New Hampshire's Business News for May 4

A look at today's top business headlines, including: NH Gives Day planned, pipeline opponents still fighting, governor vetoes building inspector bill, rail funding nixed by Senate panel

Nonprofits sought for first NH Gives Day The NH Center for Nonprofits is looking for nonprofit organizations to participate in NH Gives Day, the first statewide day of giving, to take place on June 7.—N.H. BUSINESS REVIEW

State School site for rehab center The Senate Finance Committee yesterday endorsed a proposal to lease the  former Laconia State School and Lakes Region prison to a private party for use as a substance abuse treatment and recovery facility. – THE LACONIA DAILY SUN

NH attorney general declines to join Phillips Exeter probe New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster says he sees "no active role" for his office in investigating Phillips Exeter Academy's handling of sexual misconduct allegations at the elite prep school.  – EXETER NEWSLETTER

Opponents look to kill proposed pipeline project Not content with Kinder Morgan's assurances that plans for a new natural gas pipeline through New Hampshire have been shelved, the leading pipeline opposition group wants to put a stake through the heart.  – N.H. UNION LEADER

Q&A with NH Clean Tech Council Director Kate Epsen    “There is a lot of private capital out there that can come into play, but not in a state that is constantly monkeying around with the public leverage piece of it. So we say: incremental changes to improve policy but not cut them off at their knees.”  — N.H. BUSINESS REVIEW

Gov. Hassan uses first veto of year on building code legislation Gov. Maggie Hassan, citing public safety concerns, vetoed a bill she said would tie the hands of local building inspectors and could lead to lawsuits. – N.H. UNION LEADER

Contractor alleges assault by Portsmouth building inspector A local contractor has filed a police complaint alleging he was assaulted by the building inspector. – PORTSMOUTH HERALD

NH Senate committee pushes rail off track The Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday refused to reinstate $4 million in mostly federal money needed to further commuter rail expansion in New Hampshire – a project that had strong support from many business, political and civic leaders in Nashua, Manchester and Concord. – NASHUA TELEGRAPH

N.H. lawmakers grapple with regulation of Airbnb Worries over lost tax revenue and neighborhood complaints have state and local officials grappling with how to regulate private rentals through online platforms such as Airbnb. – N.H. PUBLIC RADIO

Manchester aldermen approve ordinances regulating ride-sharing companies The Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously Tuesday to pass new ordinances regulating ride-sharing companies operating within the Queen City, but the new rules could be rendered moot – N.H. UNION LEADER

Nashuans seek deals, reminisce as The Sports Authority closing looms The Sports Authority store on Daniel Webster Highway may close its doors for good, after the privately held Colorado-based company announced it would not be able to reorganize following its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. – NASHUA TELEGRAPH

Statements made on business' electronic sign at center of civil lawsuit Mortgage broker Michael Gill brought his litany of corruption claims against New Hampshire judges, attorneys and prominent businessmen to the Hillsborough County courthouse on Tuesday, at a preliminary hearing on a civil suit filed by three of his targets, demanding that he take down a prominent road sign labelling them drug dealers and extortionists. – N.H. UNION LEADER

Soil to cover buried waste at former light bulb factory Another 14 inches of soil and asphalt is to be placed over the entombed nuclear contaminants at the former Osram Sylvania plant, according to the developer. – N.H. UNION LEADER

Owners of Street taking over Ken's West End location The pizza is gone, but not for long. While Ken’s West End Pizza closed late last week, a new pizza place is expected to open next month in its location with an international pizza flair.  – PORTSMOUTH HERALD

Brownie's Motel at Hampton Beach up for auction A motel that has been a longtime Hampton Beach fixture will go on the auction block next week with a starting bid of $700,000. – HAMPTON UNION

Arthur's Market remains closed  Arthur's Market remains closed after an electrical fire last week caused the store's entire contents to be thrown away.  – FOSTER’S DAILY DEMOCRAT

Bumblebee color scheme coming to Boscawen? Dollar General plans to submit an application for a new store in Boscawen, one of the 900 new locations the business plans to open in 2016.  – CONCORD MONITOR

Ruger profit surges 50 percent  A surge in demand for firearms, particularly new products, bolstered Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc. to a 50 percent surge in first-quarter profit to $23.3 million.  WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL

Aroma Joe's to be built in Conway The 800-square-foot coffee emporium should be completed by August, according to engineer Stephen Haight of Haight Engineering LLC of Dover.  THE CONWAY DAILY SUN