Remembering Bob Baines
Bob Baines, the former mayor of Manchester, past principal of Manchester High School West and current Manchester School Board member, died in Boston on Jan. 23 due to complications following heart surgery.
Government
Nongfu Spring down to a trickle
It’s been a year since a Chinese water and beverage bottling company purchased commercial property in Nashua. Not much more is known now than it was then about the company’s intentions for the 337,391-square-foot building on 23 acres at 80 Northwest Blvd., purchased Jan. 31, 2025 for $67 million by a subsidiary of Nongfu Spring, a giant Chinese bottled water and beverage company.
Preparing for NH’s parental medical leave law
Now that 2026 is underway, New Hampshire employers should turn their attention to the state’s new Parental Medical Leave law (PML). Effective January 1, 2026, most employers with 20 or more employees are required to provide unpaid leave to allow employees to attend childbirth-related medical appointments, postpartum care and pediatric visits during a child’s first year.
NH rural health care faces challenges despite new grant
The federal government will give with one hand and take with another when it comes to New Hampshire’s rural health care system in 2026.
Amid volatility, local economies can provide a model of stability
As we begin 2026, we face another set of choices about how to forge a future that enables us to navigate the continuing instability and volatility in our civic and economic lives.
Legislative preview: Some housing bills would repeal last year’s advances
During the 2025 legislative session, housing advocates hailed new laws that seek to improve the housing supply in New Hampshire. Included among the legislation was the ability for homeowners to construct detached accessory dwellings units on their property, something local…
Darken the Pease Authority
A state report suggests transitioning functions to other state agencies
Cutting pennies from businesses while gutting NH’s future is bad policy
HB 155 would cut the Business Enterprise Tax by 0.05%. On paper, that sounds “pro-business.” In reality, it’s a distraction that saves most businesses pennies while pulling an estimated $23 million out of an already strained state budget, says small business owner Jesse Lore.
Tough times ahead for many NH families
As 2025 comes to an end, many Granite Staters are feeling the same things. Groceries cost more. Housing costs and property taxes are up. Health care is harder to afford and access.
Warrenstreet Architects announces completion of Rockingham County municipal building
Warrenstreet Architects, Inc. recently announced the completion of the new Rockingham County Municipal Building, a 110,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility located at 94 North Road in Brentwood, NH.
