Welcome to InDepthNH.org’s roundup of news that matters in New Hampshire for Jan. 7
Sununu celebrates inauguration in Portsmouth (Seacoastonline)
PORTSMOUTH – A large crowd was on hand to celebrate Governor Chris Sununu’s inauguration at the Sheraton Harborside on Friday night.
Portsmouth chamber details plans for use of city’s $20K grant (Seacoastonline)
PORTSMOUTH – The Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce has created a three-pronged plan to use a $20,000 grant from the city aimed at increasing business for the city’s downtown merchants.
Legislature, new governor poised to decriminalize marijuana (Laconia Daily Sun)
LACONIA — New Hampshire has been a thorn in the side of marijuana-legalization advocates and a bright spot for those battling to keep the drug illegal.
Motion names CASA-NH as 3rd defendant in child sex abuse lawsuit filed against DCYF, Easter Seals (NH1)
MANCHESTER — Attorneys filed a motion to add a third defendant to a civil lawsuit alleging negligence against several state organizations that reportedly led to the sexual abuse of two young children, referred to as N.B. and J.B.
North Country Plans Companion To Women’s March in D.C. On Jan. 21 (InDepthNH.org)
The Lancaster event begins at 10 a.m. at the Great North Woods Welcome Center. There will also be solidarity marches on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the New Hampshire State House in Concord from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and in Portsmouth at 1 p.m.
Sununu says state budget surplus doesn’t exist (WMUR)
Governor says increased spending has eliminated surplus
Rescue: Hiker Who Ignored Advice Likely To Be Billed (InDepthNH.org)
A 17-year-old Canadian man rescued Thursday evening in the White Mountains is likely to be billed for the cost of saving him, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game.
Filtrine, Fenton honored at Keene chamber gala (Keene Sentinel)
Hundreds of business and nonprofit leaders gathered at Keene State College’s Zorn Dining Commons Thursday night to socialize, network and negotiate. They also joined together to honor some of their own.
N.H. Woman Pleads Not Guilty in Alleged Claremont ‘Murder for Hire’ Plot (Valley News)
Newport — A 20-year-old Upper Valley woman pleaded not guilty this week to allegations that she tried to hire someone to kidnap, rape, torture and kill her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend.
Court OKs inheritances to Portsmouth police and fire departments (Seacoastonline)
PORTSMOUTH – A judge on Wednesday approved disbursement of partial inheritances to the police and fire departments, in amounts of $187,000 each, from the estate of the late Geraldine Webber.
Lancaster: Circus Co. Agrees To Plea Deal In Fatal Tent Collapse (Caledonian Record)
Police: Woman arrested in downtown Concord after trying to steal ambulance (Concord Monitor)
Barnstead Fire-Rescue Lt. Dan Conger and EMT Brian Tedcastle were coming off a long drive transporting a patient to Concord Hospital on Friday morning when they decided to stop for coffee.
Democrats are willing to take wait-and-see approach with Gov. Sununu (Nashua Telegraph)
CONCORD – Democrats are taking a “wait-and-see” approach to newly sworn-in Gov. Chris Sununu’s call for bipartisan collaboration.
Colebrook Chronicle
The News and Sentinel
COLUMNS
Have You Finally Lost All Your Buttons Susan Dromey Heeter? (InDepthNH.org)
I once tried to watch the film, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” but was not intrigued. Brad Pitt should never be portrayed as anything but gorgeous. Mr. Button was a downer.
Looking Back with Aurore Eaton: Scientific expedition takes on a Mount Washington winter (Union Leader)
Before 1870 no one had dared to spend a winter on the summit of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the Northeastern United States.
N.H.’s courting of Bay State business, a Budweiser-Keurig partnership, more. (Boston Globe)
New Hampshire to court Bay State businesses: Should Charlie Baker be watching his back?
2016 It List (NH Magazine)
In our time of fact-checking the fact-checkers and second-guessing the experts, how do you know when someone is making a real difference in the world? Meet our 2016 It List: 17 Granite Staters who can show you where it’s at.
AROUND THE NATION AND WORLD
Putin ordered effort to undermine faith in election and help Trump win, U.S. says (Washington Post)
Russia carried out a comprehensive cyber campaign to upend the U.S. presidential election, an operation ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin that “aspired to help” elect Donald Trump by discrediting his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in a declassified report released today. The report depicts Russian interference as unprecedented in scale.
Despite the cost, Hill Republicans embrace building border wall (Washington Post)
The GOP’s willingness to fund Trump’s wall with taxpayer money could pit the party’s desire to rein in spending against its goal of curbing illegal immigration and toughening border security. But many Republicans don’t see a conflict.
Suspected Fort Lauderdale shooter was a troubled Army vet (Miami Herald)
Trump’s Attack-Dog Strategy Has Limits (New York Times)
Mr. Trump’s strategy of intimidation did not prove effective in his effort to minimize intelligence assessments about Russia.
Compiled by InDepthNH.org, a nonprofit investigative news outlet published online by the New Hampshire Center for Public Interest Journalism 603-738-5635