NEWS & NOTES
2010 and 2016 to Frank Guinta. His The Senate has a few different work in the new job would focus on estimates on how much revenue exports. Ashooh’s post must be conit can expect for the coming bien- firmed by the U.S. Senate. nium. According to a press release from Senate Democrats, estimates Water regulation provided by Sen. Lou D’Allesandro The Senate passed a House bill and Dan Feltes show $5.4 mil- that would make regulations to lion less revenue to close out fiscal protect groundwater from contamyear 2017 than Gov. Chris Sununu inants emitted into the air, such estimated and $25.8 million more as perfluorochemicals, or PFCs, revenue over the next 2018- potentially more strict. In a press 2019 budget period than Sununu release from Republican senators, estimated. In the press release, the bill was praised as a way to D’Allesandro and Feltes claimed to create “meaningful guidelines” to have made more accurate revenue measure and to regulate this kind predictions for the current budget of pollution. The bill, which passed than the House Ways and Means with bipartisan support, empowers Committee, Senate Republicans the Department of Environmental and then-Governor Maggie Hassan. Services to reevaluate the acceptFor this coming budget, Sununu able levels of contamination. So far, estimated $4.971 billion, the House DES has been using guidance from Ways and Means Committee esti- the U.S. Environmental Protection mated $4.912 billion and Senate Agency. At least two other states Democrats estimated $4.996 billion. have set stricter guidelines. The Senate Ways and Means Committee voted on May 22 to endorse Medicaid a revenue estimate of $4.95 billion, Senate lawmakers working on which is $21 million short of what the budget are estimating the MedSununu’s plan called for, according icaid caseloads will decrease over to the Senate spokesperson. the next two years. NHPR reported budget writers in the Senate Finance DCYF lawsuit Committee voted to assume caselRus Rilee, an attorney represent- oads would drop by 2 percent next ing families suing the Division of year, but health officials are urging Children, Youth and Families, the caution. Health Commissioner Jeff state agency charged with child pro- Meyers said a 1-percent decrease tective services, said in motions he would be reasonable but 2 percent filed with the court that he is trying would be “very aggressive.” Senate to get documents from the agency President Chuck Morse reportedbut it’s not turning them over. The ly said the decrease will possibly Telegraph of Nashua reported Rilee be bigger if the federal governclaims DCYF is refusing to hand ment allows the state to pass work over evidence in a case that alleges requirements and means testing for DCYF and Easter Seals allowed expanded Medicaid. Democrats child abuse to happen during super- opposed the estimates. In fact, the vised visits. Both organizations current budget shortfall in the state tried and failed to obtain a protec- Department of Health and Human tive order from the state to keep the Services is partly due to underestirecords from being shared. Rilee mating caseloads. According to the now says the organizations are stall- story, $9 million of the department’s ing by asking for clarification. shortfall was due to estimates of 2-percent annual decreases in the current budget. The day before, the Rich Ashooh The Trump administration has House voted allocate $33 million to asked Rich Ashooh, the former DHHS to fill its budget hole. candidate for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st District, to serve St. Paul’s School as assistant secretary of commerce, Claims of sexual misconduct WMUR reported. Ashooh, a Bed- over a 40-year period at St. Paul’s ford resident, former BAE Systems School in Concord were substantiexecutive and former executive ated by independent investigators director of the Warren B. Rudman against 13 school faculty memCenter at the UNH School of Law, bers and staff, according to a report lost the Republican primaries in released by the school. The Bos-
Revenue estimates
HIPPO | MAY 25 - 31, 2017 | PAGE 4
ton-based Casner & Edwards law firm conducted the investigation to review claims from between 1948 and 1988. It reviewed 34 former faculty members and staff accused of sexual misconduct. Of that, 13 met the criteria for substantiated accounts, 11 did not have enough witness accounts or documentation to support allegations to date and 10 fell somewhere in between.
Organizations promoting community and civic events can buy promotional banners to hang across South Main Street and Loudon Road in Concord, but it will cost them. The Concord Monitor reported that costs for producing, hanging and removing a banner is about $3,500, plus $100 for a city fee. CONCORD
Election integrity
The American Civil Liberties Union is requesting emails and documentation related to Secretary of State Bill Gardner’s role in President Trump’s recently launched presidential commission on election integrity, NHPR reported. The Trump administration asked Gardner to participate in the commission. Trump has made unsubstantiated claims of rampant voter fraud in states like New Hampshire in the 2016 election, resulting ostensibly in his loss in the state, something Gardner has repeatedly refuted. The ACLU submitted similar requests in Kansas and Maine and is also asking for any proposed changes to election law being floated.
More than a dozen residents in Pembroke are appealing a zoning board decision to approve a major multifamily apartment complex in Superior Court. The Concord Monitor reported the neighbors claim the project goes against the town zoning ordinances, which only allow single-family homes and duplexes in the area.
Hooksett
Goffstown
MANCHESTER
Bedford
A tiny duckling that got stuck in a stormAmherst drain was rescued by Bedford firefighters, WMURMilford reported. The Bedford Fire Department posted a video of the rescue, in which they lowered a basket into the drain to scoop up the duckling, on its Facebook page.
At a recent community update meeting for the Manchester Connects project, consultant Sarah Silberberg said turning theDerry millyard area Merrimack along the Merrimack River into an inviting green space Londonderry with access for all will be difficult, the Union Leader reported. Parking is an issue, but Silberberg said the NASHUA area is undeniably an economic engine for the city and there’s a lot of community will for redevelopment.
Temperature records
Hot weather last week broke temperature records across northern New England, the AP reported. Concord reached 95 degrees by 4:30 p.m. on May 18, breaking the previous record of 90 degrees for that day in 1906 and 1889. In Manchester, the temperature that day reached 94 degrees, which narrowly broke its record of 93 degrees in 1889.
Obamacare NH
Four insurers have filed applications to sell policies through the New Hampshire marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act,
TURKEY HUNTERS
NHPR reported. The state Insurance Department announced that the same four companies on the state Obamacare exchange in 2017 have applied to continue offering coverage through this system: Anthem, Harvard Pilgrim, Minuteman Health and Ambetter. Anthem and Delta Dental have applied to offer dental coverage. Some specifics of the proposed policies, such as which doctors and hospitals will be in the networks, will be discussed in public meetings in June, but rates will not be made public until after open enrollment on Nov. 1.
Spring turkey hunters in New Hampshire have had a good season so far, the AP reported. Turkey Project Biologist Ted Walski told the AP that four of the 15 turkey check stations have already exceeded last year’s totals and the remaining 11 are close, and many are expected to surpass the previous year’s take by the end of the season. The turkey hunting season ends after May 31.
Kellyanne Conway
Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway spoke to a group of New Hampshire Republicans in Nashua on Thursday, May 18. The AP reported Conway told Trump supporters at a spring fundraiser to ignore the critics and the constant talk of scandals surrounding the president. She received applause from a largely friendly crowd when she mentioned Trump’s proposed tax plan and efforts to reform health care. There were an estimated 150 people in attendance, according to the story.
BEE KEEPERS
The state lost an average of 65 percent of its beehives over the past winter, according to a survey by the New Hampshire Beekeepers Association, the Concord Monitor reported. Hives dropped in number from 1,004 to 350. The first-time survey covered the period from Oct. 1 to March 31, between 261 sites in 130 towns. Bee decline has been tracked by the Bee Informed Partnership nationwide. The Partnership tracked a 60-percent decline in New Hampshire between 2009 and 2016.