New Hampshire's Business News for March 11
A look at today's top business headlines including: NH House cuts money for commuter rail study, NH House rejects minimum wage increase, Troy voters want to end business with TD Bank, NH State Senate passes bill to help fight heroin epidemic and will Narcan be available at Manchester schools.
House cuts money for commuter rail study from bill The state’s 10-year, $3.8 billion highway improvement plan was approved by the House Thursday but without $4 million earmarked to further develop the commuter rail project for the Merrimack Valley. – NH PUBLIC RADIO
NH House backs bill to raise cap on net metering The current cap would be doubled to 100 megawatts. – NH PUBLIC RADIO
House rejects minimum wage increase The House defeated an attempt to raise it to $9.50 an hour and also defeated a bill that would have ended the exemption for tipped workers to be paid the minimum wage by their employers. – NH UNION LEADER
DES criticized for understating health risks of Merrimack water contaminant A Kentucky-based attorney is criticizing the NH Department of Environmental Services for its response to possible water contamination in Merrimack. – NH PUBLIC RADIO
Hassan, N.Y., Vt. governors ask EPA to chemical found in water The governors of New Hampshire, New York and Vermont are urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue new safe drinking water guidelines regarding PFOA, an emerging contaminant that has shown up in water systems and in private wells. – NH PUBLIC RADIO
Shaheen: It’s time to make SBIR/STTR permanent The initiatives unleash the innovative potential of America’s high-tech small businesses. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW
Somersworth firm sees dry room as a boon for business Somersworth-based J-Pac Medical has installed dry room processing capabilities that the company says will expand the medical manufacturer and packaging outsourcer’s customer market. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW
Littleton program aims to unveil a stealth profession: computer-controlled machining A $340,000 program opens in the North Country to introduce high school students and adults to a job they probably never knew existed: computer-controlled machining. – NH PUBLIC RADIO
Calif., Fla., NY and NC individuals express an interest in buying Pembroke clock tower building The three-story building in downtown Pembroke has had several showings, according to Manchester-based real estate agent Scott Godzyk. – NH UNION LEADER
AG: renew committal for Nashua man accused of beating ex-police chief dad Eric Largy appeared calm as he was escorted in handcuffs and leg chains to New Hampshire Hospital’s small courtroom Thursday to see if his five-year involuntary commitment would be renewed for another six months. – INDEPTHNH.ORG
Troy voters ask selectmen to end business with TD Bank TD Bank's decision not to allow its downtown Troy Square building to be sold to another bank will cost it the town's business. – THE KEENE SENTINEL
Cate Street CEO, industry newsletter reach settlement A paper industry newsletter and the former manager of the shuttered Great Northern Paper Co. mills have agreed to settle certain libel claims made against the publication by the CEO of the New Hampshire-based firm. – BANGOR DAILY NEWS
State Senate passes bills aimed at fighting heroin epidemic The bills include supplemental funding of about $2.5 million for the governor’s commission on alcohol and drug abuse prevention, with a spending plan subject to approval of the Legislature’s fiscal committee. – NH UNION LEADER
Narcan may be made available to all Manchester schools Manchester Public Health Director Tim Soucy said the Narcan will be provided free of charge by the state Department of Health and Human Services. – NH UNION LEADER
U.S. Senate OKs Ayotte, Shaheen-backed bill to address opioid crisis The U.S. Senate voted 94-1 on Thursday to approve sweeping legislation aimed at the nation's opioid addiction crisis. – NH PUBLIC RADIO
AG probe into pharmaceutical marketing of opioids hits roadblock The attorney general wants to know if the companies have been deceptively marketing opioids, but a court order has slowed that process. – NH PUBLIC RADIO
District attorney: 84 alleged N.Y. gang members face indictments for attempted murder, bringing drugs to Manchester The four Bronx-based gangs trafficked cocaine, Fentanyl and heroin to towns in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, a news release said. – NH UNION LEADER
State Rep. Jack Flanagan to target independents, Democrats in 2nd District race In his first press conference as a candidate for U.S. Congress, Republican state Rep. Jack Flanagan painted himself as a moderate who could sway a district that tends to vote Democratic. – CONCORD MONITOR
New data shows a weaker Mass. economy in 2015 Employers shed 2,500 jobs, the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported Thursday. – THE BOSTON GLOBE
