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Portsmouth Activists Plan Accessible Black ...

A Black Lives Matter protest more accessible to those in the disabled community is being organized for next Friday in Portsmouth.

Portsmouth Activists Plan Accessible Black Lives Matter Protest

Voters to Decide on $13.1 Million Public Safety Building in Wolfeboro

Voters to Decide on $13.1 Million Public Safety Building in Wolfeboro

A warrant article asking the town for $13.1 million dollars will be voted on in March for renovations to the Wolfeboro Public Safety building. Wolfeboro’s police and fire chiefs say the upgrades are long overdue and desperately needed while some residents have expressed concerns about costs.  

“The current building is far too out of date to keep up with the latest technologies,” said Police Chief Dean Rondeau, who added that he hopes voters will approve the major renovation and an addition to the current building. “Science and equipment has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. The equipment is bigger and heavier. The floors can’t handle it, the building can’t handle it. We’ve simply outgrown [the building].”

The Granite Beat: We need to talk about This

The Granite Beat: We need to talk about This

As mass shootings and deaths by suicide involving firearms become a greater part of the public conversation, journalists find themselves tasked with reporting on these issues while also providing context. While these topics are never easy to cover, the uneasiness some people feel about discussing these issues with reporters, and thus publicly, not only make that harder, but can make it more difficult for a variety of points of view and experiences from becoming part of that public discussion.

In this week’s episode The Granite Beat hosts Adam Drapcho and Julie Hart spoke with Sheryl Rich-Kern, a writer, editor, producer, and journalism instructor at Southern NH University, about her extensive career in the industry. She shared insights into her recent piece Guns and suicide: A search for common ground to save lives in New Hampshire  and previewed what she’s working on next.

N.H. Supreme Court weighs confidentiality of police disciplinary files

N.H. Supreme Court weighs confidentiality of police disciplinary files

The New Hampshire Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a right-to-know case that could have major implications for police transparency in the state.

The case involves one specific public-records request — the ACLU of New Hampshire’s pursuit of materials about a state trooper, Haden Wilber, who was fired in 2021. But it poses a larger question: whether the public ever has a right to view internal police personnel files that document misconduct.

The State We're In: Changes in Medicaid. What we know so far.

The State We're In: Changes in Medicaid. What we know so far.

Whether or not to renew recent efforts to expand Medicaid insurance coverage for Granite Staters is back before the state legislature. At one point this was a tough sell in the legislature. Fiscal conservatives were concerned it would create increased dependence on the government, while advocates said it improves insurance coverage, health outcomes, and saves lives. Lawmakers have voted twice to continue the program which was vital during the pandemic, and must decide whether to do so again this year. If they don't, benefits are set to end for tens of thousands of people according to officials. 

On this week’s episode of The State We’re In, Paul Cuno-Booth, who covers Health for New Hampshire Public Radio, insurance expert and president of Market Health Connect Keith Ballingall, and Amber Macquarie, one of the thousands of Granite Staters affected by the expansion will discuss what Granite Staters can expect.

Get Tech Smart: Breaking into cybersecurity

Get Tech Smart: Breaking into cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is a buzzword we’ve all heard, but what does it exactly entail? What is the state of digital security at the start of 2023, and how can the average person best protect themselves against cyber threats?

For this episode of Get Tech Smart, we invited CEO Patrick Hynds and CTO Duane Laflotte of Pulsar Security to shed some light on the world of cybersecurity and provide tips on staying safe online.

The Granite Beat: Tech, Local News and The Awesomeness of Culverts

The Granite Beat: Tech, Local News and The Awesomeness of Culverts

Our modern world advances at an ever-increasing pace and the news industry is not immune from the impacts. How do these shifts in technology and public sentiment change the media landscape? How can we keep up? We speak with David Brooks, the “Granite Geek” and columnist for the Concord Monitor, about the obstacles and opportunities of the union between tech media.

Will Exeter ban single-use plastics on town property? It's up to town's voters

Will Exeter ban single-use plastics on town property? It's up to town's voters

The town's Select Board has dropped plans to move forward with a town-wide policy to ban the distribution of single-use plastics on town property and instead will leave it in the hands of voters.

The board made the decision last week after members of the town's Sustainability Advisory Committee filed a citizen's petition to have the town adopt an ordinance instead at the March 14 Town Meeting. The committee believes an ordinance to ban the distribution of single-use disposable plastics — such as bottles, containers, and straws — on town-owned property would have more teeth than just a policy.

Despite slow start, Pine Hill Ski Club is hard packed and fast

Despite slow start, Pine Hill Ski Club is hard packed and fast

After a slow start to the season, Pine Hill Ski Club in New London is now open with miles of ski trails, groomed for classic cross-country skiing. 

Pine Hill Ski Club Board President, Susie Lowe-Stockwell, said the slow start because of a lack of snow has shifted over the last month. “We’ve had a good stretch of being open,” Lowe-Stockwell said. “The groomers have been out. Conditions have been hard packed and fast.”

New London Board Accepts Preliminary Application for Twin Pines Workforce Housing Project

New London Board Accepts Preliminary Application for Twin Pines Workforce Housing Project

Twin Pines Housing appeared before the New London Planning Board in January with a revised site plan to Long Meadow Commons, a 60-unit workforce housing project on County Road near New London Hospital.

The revised plan maintains the 60-workforce housing units spread among four buildings on land currently owned by the Cricenti family. The site plan, which had originally proposed a large courtyard in the center of the complex, has been replaced with a smaller cul-de-sac at the rear. A playground and pavilion, which was to be in the courtyard, has also been moved to the southern edge of the development.

Electric Bill Sticker Shock: Can ‘Community Power’ Provide Relief?

Electric Bill Sticker Shock: Can ‘Community Power’ Provide Relief?

Soaring electricity bills are seriously hurting our pocketbooks. This fall, the National Grid warned that New England consumers could see a 64% increase in electricity rates this winter. Eversource New Hampshire customers are now paying 22 cents per kilowatt hour for default service. This is more than double the previous rate. What is the solution to this escalating problem?  We will explore some options in the works in Hudson, as well as other communities in the state, called “Community Power.” This idea bands together New Hampshire towns and cities to increase their purchasing power and lower costs. For this episode of Get Tech Smart, we talk to Craig Putnam, the director for the Hudson NH Electric Aggregation Committee; Brett Gagnon, a former board of selectmen liaison for Hudson; and Henry Herndon, a consultant with the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire. Will these efforts lower your electricity costs? 

Trees removed at Libby Museum in Wolfeboro

Trees removed at Libby Museum in Wolfeboro

Northern Tree Service was at the Libby Museum in Wolfeboro Dec. 21 to remove several old and diseased trees from the museum property.

Kari Lauber of the Friends of the Libby Museum (FoLM) looked on and took pictures to document the event as crews worked to remove the trees. “Just having these trees removed is definitely a good feeling,” she said.  “It’s our first big step forward in a long time, and our first step towards the restoration.”

Keeping History Alive

Keeping History Alive

The paint peels from the walls of the Libby Museum in Wolfeboro like loose sticky notes reminding the town there are renovations to be done. The fate of this building, one of New Hampshire’s oldest museums, will be in the hands of Wolfeboro voters at the 2023 town meeting. 

2023 Warrant Articles Discussed at December Wolfeboro Selectman’s Meeting

2023 Warrant Articles Discussed at December Wolfeboro Selectman’s Meeting

The Wolfeboro Select Board met Dec. 7 to consider what budget items to present to voters at town meeting in 2023. A new public safety building, a school resource officer, a new boat, major museum repairs, and large equipment replacements were among the items reviewed.

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The State We're In: Tripledemic - Q&A w. Dr. Aalok Khole

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The State We're In: Tripledemic - Q&A w. Dr. Aalok Khole

COVID-19, itself, was bad enough. But this season we’re also dealing with a tough flu variant and RSV. What should you know? And what can you do to keep yourself and your family safe? Host Melanie Plenda speaks with Dr. Aalok Khole, an infectious disease specialist at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene.

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Reimagining Local News Funding Leads to a Different Kind of Journalism

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Reimagining Local News Funding Leads to a Different Kind of Journalism

As financial pressures push news outlets to take a hard look at their payroll, alternative funding sources have come into play as a way to bolster reporting positions. At The Keene Sentinel, Olivia Belanger holds one of those positions. She leads the paper’s Health Lab, and she said the position doesn’t just add another position, it allows whoever holds that position to do a different kind of work.

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An Innovation Ecosystem Thrives at UNH

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An Innovation Ecosystem Thrives at UNH

Universities can be hubs for innovative thought, products and even spin-out businesses. The University of New Hampshire is no exception, and has actually created an ecosystem to accelerate future high tech leaders, companies and socially responsible nonprofits. 



For this latest episode of Get Tech Smart, I feature three guests from UNH:



  • Marc Eichenberger Chief Business Development and Innovation Officer, UNHInnovation

  • Jeffrey Lapak, Director, UNH InterOperability Lab and COVID Lab Operations

  • Dot Sheehan, Founder, President, and CEO, OPERATION HAT TRICK.

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The Granite Beat: Journalism Meets Lived Experience: A conversation with Anthony Payton

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The Granite Beat: Journalism Meets Lived Experience: A conversation with Anthony Payton

Anthony Payton is a columnist and community activist whose work is informed by his experiences with the criminal justice system. He also writes about race relations, and how he finds that what people share in common often transcends their differences.

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The Granite Beat: Why 'Old School' Cops and Courts Coverage Still Matters; Q&A with Michael Mortensen

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The Granite Beat: Why 'Old School' Cops and Courts Coverage Still Matters; Q&A with Michael Mortensen

Michael Mortensen is a veteran journalist who has covered the Lakes Region for decades. He has filled just about every role possible within a newsroom. Most recently, he’s been the “courts and cops” reporter for The Laconia Daily Sun.

Understanding the Longevity of Merrimack Station, New England’s Last Coal-Fired Power Plant

Understanding the Longevity of Merrimack Station, New England’s Last Coal-Fired Power Plant

Merrimack Station in Bow, built in the 1960s, is the last coal-fired plant in New England. The plant has a long history of serving the energy needs of New Hampshire residents but in recent years the plant has come under fire by anti-coal groups who have called for its closure citing health and environmental concerns and the plant’s capacity has been reduced from 70 to 90 percent capacity in years past to only 10 percent today. While Merrimack Station secured a three-year contract with the regional grid operator ISO-New England last February, utility advocates and anti-coal activists believe it is only a matter of time before coal-fired plants like Merrimack Station will transition to other forms of energy.  

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Why the Great Resignation Trend Doesn’t Have to Happen at Your Company

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Why the Great Resignation Trend Doesn’t Have to Happen at Your Company

In August 2021, the term that dominated the headlines was Great Resignation. By August 2022, at least 4.2 million Americans had quit their jobs, seeking better pay, flexibility and culture, according to Zippia.com.

For this episode of Get Tech Smart, we meet Career Coach Peter Duffy, owner of Connections Career Coaching LLC. We'll dig deep into the root causes of the 'great resignation' problem and the solutions for tech employers and employees.