New Hampshire's Business News for April 13

A look at today's top business headlines including: breastfeeding bill put on hold, NH has one of the most expensive childcare in US, will Verizon employees go on strike, new job training grants and the Page Restaurant and Bar's wrongful death suit

House panel votes to put breastfeeding bill on ice The NH House Commerce Committee on Tuesday essentially recommended putting off action on a bill aimed at helping breastfeeding mothers at the workplace by voting to change it into a study bill. – N.H. BUSINESS REVIEW

Report: N.H. has 12th most-expensive childcare in the nation Childcare for infants in New Hampshire is the 12th most expensive in the nation, according to a new report from a group calling for broad reform on childcare affordability across the country. – N.H. PUBLIC RADIO

Taking a bite out of wage disparity on Equal Pay Day Why, Rachel Tennison — a Nashua sales manager wondered at Concord’s Works Bakery Café — is she earning less money than a man who’s below her in her company’s corporate pecking order? Comparing wages between men and women in New Hampshire  — CONCORD MONITOR

NH Verizon employees working in Mass. may strike today More than 500 union workers living in New Hampshire but working for Verizon in Massachusetts may go on strike today. – N.H. UNION LEADER

Hassan announces job training grants Gov. Maggie Hassan on Tuesday announced nine Granite State companies were awarded job training grants to help them train 694 workers in new skills. – PORTSMOUTH HERALD

N.H.'s unemployment rate drops to lowest level since 2000 New Hampshire’s unemployment rate fell to 2.6 percent in March – one of the lowest rates in the country, and the lowest for the state since 2000. But that may actually be bad news for employers. – N.H. PUBLIC RADIO

Hundreds of Geisel employees to learn fate Employees of the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College will learn next week whether the school’s deficit-driven restructuring measures will leave them unemployed, require them to start over as employees of Dartmouth-Hitchcock or leave their current job status intact. – VALLEY NEWS

Boarding schools face reckoning on sexual abuse A series of sexual abuse scandals is forcing a reckoning at some of New England’s most exclusive boarding schools and sending a shudder through similar institutions across the country that have long been training grounds for members of America’s elite. – CONCORD MONITOR

Wave of consolidation hits NH beer distributors Beer drinkers probably won’t notice, but two companies that distribute Anheuser-Busch beer to stores and bars in adjoining territories in New Hampshire are joining forces.  – N.H. UNION LEADER

Otten rebuts claims of pressure for Northern Pass stance The developer who wants to restore the Balsams resort in the northernmost part of the state acknowledges that he has become an active proponent of the Northern Pass. NH’s utilities earn kudos from the EPA  – N.H. UNION LEADER

Mercury Systems lands $2.9M in new orders Mercury Systems Inc.— which has a facility in Hudson — said it received $2.9 million in orders from a "leading defense prime contractor" to provide digital signal and image processing modules for an unmanned airborne ISR application. – THE LOWELL SUN

Henniker: Planning board to consider Dollar General The Henniker planning board will review design plans tonight for a Dollar General store along Route 114 and a proposal for agritourism use at Forster’s Christmas Tree Farm. – CONCORD MONITOR

Onions pub a success in US for Burmuda couple Allan Powell and wife Kathy took over the Tilton Inn in New Hampshire three years ago and renamed the restaurant Onions Pub and Restaurant in honour of their Bermuda home.  – THE ROYAL GAZETTE

Noise angst stalls approval of wood pellet plant Concerns about noise remain a major sticking point in a developer's effort to bring a new wood pellet plant to the Barnstead Business Park. – THE BAYSIDER

Suit filed in deadly attack over spilled drink at Portsmouth restaurant An Epping couple has brought a wrongful death suit against the owners of the now-closed Page Restaurant and Bar in Portsmouth after their son suffered a fatal blow to the head by a patron. – N.H. UNION LEADER

Karl Hahn to plead guilty to $2M fraud A year after he was indicted for a federal charge of financial wire fraud, former millionaire Karl Hahn has filed a notice of his intent to plead guilty. – PORTSMOUTH HERALD

Keene head shop closed; landlord says lease was violated  The downtown Keene head shop that was raided in 2014 by federal agents has closed after its owners violated conditions of its lease, according to the building’s owner.– KEENE SENTINEL

Introducing the new Rialto 2 The Rialto Theatre will expand this spring by building a smaller 35 seat theatre next door in Lancaster. – COOS COUNTY DEMOCRAT

NHBR Featured Event: GMCC's Citizen of the Year Celebration  Annual dinner recognizes outstanding leadership and citizenship in the community.  This year’s honor goes to AutoFair Automotive Group President and CEO, Andy Crews.  Tomorrow night in Manchester.