{"id":26795,"date":"2026-08-01T07:00:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T11:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/?p=26795"},"modified":"2026-07-30T08:18:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T12:18:01","slug":"august-1-2026-new-england-news-roundup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/?p=26795","title":{"rendered":"August 1, 2026 New England News Roundup"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>New Hampshire<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3 print:block print:space-y-1\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<li class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>NH lawmakers eye &#8220;Blockchain Basic Laws&#8221; to court crypto business<\/strong> \u2014 Some Granite State legislators are pushing to make New Hampshire more welcoming to cryptocurrency companies through new &#8220;blockchain basic law&#8221; proposals. <em>(New Hampshire Bulletin, July 29)<\/em> \u2014 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/newhampshirebulletin.com\/2026\/07\/29\/with-blockchain-basic-laws-some-nh-lawmakers-say-the-state-is-open-for-crypto-business\/\">https:\/\/newhampshirebulletin.com\/2026\/07\/29\/with-blockchain-basic-laws-some-nh-lawmakers-say-the-state-is-open-for-crypto-business\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Towns grapple with new &#8220;mixed-use&#8221; housing mandate<\/strong> \u2014 Communities like Kingston are scrambling to comply with a state law requiring commercial zones to allow multi-family housing by right, effective July 1. <em>(New Hampshire Bulletin, July 28)<\/em> \u2014 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/newhampshirebulletin.com\/2026\/07\/28\/municipalities-housing-advocates-grapple-with-new-mixed-use-housing-law\/\">https:\/\/newhampshirebulletin.com\/2026\/07\/28\/municipalities-housing-advocates-grapple-with-new-mixed-use-housing-law\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Teachers give passing grade to &#8220;bell-to-bell&#8221; cellphone ban<\/strong> \u2014 A state Department of Education survey found New Hampshire&#8217;s classroom cellphone ban is earning strong marks from educators. <em>(NH Journal, July 28)<\/em> \u2014 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/nhjournal.com\/nh-teachers-give-passing-grade-to-bell-to-bell-cellphone-ban\/\">https:\/\/nhjournal.com\/nh-teachers-give-passing-grade-to-bell-to-bell-cellphone-ban\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Maine<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3 print:block print:space-y-1\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<li class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>State posts $148 million surplus after Rainy Day withdrawal fight<\/strong> \u2014 Maine closed fiscal 2026 with a General Fund surplus of more than $148 million, restoring the Rainy Day Fund to its cap just weeks after lawmakers approved a $292 million withdrawal from it. <em>(The Maine Wire)<\/em> \u2014 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themainewire.com\/2026\/07\/maine-posts-148-million-surplus-weeks-after-augusta-democrats-approved-292-million-rainy-day-fund-withdrawal\/\">https:\/\/www.themainewire.com\/2026\/07\/maine-posts-148-million-surplus-weeks-after-augusta-democrats-approved-292-million-rainy-day-fund-withdrawal\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Democrats unite behind Troy Jackson for U.S. Senate<\/strong> \u2014 Maine Democrats selected former Senate President Troy Jackson at a convention to replace Graham Platner on the ballot for U.S. Senate. <em>(Portland Press Herald, July 25)<\/em> \u2014 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pressherald.com\/2026\/07\/25\/democrats-unite-behind-troy-jackson-as-their-next-u-s-senate-candidate\/\">https:\/\/www.pressherald.com\/2026\/07\/25\/democrats-unite-behind-troy-jackson-as-their-next-u-s-senate-candidate\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Coalition criticizes Lincoln Hospital board over birthing center closure<\/strong> \u2014 A community coalition says the Damariscotta hospital&#8217;s board recommended closing its birthing center, while MaineHealth has declined to confirm whether a vote occurred. <em>(Portland Press Herald, July 23)<\/em> \u2014 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pressherald.com\/2026\/07\/23\/coalition-criticizes-lincoln-hospital-board-saying-it-recommended-closing-birthing-center\/\">https:\/\/www.pressherald.com\/2026\/07\/23\/coalition-criticizes-lincoln-hospital-board-saying-it-recommended-closing-birthing-center\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Vermont<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3 print:block print:space-y-1\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<li class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>State economists: economy solid, but AI boom poses a risk<\/strong> \u2014 Vermont&#8217;s economy remains healthy, but state economists warn that heavy reliance on the AI-driven tech sector could create a &#8220;tidal wave of economic distress&#8221; if that boom falters. <em>(VTDigger, July 28)<\/em> \u2014 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2026\/07\/28\/vermonts-economy-is-in-good-shape-state-economists-say-but-ai-boom-is-a-threat\/\">https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2026\/07\/28\/vermonts-economy-is-in-good-shape-state-economists-say-but-ai-boom-is-a-threat\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Brattleboro drops tax hike plan for hospital&#8217;s birthing center<\/strong> \u2014 Brattleboro selectboard members withdrew a proposed property tax increase meant to shore up the town hospital&#8217;s endangered birthing center, citing worries it would divide the community. <em>(VTDigger, July 29)<\/em> \u2014 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2026\/07\/29\/brattleboro-drops-idea-of-tax-hike-meant-to-aid-its-hospitals-endangered-birthing-center\/\">https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2026\/07\/29\/brattleboro-drops-idea-of-tax-hike-meant-to-aid-its-hospitals-endangered-birthing-center\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Vermont&#8217;s top healthcare regulator stepping down<\/strong> \u2014 Owen Foster, chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, which sets hospital budgets and insurance rate increases statewide, announced he&#8217;s leaving his post. <em>(Vermont Public, July 24)<\/em> \u2014 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vermontpublic.org\/local-news\/2026-07-24\/owen-foster-stepping-down-top-healthcare-regulator\">https:\/\/www.vermontpublic.org\/local-news\/2026-07-24\/owen-foster-stepping-down-top-healthcare-regulator<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New Hampshire NH lawmakers eye &#8220;Blockchain Basic Laws&#8221; to court crypto business \u2014 Some Granite State legislators are pushing to make New Hampshire more welcoming to cryptocurrency companies through new &#8220;blockchain basic law&#8221; proposals. (New Hampshire Bulletin, July 29) \u2014 https:\/\/newhampshirebulletin.com\/2026\/07\/29\/with-blockchain-basic-laws-some-nh-lawmakers-say-the-state-is-open-for-crypto-business\/ Towns grapple with new &#8220;mixed-use&#8221; housing mandate \u2014 Communities like Kingston are scrambling to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":15625,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[214],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26795","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-england-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/qtq80-mKe0iF.jpeg?fit=1254%2C837&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26795","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26795"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26795\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26796,"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26795\/revisions\/26796"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nhtalkradio.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}