NEWS
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New Hampshire truck used in Athol, Mass., abduction try
The pickup truck was described as being silver or light gray with four doors. The truck had New Hampshire license plates, as well as a large sticker on the hood that appeared to be black with a yellow outline.


Manchester woman charged for role in Maine bank robbery
Police say 33-year-old Christie Hendrix of Manchester, N.H., is charged with aiding and abetting armed robbery of the Savings Bank of Maine in York on Nov. 23.



Eaton's Edward Reilly to be sworn in as warden of state's Berlin prison


NHPR audio: Traumatized refugees struggle to make New Hampshire home


Nashua Telegraph video: Student does documentary on Jew Pond


Firefighter on a mission to win government help for Sept. 11 responders afflicted with cancer
The next step for Jim Preston, 52, is to keep spreading the word. He has a couple of conferences lined up in New Hampshire and Massachusettsto get more people involved.


Ark. man on his way to NH jailed in Mass. for walking in circles, faces felony for possessing brass knuckles
John E. Meyer, 47, of 12258 Springfield Road, Gentry, Ark., was expected to be arraigned yesterday at Newburyport District Court on charges of attaching wrong plates, vandalizing property, carrying a dangerous weapon, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and three counts of assault and battery of a police officer.


Eagle-Trib: Pelham solider remembered, honored


Think tank suggests high level of poverty reason for Laconia's relatively high crime rates, for N.H.
Eliminating Durham, Hanover and Keene, college towns with large student populations and high poverty rates, Laconia posted the highest poverty rate — 14.1-percent — among the 25 remaining municipalities of 10,000 or more, trailed by Manchester, Claremont, Rochester and Concord, all of which with poverty rates in double digits. Full report - http://www.nhpolicy.org/reports/crimereport_for_web.pdf


New Hampshire 49th in state support for higher education
Rhode Island spent $149.58 per capita in state money on higher education in 2010-11, which ranked 48th in the nation, ahead of only New Hampshire ($107.74) and Colorado ($133.99). That rose to $155.55 per capita this year, ranking the state 42nd nationwide.


Plymouth State University Adjunct Professors Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Together in SEIU
"Whether it's winning better pay, health insurance or improving our general working conditions, we can do all of these things by standing together in SEA", said Craig Cushing–– an adjunct professor at NHTI in Concord.


Denver Post: Kevin McGregor murder trial opens in Boulder with 2nd request for change of venue
McGregor is charged with the March 2011 shooting death of UNH football player Todd Walker.


BUSINESS
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NHPR: Berlin gets a plan for reviving downtown


Fitch Affirms New Hampshire Catholic Charities (NH) Rev Bonds at 'BBB+'; Outlook Stable
In spite of NHCC's strong operating performance and very light debt burden, a higher rating is precluded at this time due to NHCC's lack of revenue diversity (approximately 75% of NHCC's patient revenue comes from government sources) and the potential for future capital projects over the medium term.


Lynch declares June 24-30th Craft Beer Week
The week will feature tastings and tours at breweries across the state, beer pairing dinners, brewing workshops and many other special events, including one of the states biggest beer festivals, the New England Brewfest, on Saturday June 30.


The Street: Banks grab at bigger retirement share


Manchester's Image 4 Installs Nation's Largest Pop-up Retail Space at Super Bowl XLVI


Horizon Organic increases what it pays farmers as demand and costs rise


FEATURES / ENTERTAINMENT
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Gay NH bishop to officiate wedding for Sex in the City actress Cynthia Nixon, who says she is gay by choice



Dartmouth Aires a cappella group records song to fight famine in Horn of Africa


Jada, Boston pop female vocal group, to play Verizon in March


Godsmack / Staind to play Verizon on May 16
Godsmack and Staind are co-headlining what is being billed as their "Mass Chaos" tour. “We're very excited to get back out with our Massachusetts brothers again. It's been a pinch too long, and all hell is about to break loose!”, said Sully Erna.


COURTS / PUBLIC OVERSIGHT
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Obama nominates Portland attorney to 1st Circuit
The 1st Circuit has just six full-time judges, the fewest of any circuit court, and covers Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico.


HemCon fights $29M patent ruling - again
A federal district court in New Hampshire awarded the damages to Marine Polymer in April 2010. The September ruling not only vacated the damages but allowed Portland-based HemCon to continue selling its bandages, which are based on chitosan, a shrimp-derived substance that stops uncontrolled bleeding in battlefield conditions or at disaster or injury sites.


GRAND ENCAMPMENT OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR v. CONFERENCE OF GRAND MASTERS OF MASONS IN NORTH AMERICA, INC. - Dismissed
In early February of 2011, a gathering known as Masonic Week was held in Alexandria, Virginia. The gathering was attended by members of Masonic organizations, including six Sir Knights from New Hampshire. William R. Miller, a Past Grand Master of the Washington Grand Lodge, prepared a fact sheet which declared that the Charter issued to the Grand Encampment was irregular, meaning improperly or unlawfully established, and accused the Grand Encampment of planning to establish irregular lodges. An attendee at Masonic Week told the New Hampshire Sir Knights about Miller's fact sheet. After Masonic Week, Miller discussed his concerns with other Grand Masters, including G. Santy Lascano, Grand Master of the Washington Lodge, and Ed Bousquet, Grand Master of the Oregon Grand Lodge.


1st Circuit affirms award of $1.15M to family of murder victim killed by "Whitey" Bulger while Bulger was under the protection of the federal government


Davis v. US - Also relates to federal agents protecting Bulger and his gang, remanded
The United States appeals from a judgment awarding damages to the families and estates of two women, Deborah Hussey and Debra Davis, killed by James Bulger and Stephen Flemmi in the 1980s.


Woman wins battle to represent herself in slip and fall case against the Red Roof Inn in Salem
On July 12, 2008, at 10:30 a.m., while she was a guest at the Red Roof Inn in Salem, New Hampshire,1 Lula Fitzgerald was walking from the hotel to a car in the guest parking lot and tripped over a concrete parking barrier in the parking lot. Fitzgerald sustained significant injuries. Fitzgerald states that the concrete parking barrier was only a few inches high, and was colored very similarly to the color of the parking lot itself, and thus was inconspicuous and easy to trip over.


TOP 11 consumer engagement IDEAS: Utility executives, and a few consultants, share their experiences
Johnny Magwood, vice president of customer experience and chief customer officer for Northeast Utilities, told Intelligent Utility Daily that before Hurricane Irene hit, NU sent out 1.6 million voice messages to its customers, advising them on how to prepare for the storm's impact and informing them of the utility's preparations.


POLITICS
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Vanishing Maine nonresident hunters get legislative attention
Maine is alarmed at a 60% decline in nonresident hunters. Rep. Mike Shaw says the lack of Sunday hunting opportunities makes it difficult for Maine to compete with other states that do offer Sunday hunting, including New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York.


NH bill would allow businesses to refuse service to gay couples getting married in NH


Happy 'Granny D Day'!
Doris "Granny D" Haddock walked across the country at the age of 89 to campaign for campaign finance reform.


Shaheen to sit with Sen. Rob Portman at State of the Union
"It takes both sides realizing that we have huge problems facing our country," Portman said in an interview with CNN Monday.


VPR audio: Q&A with former Vt. Gov. Madeleine Kunin on history of Vermont Yankee
"I went a step further. I brought a resolution to the National Governor's Association, which stated that Governors should have more authority over the safety of their nuclear power plants. New Hampshire Governor John Sununu was not pleased. He saw this as a direct attract on the approval of Seabrook plant, which had been beset by demonstrations. In one outburst, he told my staff person, "I'm going to raise a million dollars to defeat your governor." It never happened."


OPINION
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Gerry Gappens: NHMS Ticket Sales Soaring in 2012: Surge in Sales for NASCAR Races Sign of Economic Recovery


Ron Fournier: What part of full disclosure does Romney not understand?
"The release of his 2010 tax return and the estimate of his 2011 obligations point to two laudable things about the Republican presidential candidate: Romney was an extraordinarily successful businessman, collecting more than $40 million in capital gains from a profusion of investments the past two years (U.S. voters are aspirational; they admire self-made men), and he donated $7 million to charity over two years (charity is a deeply held American value). But why did he stop there? Why not release returns from past years and end speculation about what Romney may or may not be hiding from his years at Bain Capital, the venture-capital firm at which he earned the money he is now living off of?"


Shawn Dell Joyce: Alternatives to road salt
Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York report the highest level of salt use, with New York weighing in at 500,000 tons per year.


SPORTS
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Ex-Bruins to skate in rehab center fundraiser
The Boston Bruins Alumni Classic, a fundraiser featuring a team of former Bruins against employees and friends of the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center, will be held Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. at Saint Anselm's Sullivan Arena in Manchester.


Kelly met with Tampa but decides to stay at Oregon


Super Bowl: Patriots Fans Slow To Buy Tickets