Country stores, village stores or general stores – these businesses have historically been something between a convenience store and a community center. They have struggled to survive as grocery chains and big box stores cropped up across New Hampshire.

Inspections were set to end, but then the state was hit with a lawsuit. The court challenge came from a company that provides emissions testing equipment to NH's vehicle repair shops. And just a few days before the repeal was set to take effect a federal judge said the state had to pump the brakes.

Doulas in New Hampshire are now able to seek certification through the state, a new process that will allow them to receive direct Medicaid reimbursement for their services.

In 1985, New Hampshire selected a group of teachers from across the state as finalists for NASA’s Teacher in Space program. Phil Browne from Goffstown High School was among them. Browne remembers meeting McAuliffe when they presented their project ideas to the state.

"I made quite clear both to the Department of Homeland Security as well as to the White House that I thought it was critical that there be full information provided to Merrimack,” Ayotte told reporters at a press conference Wednesday. https://bit.ly/3Z9MopY

Jane and Dave Balshaw, who have have been running the Canterbury Country Store for nearly three years, will close after this weekend. https://bit.ly/4a6BcPX

The New Hampshire Department of Justice launched an inquiry, which ultimately cleared the Judicial Branch of any criminal wrongdoing in its payments to Martin. Investigators did conclude that the judiciary had failed to follow its own personnel rules.

You can get your gardening fix by tending to some house plants this winter. Emma Erler, lead horticulturist at Kirkwood Gardens and Homegrown NH host, says success growing houseplants comes down to choosing the right kind of plant.

U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty has granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the state of New Hampshire from ending its motor vehicle inspection program, which was set to be discontinued on Saturday.

Judge Daniel Will needs to be confirmed by the five-member Executive Council to take a seat on the New Hampshire Supreme Court. https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-01-27/nh-new-hampshire-supreme-court-justice-ayotte-daniel-will-nomination

Forty years ago today, the space shuttle Challenger exploded just moments after liftoff — claiming the lives of New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe and six other crew members. We invite you to join us in reflecting on McAuliffe's enduring legacy. https://bit.ly/4rfxPgD

The mayor believes a pillow tax in Portsmouth — could bring in about $1 million in additional revenue per year. There are more than 2,000 hotel rooms in Portsmouth, city officials said.

Gov. Kelly Ayotte plans to nominate Christopher Ellms Jr., the current deputy commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Energy, to lead the Public Utilities Commission. https://bit.ly/4tlI7xJ

Walking the dog is often a solitary undertaking. You and your four-legged friend, hitting the streets or the trails, day after day, month after month, in all types of weather. But the K9 Adventure Club is looking to make that routine a bit more social, for both person and pet.

Brown researchers wanted to know: Could providing trained therapists and structured suicide-prevention support to people while they’re incarcerated reduce their risk of suicidal behavior after they return to the community? https://bit.ly/4rcV9LP

After the Challenger explosion, NASA deemed it too risky to send private citizens to space. Forty years later, things are looking very different. But how is safety being regulated for private space companies? And what happens if something goes wrong? https://bit.ly/49YYO9h

Social media apps have long been accused of being harmful to children. Now those claims will come before a jury for the first time in a trial kicking off Tuesday in a Los Angeles courtroom. https://bit.ly/46hNzYe

A plan to require bike and e-bike owners in New Hampshire to pay a $50 annual state registration fee is drawing a peloton of opposition. 🚲 https://bit.ly/4rjlAzG

The federal government rarely responds to our questions about immigration enforcement, making it hard to know exactly what they’re doing on a local level. We take other steps to understand what’s happening — and to make sure we’re reporting on this issue responsibly. https://bit.ly/4t2eUYm

With snow already on the ground across New Hampshire, and more on the way, cardiologists warn that there are several ways that shoveling snow can put extra strain on the heart. https://bit.ly/4jY2JaK

The new Kid Governor of New Hampshire will be officially inaugurated at the State House Tuesday. Boscawen Elementary School fifth grader Liv Crete-Sayer was elected by thousands of her peers across the state in November. https://bit.ly/4bfM3cD

Drake Maye vs. Sam Darnold. Two stingy defenses. A second-year head coach vs. a veteran coach in his second act. Super Bowl 60 is set and it's a rematch: The New England Patriots vs. the Seattle Seahawks. https://bit.ly/3NCjXi0

Tensions are escalating in Minneapolis after Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a U.S. citizen, was killed during an encounter with immigration officials on Saturday morning. https://bit.ly/3ZxfvDL

Many immigrants are afraid to leave their homes — let alone go to work — as masked ICE agents escalate their operations in Maine. But at apparel manufacturer American Roots in Westbrook, staff and community volunteers are trying to protect immigrant workers by standing watch. https://bit.ly/3YVOyJN

Congressional leaders are pushing back against the Trump administration's account of the killing of Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old shot dead by federal officers during an immigration enforcement protest in Minneapolis. https://bit.ly/4qYzd7L

On Feb. 28, a top judicial branch official was summoned to a meeting with two New Hampshire Supreme Court justices. The fallout from that meeting — outlined in a series of newly released documents — reveals strain within the highest level of the state’s judiciary. https://bit.ly/49CXEkH

Hear Writers on a New England Stage Saturdays at 3 p.m. on NHPR Books, or download each conversation as a podcast wherever you get your audio. Patricia Cornwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and widely considered one of the world’s top crime writers. https://bit.ly/4abpAw8

The Merrimack town council sent a letter to federal and state officials Friday voicing opposition to ICE establishing a processing facility in their community. https://bit.ly/4sVAnlJ

“Although it's something that I worry about, and often drives me nuts, I know it's going to happen and we're going to have folks out there." https://bit.ly/3ZgBAXj

Former U.S. Rep. Richard Swett, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Denmark in the late 90s, spoke with All Things Considered host Julia Furukawa about the controversy and the relationship between America and Denmark. https://bit.ly/4qDuCr6

"On skates, the world you can explore expands,” says NH Audubon's Grace McCulloch, co-host of Something Wild. “You are gliding across wetlands and ponds that in summer are thick with cattails and water lilies." https://bit.ly/49DCovl

“Seeing the extraordinary and the ordinary, to me, that’s a big piece of Christa’s mission,” said Laurie MacKenzie Gordon, who taught a women's history class develooped by Christa McAuliffe. “She was a feminist, empowering women and girls … and she did that through the study of history.”

In 2025, New England saw a tenfold increase in the number of immigrants who were deported, compared to the previous year. This big push requires the participation of federal, regional and local institutions -- something that’s been happening across New England.

Dan Dolan, the president of the New England Power Generators Association, spoke with NHPR’s All Things Considered host Julia Furukawa about the new power line and what it could mean for New Hampshire’s electricity costs and hydropower future.

🎶 Hear a full hour with one of New Orleans premier musical acts — Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars — with elements of early jazz, swing, New Orleans R+B, brass band, second line, soul, and more. It's a show that will put you right in the Big Easy. https://bit.ly/4r8f4vp

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Wednesday it is undertaking an enforcement operation in Maine, dubbed "Catch of the Day," saying it was focused on the "worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens."

Catch the New Hampshire News Recap on air on NHPR Fridays at 7:45 a.m. and 9:45 a.m., and it's available as a podcast. https://bit.ly/4r1SeWm

The NH Republican State Committee found itself with a new chairman Thursday — its third leader in less than two weeks. Here's the story: https://bit.ly/4bgafvo

A federal judge is expected to decide soon on whether New Hampshire can proceed with its plan to end mandatory motor vehicle inspections on Jan. 31, or if doing so would put the state out of compliance with the federal Clean Air Act. https://bit.ly/45qyfZ0

GPS is essential these days. We use it for everything — from hunters figuring out where the heck they are in the backcountry, to a delivery truck finding a grocery store, to keeping clocks in sync. But our reliance on GPS may also be changing our brains.

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration illegally defunded college and career support for more than 1,000 New Hampshire students, saying the administration used arbitrary and vague reasons for discontinuing grants.

Thousands of families have been caught in a very specific wrinkle of U.S. law over the past year: the complex interaction between criminal and civil immigration courts. This is one family's story.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord serves as a lasting symbol of Christa McAuliffe's legacy. As its former director explains, “She wanted all her students to use the world as their classroom.” https://bit.ly/3Zv35w1

The Manchester School District says it has not received any substantiated reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity at its schools as of Thursday morning and would continue to monitor the situation.

Did you know heating equipment is a leading cause of fire in New Hampshire? Learn how to minimize your risk and stay safe during extreme cold. https://bit.ly/464MPFM

The newest edition of the Weekender is here — and it’s serving drag, demogorgons, and plenty of reasons to get out of the house this winter 🎨⛸️ https://bit.ly/4sRUVLH

Coming soon: A new podcast about water contamination in New Hampshire and beyond, from NHPR's Document team🚰 All episodes available Jan. 29, wherever you get your podcasts. https://bit.ly/463q2dq

An ICE official told Fox News that the agency has arrested nearly 50 people in Maine as part of an immigration enforcement surge. The latest from our news partners at @mainepublic.org. https://bit.ly/3Nv2TdI

Two culinary stars from New Hampshire are among the James Beard Award semifinalists announced Wednesday. https://bit.ly/3YN4DkZ

What is the Monroe Doctrine? And what does it have to do with President Trump's approach to foreign policy? Our friends at @civics101pod.bsky.social explain. https://bit.ly/49Hgl5y