Gov. Hassan Visits Exeter Company

The governor toured Cobham Antenna Systems on Friday afternoon.

Gov. Maggie Hassan visited Cobham Antenna Systems in Exeter on Friday as part of her ongoing "Innovate NH" tour. Hassan, who lives in Exeter, presented a commendation for Cobham's achievements in energy efficiency. The global defense manufacturing company recently completed a 105,000-square-foot expansion of its manufacturing facility that includes environmentally friendly materials such as energy efficient windows and fixtures, lighting, air compressors and HVAC systems. The expansion doubled the size of the company's plant on Continental Drive. "I'm very honored to be here to recognize work that is a true partnership," Hassan said. "What's been achieved here is really extraordinary." Working with Unitil, the natural gas and electricity …

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Towns Seek to End Mutual Aid Dispute

North Hampton wants to end inequities it feels exist between it and Stratham, as well as other problems.

North Hampton officials plan to fund an in-depth analysis of fire department costs to determine whether the Seacoast’s 50-year-old mutual aid program needs to be amended in order to eliminate what some believe is an inherent unfairness in the system. Selectmen spoke in depth on Friday with Fire Chief Dennis Cote and other local department heads involved in the mutual aid program to discuss concerns that North Hampton is responding to incidents in neighboring towns at a much higher rate than those towns are providing assistance to North Hampton. The main town in question is Stratham, and selectmen didn’t hold back during Friday’s workshop session while describing an “outdated” agreement that allows towns with volunteer fire departments to “…

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No Winner: Powerball Jackpot Grows to $475 Million

Saturday is the next drawing. Are you going to be a player?

No golden ticket was purchased for Wednesday's Powerball.  So if you're feeling lucky, Saturday is your next chance to win the estimated $475 million jackpot. More about Powerball from powerball.com: Powerball is a combined large jackpot game and a cash game. Every Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:59 p.m. Eastern five white balls are drawn out of a drum with 59 balls and one red ball out of a drum with 35 red balls. Draw sales cut off at least 59 minutes before the draw.  Players win by matching one of the 9 Ways to Win. The jackpot (won by matching all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball) is either an annuitized prize paid out over 29 years (30 payments) or a lump sum payment. Each ticket costs $2. If the winner chooses …

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Local Rep. Leads Rejection of 'Bad' Casino Bill

By 23-22 vote, a House committee recommended the full NH House of Representatives kill the bill to legalize casino gambling.

CONCORD – The casino gambling fight will resume in the full House of Representatives, despite a House committee's narrow vote Wednesday recommending the major casino bill in New Hampshire be killed. By a 23-22 vote, a House committee recommended Senate Bill 152 be found "inexpedient to legislate." The vote came after a slew of amendments were presented in the committee's morning work session that would have completely reworked the bill as it passed the New Hampshire Senate with overwhelming support back in March. But 16 proposed amendments never had the opportunity to be voted on by the committee, as the ITL motion, offered by Rep. Patricia Lovejoy (D-Stratham), was taken up first. "There will never be only one casino," Lovejoy said to the…

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Waldron Engineering Building New HQ

Waldron Engineering & Construction is planning a move to Holland Way.

Waldron Engineering & Construction, which makes alternative energy equipment, plans to build a new headquarters in Exeter. The company, which employs about 60 people, has been in town for the last 10 years in a rented building on Industrial Drive near the The Rinks at Exeter, according to President Terry Waldron. The company plans to build its new, 25,000 square foot home on Holland Way near Stop & Shop. The Planning Board granted initial approval of the project last week. "It's a great plan," said Planning Board Chair Kathy Corson. "It's a wonderful thing for Exeter to get something on Holland Way, something that will enhance that (area)." Corson said Waldron's project includes a comprehensive plan to limit the impact on wetlands …

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CAP Report

Casino Bill Faces Long Odds in House?

Legislative week: A House 'super committee' votes Wednesday on the casino gambling bill.

Could New Hampshire be a step closer to legalizing casino gambling? Will the traditional anti-casino constituency in the House regroup and rise again and begin to dismantle Senate Bill 152? The House "super committee" reviewing the bill is eyeing numerous changes, and the big committee vote comes Wednesday. Do you like its chances? _______ The House and Senate are not in session this week as policy committees shovel away at outstanding bills.  The Governor and Executive Council meet Wednesday, May 15, at 10 a.m. in council chambers at the Statehouse. Casino: Yes or No? The Joint House Committee of Finance and Ways and Means aims to wrap up its work today and Tuesday before discussion and a vote Wednesday on Senate Bill 152, the bill to …

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One Man Wolf Pack

11:50 am on Tuesday, May 14, 2013

@Atlant, your kidding right? lol, who wants to switch plates like that? Eventually we are going to have to change this pay structure if we want self-indulged partisans out of our state government who are qualified for the job. Right now personal interest is about the only real driver; but, of course, every one of them up there will tell you they are in it for the public good.   more ›

New Data: Major Medical Procedures Cheaper in Rockingham County

The cost of colonoscopies, MRIs, CT scans and mammograms can shift a lot from county to county.

It costs $1,950 for the average CT scan in Rockingham County—about $800 cheaper than the state average. The average prices of colonoscopies, mammograms, and MRIs in Rockingham County are also all lower than the state average. That's according to data from New Choice Health, a private company that encourages people to become smarter healthcare consumers. The four medical procedures mentioned above, however, are all more expensive in Rockingham County than in Hillsborough County, according to the data. These big regional differences have been in the news lately: As the Washington Post wrote, "One hospital charges $8,000 - another $38,000." Using the same data as the Post, The New York Times listed out the prices of a series of procedures in …

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Local 'Brew Farm' in the Works

Throwback Brewery plans to build it at the historic Hobbs Farm property.

The North Hampton Planning Board gave a preliminary green light to Throwback Brewery's new "brew farm" this week, as members unanimously accepted the plan and waived a sign limit in order to allow the business to continue its quest to return Hobbs Farm to a working farmstead. The only thing remaining before Throwback can begin work on transforming the barn at Hobbs Farm into a tasting room, brewery and event center is the approval of the site plan, which will likely come during the planning board's next meeting June 4 after members and residents expressed strong support for the project Tuesday. "I don't see any reason it wouldn't be approved," said member Phil Wilson, the North Hampton Select Board's representative. "I hate to delay you a …

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