Updated minimum education standards, the election’s impact, natural disaster relief preparation, and more — all of it reported by the Granite State News Collaborative over the past month. We hope this newsletter is not just a one-way street —your feedback is invaluable to us. We want to hear your thoughts on our stories and projects as well as other topics that pique your interest.
Beyond the ballot: Understanding the election’s impact: For the last few months, we were all caught up in election campaigns at both the state and federal levels. But now the election is over, and we know who won and who lost, what do the results mean and what can we expect in the coming months?
Revised education standards
Joint Legislative Committee revises education minimum standards on a 6-4 vote: Controversial updates to minimum standards for New Hampshire’s public schools were passed by the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, known as JLCAR. Approval came on a 6-4 vote.
New Hampshire towns bear much of the price tag while adapting to climate disasters: As storms increase in frequency and intensity, municipalities across New Hampshire often find themselves recovering and rebuilding from past disasters while coping with the costs and reality of planning for and trying to mitigate future ones.
Withheld child support
NH kept $4.8 million in child support from the state’s poorest families last year. Officials say there’s ‘support’ to change that, but no action so far: Last year, New Hampshire retained more than $4.8 million in child support from about 13,000 Granite State families who are receiving cash assistance from the state, or have received it in the past. Although withholding the money aligns with federal law, policy experts say retaining child support to cover state costs has a negative impact on families and makes it less likely that a parent will pay court-ordered child support.
New Hampshire community TV stations scramble for funding as revenue source continues to shrink: Public access television stations across New Hampshire face growing uncertainty as their funding declines, forcing stations to seek new sources of revenue to support community television.
The evolution of Black Friday: A conversation with N.H. Retail Association President Curtis Picard: The day after Thanksgiving has long been a huge shopping day, especially in sales tax-free New Hampshire. But does Black Friday remain the shopping extravaganza it was?