Marchand EnteringN.H. Governor’s Race

Concord — The candidate pool for New Hampshire governor has gotten a little more crowded.

In Portsmouth, former Mayor Steve Marchand, a Democrat, said his priority, if elected, is “battling the heroin and opiate epidemic.” He tells the Portsmouth Herald he’s calling a continuum of services that address addiction through post-treatment.

Marchand joins Democrats Colin Van Ostern, an executive councilor, and Mark Connolly, a businessman and former director of New Hampshire’s Bureau of Securities Regulation. Republican State Sen. Jeanie Forrester on Wednesday announced she also is running for the post.

Route 11 Bridge LaneClosings Set for Mid-April

Charlestown — Drivers can expect daytime lane closings on the Route 11 bridge connecting Charlestown and Springfield, Vt., during a bridge rehabilitation project in mid-April. 

Traffic across the bridge will become one-way alternating between east and west as construction works to expand the bridge and replace its joints. Two-way traffic will be restored each night when work concludes for the day. Once structural work is complete, the bridge will be closed for five days and paved, but the department plans to give drivers advanced notice, according to a news release. 

The $695,000 project will be completed by Miller Construction and has a completion date of Aug. 16.

Dartmouth Professor Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charge

Concord — Dartmouth College Professor J. Martin Favor pleaded guilty to a federal child pornography charge in U.S. District Court on Thursday.

The 49-year-old will be sentenced on the felony count of possessing child pornography on July 11 in the Concord courthouse, assistant U.S. attorney Nick Abramson said.

He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; the charge doesn’t carry a minimum penalty. Both Abramson and Favor’s attorney, George Ostler, said they don’t have a formal recommendation for a sentence length at this time.

According to an affidavit in the case, investigators tied Favor to child pornography through an account on the website Tumblr that was connected to an IP address corresponding to his Plainfield home. 

Favor first faced child pornography charges at the state level, but those charges were dismissed as the case proceeded federally. 

Favor has worked at Dartmouth for nearly two decades, most recently as an associate professor of English, according to the college. He formerly was chairman of the African-American studies department.

Dartmouth College spokeswoman Diana Lawrence on Thursday said Favor remains on paid administrative leave from the college. He remains out on bail pending his sentencing hearing.

Correction: Dartmouth professor Martin Favor pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on Thursday. The headline to an earlier version of this story incorrectly reported his plea. 

— Staff and wire reports