New Hampshire's Business News for May 6

A look at today's top business headlines, including: Maine company buys Lake Sunapee Bank, Biweekly pay bill dies in Senate, LRGHealthcare names new CEO, school funding dispute heads to court, Lewandowski in line to be Trump NH delegation chair

Maine bank acquires NH’s Lake Sunapee Bank Group  $143 million deal would create $3.3 billion company. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW

Biweekly pay bill dies in NH Senate  12-12 vote means employers still need state’s OK to issue checks every other week. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW

NH Senate roundup: Guns, beer and private schools  The state Senate defeated two abortion-related bills, passed legislation making a license needed to carry a concealed gun optional and delayed action on a proposal to ban gay conversion therapy in New Hampshire. – CONCORD MONITOR

Dover school funding dispute heads to court Friday. Here's what you need to know  On Friday, all three branches of New Hampshire’s government will meet in a courtroom, in the latest dispute over how the state pays for public schools. – NH PUBLIC RADIO

With 'for sale' sign posted, Rockingham Park regulars prepare for track's final lap  The state Senate’s vote to reject a casino gambling bill earlier this session prompted the owners of Rockingham Park to put the former horse racing track on the market. The news has not gone over well at the storied institution, where the regulars make up a small but committed bunch. – NH PUBLIC RADIO

LRGHealthcare names new CEO  Kevin W. Donovan, 45, a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and currently the president and CEO of Mount Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor, Vt., will assume the same position at the Laconia hospital in mid-June, the hospital announced Thursday. – NH UNION LEADER

Elliot Hospital closing OB-GYN practice About 2,400 women will need to get a new OB-GYN doctor as Elliot Health System is closing a practice it owns with two doctors with more than 30 years experience each delivering babies in Manchester. – NH UNION LEADER

Monadnock Region to lose inpatient psychiatric unit An inpatient psychiatric unit in the Monadnock region will close because of staffing issues. – NH PUBLIC RADIO

State hospital's psychiatric workers take LLC route for bargaining seat  A lawyer representing psychiatric workers at New Hampshire Hospital attempting to form a bargaining unit say the group has now formed a professional practice group in an effort to keep the hospital staffed. – NH UNION LEADER

Northern Pass outlines specific business opportunities for when project is approved  Although yet to be approved, officials of the Northern Pass project continue to get their ducks in a row. – NH UNION LEADER

Rehab center plan draws opposition in Laconia  With the NH Senate preparing to vote next week on legislation that would foreclose efforts by the city to purchase the former Laconia State School property on North Main Street and instead authorize leasing it for a substance abuse and recovery center, the mayor and city council, surprised by the proposal, are scrambling to frame an appropriate response. – THE LACONIA DAILY SUN

NH Senate: Needle exchange proposal needs more work  New Hampshire senators have voted to create a study commission to look at needle exchange programs rather than legalizing them. The proposal now heads back to the House, which if left unchanged, will then head to the governor. – NH PUBLIC RADIO

River Valley college transitions to Lebanon  Renovations keep rolling on and enrollment is higher than expected at River Valley Community College’s new Lebanon campus, officials reported to the City Council on Wednesday. – VALLEY NEWS

PC Connection sees first-quarter sales dip  But quarterly income rises 5.6 percent. – NH BUSINESS REVIEW

Study: No safety issue at Seabrook Station nuclear plant  Concrete degradation should not be a safety issue down the road for Seabrook Station nuclear power plant, NextEra Energy officials said. – PORTSMOUTH HERALD

Manchester superintendent Debra Livingston to retire Oct. 1  School Superintendent Dr. Debra Livingston has announced her retirement, effective Oct. 1. – NH UNION LEADER

Lewandowski in line to be NH delegation chair  Donald Trump's campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, is in line to be chairman of the New Hampshire delegation to the Republican National Convention in July. – NH UNION LEADER

In talks to keep Portland Pirates, trustees didn’t know arena’s income from games  The trustees of Cross Insurance Arena didn’t know how much the arena was making from Portland Pirates’ hockey games when they sat down to discuss lease changes with the team last month. Those talks ultimately failed when the team confirmed Wednesday that the Pirates are being sold and will be moving to Springfield, Mass. – PORTLAND PRESS HERALD

U.S. employment gains hit seven-month low, labor force shrinks  The U.S. economy added the fewest number of jobs in seven months in April and Americans dropped out of the labor force in droves, signs of weakness that cast doubts on whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates before the end of the year. – REUTERS