By GARRY RAYNO, InDepthNH.org
- Changing of the guard in the corner office from Sununu to Ayotte, first republican to republican transfer since 1992 from Judd Gregg to Steve Merrill. It used to be routine.
2. New Congresswoman for NH Maggie Goodlander takes Annie Kuster’s 2nd Congressional seat, but maintains the state’s all Democratic delegation. Goodlander is from the Republican connected Tamposi family.
3. Huge settlement of $38 million awarded to the first victim of abuse at the YDC to have a civil trial, David Meehan, for abuse at the hands of state workers. Award is being fought by the state.
4. Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi is administratively removed from the bench while her husband Geno Marconi, long-time head of the Port of New Hampshire is investigated for wrongdoing. Both were indicted. Political intrigue in fallout from the case.
5. Adam Montgomery convicted of second-degree murder in the death of his daughter Harmony and sentenced to 45 years to life in prison. Her body has never been found.
6. Total eclipse of the sun draws thousands to the White Mountains and creates a massive traffic jam getting home the next day.
Flooding near Church Street in Hampton in late winter. ROGER STEPHENSON photo
7. The effects of climate change come to New Hampshire with record heat and flooding particularly in the North Country and along the seacoast.
8. The New Hampshire legislature once again fails to legalize marijuana keeping the state an island as all surrounding states and Canada have legalized recreational use of pot.
9. Transgender young people come under attack by Republicans in the legislature who want to limit access to related health care procedures and medications.
10. The Education Freedom Account program was stymied by lawmakers on the last day of the session defeating an attempt to increase the salary cap for parents.
11. The state and towns in the North Country struggle to deal with the changing face of forests with carbon offset taking over from logging turning the economy and tax revenue for local communities upside down.
