CONCORD: Gov. Chris Sununu and Attorney General Gordon Mac- Donald are expressing confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will back New Hampshire in its newly filed lawsuit against the state of Massachusetts over imposing income taxes on employees working from home in New Hampshire due to Covid-19. The suit, which alleges that the Massachusetts tax rule violates the commerce and due process clauses of the U.S. Constitution, asks the court to reject the rule and make Massachusetts refund any paid income taxes plus interest to all affected workers.
MANCHESTER: Manchester- Boston Regional Airport officials say that passenger numbers have started to improve, but they’re still well behind where they were last year. WMUR reported that in April, the fewest number of passengers who traveled through Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in a day was 84. On Sunday, more than 1,000
people were screened. Airport Director Ted Kitchens said those numbers
won’t allow the airport to survive in the long term. In the meantime,
the airport has cut expenses.
CONCORD:
The state of New Hampshire has filed a lawsuit against the agrochemical
giant Monsanto over what it says has been widespread PCB pollution in
the state.
The
state said PCBs have fouled numerous square miles of the Atlantic Ocean
and 46 other water bodies including Squam Lake and stretches of the
Souhegan River. The state alleges Monsanto and two companies that used
to be part of Monsanto, Solutia Inc. and Pharmacia LLC are responsible
for contamination of public property as well as water and other natural
resources.
NORTH
WOODSTOCK: Owners of tourist attractions in the White Mountains have
told U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen that they’re facing continued business
uncertainty amid the pandemic and need another infusion of help from
Washington to get their full-time staff
through to spring. While the federal Paycheck Protection Program, which
was extended from eight to 24 weeks, made the difference in maintaining
staff, the businesses are awaiting more stimulus help and are in a
perilous time, they told Shaheen. Some businesses in the tourist
industry are “really struggling,” the senator said.
CONCORD: Over 2,000 licensed nursing assistants in New Hampshire have allowed their licenses to lapse over the last year — a
trend that leaves the state’s nursing homes in a precarious staffing
situation, according to data from the New Hampshire Board of Nursing.
The Union Leader reported that between June 2019 and May 2020, 2,381
nursing assistants allowed their licenses to lapse while only 1,672 new
licenses were issued, ultimately creating a loss of 709 LNAs. Brendan
Williams, the president of the New Hampshire Healthcare Association,
said the pandemic has exacerbated the staffing shortage, with many staff
members quitting out of fear of contracting the virus.
CONCORD: A grant program aimed at helping Concord restaurants acquire materials that can increase their indoor
seating capacity has been launched as a joint effort by the city of
Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. Under the program,
grants of up to $1,500 will be given to restaurants that have been hit
hard by Covid-19 and will no longer be able to continue outdoor dining
beyond Nov. 14, when the city begins preparing for sidewalk and street
snow removal, said Tim Sink, president of the chamber. The chamber will
be responsible for administering the grants. For more information, visit
concordnhchamber.com
CONCORD:
Veteran-owned businesses in the Granite State are eligible to enroll in
the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority’s capital access program
loans without incurring any fees. The new fee structure comes after the
passage of the Veteran Bill of Rights, an effort to expand veterans’
access to state services, which was sponsored by state Sen. Jon Morgan,
D-Brentwood. The law allows the BFA to waive its fees for veteran-owned
companies and empower banks to work with those companies to get them
access to capital without incurring any cost during the application
process.
