New Hampshire's Business News for March 22

A look at today's top business headlines including:a look at the new federal crowdfunding regulations, an update on Nashua's commuter rail, planning board approved Candia Road apartments, Fidelity Investments is helping assist employees with student loans, and Krispy Kreme is coming to NH thanks to a former Five Guys franchise owner

Rules changes may ease NH businesses’ access to capital  State law rewrite, new federal crowdfunding regulations seen as aiding entrepreneurs. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW

NH Senate panel taking up Medicaid expansion plan  The Senate Finance Committee will host a public hearing Tuesday on a bill to extend the program. – FOSTER’S DAILY DEMOCRAT

Senate to debate bill on accommodations for pregnant workers  Senators are poised to take up a bill that would require employers to provide certain accommodations for pregnant workers to help them stay on the job. – FOSTER’S DAILY DEMOCRAT

Commuter rail advocates rally in Nashua  About 130 advocates of the Capital Corridor Rail Project convened at the Nashua Library Monday night. Their goal: figure out how to get lawmakers to include rail in a 10-year transportation bill. – NH PUBLIC RADIO

Manchester Planning Board approves Candia Road apartments  The city’s Planning Board has given the green light for a 105-unit apartment complex to be built behind the Dunkin’ Donuts on Candia Road, after the developer agreed to install a traffic signal, crosswalks and a turn lane at a nearby intersection. – NH UNION LEADER

Fidelity program helps employees tackle student loan debt  Fidelity Investments has implemented a new benefit program to assist employees with student loans. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW

Papermakers overwhelmingly approve new contract  USW Local 75 President Eddy Debois said the vote was 52-2 to accept Gorham Paper and Tissue’s proposal for a 1.75 percent raise. – THE BERLIN DAILY SUN

Travelers asked to arrive earlier for flights at Manchester airport due to construction  Travelers at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport are being asked to arrive two hours prior to departure through November — 30 minutes earlier than normal — thanks to construction work that began Monday on a six-lane passenger screening checkpoint. – NH UNION LEADER

Old Nashua mill complex added to National Register of Historic Places  The Nashua Gummed and Coated Paper Company Historic District in Nashua has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. – NH1

Five Guys entrepreneur brings Krispy Kreme to NH  After his success in launching 10 Five Guys restaurants in New Hampshire, Cort Mendez is planning to open four Krispy Kreme outlets in the Granite State. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW

NHBR Q&A: NH Made Executive Director Alice Pearce  More people are buying locally made products because they are looking for ‘authentic experiences,’ says Alice Pearce, executive director of NH Made, the organization that promotes and markets New Hampshire-made goods and services. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW

Portsmouth wants Water Country to fund traffic study  The city wants Water County to commit in writing to pay for half the cost of a study to address how traffic leaving the popular water park impacting the neighborhoods around it. – PORTSMOUTH HERALD

Governor chooses new drug czar  Gov. Maggie Hassan has named Senior Assistant Attorney General James C. Vara on Monday to the position of governor’s adviser on addiction and behavioral health. He succeeds Jack Wozmak, who resigned Feb. 1, amid criticism from Republican leaders. – NH UNION LEADER

NH's former drug czar to lead Keene airport  After stepping down as New Hampshire's so-called drug czar earlier this year, Jack Wozmak is taking on an entirely different role as manager of the Dillant-Hopkins Airport in Keene. – NH PUBLIC RADIO

Ticks hasten moose's disappearing act in NH  A NH Hampshire Fish and Game biologist is encouraging Granite State moose lovers to get involved in the fight against climate change so the species can continue to live here. – THE CONWAY DAILY SUN

FBI warrant executed on Keene home of Free Keene members  Federal Bureau of Investigation officials seized items from a house on Leverett Street in Keene early Sunday morning as part of an ongoing investigation into what the search warrant states to be the possession or distribution of child pornography. – THE KEENE SENTINEL

With high PFOA contamination in North Bennington, Vermont to expand testing area  Gov. Peter Shumlin announced Wednesday that the state is going to extend the range of water testing as results continue to come in showing widespread contamination around the former Chemfab plant in North Bennington. – NH PUBLIC RADIO

Home sales jump but prices dip in Massachusetts  Real estate data reports released Tuesday say the number of single-family homes sold in Massachusetts increased in February, compared to the same month last year, when much of New England was buried under historic snows. – LOWELL SUN

Paychecks are bigger in Mass. Here’s why  The median wage in the Bay State is a full dollar higher than anywhere else. – THE BOSTON GLOBE