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A typical New Hampshire child care worker earned roughly $32,500 in 2023 while the federal poverty guideline for a family of four last year was $30,000, according to the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Burnout, low wages leave NH child care centers short staffed

A persistent child care worker shortage across New Hampshire is leaving families with few options. The state is currently short more than 7,000 …

An estimated 58,000 family caregivers bear some of the burden of Alzheimer's disease in New Hampshire, providing roughly 84 million hours of unpaid care, according to the Alzheimer's Association of New Hampshire. (Adobe Stock)<br />

NH healthcare worker shortage leaves Alzheimer’s patients few options

A health care workforce shortage in New Hampshire is leaving Alzheimer's patients and their families with few options for treatment. Patients facing …

Backers of an updated climate-change curriculum in New Hampshire said it should include how the crisis impacts the state today, including shortened winters and ski seasons, water quality, local agriculture and sea level rise. (Adobe Stock). <br /><br /><br />

NH youth spearhead resolution to improve students’ climate change education

New Hampshire lawmakers are requesting state education officials improve students' understanding of the climate crisis and better prepare them for a g…

A University of New Hampshire study showed annual rainfall, which has increased more than eight inches since 1901, is expected to increase another 7% to 9% by the middle of the century. Scientists say most of this increase will arrive in heavy precipitation events, increasing the risk of flooding and significantly affecting agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Farm relief funds in NH would counter climate change-related crop damage

Two proposed relief funds for New Hampshire farmers aim to recover losses from climate change-related weather events. Years of droughts were …

Studies find traditional school voucher programs incentivize private schools to raise tuition, using the new taxpayer dollars as a public subsidy. (Adobe Stock)

Despite lack of data, NH lawmakers push expanded private-school vouchers

New Hampshire's program to subsidize private education with public tax dollars is rapidly expanding, but opponents believe a lack of data on student …

Around 30% of election workers nationwide say they have personally been abused, harassed or threatened because of their job as a local election official, according to a survey from the Brennan Center for Justice. (Adobe Stock)

Ahead of NH primary, bill aims to protect election workers from harassment

Lawmakers in New Hampshire are considering legislation to better protect election workers from harassment and intimidation. The Justice Department …

On average, the lowest-income 20% of taxpayers face a state and local tax rate nearly 60% higher than the top 1% of households, according to Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. (Adobe Stock)<br />

NH tax system requires more from low, middle-income families

New Hampshire has the 18th most regressive state and local tax system in the country, according to a new report. The Institute on Taxation and …

Vaccination rates among U.S. kindergartners for routine childhood shots have not returned to pre-pandemic levels with just 93% of students meeting vaccination requirements, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Vaccine rates drop as health misinformation spreads via social media

Public health experts say the rapid spread of health misinformation online is contributing to a dangerous decline in vaccination rates. Surveys show …

Secession is not just an idea for the states. Rural counties in blue states, including California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Illinois, have taken steps to redraw state lines. (Adobe Stock)

Secession bill returns to NH legislature with focus on national debt

New Hampshire lawmakers will consider a proposal aimed at peacefully breaking away from the United States. A similar measure failed in 2022…

Some of the warning signs of suicide include increased use of drugs or alcohol, talking about wanting to die or talking about being a burden to others. Concerned family and friends are advised to seek help by calling the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or the New Hampshire Rapid Response hotline at 1-833-710-6477.(Adobe Stock)

Annual walk builds support, awareness of suicide prevention

New Hampshire's largest mental health awareness event takes place this weekend and organizers said it is a chance to remind lawmakers mental health ca…

A living wage for a worker in a family with two working adults and one child in New Hampshire is greater than $17 per hour, according to the Economic Policy Institute's Family Budget Calculator. <br />(Adobe Stock)

'Raise the Wage Act' Offers Hope for NH Minimum Wage Earners

New legislation aims to raise the federal minimum wage for the first time since 2008. The "Raise the Wage Act" would gradually increase the minimum …

The five New Hampshire school districts with buildings that have not had major construction since before 1970 are in districts with below-average property values, according to the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Project. (Adobe Stock)

NH Public-School Building-Aid Requests Outweigh State Funds

20% of New Hampshire public-school students attend classes in buildings that have not been updated in the past 35 years, according to a new report…

Four million Americans turn age 18 every year, but fewer than half of them vote, according to The Civics Center. (Adobe Stock)

NH Voting-Rights Advocates Push for Online Registration

Lawmakers in New Hampshire are considering a bill to create an online "election information portal" to help ease some of the burdens on voters and pol…

A new report ranks New Hampshire 4th nationwide in economic well-being but child advocates say the ranking doesn't consider that the state's cost of living is 20% above the national average, putting even more children and families at risk of living in poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Lack of Available Child Care Impacts NH Economy, Families

New Hampshire ranks first in the nation on measures of child well-being, according to a new report. The 2023 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

The average in-state college tuition in New Hampshire was $19,457 for the 2021-2022 academic year. That's $4,327 higher than the U.S. average and ranks New Hampshire as the 9th most expensive state to attend college, according to CollegeCalc. (Adobe Stock)

NH Higher Ed Funding Still Lags Behind Rest of U.S.

Education advocates are applauding Governor Chris Sununu's proposed state budget increase for higher education but funding levels still remain some of…

While New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has previously questioned the scientific consensus on climate change, he has said a transition to renewable energy is a

NH Climate Activists Applaud 'Community Power' Movement

More Granite Staters are expected to get their electricity from renewable energy sources this spring, as so-called "community power" programs …

The United Nations estimates that close to 6 million people have been internally displaced in Ukraine while nearly 8 million Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighboring countries and across Europe since the war began in February 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Peace Activists Mark One-Year Anniversary of War in Ukraine

As people around the world mark the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, some peace activists are finding the conflict is not so …

The New Hampshire Peoples' Budget Coalition is calling on lawmakers to fully invest in public education and reverse investments in the state's Education Freedom Accounts, which the coalition says drains much-needed funding from public schools and downshifts costs to property taxpayers. (Adobe Stock)

Broad Coalition Urges NH Lawmakers to 'Show Love' in State Budget

A broad coalition of New Hampshire faith and community leaders is calling on state lawmakers to create a budget which serves the people. The New …

Farm Action will lobby lawmakers to ensure the 2023 Farm Bill requires recipients of federal subsidized insurance programs, which largely benefit farms growing corn, soybeans, sugar and wheat, to instead commit to conservation and regenerative land practices. (Adobe Stock)

Farmers Prioritize Food, Not Feed, in 2023 Farm Bill

A large farmer-led coalition is organizing to ensure the 2023 Farm Bill prioritizes the needs of smaller, sustainable farms over large agribusiness …

Raising the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour for all workers, including<br />tipped workers, would reduce the poverty level in New Hampshire to 2%, a 75% reduction in the state poverty level, according to One Fair Wage. (Adobe Stock)

NH Minimum Wage Called 'Out of Step' with Rest of New England, U.S.

Despite minimum-wage increases throughout New England in the new year, New Hampshire continues to match the federal rate of $7.25 an hour, forcing …

Medicaid home- and community-based services in New Hampshire were a smaller portion of all Medicaid long-term services and supports expenditures than nationally, totaling 47.2% in 2019, which was also lower than all other New England states. (Adobe Stock)

Creating a System of Healthy Aging in the Granite State

An alliance of health and consumer advocacy groups in the Granite State is working to create a coordinated system of long-term care for healthy aging…

Around 21 million American children receive free or reduced-price lunch at school, but only half of them receive free breakfast despite being eligible, according to New Hampshire Hunger Solutions. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Say Loss of Federal Funds Means NH Kids Go Hungry

Advocates for children say up to 7,000 students in New Hampshire public schools are going hungry following the rejection of a federal program for low-…

In New Hampshire, firearm deaths have climbed by 5.8% from 2015 to 2020, the 47th largest increase among states. According to the CDC, a total of 128 people died from firearm injuries in the state in 2020, up from 121 in 2015. (Adobe Stock)

Anti-LGBTQ+ Activity Surges; NH Groups Blame Political Rhetoric

Human-rights activists in New Hampshire say the growing number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills at the Statehouse is encouraging right-wing extremists to intimida…

New Hampshire Fish and Game officials says wild turkeys travel across four to five square miles during the year, although during the winter and nesting season, they often restrict their movements to within their restored habitats of 100-200 acres. (Adobe Stock)

Once Threatened, Wild Turkeys Now Thrive in New Hampshire

Turkey may be the star of Thanksgiving meals throughout the Granite State, but the wild turkey has become a focal point of new conservation efforts …

A UNH Granite State Poll found 60% of Republicans support school vouchers, compared with 8% of Democrats and 42% of Independents. Only about 28% of

Election Outcome Could Bring Big Changes to NH Public Schools

Republicans in New Hampshire have already submitted bills to expand the eligibility requirements for the state's Education Freedom Accounts Program…

The expanded Child Tax Credit offered families between $300-$360 per month per child, which helped lift an estimated 3.7 million children out of poverty, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. (Adobe Stock)

A Push to Revive Child Tax Credit for Struggling NH Families

It has been almost a year since New Hampshire families received the last monthly Child Tax Credit payment of a few hundred dollars, and their …

Both the Biden administration and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., have released proposals for taxing billionaires' wealth generation more like working families' income. (tashatuvango/Adobe Stock)

Report: Billionaires Tax Could Help Ensure Basic Needs for Granite Staters

This Tax Day, advocates for working families are calling on Congress to pass a billionaires income tax, so the richest Americans pay the same share …

Around 87% of Americans think Congress needs to take action to lower the price of prescription drugs. (steheap/Adobe Stock)

Granite Staters: Time is Now to Lower Prescription-Drug Costs

Advocates for older Americans are urging Congress to take action on lowering drug prices, specifically, allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug …

Musical training has been shown to be associated with skills such as memory and spatial learning. (Nina/Adobe Stock)

NH Educators: Students Need Arts, Phys Ed, World Languages in Education

Educators in New Hampshire are speaking out against a bill which would change the state's definition of an "adequate education" to include only four c…

Gov. Chris Sununu, who delivered the State of the State address on Thursday, is running for a fourth term this year. (Gov. Chris Sununu)

NH Group: Federal Funds, Tax Cuts Not Enough for Working Granite Staters

Gov. Chris Sununu delivered his State of the State address yesterday, highlighting the state's handling of COVID-19, tax cuts and federal investments …

Fourteen states and the District of Columbia currently have school voucher programs. (sveta/Adobe Stock)

NH Parents, Public School Advocates Oppose New Voucher Bill

A bill in New Hampshire would allow local communities to opt into financing education for children who attend private schools or homeschooling…

Advocates for children and families say the Build Back Better Act would improve Medicaid and CHIP, the federal Children's Health Insurance Program (Evgeniy Kalinovskiy/Adobe Stock)

Report: Build Back Better Would Help NH Children, Families

CONCORD, N.H. -- Health advocates are pressing the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act, after it cleared the House last month. It would …

If passed, nearly 24,000 New Hampshire residents would save hundreds of dollars on average per year in healthcare costs, according to White House estimates. (Adobe Stock)

Potential Savings for NH Seniors in Build Back Better Healthcare Reforms

CONCORD, N.H. -- The $1.7 trillion Build Back Better Act heads to the U.S. Senate after passing the House last week. The bill attempts to lower …

A single person in New Hampshire can make up to $37,696 and still be eligible to receive fuel assistance for home heating. (rh2010/Adobe Stock)

As Winter Moves In, Granite Staters Urged to Apply for Fuel Assistance

CONCORD, N.H. -- As cold weather moves in, Granite Staters are being urged to apply for fuel assistance, if they think they might need some help …

Clean-energy advocates said offshore wind will be a crucial lever for renewable energy in New England. (chungking/Adobe Stock)

Businesses, Environmentalists Say Climate Action Urgent as Infrastructure

CONCORD, N.H. -- Business leaders are urging Congress to take action to curb climate change by supporting the Biden administration's Build Back …

New Hampshire joins Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia with its passage of a school voucher program in the state budget. (Andy Dean/Adobe Stock)

NH Voucher Program Could Cost Much More than Expected

CONCORD, N.H. -- Public-school advocates are raising concerns New Hampshire's school-voucher program, which diverts state budget funds from public …

New Hampshire's overall population has increased by 4.7% since 2010, and that might change the makeup of some of the state's districts. (Enrico Della Pietra/Adobe Stock)

NH Groups: Communities of Interest Key for Redistricting

CONCORD, N.H. - Community groups in New Hampshire are urging lawmakers to take community input into account as they draw new voting district maps…

In a new poll, 64% of New Hampshire voters said they think capital gains should be taxed at the same rate as income from wages; 56% support increasing the corporate tax rate to 28%. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

Poll: Granite Staters Support Taxing Wealthy, Corporations

CONCORD, N.H. - New polling finds many New Hampshire voters think it's important that wealthy individuals and corporations pay what's described as …

The White House says its plan to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices could yield over a half- trillion dollars in federal savings over 10 years. (Olivier Le Moal/Adobe Stock)

NH Groups Urge Healthcare Improvements on Medicare, Medicaid Anniversary

CONCORD, N.H. - New Hampshire advocates for affordable healthcare access want Congress to lower prescription costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate …

87% of New Hampshire kids are set to benefit from the expanded Child Tax Credit. (Adobe Stock)

Child Tax Credit Could Bring Thousands of NH Kids Out of Poverty

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Parents are now receiving fully refundable monthly 2021 Advance Child Tax Credit payments, and advocates for children and families …

The state budget to be voted on today includes a 24-week abortion ban that would criminalize providers of abortions past that period with up to seven years of prison time. (Granite State Progress)

Groups Rally Against State Budget, Urge Lawmakers to Put Granite Staters First

CONCORD, N.H. - New Hampshire lawmakers are zeroing in on this year's nearly 175 page state budget, but advocates for working families say policy …

In 2019, 24% of New Hampshire children lived in households with high housing-cost burdens, down from 39% in 2010. (zilvergolf/Adobe Stock)

NH Ranks High in Child Well-Being, But Pandemic May Disrupt Gains

CONCORD, N.H. -- New Hampshire ranks in the top 10 for overall child wellbeing, but advocates for children and families say that doesn't diminish the …

Research shows that when those who rely on retirement benefits are involved in managing retirement systems, investments tend to have higher returns. (STOATPHOTO/Adobe Stock)

Solutions to Rising Retirement Costs Could Involve Public Employees, Retirees

CONCORD, N.H. -- Cities and towns are struggling to keep up with increases in the amounts they're tasked with contributing to the state retirement …

Gov. Chris Sununu's budget proposal has a total cost of $6.83 billion for fiscal year 2022. (Timothy Chrysostom/Granite State Progress)

Grassroots NH Groups Demand Investments in Vulnerable Communities

CONCORD, N.H. - A coalition of grassroots groups is urging lawmakers to invest in issues that affect New Hampshire's most vulnerable communities…

The American Rescue Plan would increase the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per month to $3,000, with an additional $600 for children younger than age 6. (Ekaterina Pokrovsky/Adobe Stock)

NH Children's Advocates Urge Swift Passage of American Rescue Plan

CONCORD, N.H. -- As New Hampshire families struggle to recover from the pandemic's economic fallout, advocates for children and families say quick …

More than three quarters of college graduates in New Hampshire have student loan debt, nearly 25% more than the national average. (terovesalainen/Adobe Stock)

NH Borrowers Call for Student-Loan Forgiveness

CONCORD, N.H. -- Americans owe more than $1.5 trillion in student-loan debt, and advocates for borrowers are calling on President Joe Biden and …

An estimated 12 million Americans nationwide are set to lose their unemployment benefits the day after Christmas. (Mr Doomits/Adobe Stock)

Thousands in New Hampshire to Lose Jobless Benefits After Christmas

CONCORD, N.H. -- It looks like millions of Americans will enter the new year without jobless benefits they've been receiving during the pandemic…

AARP conducted separate phone interviews with President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Their answers are posted online, side-by-side, on the AARP website. (uwwvmzjh8/Creative Commons)

50-Plus Voters' Issues in Focus as AARP Interviews Biden, Trump

CONCORD, N.H. - Older voters may not be the only ones curious about how the major presidential candidates see the priorities of people over age 50…

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NH: Budget Policy & Priorities