NEWS
*******************************************************************


Trio of Italian sports cars found with NH plates to be auctioned Aug. 18-19
Mecum Auctions has a trio of “barn-find” Italian sports cars, two Ferraris and a 1977 Maserati Bora, that are featured during the Aug. 18-19 auction. All three have very low mileage and were hidden away in a Dallas-area storage building for more than 40 years. When found, these cars all had New Hampshire plates.


Auditor wants takeover of special needs agency after audit finds kleptocrats ran up $4.3M on alcohol, golf fees and more; total fraud may top $30M
State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump called yesterday for the appointment of an outside receiver to take control of an embattled public agency for special-needs children after her office found that more than $30 million may have been spent inappropriately - three times as much public money as earlier reports have estimated. Bump's auditors found that the Merrimack Special Education Collaborative; its longtime leader, John B. Barranco; and others spent inappropriately on salaries, inflated rents, and pension fraud, as well as luxuries such as alcohol, golf fees, and country club outings. A draft of her report, a copy of which was obtained by the Globe from a source outside the auditor's office, also said that collaborative officials actively obstructed her investigation, preventing her from talking to some employees and, in one instance, failing to turn over documentation for $2.5 million in expenses. The collaborative, a consortium of 10 school districts north of Boston, provides academic, therapeutic, and vocational services to about 500 children each year from school districts in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

They're a happy looking bunch here.

Wednesday night's board meeting is going to be almost entirely behind closed doors as leadership considers firings, dismissals and lawsuits.



Center Harbor man recovering after motorcycle accident in Jay, Maine
JAY -- A New Hampshire man was recovering from serious head and facial injuries Tuesday afternoon after his motorcycle was hit from behind the day before.


Despite not having a government threatening them to do it, 72.2 percent of NH drivers buckle up


Wisconsin United Methodist youth group repairs homes, brightens lives in Littleton


Cost cutting closes Concord pools early


BUSINESS
*******************************************************************

States pitch a lifestyle to lure gun makers from their longtime homes
And last year, when Massachusetts sought to ensure that Smith & Wesson stayed in Springfield, the state gave the company $6 million in tax credits to relocate one of its New Hampshire factories there. While the factory employs a modest 225 people, Massachusetts wanted to make sure the company would not start shifting operations elsewhere.


Should the government tax stupidity?
Cigarette taxes are another good example of Pigovian taxes gone awry. Take New Hampshire. In July the state lowered its tax rate on cigarettes – following a university study predicting a $13 million increase in revenue if they did just that. It certainly wasn't aimed at discouraging smoking. Ironically (and it seems unwittingly) the tobacco companies stepped in to help the anti-smoking agenda by raising the price of packets by the difference. (As a result the state has lost revenue on the tax cut since its introduction.)




FEATURES / ENTERTAINMENT
*******************************************************************

Fosters: Dover farm sale stalled, but activity continues: New farmers using Tuttle's land to grow myriad crops


Conn. library seeks memories of former U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall, who now lives in NH
Hamden Public Library in collaboration with the Hamden Historical Society is planning a celebration of the life of Hamden native and former U.S. Poet Laureate, Donald Hall. If anyone has memories or photos they would like to contribute to this project, contact Associate Library Director Nancy McNicol at 203-287-2686 ext. 11 or at nmcnicol@hamdenlibrary.org.


Self-outed Christian performer Jennifer Knapp to lecture along side Bishop Gene Robinson
Robinson is arguably the most prominent homosexual religious official in the country. Knapp's co-starring with him showcases her shift from popular evangelical performer to lesbian icon and outspoken Religious Left activist.



POLITICS
*******************************************************************

Cravaack warmly greeted at consituent meeting in NE Minn.
Deer River, Minn. — At a town hall meeting Tuesday night in Deer River, U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack faced his constituents for the first time since he announced his family would be moving to New Hampshire.


Sen. Majority Leader snubs Shaheen, picks partisan for panel instead
Murray's appointment will cause "certain alarm bells" to go off" because she heads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said Robert Bixby, head of the Concord Coalition, an Arlington, Virginia-based group that presses for balanced budgets. "She's the head of the Democratic election effort, and that sends a bad signal right off the bat."


Ex-LGC HR head sues alleging discrimination in lawsuit
Donetta Haley claims in the suit that she was discriminated against because of an unspecified disability, which did not affect her ability to perform her job. Haley also alleges the center violated her privacy by sharing medical information with her coworkers.


Sen. Shaheen pushes for education grants
The Innovation Inspiration School Grant Program would allow secondary schools to compete for U.S. Department of Education grants to support non-traditional STEM education programs, from robot competitions to engineering software challenges. It encourages schools to establish partnerships with the private sector, both for material support and to provide mentors who can serve as role models—further enriching students' learning experiences.



PRIMARY
*******************************************************************


A master of glib, Obama's own words from 2008 run will haunt him this election cycle

“We Democrats have a very different message of what constitutes progress in this country. We measure progress by how many people can find a job to pay the mortgage.”

“If I don't have this done in three years, then it's going to be a one-term proposition.”



Huntsman daughters to campaign in N.H., host Thursday night debate watch party at The Draft in Concord


After perceived failure of Obama to deliver opportunity, GOP chasing young voters for 2012
Pew Research Center Poll released on July 22 found the Democratic Party's advantage among young voters narrowed from 28 points in 2008 to 13 in the first half of 2011, suggesting that the grueling recession has tarnished Obama's aura of hope and change for young voters.


Rogue Florida Primary: Huntsman expected to announce endorsement of Jeb Bush Jr.


NY Post columnist argues Obama can secure his legacy by bowing out of 2012
"Just say the words, Mr. President. It's the change America needs."


SPORTS
******************************************************************

Video surfaces of David Higgins record breaking Climb to the Clouds run



Tilton School basketball prospect finds social media helps curb intrusiveness of college recruitment, interact with fans
Nerlens Noel, a 6-foot-11 high school junior, is considered one of the top five basketball prospectsin the nation in his class. His athleticism recalls a young Shawn Kemp, and he has dozens of marquee suitors like Kansas, North Carolina and Connecticut. On June 15, the first day coaches are allowed to contact high school juniors, Noel said he got 15 to 20 Facebook friend requests from coaches. Facebook is a convenient way for him to deal with the flood of attention at his prep school, Tilton School in New Hampshire, where he is permitted only an hour of free time, from 10 to 11 p.m. He said he did not want to spend it all talking to coaches.


Bobby Rahal recalls 1992 IndyCar victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
When Bobby Rahal brought his new protege to New Hampshire Motor Speedway last month, the floodgates of memories opened up. Rahal, a three-time champion in the now-defunct CART series, won the first open-wheel race held at "The Magic Mile" in 1992. Now a team owner, Rahal returned to Loudon, N.H., on July 6 as rookie driver Pippa Mann tested her car on the track.


Adeiny Hechavarria improving in New Hampshire


Auto Tech: The Fiesta rally car dance
A day at the Team O'Neil Rally School and Car Control Center in Dalton, New Hampshire gave me a glimpse and practice at a few of these skills. It gave me a whole new appreciation for rally car drivers.




NH lifeguards to compete in 33rd annual Salisbury Beach run on Saturday


Jays reportedly close to calling up Venezuelan fireballer Henderson Alvarez



COURTS / PUBLIC OVERSIGHT
******************************************************************

PUC grants special contract between state and Concord Steam Corp. seen as required for biogeneration plant financing

Power intends to develop an 18 megawatt wood-fired steam boiler-electric generating unit (the Unit) which will be the usual source of the steam supplied to Concord Steam under the SPA. The financing necessary for Concord Power to construct the Unit cannot be obtained
unless the Unit's electric generation output has been fully or nearly fully subscribed. In addition, as Concord Steam's largest customer, the State's purchases of steam contribute significantly toward recovering the fixed costs incurred by Concord Steam to serve all of its customers.

NOTE: This is a 10-year deal. The down side is that during that time, by paying less, the state will effectively increase rates paid by others.