CONCORD: A bipartisan coalition is expected to move forward with a marijuana legalization bill in the next session of the NH House, in hopes of ending the Granite State’s status as an island of recreational cannabis prohibition, surrounded by places that have legalized the drug. The bill — which likely will be introduced early next year — will include a private marketplace and low tax rate that are “tremendously different” from the past efforts, according to former state Rep. Timothy T. Egan, D-Sugar Hill, who chaired the House Democratic Cannabis Caucus until losing reelection earlier this month.
CONCORD: The New Hampshire unemployment rate has gone up slightly after historic lows this summer. It’s the second straight month the rate has risen. The Department of Employment Security reported that the October unemployment rate was 2.4 percent. In September, the rate was 2.2 percent, and in August it was 2.1 percent Still, the unemployment rate in October 2021 was 3.1 percent. The number of unemployed residents increased by 1,740 in October to 18,340. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October was 3.7 percent, an increase of 0.2 percent from the September rate, the state said.
HOOKSETT: The state Housing Appeals Board has sided with Brady Sullivan Properties on its plans to redevelop the former Cigna building in Hooksett into 81 apartments. The Hooksett Zoning Board of Adjustment twice denied the company’s request for a variance to allow the proposed market-rate apartments at 2 College Park Drive in a zone designed for commercial, retail and office development. In its appeal, Brady Sullivan argued “the office market is stagnant and is expected to decline due to ‘work-from-home opportunities,’ which greatly expanded following the pandemic” and mentioned the need for housing in the state. The appeal said members of the zoning board were “hostile to the development of apartments in the town of Hooksett,” the NH Union Leader reported.
CONCORD: Dr. Patrick Tompkins, vice president of academic, student workforce education at Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa, Va., has been chosen to be the next president of NHTI in Concord. Tompkins will take the helm of the Concord community college on Feb. 1, 2023, NHTI said in a press release. During his years with the Virginia Community College System, Tompkins worked at both the college and statewide system level on collaboration and economic development strategies.
MANCHESTER: Adrienne Beloin, a former director of programs and services at the largest day shelter in Massachusetts, has been hired as Manchester’s new director of homelessness initiatives. Beloin, who held the director’s position at St. Francis House in Boston until July, started her new job on Nov. 28. Beloin takes over for Schonna Green, who resigned her position as Manchester’s director of homeless initiatives in September.
CONWAY: The Conway Planning Board has taken a first step toward drafting a warrant article for a town meeting that would propose a oneyear moratorium on building hotels, motels and commercial establishments 50,000 square feet or bigger.
The vote directs the town planning director and town attorney to finalize a draft ordinance and warrant article and to present them to the board on Dec. 8. If the board is comfortable with the draft ordinance, public hearings would follow, with the goal of finalizing a warrant article to be posted in January for the April town meeting.
DOVER: First Seacoast Bancorp, the holding company for First Seacoast Bank, last week began issuing common stock as the first step toward switching its First Seacoast Bank subsidiary from a mutual to a stockholder form of ownership. Priced at $10 per share, First Seacoast must sell at least 2,805,000 shares of common stock to complete the conversion. The process is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023, officials said.
