the electricity expected between October and May.

budget equations

Gambling on slot machines instead of two new taxes, the N.H. Senate Finance Committee last week completed its proposed two-year state budget, making significant changes to a House version. The full Senate will vote on the budget on Wednesday, June 3, after which a Committee of Conference will be formed between the House and Senate to hammer out compromises and get a final version to Gov. John Lynch. His power to veto the whole package because of parts he doesn’t like is already holding sway.

Remember Virgin Galactic—Sir Richard Branson’s Scaled-Composites-powered venture to offer commercial passenger suborbital flights? They have not been idle, and have now successfully fired their new SpaceShipTwo rocket motor in the California desert, according to a recent press release.

According to Branson, “As Virgin Galactic gets ever closer to the start of commercial operations, we are reaching and passing many important and historic milestones. The Virgin MotherShip (VMS) Eve, the first of our amazing, all carbon composite, high altitude WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicles, is flying superbly. SpaceShipTwo, which will air launch from Eve, is largely constructed and awaiting the start of its own test flight programme later this year.”

The Seacoast African American Cultural Center suffered a blow in December when city officials informed the organization that it would have to vacate its headquarters at the Connie Bean Center in downtown Portsmouth.

A meteorite which fell into Tagish Lake in Ontario, Canada in 2000 was recently analyzed and found to have record levels of formic acid, an organic molecule believed to be important to the formation of life, according to a recent BBC report.
The fragments analyzed had four times more formic acid than any meteorite on record.

“We are lucky that the meteorite was untouched by humans hands, avoiding contamination by organic compounds that we have on our fingers,” said Dr Christopher Herd, the curator of the University of Alberta’s meteorite collection in an address to the American Geophysical Union.

studies in discipline

With the 2009 legislative session winding down, many bills’ fates have already been determined and most public hearings are complete. Both the House and Senate must act on all bills by Thursday, June 4, or take one more week to form Committees of Conference by June 10. That will buy the Legislature two additional weeks to work out any differences between the chambers, or let remaining bills die. Notable bills currently in committees of conference are HB 648 to legalize the medical use of marijuana, and HB 310, the crucial pivot point in a “gay marriage” suite of bills.

On Wednesday, May 27, the Senate is likely to to vote to establish a handful of study committees. These committees provide longer timelines for in-depth review of various topics. Most of their reports will be due in the fall, allowing time for any resulting legislation to be written for consideration in next year’s session.

school discipline

university debate on family housing continues

When international student and researcher Ram Ray came to UNH with his family four years ago, he was put on a long waitlist to receive housing. He had to wait two months before he was placed in UNH’s family housing at Forest Park. This year, even though there are fewer rooms available, the waitlist for family housing is not so long.

“I don’t think people are as interested as they were when I came,” explained Ray. “The buildings are old and they need maintenance a lot … and the rent has gone up.”

the big ‘if’ on gay marriage

No longer leaving New Hampshire to wonder, Gov. John Lynch says he will sign a bill legalizing gay marriage—if, and only if, the Legislature broadens exceptions for people who disagree with it on religious grounds. His suggested amendments would apply to House Bill 73, which was scheduled for its second public hearing on May 19, in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

But in a feat of legislative acrobatics, there are actually three bills at stake. Sponsored by Rep. James Splaine (D-Portsmouth), House Bill 436 redefines marriage to include same-sex couples, taking the same-sex civil union law that passed two years ago to a new level. House Bill 310, sponsored by Rep. David Cote (D-Nashua), contains a clause that exempts religious institutions from being required to participate in any ceremony that violates their religious beliefs. Both bills have passed the House and Senate (although Cote did not support Splaine’s bill) and are ready for Lynch’s signature. 

Portsmouth pays tribute to former Mayor Evelyn Sirrell

Residents and city employees crowded the council chambers at Portsmouth City Hall on Friday, May 15, to pay tribute to former Mayor Evelyn Sirrell.

After several years of declining health, Sirrell died on May 8 at the age of 78. She served as a city councilor for four years, assistant mayor for two years and mayor of Portsmouth for eight years before retiring in December 2005. 

City Hall closed early on May 15 so that employees could attend the service at 4 p.m. The tribute included fond remembrances from Sirrell’s sons, as well as Mayor Tom Ferrini, city manager John Bohenko, city attorney Robert Sullivan and others.

Perhaps best remembered for her work to protect the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard from closure, Sirrell was also a vocal opponent of the statewide property tax and a strong advocate of constructing the new Portsmouth Public Library.

COLSA looks to scratch therapeutic riding program

The College of Life Sciences and Agriculture is threatening to cut its Therapeutic Riding Program, which has been running since 1989. But many people are hoping the cancellation won’t go through.

The college will review the program’s revenue, cost and benefits before COLSA dean Tom Brady makes a final decision on the program.

TRP offers horseback riding lessons for children and adults with physical, cognitive or emotional disabilities. Using riding skills and therapeutic activities helps to treat vestibular and neurological issues, which can help the client with walking and balance. The program also helps individuals who have sensory integration or hyperactivity issues, like ADHD and autism.

no new beds

Since the mid-1990s, state law has restricted construction of new nursing home “beds” in New Hampshire, essentially preventing both private and county-run nursing homes from expanding their capacities. The moratorium was set to expire this year. House Bill 113 would extend the restriction until 2013, but also adds a provision that makes it easier for nursing homes to upgrade existing beds. 

The moratorium on nursing home beds has also been used in other parts of the country going back to the 1980s. The reason for limiting beds was, oddly enough, to keep prices down. 

GridSolar proposes energy alternative in Maine

According to Central Maine Power’s projections, the state’s growing energy demands will soon exceed the company’s generating capacity at peak times. Unless the state comes up with a solution, that could mean grid failures and blackouts in Vacationland.

CMP’s solution is to spend $1.5 billion to build new high voltage transmission lines and update existing lines. But representatives from GridSolar think there’s a better way. The GridSolar project proposes to develop up to 800 megawatts of solar generation to meet the demands of peak load growth.

UNH prepared for a swine flu outbreak

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama urged U.S. schools to take an active role in preventing the spread of the swine influenza virus.

UNH’s Emergency Group met last week to review how the university would deal with a potential outbreak.

“We have a strong pandemic plan in place,” wrote President Mark Huddleston in an e-mail sent on April 29.

As the population of New Hampshire continues to grow, so will new developments accommodating all the new residents and businesses. Two controversial bills now in the House and Senate may change the way local land use boards negotiate those incoming construction permits.

waiving regulations

According to current state law, planning boards can waive a regulation for subdivisions and site plans if two conditions are met: 1) following the regulation exactly would cause hardship to the applicant, and 2) enforcing the regulation would actually corrupt its original intent. House Bill 43, sponsored by Rep. Anne Grassie (D-Rochester), would only require that a waiver serve the intended regulatory goal—no hardship necessary.  

Senate weighs in on controversial bills

New Hampshire is close to becoming the fifth state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriages. In a historic 13-11 vote, the N.H. Senate approved an amended version of House Bill 436 on April 29. Assuming the House agrees to the amendments, the bill will head to the governor’s desk soon.

The amended version of the bill draws a distinction between civil and religious marriages and clarifies that religious denominations have the right to decide whether or not they will conduct same-sex marriages. The amendments were seen as an attempt to pacify people who oppose gay marriage on religious grounds.

Noreng and Peyser elected student body president and vice president

Marie Charlotte Noreng and Richard Washburn Peyser III were announced winners of the 2009 Student Body Elections on April 23 by the Student Senate office. Pleased with the results, the two jumped up and hugged before shaking hands with their defeated opponents.
“Obviously, we’re really excited,” said Noreng after hearing she’d be next year’s student body president.

“I was expecting not to win this whole time because I didn’t want to get my hopes up just in case I was let down,” said Peyser, who will be vice president.

Nicholas Benson, who ran uncontested, won a seat as the University System Student Board representative.
The Student Senate officially approved the election results at a meeting on April 25. Noreng and Peyer will take office on Friday, May 1.

term limits, age limits

governor’s term limits

It’s never too early to start thinking elections, especially in New Hampshire, where state representatives, executive councilors and the governor are elected every two years.

New Hampshire and neighboring Vermont are actually the only two states whose governors serve two-year terms, and the suggestion has come up again this year to double that length. If CACR 9 passes, it will be up to voters to decide.

“Similar constitutional amendments calling for a four-year term for governor have gone to the voters in past years,” writes Rep. Jim Splaine (D-Portsmouth) in his minority report supporting CACR 9, “and votes have been close to obtaining the 2/3rds necessary, but have come up short.

Memorial Bridge gets “endangered” designation

A crowd of New Hampshire and Maine residents aiming to preserve the imperiled Memorial Bridge gathered in Portsmouth’s Prescott Park on April 28 for a rally in support of the 85-year-old structure. Supporters marched across the Route 1 bridge from Portsmouth to Kittery, traversing the powerful currents of the Piscataqua River.

The rally, organized by an ad-hoc citizens coalition called Save Our Bridges!, was meant to bring attention to the historic structure, which tops the N.H. Department of Transportation’s red list of bridges in need of repair. While New Hampshire appears committed to rescuing the bridge, officials in Maine have balked at the project’s $59 million price tag. New Hampshire and Maine share ownership of the bridge.

former musician talks about culture he helped create

Known as the “walking encyclopedia of music,” Barry Drake returned to UNH last week to present part of his four-part series, “’70’s Rock: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly.”

An eight-time winner of UNH’s campus lecturer of the year, Drake is known for his interactive presentations, during which he uses songs, video and pictures to piece together significant decades of America’s musical history.

Starting with the breakup of The Beatles and ending with the beginning of MTV, the speech consisted of a thorough summary of bands in multiple genres; detailing deaths, inspiration for songs and even unique quirks about band members.

consolidation, layoffs and entrepreneurship

consolidation

A last-minute amendment to a study bill has spiced up its public hearing in the House, scheduled for this week. Senate Bill 132, as originally worded, would have established a commission to study the idea of folding several state agencies into a newly created Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

But the day before Crossover and a week after it passed the Senate, an amendment to the bill’s title removed the “study” portion and redeployed the commission straight to the planning phase of this significant consolidation. The amended bill passed the Senate again, crossed over to the House and gets its second public hearing on Thursday, April 23, in the Executive Departments and Administration Committee.

rally for the bridges

The state of N.H. has some great ideas about stimulus funding to repair the two lower bridges on the Piscataqua River, as well as the state pier in Portsmouth.
They’d really like Maine to be on board for the application—the bridges are shared between the two states. Officials in Augusta seem less interested.

A grassroots coalition will rally for a walk across the Memorial Bridge on Tuesday, April 28 at noon, to celebrate our shared community life, sustainable transportation, local history, and the power of local commerce.

We encourage you to step out and give a cheer for the bridges.

Portsmouth tea party

Horns honked vociferously as motorists wheeled past hundreds of demonstrators in downtown Portsmouth on April 15. The Tax Day rally brought a thick crowd to Market Square, fueled by anger over government spending at the state and federal level. The demonstrators, many carrying signs denouncing the Federal Reserve, sang and chanted in unison beneath the North Church steeple.

The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition and a number of cosponsoring groups organized the N.H. Taxpayer Tea Party, with protesters gathering simultaneously in Portsmouth, Dover and Manchester. Other Tax Day demonstrations were held in more than 200 locations around the nation in an attempt to grab the attention of legislators in Washington D.C.

“I’m angry. I’m mad as hell,” said Mike Jones, of Portsmouth. He said he was disappointed with excessive government spending, “but I think the real problem is the Federal Reserve.”

despite economy, UNH has no plans to change ‘need-blind’ policy

In the current economic climate, schools across the nation are finding it more and more difficult to fulfill the needs of students who simply can’t afford hiking tuition prices. In a recent New York Times article, journalist Kate Zernike wrote that even universities that are considered “need-blind” are searching for ways to admit more students who demonstrate an ability to foot the tuition bill without financial aid packages.

Out of all of the nation’s state institutions, UNH receives the least state funding. And state funding is, in part, where the school’s financial aid budget comes from.

So, with the economy in its worst state in the past 70 years, how was this year’s applicant pool at UNH affected? Not at all, according to director of admissions Rob McGann.

halfway there

With Crossover Day behind us, the N.H. Legislature has completed its first round of work on the roughly 1,000 bills introduced this year. Those that passed their original chamber (the House or Senate) have now been assigned to committees in the other chamber. In coming weeks, they’ll be scheduled for a second round of public hearings, committee recommendations and full chamber votes. 

Whatever survives will then go to Gov. John Lynch’s office for a signature, a veto, or to become law without signature.

abortion

One set of laws that won’t land on the governor’s desk deal with changes to current abortion laws. It’s familiar territory for Lynch, who in 2007 signed a law reversing the parental notification requirement for abortions performed on minors. The requirement had been ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2006. 

The owners of Frisbee’s Market in Kittery Point, Maine, say it is the oldest continually operating grocery store in the United States. The store opened in 1828, and the adjoining restaurant, Cap’n Simeon’s Galley, contains beams dating back to 1680. Today, Frisbee’s is the only store located in Kittery Point.

But Frisbee’s and Cap’n Simeon’s have been closed since early February, and the Route 103 property is slated to be auctioned on Friday, April 24. The property went into Chapter 7 bankruptcy this winter after owner Cindy Frisbee failed to pay creditors. 

But a group of concerned residents hopes to purchase the property at auction and revive the historic businesses. Former town councilor Dennis Estes and six other Kittery Point residents have united to form Point Partners LLC, which will pursue the parcels “to the final bid” if the current owner cannot secure it before auction day, Estes said.

paving the way

New laws aimed at fixing old roads and bridges are piling up in Concord, but one in particular seems to be leading the charge. A proposal to raise the “gas tax” has gained traction in the N.H. House. 

But don’t call it a gas tax in front of Rep. David Campbell (D-Nashua). It’s a “road toll,” according to state law—the words “gas tax” don’t actually exist on the books. Campbell looks at the toll as a user fee charged on each gallon of fuel and paid by the people who use the product. If you don’t use the gas, you don’t pay it. 

Call it what you like, House Bill 644 would raise the cost from 18 to 33 cents per gallon over the next four years. Starting in July, it would go up one nickel every other year, reaching 33 cents per gallon in 2013. 

That’s almost doubling the charge. But Campbell, the bill’s prime sponsor and vice-chair of the House Public Works and Highways Committee, points out that the fee hasn’t been raised in 18 years, since 1991.

Meanwhile, construction costs have climbed with inflation (even hyper-inflation up to 60 percent for fuel, asphalt, concrete and steel in the last four years). The state hasn’t collected any additional money to make up the difference. 

protesters target Bank of America

A group of about a dozen protesters gathered outside the Bank of America branch in downtown Portsmouth on March 19 to rally against corporate greed and express support for President Barack Obama’s budget proposal.

The protesters accuse Bank of America’s executives of lining their own pockets with billions of federal bailout dollars funded by taxpayers. The bank collected $45 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

10% Shift encourages local shopping as an economic boon

If you could follow a locally spent dollar bill for one weekend, the journey might bring you all around the Seacoast.

For example: A dollar spent at Infinite Imaging in Portsmouth might then be deposited at Optima Bank. A bank employee might then use that same dollar to buy a fresh loaf of bread at 45 Market Street in Somersworth. The bakery worker, in turn, could spend that dollar on organic herbs at White Heron Tea in Rollinsford. An employee from the tea shop might then fuel up his car at Simply Green Biofuels in Dover. A Simply Green attendant then might spend the dollar during a family visit to Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth. One of Strawbery Banke’s historians (having spent the day on her feet) might visit Cardea Chiropractic Well-Being in Greenland. From there, a chiropractor might catch an evening show at Pontine Theatre in Portsmouth. The theater, looking to upgrade its stage, might then shop at Jackson’s True Value Hardware in Kittery, Maine, where an employee might bring that same original dollar bill to Fresh Local Bayside in Newington for some eggs benedict. Follow?

students find ways to enjoy spring break despite recession

Senior Angela Jones has been envisioning herself on a Jamaican Beach since early December.

Jones, along with 16 of her sorority sisters from Alpha Xi Delta, will be enjoying the sunshine and clear waters for spring break this week. In order to pay for the $1,200 trip, Jones is spending her entire Christmas savings.

“I had to ask for a lot of money for Christmas,” she said. “But it will all be worth it when I’m lying on a beach.”

Despite the economic downturn, students are still finding ways to travel and get away from snowy New Hampshire for spring break.

NASA’s  Kepler mission launched successfully from Cape Canaveral on  Thursday, March 6, attained orbit, and powered on its photometer a few days later, according to recent NASA reports.

It will take a few weeks to calibrate the photomoter, which will then begin its search for Earth-like planets in deep space. Kepler will be searching for Earth-size planets orbiting in the habitable zone of stars similar to our sun. The space-borne telescope will look at more than 100,000 stars in order to statistically estimate the total number of Earth-size planets orbiting sun-like stars in the habitable zone.

renewable remodeling

Funding for renewable energy is generating a lot of discussion at the State House these days. And at least one legislator thinks another good place to bring it up is on residents’ electric bills.

Senate Bill 97 would require electric companies to include information about how their power is generated on billing statements, and to describe the environmental profiles of those energy sources.

“I think it’s kind of dovetailing with people’s generally increased interest in where their energy is coming from and what that means for the environment,” says bill sponsor Amanda Merrill (D-Durham). Giving people more information about the energy coming into their homes seems like a logical step, she says.

Merrill wrote the bill based on discussions with the Office of Consumer Advocate, an independent state agency that represents residential utility customers (electric, natural gas, telephone and water). SB 97 comes before the Senate Energy, Environment and Economic Development Committee for a public hearing on Thursday, March 26.

N.H. State Council on the Arts faces drastic budget cuts

The full impact of the arts on a community is difficult to measure. On the surface, art may seem like an expendable commodity, an aesthetic luxury that beautifies public spaces but is not vital to the economy. But art and culture organizations have a far-reaching economic impact that generates millions of dollars and employs thousands of people across New Hampshire.

“The artists are part of it, obviously, but what’s more important is that we have this very holistic approach that is bigger than all of us,” said Karen Burgess Smith, of Exeter, chair of the N.H. State Council on the Arts. “We’re not just a pretty picture. We have a lot of things going on.”

That’s why Burgess Smith is concerned about proposed budget cuts that could cripple the NHSCA—or shut it down altogether. Gov. John Lynch’s state budget proposal would cut the NHSCA’s funding by nearly 50 percent to $448,000 in FY 2010, and effectively reduce the agency’s full-time staff from nine people to four.

There are tattoos for remembrance, and others that represent a certain time in life. And then there are those that just can’t be explained.

No matter their shape, size or color, tattoos have a story to tell, and many students at the University of New Hampshire are not shy about sharing their ink.

“I got mine for my mom,” said Eric Gilchrese, a point guard for the UNH men’s basketball team, whose mother passed away on Dec. 9. “I got my tattoo three days after the funeral. She was my heart. My everything. When I look at her on my back it helps to ease the pain. It’s a way of representing her while she’s not here.”

Phil Heckler, a senior English major, has a tattoo in remembrance of his father, a woodworker who passed away in 2004.

Portsmouth’s Pay & Display dilemma

I’m torn. Like many Seacoast residents, I’ve spent considerable time over the last year whining about Portsmouth’s new Pay & Display parking system. The city installed 10 Pay & Display meters downtown as part of a year-long pilot program and now wants to expand the system. The expansion would mean replacing traditional meters at individual parking spaces with central Pay & Display meters, where motorists purchase paper tickets with coins or credit cards and place them on their dashboards. Parking prices would remain the same. 

The system comes with numerous minor inconveniences that add up to a major pain in the rear end. You have to walk back and forth from the machines and sometimes wait in lines to purchase tickets; the paper slips wind up littering your car; the meters don’t accept dollar bills—I could go on. And honestly, who wants to use a credit card to pay for 75 cents worth of parking?

caring for health care

President Obama isn’t the only one with health care on his mind these days. About a week after his Health Care Summit at the White House on March 5, several bills that could render big changes to health insurance in New Hampshire will come before the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee. Two of them with very different approaches will get their public hearings on Tuesday, March 17.

nationalized healthcare

area authorities crack down on teen dances

Merriam-Webster Online has 10 different definitions for the word “grind.” But only the last definition applies to dancing: “to rotate the hips in an erotic manner.”

To some school officials, grinding is—by definition—not appropriate for high school dances. But teens feel it is a harmless style, and it has become so prevalent that many students can hardly imagine dancing any other way.
That’s part of the reason that Exeter High School has canceled its next school dance, which was scheduled for March 27. Exeter High principal Victor Sokul announced the cancellation on March 9 and plans to hold a public meeting about future dances in late March or early April.

“What I hope to do is put together some sort of, for lack of a better word, a forum to discuss this issue so that we can solve it,” Sokul said. “The issue’s not going to go away, and canceling dances is not my preference, but we’ve got to figure this out long-term,”

‘CE-Yo’ named graduation speaker

The University of New Hampshire has announced its 139th commencement speaker—Gary Hirshberg, president and “CE-Yo” of Stonyfield Farm.

On Saturday, May 23, the class of 2009, along with friends and family, will assemble on Memorial Field where Hirshberg will address the graduates about green business success and the link between the environment and the economy.

a family of workers’ rights bills

If you woke up tomorrow with the ultimate family life and ideal work conditions, what would your life look like?

More than 250 people answered that question at the first annual New Hampshire Summit on Work and Family last October, and convinced some legislators that two benefits would help people balance work obligations and family demands: paid time off, and the right to ask for a flexible schedule.

survey shows support for Memorial Bridge

A recent independent survey shows that many Seacoast residents think Memorial Bridge is important both as a passage for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, and as a historic World War I memorial. The survey also found that most respondents do not think Sarah Mildred Long Bridge is as important.

Jointly owned by New Hampshire and Maine, Memorial Bridge is in dire need of restoration work. But the two states have failed to come to an agreement on how to pay for proposed repairs, which would cost at least $59 million. Officials in both states are now pondering whether to remove the bridge completely, replace it with a new structure or proceed with scaled back repairs. The survey found public sentiment in favor of maintaing the current bridge.

Durham institutions buck national banking trends

For once, the little guy is benefiting when the big guy isn’t. Small, local banks in the Durham area actually have an advantage in the current recession.

“Your smaller banks—your local, your community banks—are probably doing better (than the national chains),” said Brian Bolton, assistant professor of finance at UNH.

According to Bolton, the banking industry has two main problems. The first is the slowing economy, which means consumers are less likely to borrow money. The second is bad investments, meaning that the banks gave out too many loans to people who were unable to pay them back.

On Tuesday, February 24, NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory craft was lost shortly after launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base  in California, plunging into the sea near Antarctica after the payload fairing failed to separate, according to a NASA release.

The craft was designed to study the behavior of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, hopefully leading to a better understanding of the mechanics of global warming. In particular, the craft was to help scientists learn more about how carbon dioxide is absorbed by carbon sinks like oceans and forests.

No decision has yet been made on how to replace the satellite.

Jackpot?

Scratch tickets, Megabucks, Powerball—check. Texas Hold’em, Lucky 7, Bingo—well, check, but only for charity. Slot machines, baccarat, casino resorts? Jackpot. At least, that’s what some New Hampshire lawmakers are betting on this year with their bills to bring in more money by rolling more gambling into the Granite State.

The Senate is reviewing two bills that would allow video gaming (slots or other gambling machines) at existing dog and horse racing facilities (see the Feb. 18 installment of Front Door Politics). Next week, two more gambling initiatives hit the House. They’ve already had public hearings, but the House Local and Regulated Revenues Committee is split on whether or not they should pass. They’ll both go to a House vote on Wednesday, March 4.

the show ain’t over for the Rochester Opera House

As the Rochester Opera House neared its 100-year anniversary last year, the community feared it would be the last.
But the reorganization and new strategic business plan is working and, in a display of confidence and commitment, the city of Rochester signed a five-year lease with the Opera House this February.

The historic theater at Town Hall was run by the city until its restoration in 1996, when it was leased on a one to three year basis as a not-for-profit. The new lease is a public-private partnership, with the city acting as landlord. The community support makes it more likely that the Opera House will secure grants, said co-executive director Susan Page.

The accidental crash last week between a defunct Russian military satellite and a U.S. Iridium commercial satellite created a massive debris field which may remain a hazard for 10,000 years, according to Russian Mission Control chief Vladimir Solovyov in an Associated Press report.

Granite State Gambling

Budget cuts won out as the focus of Gov. John Lynch’s budget address on Feb. 13, when he unveiled his proposal for how New Hampshire should tax, spend and scrimp in the next two years. But some groups of lawmakers are wagering that budget reductions alone won’t fix the state’s financial shortfalls, and new money from more gambling is the state’s best bet for a sound fiscal future. While the governor remains clear in his message that he would veto any bills calling for a broad-based sales or income tax, he implied that he might be willing to bargain on gambling.

“I remain skeptical of expanded gambling and how it will affect New Hampshire’s quality of life,” Lynch said, urging “careful and deep thought” to the impact of any gambling proposals.  

UNH looks to replace Ruckus after shutdown

For nearly two years, illegal downloading became virtually obsolete. Students were able to download as much music as they wanted for free.

When Ruckus, a Web site providing free downloads to college students, went offline on Feb. 6, that opportunity disappeared.

“We’ll keep our eyes open for an alternative, but at the present time there doesn’t seem to be any companies ready to fill the void,” said senior assistant vice president for Student and Academic Services Anne Lawing.

The service closed because the site’s digital rights management licensing server had shut down, according to TechCrunch.com, a blog that profiles new Internet products and companies.

Strawbery Banke cuts staff for 2009

Only a few months after celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding, Strawbery Banke Museum is making significant operational changes to avoid major budget shortfalls in 2009. The history museum in Portsmouth is eliminating eight year-round staff positions and cutting seasonal staff by 40 percent while making cuts to all department budgets.

“The global economic crisis has already negatively affected two of the museum’s major sources of revenue—donations to the annual fund and endowment income,” Strawbery Banke president Lawrence Yerdon said in a press release. “The current state of the economy requires us to reduce the museum’s operating costs.”

feminists debate the influence of porn on society

Those expecting a mud-wrestling match in the Granite State Room were in for a shock on Feb. 4 when the pornography debate took a different turn.

Two feminists—anti-porn activist Susan G. Cole and former porn star and supporter of the industry Nina Hartley—defended their viewpoints in the MUB-sponsored event. It was so crowded that 10 minutes before the guests came in to speak students were being turned away at the door.
Cole is the senior entertainment and books editor at NOW Magazine, Canada’s news and entertainment weekly. She is also an author and playwright.