NH special legislative session approved amid Ayotte’s budget standoff with GOP lawmakers

By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY

With the $16 billion two-year state budget on the ropes, Gov. Kelly Ayotte and the Executive Council authorized a special legislative session to open the door for extra time to hash out the details of the spending plan and accompanying legislation.

Republican Brown announces second run for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire

By WILLIAM SKIPWORTH

Scott Brown, a former U.S. senator for Massachusetts and ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during the first Trump administration, announced Wednesday he is running for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire.

Lebanon man gets prison sentence for highjacking truck, kidnapping driver

BURLINGTON —  A Lebanon man has been sentenced to 6½ years in prison after he highjacked a tractor trailer and kidnapped the driver, who had come to his aid after he crashed a stolen box truck on Interstate 89.

39 horses seized from Vermont farm in latest animal cruelty investigation

By GRETA SOLSAA

In the latest development in an ongoing animal cruelty investigation, the owner of the Friesians of Majesty horse farm was charged last week with animal cruelty and violating conditions of release. Authorities seized more than three dozen horses from the property.

A Vermont woman’s death led the state to criminalize the assault of a dead body

By CHARLOTTE OLIVER

In the months following her mother’s violent death, Pam Martin Harris has found herself questioning God.

Company, opponents appeal state decision on construction debris at Claremont facility

By PATRICK O’GRADY

CLAREMONT — The company seeking to accept up to 2,500 tons of construction and demolition material weekly at its Claremont facility filed an appeal Monday of the Department of Environmental Services’ denial last month of the company’s permit modification.

The Wall That Heals arrives in Claremont

By PATRICK O’GRADY

CLAREMONT — The 53-foot trailer carrying a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in sections arrived at Broad Street Park on Tuesday afternoon.

Hartford police make ‘one of the larger drug busts’ in town’s history

By JOHN LIPPMAN

HARTFORD — A 45-year-old personal trainer is being held on $100,000 bail after police arrested and charged him with felony drug offenses in a Friday police operation.

Rescue team pulls mother and son from river in West Lebanon

WEST LEBANON — Two Lebanon residents, a mom and her teenage son found themselves trapped on the edge of the Connecticut River near Bridge Street Monday evening after an attempt to cool off went awry. 

NH officials identify victim in Unity house fire

UNITY — New Hampshire’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed the identity of the victim of a Sunday mobile home fire.

Claremont makes finance director acting city manager

By PATRCK O’GRADY

CLAREMONT — The City Council voted to appoint Finance Director Nancy Bates to the post of acting city manager for up to one year in an 8-0 vote Monday evening.

‘Take a look at what’s happened in Vermont’: Challenges to state’s tribal recognition process loomed over Maine legislative debate this year

By SHAUN ROBINSON

State legislators in Maine rejected a bill last month that would have created a state-level process, similar to one on the books in Vermont, for recognizing local groups as Native American tribes. Opponents of the bill pointed to the sharp criticism Vermont’s process has faced in recent years as one of the reasons to vote the legislation down.

Vermont’s Copley Hospital decides to close birthing center

By KRISTEN FOUNTAIN

Copley Hospital will close its birthing center, the hospital announced in a news release late Friday afternoon, though no specific closure date was given.

New Hampshire lawmakers reach compromise on ending surprise ambulance bills

By WILLIAM SKIPWORTH

Surprise ambulance billing may soon become a thing of the past in New Hampshire.

Federal authorities bring firearms charge against alleged leader of Zizians

By ALAN J. KEAYS

The alleged leader of the Zizians, Jack LaSota, already jailed in Maryland on state misdemeanor drug and gun charges, has now been indicted on a federal felony firearms offense.

Suspects sought in Treasure Island theft

By MARION UMPLEBY

WEST FAIRLEE — Officials at Treasure Island, the Thetford-owned beach on Lake Fairlee off of Route 244, took to social media in search of assistance in locating the culprits behind a Friday evening theft of an undisclosed amount of money.

Vermont migrant leader heads home after hundreds rally at her ICE appointment

By AUSTYN GAFFNEY

Hundreds of people gathered outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in St. Albans, Vt., on Friday, waiting to hear if Wuendy Bernardo, a migrant farm worker who has lived on a dairy in Orleans County for over a decade, would return home to her family or face deportation proceedings.

Lebanon reduces grant request for new firefighters amid changes to federal program

By CLARE SHANAHAN

LEBANON — In response to federal funding changes, the City Council voted unanimously last week to seek grant money for just one new firefighter position — a reduction from its past support for four additional positions.

One dead following Unity mobile home fire

UNITY — The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office and Unity Fire Department are investigating a weekend fire in Unity that left one person dead. 

Vermont man admits to computer hacking scheme to steal data from more than 65,000 victims

By ALAN J. KEAYS

RUTLAND — A Vermont man who prosecutors say was behind a hacking operation used to steal personal information from tens of thousands of people has pleaded guilty to a federal criminal charge in Vermont.