Join the Substack at https://newenglandtake.com and email me at aj@newenglandtake.com

Join the Substack at https://newenglandtake.com and email A. J. at aj@newenglandtake.com

El-Sayed’s Michigan Win Puts DSA Agenda on the Ballot Nationwide: https://afpaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/AFP-Action-Memo-El-Sayeds-Michigan-Win-Puts-DSA-Agenda-on-the-Ballot-Nationwidepdf.pdf

AFP Action’s New Ad Hits Pappas’ Party-Line Record, Warns of DSA Threat to NH: https://afpaction.com/afp-action-new-ad-hitting-pappas-party-line-record-warns-of-dsa-threat-to-nh/

AFP-NH Announces First Wave of State Legislative Endorsements: https://americansforprosperity.org/press-release/afp-nh-announces-first-wave-of-state-legislative-endorsements/amp/

A. J. Kierstead, host of the New England Take Podcast, informs listeners about revelations in Dr. Anthony Fauci’s diary, his refusal to answer questions from lawmakers, and the need for accountability over COVID-era policy making.

Jump to 1:09:00 for the segment:

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My community’s local newspaper, the Concord Monitor, is an avatar for soft journalism on important local issues, stemming from an inexperienced newsroom and lack of leadership.

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects

what never was and never will be.” - Thomas Jefferson

The Concord Monitor is owned by Newspapers of New England, a conglomerate that includes three New Hampshire and three Massachusetts papers. To be fair, they are still family-owned and operated, something rare for larger outlets of any medium. Anecdotally, their advertising and marketing branch, NNEdigital, is what gets all the attention and it feels like their sales crew are in the field more than the reporters that should be the backbone of the operation. In their defense, the collapse of traditional funding models, like obituaries, classifieds, and print ads, have left this industry desperate to keep their doors open. What definitely doesn’t help is their confusing, long-term real estate planning where the handful of staff continued to operate out of an enormous, mostly empty building for years after the printing press moved across town.

There are a couple good reporters over there, namely veteran reporter David Brooks. Though he is a confusing fellow, shifting between traditional reporting and his lefty Granite Geek columns, but I have respect for his work. Photo editor Geoff Forester is also a cornerstone of the area. Unfortunately for the Monitor, they have shed countless reporters over the last decade, like Annmarie Timmins and Ethan Dewitt, who became founding journalists at the New Hampshire Bulletin five years ago.

Likely Source of the Issue

Senior reporters and editors are essentially nonexistent at the Monitor. They are almost entirely staff by inexperienced twenty-somethings that take the reins of the newsroom. Below is a listing of their reporters and how long it has been since they received their undergraduate degree, this is based on their website staff listing and their LinkedIn profiles:

• News Editor Rebeca Pereira, three years

• Community Editor Rachel Wachman, two years

• Engagement Editor Emilia Wisniewski, one year

• Reporter Sruthi Gopalakrishnan, who appears to be an Indian immigrant with four years in journalism

• Statehouse Reporter Charlotte Matherly, three years

• Reporter Jeremy Margolis, seven years (comparatively, very senior)

• Reporter Catherine McLaughlin, five years

• Reporter Alex Rapp, two years

How much this tremendously inexperienced staff is due to Publisher Steve Leone and Editor in Chief Jonathan Van Fleet’s leadership, the state of the employment market, or the lack of funding available to hire more senior reporters is not something I have intel regarding. A peak at the advertising team is revealing, with seven individuals that are mostly mid to late career. Seniority and pay is likely dedicated to the cash collectors and not the content, a disappointing state of affairs for local journalism.

Human Interest versus Data

Having such a young group of reporters with little senior staff to mentor or a clear investigative journalism focus has led to the Concord Monitor focusing a tremendous amount of time on human interest stories. Don’t get me wrong, the human element is a vital piece of storytelling and understanding the impact the world has on us as a society. But it must be a component and not the entire story. If I had a nickel for every time the Monitor staff were covering Democrat protests on the state house lawn, I’d be able to single handedly fund Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez’s likely presidential campaign. If I had a penny for every “Hometown Hero” article I could have bought a house for the late homeless “mayor” of Concord, the violent man romanticized by the Monitor, while glossing over his sex assault registration and history of arrest.

None of this involves “investigative journalism,” something claimed constantly by outlets as something they “can’t afford.” A mere 30 second Google search or a quick email to the city solicitor (the city’s attorney) is all that is required. Government self reporting and simple right-to-know requests are built into municipal and state law. Do these young reporters understand this? Do their bosses care? Who knows, but my basic research revealed bigger stories that I believe should have been their focus.

The following two examples were the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Hoopla

Modern, public libraries utilize many online services to either supplement their collection or make resources more accessible in our digital age. Services like Overdrive, Libby, LexisNexis, newspaper databases, and countless services accomplish this and are vital to maintain relevance to this important public service. But when budgets are getting cut due to wage and benefit woes for municipalities, services like these are the first thing that get the microscope. Rightfully so, in this example.

Hoopla touts they are, “your public library at your fingertips.” Also, that they, “more content, in more places, than any other digital library platform and it's all FREE thanks to your public library.” Their careful language around cost is vital to note, as you don’t find the word “free” anywhere on their library page. Their model is based on charging for each time Concord library user “checks out” a book from their digital library. In theory, that is fine for creators, but not necessarily for city budgets.

When the Concord Monitor covered Hoopla being removed from their services as part of a $38,000 budget cut for fiscal year 2027, it was met widely with residents being upset on Facebook. I clicked to view the article hoping to see how much of an impact that service being cut would have financially, but was met with nothing but comments from the Library Director Todd Fabian about it being a difficult service to manage and being expensive. The closest thing to data was the fact there were 19,700 total checkouts in 2025. Which is substantial and goes to show it is popular. But, how much of the $38,000 budget cut is this service going to represent?

Well, apparently all of it… I reached out to the library director with a right-to-know request. After no response for a week, I reached out to the city solicitor and he responded within 24 hours. The numbers are substantial with Hoopla accounting for $22,500 to cover 16,850 checkouts in 2022 and rocketing to $36,200 to cover 15,515 checkouts in 2025. Their tiered products and per checkout model is extremely lucrative for the service, but terrible from a government transparency perspective. For example, using made up numbers, if you knew renting a movie was going to cost the city $5 each time for your kid to kind of watch on your phone while on a car ride, might you consider the broader impact? Maybe not, but enough people likely would when city budget time comes around. I did the math and it averages out to more than $2 per checkout, which is a considerable amount of money when there are analog, free, or advertisement based services that accomplish the same thing. Below is the email I received from the city solicitor.

As if this wasn’t enough of a failure on the part of our local reporters, my research led me to getting bombarded with advertisements from Labaton Keller Sucharow LLP, a law firm out of Florida. They setup portal for Hoopla users to submit claims against the service for,

Hoopla Digital, Inc. (“Hoopla”) is a digital media platform that allows library members to access eBooks, audiobooks, movies, and other digital material online and through its mobile app. Labaton is investigating potential claims against Hoopla on behalf of consumers who used the platform and whose reading or content viewing activity, together with their personally identifying information, may have been disclosed to third-party tracking or analytics providers without proper consent.

So not only is this service charging a tremendous amount of money for utilizing their library, they are possibly also selling this data on the backend to third parties. If you think this is just a scam on the part of Labaton, it is literally allowed Hoopla’s Terms of Service. Because Hoopla is a rental model, it operates much in the same way as Apple Movies and other services that offer “pay per use,” instead of strictly library access, like Spotify. They will work with third parties to hone advertising campaigns using your personal data.

Where is the reporting on this in the Monitor? Where is the breakdown of why Hoopla has such a large financial impact on our library?

The Cost of a Firefighter

The next example will not make me any friends, but it should have been reported comprehensively because of the fiscal and safety impact it has on the City of Concord.

In the Concord Monitor’s article, ‘‘Not going to stop:’ Concord firefighters press city to reopen pay raise negotiations,” I was hoping to finally figure out what all the hoopla was about with firefighter wages. There had been weeks of people posting about it online and hearing about the department being upset, but little context other than the city refusing to sit down with the union. Firefighters are an essential part of any municipality and ensuring they are paid appropriately, even in the midst of tightening budgets is vital.

But in the 684 words there is no mention of any financial data surrounding our fire department. There are references to two other exceedingly expensive projects that are important to note peripherally, “$41 million construction of a new police station and the $6 million renovation of the Beaver Meadow clubhouse.” While vital, it does not show how it impacts firefighter pay on an annual basis. There is extensive mention about how it is not competitive with other municipalities.

Since this dilemma is around firefighter wages and how they are allegedly not competitive to other municipalities in the state, I did what the Monitor was too lazy to do… I Googled “Concord, New Hampshire employee salaries.” And wouldn’t you know it’s the first thing that shows up in the results:

The spreadsheet of salaries is extensive, but easily parsed by searching text for “fire.” Maybe the Monitor staff didn’t want to come across as unfair by pointing out a majority of Concord firefighters make six figures between base salary and overtime, but I know that is important data to know they are making well north of the median salary of the city. In fact, on the city’s employment site, you can find current listing for a fire training captain that starts around the city’s media salary and goes up to $115k/year:

This is obviously a complex situation, balancing salaries, staffing, and overtime is a tale as old as unions. Personally, if the firefighters want to continue to have overtime, then raising their base pay is problematic at these current gross pay levels. If that equation doesn’t work for them, then the city should likely negotiate. But, this is essentially irrelevant because I have only one side of the story and the I only have some hard data was because I realized the Monitor failed me.

In conclusion…

It is ok to read the Concord Monitor, as long as you understand it does not offer more than a surface level look at the Capitol Region. Personally, I don’t rely on them at all. If only there was a magic wand to fix this complex situation that involves a lack of leadership, inexperienced writers, a medium that is flailing in the digital landscape, and, probably most importantly, a lack of funding to fix it. It would appear their double down strategy of NNEdigital and selling property is not filling the financial hole they are suffering. Newsrooms must become lean and mean, but it is apparent that the Concord Monitor’s attempt to face the new media landscape is a failure, propped up strictly by legacy.

A. J. Kierstead is a resident of Concord, New Hampshire and the Editor & Host of the New England Take. This article may be republished at no charge by emailing aj@newenglandtake.com.

Thank you to Tony Schinella of the Concord Patch for his feedback on this and confirming some of my suspicions on what is going on at the Monitor. Here’s some additional reading from his old site, Our Concord:

• “A reader’s report to the Concord Monitor”

• “Concord Monitor going to a paywall in May”

• “Concord Monitor faces economic challenges”

250 years ago our founding fathers made it clear that we are our own nation. A collection of explorers, farmers, merchants, trappers, free thinkers, and those along for the ride. Whether seeking a new life of religious freedom, chance of striking it rich in the New World, or whatever other circumstances drove them to this beautiful land, we are all here as descendants of their drive or circumstance.

This nation is unique in its founding documents that stand the test of time, its people that strive to improve on our nation’s failures and shortcomings, and the willingness of Americans to take the leap of faith that they can do better than those that came before them. This is something most nations pretend to offer, but we do it every day. On occasion, some individual or evil movement will do their best to corrupt this land, but our nation’s resiliency and dynamism stand the test of time.

This means our country is the opposite of a golden ticket. It is a chance to be entered into a society where relationships, offering something unique, and standing for what you believe in can give you the chance to succeed. It is the exact reason why so many go through hell leaving their home nation to join us.

We are a nation of many people that stand under a particular set of rules and ideals, living under a constitution that protects its people from the government. Those who say we are a nation of immigrants are narrow minded. We are a nation of people that came here centuries ago to tame the wild, we have adopted people from nations around the world to grow our economy, and live with the responsibility of caring for the people taken here against their will. Few came here easily.

I will hit the nail on the head… We are all in this together. I write and speak of this concept constantly because it is vital to our future. Corporatism, socialism, and AI will not defeat or brainwash us. Ideological movements will try to twist our nation in the direction of socialism and fascism, but I have faith that enough good people will do the right thing and stand up for what they believe in.

We must take positions of responsibility in our community. We must protect our families, communities, and God-given rights. We must stand by what we believe and make sure the next 250 years affirms the founding fathers’ vision for our nation.

God Bless America.

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New Hampshire

• Flash flooding washes out Route 113 in Madison Flash flooding struck Carroll County today, washing out a section of Route 113 in Madison and closing multiple local roads including Colby Hill Road, Burgdorf Road, High Street, and Old Colony Road. Madison Police are urging residents not to attempt to drive past barricades while state DOT and town officials assess damage. Source: NHPR | https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-06-11/flooding-washes-out-part-of-route-113-in-madison

• State invests in digital school maps as security measure New Hampshire is partnering with a New Jersey-based company to install standardized digital maps in public schools statewide, aimed at removing communications hurdles for first responders during emergencies. The initiative is framed as a school safety upgrade. Source: New Hampshire Bulletin | https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2026/06/11/state-invests-in-new-public-school-security-measure-digital-maps/

• Legislature passes small business tax relief, sends to Ayotte The New Hampshire House and Senate approved a bill raising the Business Enterprise Tax filing threshold from roughly $297,000 to $400,000 in gross receipts — a move Republicans say will exempt around 4,500 small businesses from paying the tax. The bill also creates a trigger for future automatic rate reductions if state revenues outperform projections. Democrats warned the cuts will shift costs to property taxpayers. The bill now heads to Governor Kelly Ayotte. Sources: NH Journal | https://nhjournal.com/conservatives-celebrate-wins-on-business-tax-cuts-local-tax-caps/ | NHPR | https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-06-04/nh-businesses-exempt-tax-business-enterprise-tax-legislature

MAINE

• Maine’s Democratic governor primary headed to ranked-choice runoff Tuesday’s five-way Democratic primary for governor produced no majority winner, triggering Maine’s ranked-choice runoff process. As of Wednesday afternoon, former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah led with about 27% of first-round votes, followed closely by former House Speaker Hannah Pingree (23%), former Senate President Troy Jackson (21%), and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (21%). Angus King III finished a distant fifth and will be eliminated first. Final results are expected next week. Sources: Portland Press Herald | https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/09/extremely-close-maine-democratic-governor-primary-likely-headed-to-ranked-choice-runoff/ | Bangor Daily News | https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/06/10/politics/elections/maine-governor-primary-shenna-bellows-ranked-choice-voting/

• IDEXX Laboratories appears to have illegal license plate reader cameras at Maine properties The Portland Press Herald reports that IDEXX Laboratories, the Westbrook-based veterinary diagnostics company, appears to have installed eight automatic license plate reader cameras at properties in Scarborough and Westbrook — a potential violation of Maine state law, which restricts such cameras to government and law enforcement use. Local officials in both communities say they were unaware of the cameras, and IDEXX did not respond to requests for comment. Source: Portland Press Herald | https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/09/idexx-appears-to-have-plate-reading-cameras-at-maine-properties/

• Maine Marine Patrol issues 50+ summonses for striped bass violations on Saco River Maine’s Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Carl Wilson issued a public warning this week after Marine Patrol officers wrote more than 50 summonses and 20 warnings in three weeks for striped bass fishing violations on the Saco River. Violations include fishing too close to the fishway, fishing in a closed area above the Main Street bridge, and failing to immediately release fish. Officials say many offenders are repeat violators. Sources: Portland Press Herald | https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/09/maine-marine-patrol-issues-more-than-50-summonses-to-striped-bass-anglers/ | Bangor Daily News | https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/06/09/outdoors/fishing/maine-fishing-violations-warning/

VERMONT

• UVM Health cuts 142 positions amid $300 million budget pressure The University of Vermont Health Network announced Tuesday it is eliminating 76 positions and restructuring 66 others across its Vermont and New York hospitals and hospice care network, saving an estimated $9.5 million annually. The cuts — affecting nurses, lab techs, and administrative staff — come as the network faces a projected $300 million budget shortfall over three years. Union representatives decried the decision, calling it an attack on healthcare workers. Sources: VTDigger | https://vtdigger.org/2026/06/09/uvm-health-cuts-142-jobs-an-estimated-9-million-in-staff-positions/ | Vermont Public | https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-06-09/widespread-layoffs-underway-uvm-health | Seven Days | https://www.sevendaysvt.com/news/healthcare/uvm-health-cuts-142-positions-amid-ongoing-restructuring/

• Wake sports banned from additional Vermont lakes starting mid-June Vermont is expanding its already nation-leading restrictions on wake boats. Starting in mid-June, wake surfing will be prohibited on Lake Fairlee, Joe’s Pond, Lake Iroquois, Waterbury Reservoir, and several other lakes where it was previously allowed. The state’s Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules voted 5-3 to approve the expanded rules after receiving more than 1,500 public comments and petitions from nearly half of the originally designated wake sports lakes. Sources:Vermont Public | https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-06-04/stricter-regulations-coming-wake-boats | VTDigger | https://vtdigger.org/2026/05/31/new-vermont-rules-ban-wake-surfing-on-lake-fairlee/

• Smugglers Notch “notch-blocker” fines increase tenfold A new Vermont law takes effect July 1 that dramatically raises fines for oversized vehicles that illegally travel through Smugglers Notch on Route 108 between Cambridge and Stowe. Penalties for operating a prohibited vehicle through the mountain pass jump from $1,000 to $10,000, and fines for causing a blockage rise from $2,000 to $20,000. An average of 8.6 trucks have gotten stuck in the notch each year since 2009. Sources: VTDigger / News & Citizen | https://vtdigger.org/2026/06/07/notch-blocker-fines-to-increase-tenfold/

• Gun bill fails on final day of legislative session — The NH Legislature’s last day ended with the defeat of House Bill 609, a sweeping Republican proposal that would have made gun and weapons regulation the exclusive domain of the Legislature, stripping state agencies of their ability to set their own firearms policies. The bill drew unexpected opposition from the state’s own Attorney General, John Formella, who penned a letter warning of unintended consequences — including concerns it could amount to “campus carry” by the back door. The Senate did not advance it.

  • Sources: NH Journal | NH Bulletin | NHPR

• Small businesses get tax break as legislature wraps up — In one of the final acts of the 2026 session, state lawmakers approved raising the filing threshold for the Business Enterprise Tax, a move GOP leaders say will exempt roughly 4,000 small businesses from having to pay it at all. The bill now heads to Governor Kelly Ayotte’s desk for signature.

  • Source: NHPR

• AG investigates blocked Northern Rail Trail in Andover — A Andover landowner placed heavy concrete barriers across the Northern Rail Trail, claiming his own access to the property has been denied. The state Attorney General’s office has opened an inquiry into the matter, and Governor Ayotte publicly weighed in, saying she hopes the trail will be reopened soon and that rail trail access matters to Granite Staters.

  • Sources: NHPR | Concord Monitor via NHPR

MAINE

• Maine’s June 9 primary: Early voting strongly favors Democrats — With Maine’s contested gubernatorial and Senate primaries just days away on June 9, early absentee data shows more than 35,000 Mainers have already cast ballots — with Democrats returning nearly three times as many as Republicans, accounting for roughly 72% of returned ballots. Five Democrats and seven Republicans are running in wide-open gubernatorial primaries.

  • Sources: Bangor Daily News | Portland Press Herald

• Robbins Lumber fire investigation continues in Searsmont — The devastating fire and silo explosion at the historic Robbins Lumber mill on May 15 killed one volunteer firefighter and injured a dozen others. State and federal investigators from the Fire Marshal’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives continue to sift through hundreds of cubic yards of debris. The mill, family-owned since 1881, has pledged to rebuild.

  • Sources: Bangor Daily News | Portland Press Herald

• Maine’s Data Center Advisory Council holds first public meeting — The 17-member council established by Governor Janet Mills via executive order — created after she vetoed a data center construction moratorium — held its inaugural meeting Wednesday. The panel is charged with developing recommendations by January 2027 on how to protect ratepayers, grid reliability, and the environment from large-scale data center development.

  • Sources: The Maine Wire | Maine Public

VERMONT

• Vermont legislature adjourns after education-heavy 2026 session — The Vermont House and Senate gaveled out last week after a session dominated by education reform. The marquee legislation, H.955, creates a framework that encourages school district consolidation — though critics say financial penalties make it less voluntary than advertised. Governor Phil Scott told lawmakers: “I didn’t get everything I wanted, and neither did you. But that’s the way compromise works.”

  • Sources: VTDigger | Vermont Public

• Burlington’s South End set for major housing development — A long-awaited redevelopment project in Burlington’s South End is moving forward with more than 200 apartments in its first phase. City officials and developers say the project — described as “a new neighborhood being born out of a big parking lot” — could eventually grow to over a thousand units, a meaningful dent in Burlington’s ongoing housing shortage.

  • Source: VTDigger / Vermont Public

• Hannaford faces renewed pressure over dairy worker conditions — Vermont immigrant advocacy group Migrant Justice is set to begin formal negotiations with Hannaford’s Dutch parent company, Ahold Delhaize, after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found merit in a complaint alleging serious labor violations in the grocery chain’s dairy supply chain — including overcrowded housing, 72-hour work weeks, and wage withholding.

  • Source: VTDigger

1. Data Center Proposed in Nottingham Stirs Community Opposition A Seacoast entrepreneur, Thomas Moulton, is proposing to build a data center on a stretch of Route 4 in Nottingham. The Nottingham Planning Board moved its May 27th meeting to the local school to accommodate heightened community interest. Some residents warn that data centers draw huge amounts of power and water. 📰 Source: NHPR | 🔗 https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-05-26/data-center-nottingham-nh-newhampshire-proposal New Hampshire Public Radio

2. Young Workers Moving to NH, But Affordability May Push Them Out In-migration is a primary driver of population growth in New Hampshire, especially among young, working-age adults. However, concerns about the rising costs of child care, healthcare, and housing may be preventing young residents from staying long-term. As of 2024, about two-thirds of the state’s population was born outside of New Hampshire. 📰 Source: NHPR | 🔗 https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-05-28/young-workers-moving-nh-affordability-concerns-hard-stay-migration-retention-nhfpi New Hampshire Public RadioNew Hampshire Public Radio

3. House and Senate Reach Agreement on Agricultural PFAS Contamination Bill House and Senate negotiators reached agreement on a PFAS contamination bill that exempts farmers from civil liability related to PFAS contamination of their land or products due to “standard agricultural practices,” which include the spreading of treated sewage sludge, or biosolids, on farmlands. 📰 Source: New Hampshire Bulletin | 🔗 https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2026/05/27/house-and-senate-negotiators-reach-agreement-on-agricultural-pfas-contamination-bill/ New Hampshire Bulletin

🌲 MAINE

1. Portland Teachers Union Calls on Voters to Reject School Budget The Portland teachers union is urging voters to reject the $179.3 million school budget, with the union’s executive board arguing it is top-heavy, cutting “essential, student-facing support positions.” The vote on the school budget is scheduled for June 9th, the same day as the statewide primaries. Portland has not rejected a school budget in at least 15 years. 📰 Sources: Portland Press Herald & The Maine Wire | 🔗 https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/26/portland-teachers-union-asks-voters-to-vote-no-on-school-district-budget-2/ Portland Press HeraldPortland Press Herald

2. Maine Upholds Decision to Suspend MaineCare Payments to Gateway Community Services The Maine Department of Health and Human Services upheld its decision to suspend MaineCare payments to Gateway Community Services due to allegations of fraud. The fraud stories in Maine have drawn national attention from outlets including Fox News, NewsNation, and Newsmax. 📰 Sources: Bangor Daily News & The Maine Wire | 🔗 https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/05/22/politics/state-politics/maine-gateway-community-services-medicaid-payments-decision-upheld/ Bangor Daily NewsThe Maine Wire

3. Maine Bans Cellphones in Schools — Governor Signs Law at Westbrook High Gov. Janet Mills joined state and local lawmakers at Westbrook High School to celebrate a new statewide ban on cellphones in Maine schools. 📰 Source: WABI (Bangor) | 🔗

https://www.wabi.tv/

WABI

🍁 VERMONT

1. Vermont Senate Passes Education Reform Bill with Voluntary District Mergers The Vermont Senate passed an education reform bill that will not force school districts to consolidate, after negotiating a compromise with Republican Gov. Phil Scott that likely averts an impasse that had been brewing for several weeks. Though Democratic lawmakers and Republican Gov. Phil Scott have reached consensus on school governance reforms, they remain at odds over how aggressively to rein in education spending, with lawmakers planning to adjourn by Friday night. 📰 Sources: VTDigger & Vermont Public | 🔗 https://vtdigger.org/2026/05/26/senate-passes-education-reform-bill-with-voluntary-school-district-mergers-after-compromise-deal/ VTDiggerVermont Public

2. Partial Repeal of Vermont’s Controversial Land-Use Law Act 181 Heads to Governor’s Desk In a victory for a rural coalition that had been protesting the state’s controversial land-use law, a bill that would partially roll back Act 181 is now headed to Gov. Phil Scott’s desk. The Vermont House had earlier voted to scrap the road rule and Tier 3 measures, which rural landowners had argued would infringe on private property rights and add costs. 📰 Sources: Vermont Public & VTDigger | 🔗 https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-05-27/partial-repeal-of-vermonts-land-use-law-act-181-heads-to-gov-phil-scotts-desk Vermont PublicVTDigger

3. UVM Seeks $15 Million in Taxpayer Funds for New 5,000-Seat Athletic Venue Officials at the University of Vermont are asking the Legislature for $15 million in public funding to construct a 5,000-seat athletic and entertainment venue. House and Senate lawmakers are split over whether to provide the money, and the appropriation could become a key bargaining chip as they negotiate a final version of the 2027 state budget. 📰 Source: Vermont Public | 🔗 https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-05-11/university-vermont-seeks-taxpayer-money-5000-seat-athletic-venue Vermont Public

1. Director of Youth Detention Center Resigns Amid Abuse Scandal The director of the Sununu Youth Services Center, Joshua Nye, resigned following multiple investigations into allegations of abuse at the facility. Gov. Kelly Ayotte announced the resignation after an Executive Council meeting. A legislative committee had called for his “immediate” replacement, citing sweeping failures including allegations of improper restraints, an extended lockdown, and injuries to staff and children. New Hampshire Public Radio + 2

• 🔗 NHPR | New Hampshire Bulletin | Concord Monitor

2. Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest Saved; Bartlett Still Under Review After months of uncertainty, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the White Mountains will officially remain open amid the U.S. Forest Service’s nationwide reorganization, according to Gov. Kelly Ayotte. The Forest Service had previously announced plans to close over 50 of its 77 research facilities, including Bartlett Experimental Forest. The USDA will now reevaluate those plans for Bartlett. New Hampshire Public RadioNew Hampshire Public Radio

• 🔗 NHPR | New Hampshire Bulletin

3. School Choice “Open Enrollment” Pilot Revived at Legislature After a setback earlier in the session — when 21 House Republicans joined Democrats to defeat a Senate-passed bill — school choice advocates are pushing a scaled-back open enrollment pilot program as the legislature nears the end of its 2026 session. Gov. Kelly Ayotte has expressed “some concerns” about universal open enrollment and has not clearly endorsed or opposed any final version. New Hampshire BulletinNew Hampshire Bulletin

• 🔗 New Hampshire Bulletin | NH Journal

🗺️ MAINE

1. Firefighter Killed in Explosion at Robbins Lumber Mill One firefighter was killed and at least 10 people were injured in a fire and explosion at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, a well-known mill in the Maine lumber industry, drawing a massive response from first responders across the Midcoast region. The firefighter was identified as Andrew Cross, 27, a member of the Morrill Fire Department. He was found dead at the scene. Portland Press HeraldNewscenter Maine

• 🔗 Portland Press Herald | The Maine Wire

2. Cities and Towns Form Patchwork of Data Center Moratoriums After Governor’s Veto After Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a statewide temporary ban on data centers, several cities and towns — including Sanford — responded by introducing their own emergency moratoriums. Brunswick is also among several Maine municipalities now considering such measures. At least four towns have proposed moratoriums to give themselves time to refine local regulations. Portland Press HeraldPortland Press Herald

• 🔗 Portland Press Herald | Maine Public

3. Maine Republican Gubernatorial Debate Held with Notable Absences The 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary debate opened with two notable absences, as two candidates did not appear for the CBS 13-moderated event. The Maine Wire

• 🔗 The Maine Wire

🗺️ VERMONT

1. UVM Faces $12 Million Budget Deficit Amid Enrollment Cliff The University of Vermont announced a $12 million structural budget deficit driven by a projected drop in enrollment. UVM expects a 15% decline in freshman undergraduates and a 7% decrease across all undergraduate levels this coming fall. UVM President Marlene Tromp called the drop “tremendously significant, not just for our university, but for our state,” and cited the Trump administration’s policies toward international students as compounding the challenge. VTDiggerVTDigger

• 🔗 VTDigger | Valley News

2. Vermont Routinely Takes Foster Kids’ Money — A Bill Could End That A bill headed to Gov. Phil Scott would stop Vermont’s Department for Children and Families from intercepting federal benefits belonging to foster children and using those funds to reimburse itself for care costs. Scott’s press secretary said the bill made “important changes to support some of Vermont’s most vulnerable youth,” but the governor had not yet made a final decision about whether to sign it. Vermont PublicVermont Public

• 🔗 Vermont Public

3. Vermont Legislature Rolls Back Controversial Land Use Law Act 181 In a rare show of unanimity, the Vermont House voted to scrap the most controversial provisions of Act 181 after a surge of opposition from rural communities who felt the state’s housing and land use overhaul had gone too far. VTDigger

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