New Hampshire's Business News for Aug. 9
A look at today's top business headlines, including: Big drop reported in NH workers’ comp costs; Pros, cons of commuter rail extension to NH; States, including New Hampshire, vie to shield the wealth of the 1 percent ; Good News Garage shut down due to lack of license; New Hampshire fashion designers make 'Olympic sprint' to Rio
Big drop reported in NH workers’ comp costs Workers’ compensation costs have fallen by nearly 10 percent in New Hampshire, which means that the cost of workers’ comp insurance premiums will go down as a whole, though the rates will differ vastly from company to company. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW
Pros, cons of commuter rail extension to NH debated before state primary A commuter rail line extending into New Hampshire: It’s an idea that’s been debated many times, but is once again being discussed ahead of the state primary next month. – WMUR-TV
States vie to shield the wealth of the 1 percent The clear leaders are Nevada, Delaware, South Dakota and Alaska, but other states have also joined the frenzy, including New Hampshire, to dip a spoon in the trillion-dollar-plus pot of cream that had traditionally been preserved in offshore tax havens like the Cayman Islands. – THE NEW YORK TIMES
Good News Garage shut down due to lack of license A nonprofit organization that collects donated cars and recycles them for low-income families has suspended operations, due to lack of a used car dealer’s license. – NH UNION LEADER
Groundwater well samples in Greenland show elevated levels of PFOA and PFOS Elevated concentrations of perfluorochemicals have been found in non-residential groundwater monitoring well samples collected beyond the footprint of Coakley landfill. – NH UNION LEADER
NH College and University Council to be recognized on 50th anniversary Later this month, Gov. Maggie Hassan will issue a proclamation in celebration of the NH College and University Council’s 50th anniversary. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW
Company cited in fatal Lancaster tent collapse headed to civil, criminal court Arraignment has been postponed for a circus company facing criminal charges relating to a 2015 tent collapse that killed two people and injured dozens of others. – NH UNION LEADER
Internet Service Provider Sovernet will be sold Vermont telecommunications service provider Sovernet, which expanded significantly in the state in recent years thanks to federal stimulus funding, announced on Monday it was being sold to a private equity firm controlled by Texas billionaire Robert Bass. – VALLEY NEWS
Official: Commissioner chooses D-H for State Hospital contract The Executive Council will be asked to award a three-year contract to Dartmouth-Hitchcock to provide professional services at New Hampshire Hospital, the Concord facility where the state's most severe cases of mental illness are treated, according to Executive Councilor Joe Kenney. – VALLEY NEWS
Concord Steam closure could force state to pay $15 million to convert to natural gas The state is facing an unanticipated $15 million charge to convert more than two dozen buildings to natural gas after Concord Steam Corp. announced plans to close next year. – CONCORD MONITOR
W. Lebanon apartments get review Residents offered mixed opinions on Monday of plans to construct a four-story apartment building on Main Street. – VALLEY NEWS
MakerSpace takes over old Claremont mill TwinState MakerSpace has acquired the old Sawtooth Mill building in the heart of downtown Claremont from the city, with plans to convert the long-unused mill building into a makerspace. – NH UNION LEADER
New Hampshire fashion designers make 'Olympic sprint' to Rio For the last few months, Laura McCarthy has been preparing to put a lifetime of training on display before an international audience in Rio de Janeiro — home of this year’s summer Olympics. – NH PUBLIC RADIO
CTC project in the home stretch The $6.5 million renovation of the Somersworth Career Technical Center is on track as the start of the school year approaches. – FOSTER’S DAILY DEMOCRAT
Exeter selectmen support transgender equality On Monday night, Exeter became the fourth Seacoast community to formally enshrine transgender individuals' right in the absence of state-level legislation. – PORTSMOUTH HERALD
NH Public TV mourns loss of 101-year-old proofreader As she approached 100 in July 2015, Millie Penhale, working remotely from her retirement home downloading the weekly edition of the station's news, expertly searching for sloppy syntax and Googling to check the accuracy of dates and names, finally decided to embrace her age and appreciate the acclaim that comes with living a full century. – PORTSMOUTH HERALD
Granite Staters react to Trump's economic plan New Hampshire supporters of Donald Trump, reacting to his economic plan, are hopeful his tax reform ideas will buoy his standing among fiscal conservatives and the business community. Hillary Clinton surrogates portrayed Trump’s proposal as a job-killer. Both sides are claiming the economy as a winning issue — and theirs alone. – NH UNION LEADER
Collins, ‘increasingly dismayed’ by Donald Trump, says she won’t vote for him Sen. Susan Collins of Maine says she will not vote for Donald Trump for president, writing in an opinion column that her party’s presidential nominee is unsuited for office because of “his disregard for the precept of treating others with respect, an idea that should transcend politics.” – PORTLAND PRESS HERALD
