CONCORD: The median singlefamily home price in New Hampshire jumped nearly 15%, rising to nearly $350,000 in August, according to the latest report from the New Hampshire Association of Realtors. The actual number of homes sold was down by 1.4% compared to last August. That’s because there were 2,383 homes for sale in August, nearly 58% less than last year.
BEDFORD: The Bedford Planning Board has voted to deny a controversial application from the developers to build 200 luxury apartments at the $120 million Market & Main mixed-use complex on South River Road. The housing plan was not part of the original proposal permitted in 2016, and board members cited that reason — as well as what some said was a need in the town for affordable housing, not more upscale residences. Encore Retail LLC, the Texas-based developer, told the New Hampshire Union Leader after the vote that it was “disappointed” in the decision and said the company was now “uncertain” about the development’s future.
MERRIMACK: State representatives from Merrimack and Litchfield are drafting legislation that would place several requirements on companies found to be responsible for polluting groundwater. The NH Union Leader reported that the requirements would include connecting private wells to commercial or municipal water lines, as well as paying for those water bills. One sponsor, Rep. Ralph Boehm of Litchfield, said the point is to help communities deal with businesses responsible for water contamination.
HANOVER: The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth is laying off 18 staffers after ending fiscal year 2020 with a $3.3 million deficit due to the Covid-19 pandemic, college officials said. The layoffs involve staff workers, and no faculty members were affected. Tuck has also reduced expenses in department budgets and cut back on outside contractors.
MANCHESTER: Dr. Joseph Pepe, the CEO of Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, will retire in June 2021 when his contract ends, and the hospital’s chief operating officer will take his place, the hospital announced. Pepe has been at the helm of CMC since 2012 and has spent three decades at the hospital. He said he was stepping down from the post to spend more time with his wife, who has a serious illness. Alex Walker, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Catholic Medical Center, will take over as CEO when Pepe retires.
MANCHESTER: A second DraftKings in-person sports betting location has opened in New Hampshire, at the Filotimo Casino and Restaurant in Manchester, which is also home to South Side Tavern. Executive Director of the New Hampshire Lottery Charlie McIntyre said one reason the location was chosen was because it already had a charitable gambling revenue as a site.
CONCORD: Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association and Central New Hampshire VNA & Hospice, which works out of the Lakes Region, have signed a definite agreement setting out details of a merger.
The next step is approval of the merger by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Charitable Trusts Unit. The organizations announced in March that they were planning the merger, which they say will help them better serve the home and community-based healthcare needs of residents of the Greater Capital Region and Central New Hampshire.
DOVER: The family of Amer Fakhoury, the Little Lebanon to Go restaurant owner who was jailed for months in Lebanon and died after his release, has started a foundation in his name to help families of Americans held hostage overseas. Fakhoury, who was held in a Lebanon prison over decades-old murder and torture charges that he always denied, owned the Little Lebanon to Go restaurant. He died of cancer last month at age 57, following his March release. The family is seeking donations through the amerfakhouryfoundation.org website, and is applying for grants.
