New Hampshire Business Review - Feb. 14, 2025

February 14, 2025

NH businesses report Trump’s trade tactics has already ‘caused damage’

John Koziol,

Tariffs, even talk about them, has introduced chaos into the economy, says a Keene business owner, and they could cause his company a $750,000 contract and possibly its future.

Rising costs constrain household budgets

Jessica Williams/NH Fiscal Policy Institute,

The cost of living in New Hampshire has risen in recent years, increasing the financial burden on Granite State families.

(Opinion) C-PACE legislation is an important housing tool

Opinion,

The C-Pace legislation moving through the Legislature is actually a key tool for helping solve our housing shortage.

Losing touch

Ron Bourque,

Brilliance is wasted if we can’t communicate effectively

Hampton Liberty Lane revamp: Plans to build 248 apartments for ‘missing middle’

Patrick Cronin/Portsmouth Herald,

The developers of a major multifamily residential project off Liberty Lane presented their case to the Hampton Planning Board on Wednesday, Feb. 5, seeking approval for 248 apartments aimed at serving the “missing middle.”

Busy Office Staff In Business Time Working Hours Concept.

Are salaried employees in NH eligible for overtime?

Peg O'Brien,

Many employers wrongly assume that paying employees by salary renders the employees “exempt,” and therefore, the employer is not required to pay the employee overtime pay. This is inaccurate.

New Hampshire nonprofits remain in a state of confusion as federal funding uncertainty brews

Elisa Gonzales Verdi,

Nonprofits nationwide have been caught in a whirlwind of confusion about the future of federal funding.

(Opinion) Are your brand and outreach efforts prepped for 2025?

Opinion,

The digital marketing and communications world moves fast — what worked last year might feel outdated this year.

Planting seeds

Doug Teschner,

Bipartisan caucus bridging the divide is a national model

UNH receives $3 million to develop international seafood program

Claire Sullivan -New Hampshire Bulletin,

As warming seas pose difficulties for seafood globally, a $3 million gift will help the University of New Hampshire develop an international, community-based seafood production program, the university announced earlier this month.

More news from NHBR:

‘What must remain human?’ Dartmouth AI conference opens without a clear answer

Dartmouth College opened its “AI at 70” conference Thursday morning, Oct. 29, with a session called “The Future Worth Building is Human.”

(Opinion) Utilities learn to communicate through uncertainty

On Nov. 26, 2015, heavy wet snow was falling, with a forecast warning of an impending storm for days. The phone rings, and before I answer it, I already know what the reporter is going to ask.

(Opinion) From mill town to river town

New Hampshire has more than 10,000 miles of rivers, many of which flow through downtowns.

(Opinion) Investing in youth mental health in New Hampshire

The nationwide youth mental health crisis has seen marked improvements in New Hampshire since 2021, but the problem is still far from fixed. Indeed, while the measured outcomes are getting better compared to the worst years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the figures today are still historically concerning compared to a decade ago.

(Opinion) People with disabilities are an untapped resource

New Hampshire employers spend considerable time and resources trying to find dependable employees who want to work. Yet there is a segment of our population that is too often overlooked: adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Come to the table

Reliable, accessible childcare is an economic advantage that helps New Hampshire businesses attract and retain employees, strengthen their workforce and support long-term growth.

Growing with grace

Identifying growing and grace as my top two values helped me focus on who I want to be and how I want to show up. Revisiting these six years later, I am pleased that these ideas still ring true.

Are prediction markets revenue ripe for picking in NH?

To many people, prediction markets and sports gaming are a distinction without a difference. Which begs the question: Should New Hampshire be regulating prediction markets, especially as they apply to sports, the same way it regulates — and draws revenue from — sports betting via DraftKings?

(Market & Main Streets) Employers follow workers

Over the course of my career, I have attended my share of ribbon-cuttings that were the result of a lot of effort to recruit a new company into the state.