New Hampshire
As federal cuts loom, NH lawmakers consider defunding state library and arts programs
A wave of art organizations and libraries are speaking up to warn that federal and state cuts could impact the lives of Granite State citizens.
Those sounding the alarm include the New Hampshire Library Association and a wave of local libraries, as well as cultural institutions like Arts4NH, the Capitol Center for the Arts and Prescott Park Arts Festival.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration released an executive order cutting the Institute for Museum and Library Services (also known as IMLS). The agency provides funding and grants to libraries and museums across the country, including New Hampshire, to help fund special projects, research and educational opportunities.
Additional cuts are now looming at the state level. A House committee working on state budget proposals voted in favor of eliminating funding for the Division of Arts, which helps provide funding to arts organizations and advance arts and culture in the state. They are also considering a proposal to shut down the New Hampshire State Library.
Rep. Joseph Sweeney, a Salem Republican who proposed those cuts on Monday, cited the loss in federal funding as part of his rationale, noting that the state wouldn’t be in a position to fill in the gaps. He also said the state library building in downtown Concord could be better used as office space.
“This is a budget in which we really need to identify what we need to fund in this state, and make reductions in the — what I would call — the optional, or the wants, of the state,” Sweeney said at the House Finance Division I committee on Monday.
Sweeney told his colleagues that he did not confer with the state library on its services before bringing the proposed cuts to the committee and noted the state librarian role is currently vacant. The previous state librarian retired in 2024, and former Gov. Chris Sununu pulled a nominee who drew conservative pushback over her opposition to book restrictions.
New Hampshire is home to the first state library ever instituted in the country. In addition to supporting library lending programs, the state library manages a variety of other programs and research databases, including those archiving historical records, government documents and other materials. It received $1.5 million from the IMLS program last year, according to a federal dashboard.
The New Hampshire State Council of the Arts also funded over $1.5 million in grants to arts organizations across the state in 2024, according to Arts4NH, an organization advocating for the state’s creative economy.
Libraries and museums consider the loss of state, federal support
The potential cuts at the federal and state level are sending shockwaves through New Hampshire’s literary and cultural communities.
Arts4NH estimates that arts programming contributes billions of dollars to the New Hampshire economy and represents some 21,000 jobs.
“Now is the time to advocate for the arts and remind our community, state, and federal leaders that arts and culture are essential—not only for creativity and cultural enrichment but for their economic and health benefits to our state,” the organization wrote in a recent call to action on social media.
According to local library officials, the federal funding from IMLS supported a range of programs, including offering books with braille and talking book services to assist readers with visual impairments, as well as providing New Hampshire library patrons with access to e-books and audiobooks through the Libby App. Portsmouth Public Library reported 17,000 borrows through the app last year, while Manchester City Library said its patrons borrowed an average of 6,000 titles per month.
The funding also supported high-speed internet access, STEM and job training programs, veterans’ telehealth spaces, and more, according to New Hampshire librarians.
Laura Horwood-Benton, the assistant director at the Portsmouth Public Library, said she’s especially concerned about the impact on inter-library loans. She said IMLS funding helped to make it possible for local libraries to share materials in different branches all across the state. Through that program, she said, the Portsmouth Public Library gave out roughly 2,700 books to library patrons in other communities last year.
“It makes it a much more equitable service across the state,” she said. “And it means that libraries can curate collections that are specific to their communities but also have access to a much wider range of materials including sometimes academic materials from state universities, as well.”
Horwood-Benton said the Portsmouth Public Library also relied on funding from IMLS to support administrative staff, van drivers. Without the funding, she said, the library is considering how they can continue to provide those services.
“What needs to be decided is whether the state can fund that service at a state level, and that is not clear,” Horton said. (Her comments came before Monday’s budget hearing where lawmakers discussed cutting state library funding.)
Horwood-Benton said they’re looking at the city budget, which will be up for discussion later this spring, to see whether they can find a means of funding many of the programs IMLS helped keep afloat. Without federal and state support, she said libraries throughout the state will be tasked with finding additional funding or looking at cutting programs.
“We would have to lose something in order to provide individual library funding for some of these services,” Horwood-Benton said. “So even if we’re able to maintain an interlibrary loan, for example, that would be a loss from somewhere else.”
Nearby at the Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, Executive Director Leanna Grimm said at the moment the museum has the funding it needs — but she predicts that, in the long term, the loss of IMLS funding will force museums and art organizations to look to private donors. She predicts that the market for donations will get increasingly tight over time.
“I think that’s one of the biggest challenges with the proposed funding cuts is that all the local nonprofits – we’re all doing amazing work and amazing projects,” Grimm said. “They’re going to have to turn to private donors and foundations to try to fund that work, which means that competition is going to be all the higher. It means that they’re gonna be some really good projects that end up without funding.”
Grimm said now is the time for people to get out and support the arts. She’s been encouraged to hear positive community feedback in response to a letter the museum issued about the federal cuts.
“I was really heartened by our members’ reaction and the support for not only Strawbery Bank museum but museums and libraries throughout the state,” Grimm said. “I see some positives and, and some hope there.”
Are you ready for your mornings reimagined?
Hi! I’m Garret Doll (like Ken, but less hair and not as handsome), and I’m teaming up with Katie Killourhy for 97.5 WOKQ’s new morning show, Garret & Katie in the Morning!
You ready to join us?
So, Who Is Garret Doll?
I’ve learned something about myself… I don’t like clutter. Unless it’s my clutter. Then it’s not clutter, it’s a system.
That’s probably a pretty accurate starting point for who I am. A little self-aware, a little stubborn, and definitely someone who knows what he likes. I like tacos, steak tips and lobster rolls. (Fun fact: I’ve never had a lobster roll until moving here.)
How It All Started
This whole radio thing started for me when I was 15. My mom helped me land a job at a radio station in my hometown (cause she worked there), and I fell in love with radio. I’ve never left this career.
I’ve spent my entire adult life doing this job, and I still feel like I lucked into the best job in the world. No two days are the same. One minute you’re talking about life, the next you’re playing your favorite songs, then suddenly you’re out in the community meeting people who feel like friends you’ve known forever.
Most of my career took me to places like Denver, Charleston, and Richmond. Now, somehow, it’s brought me here to New Hampshire.
Honestly, I look at it like a “this is exactly where I’m supposed to be” moment. It’s a new start on life, so to speak. You will learn more about that as we get to know each other and you listen to the show on 97.5 WOKQ.
Why WOKQ Matters to Me
WOKQ is one of those stations you hear about in radio. It’s got history. It’s got heart. And it’s built around a community that actually cares about local connection and country music throughout New England.
That matters to me.
I don’t want to just “be on the radio.” I want to be part of what’s happening here. The towns, the events, the random conversations at a bar, the places you tell your friends they have to check out.
That’s the fun part of all of this.
What I’m All About
I’m a pretty simple dude:
I’m the guy who would give you the shirt off my back
Glass half full (even when it probably shouldn’t be)
Always smiling
Authentic… sometimes too authentic
And yeah, there are definitely moments where I say something before thinking it all the way through.
So if you ever hear me and think, “Did he really just say that?” There’s a decent chance the answer is yes.
Some Quick Hits About Me
Coffee order: Americano
Drink Order: Old Fashioned or just a good local beer
Favorite food: Tacos (not even close)
Guilty pleasure show: The Big Bang Theory
Pet peeve: Close talkers… and people who are late
Random fact: I once got a tattoo of Dopey from the Seven Dwarfs because a girl I was dating wanted one. We got them together. (Don’t worry, it’s been covered up by a microphone and a rose… and I haven’t heard from her in about 20 years)
Let’s Do This Together
I’m new to town, which means I could really use your help.
Where’s your go-to spot when you just want to get outside? Best place to hike? Kayak? Local bar? Just disappear for a few hours?
READ MORE: Hidden Gems in New Hampshire: 5 Secret Places Worth Discovering
Drop me your favorites, because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that the best recommendations don’t come from Google… they come from you! The ones who actually live it.
And I’m ready to start exploring and getting to know you. So make sure to tune in to Garret & Katie in the Morning! See you there.
BankNH Pavilion: Summer Show Lineup, 2026
Gallery Credit: Sarah Sullivan
HUDSON, N.H. — An animal cruelty investigation led to the arrest of two former tenants who police say left three cats behind in the apartment they were evicted from.
The Hudson Police Department said officers responded to 19 Oliver Drive on Nov. 25 after the town’s animal control officer received a report that multiple cats had been left behind in an apartment previously occupied by Faith Byers, 48, and Kevin Greene, 57.
The pair had reportedly been evicted a week earlier, on Nov. 18.
Police said that attempts to reach Byers and Greene by phone were unsuccessful, and the property owner later confirmed that the two had moved out without taking the cats or arranging for their care.
With the owner’s permission, police entered the apartment and found three cats alone inside the unoccupied residence.
Police said they determined the cats had been left unattended for several days in conditions lacking adequate airflow, sunlight, litter and consistent access to food or water. Police added that no care plan had been made for the animals, and neither former tenant indicated any intention to return for them.
The animals were safely removed and transported to the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford, where they are now receiving care.
Arrest warrants were issued for Byers and Greene, who are each charged with one count of cruelty to animals, a Class A misdemeanor. They were arrested on Friday and released on personal recognizance bail.
They are scheduled to appear in 9th Circuit Court Nashua District Division at 1 p.m. April 28.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will meet in Islamabad today in an attempt to come up with a plan to de-escalate the Iran war.
The meeting comes as several thousand more U.S. troops arrived in the region and after another group got involved in the expanding conflict: Yemen’s Houthis.
The Iran-backed Houthis launched missiles towards Israel, and there’s concern their involvement could threaten another vital global shipping lane in the Red Sea.
Here are more updates on day 30 of the Iran war.
Diplomacy Push in Pakistan
The four foreign ministers from regional powers will meet in Islamabad today and Monday for a push towards diplomacy to end the war.
In a statement ahead of the meeting, the Egyptian government said: “Discussions are expected to focus on recent developments related to regional military escalation and ongoing diplomatic efforts to contain tensions and promote de-escalation.”
“The talks come amid heightened concerns about regional stability, with participating countries seeking to coordinate their stances and support political solutions to emerging crises,” it added.
Whether whatever consensus the countries known as “the quad” come up with will be accepted by the US, Israel, and Iran is another question.
Pakistan has emerged as a possible peace-broker in the conflict, passing messages between the U.S. and Tehran. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Saturday that “dialogue, diplomacy, and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward.”
Dar also welcomed the fact Iran has agreed to allow 20 Pakistan-flagged ships – or two a day – through the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthis enter war
Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen launched the first missile they have fired since the war began toward Israel on Saturday. Israel’s military successfully intercepted it but the Houthis’ attack opens another front in a war that has now moved into its second month.
Up until Saturday’s missile launch the Houthis had stayed out of this war. But a Houthi spokesman said attacks will continue until “the aggression on all resistance fronts stops.”
Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AP
/
AP
The Yemen-based rebels were active during Israel’s war in Gaza, firing on cargo ships in the Red Sea and disrupting global commercial traffic.
With Iran essentially blockading the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global oil prices, there are concerns that if the Houthis start attacking ships in the Red Sea again global shipping will be even more disrupted.
Iran also hit multiple sites around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Saturday and Israel’s military says Iran is increasingly using cluster bombs.
Designed to detonate at high altitude the munition disperses dozens of smaller bombs that are more challenging for Israel’s multi-layered air defense system to intercept and can cause damage over a wider area.
Dozens of countries have signed onto a cluster munitions treaty banning the weapons – except Iran, Israel and the U.S.
Iran threatens U.S. universities in region
Iranian authorities and residents say more airstrikes hit them overnight. Social media videos from across Iran showed strikes hitting all over the country.
Israel’s military said it had completed what it called a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting weapons production and storage sites.
Iran claims U.S.-Israeli strikes hit a Tehran university over the weekend and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened American university campuses in the Middle East in retaliation.
“We advise all employees, professors, and students of American universities in the region and residents of their surrounding areas” to stay a kilometer away from campuses, the statement, carried by Iranian media, said.
Several US universities have campuses in the Gulf, including New York University in the United Arab Emirates and Texas A&M University, among others, in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Iran continues to fire drones and missiles at Gulf countries, with Kuwait saying it was intercepting missile and drone attacks early Sunday. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed ten drones.
Iran also claimed it had attacked two major aluminium sites in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Emirates Global Aluminium confirmed an Iranian attack wounded several and caused significant damage to its plant.
U.S. Troops injured, more arrive
At least 15 U.S. service members were wounded Friday in an Iranian strike on a Saudi air base that hosts American troops, according to the Associated Press, including at least five in serious condition. The missile and drone strikes targeted Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan air base, located outside the capital Riyadh.
Iran has targeted U.S. service members at bases throughout the region since the war began a month ago, in retaliation for the U.S. attacks and seeking to drive troops out of the region. Overall, the Pentagon has put the U.S. casualty toll at 13 killed and more than 300 injured.
On Saturday, troops from the Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, made up of around 3,500 sailors and Marines, arrived in the Middle East, according to U.S. Central Command.
The U.S. military will not say where and how they might be deployed. Thousands more soldiers from the U.S. military’s 82nd Airborne Division are also expected to be deployed.
Journalists killed in Lebanon
Three Lebanese journalists covering the Israeli invasion of the country’s south were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Jezzine.
One of them worked for a TV channel affiliated with Hezbollah and Israel accuses him of being a militant rather than a journalist – but has not provided evidence. The journalist Israel says it targeted was Ali Shaeb, a veteran TV correspondent and household name in Lebanon. After killing him, Israel’s military issued a statement accusing him of exposing the locations of Israeli troops.
The other two journalists killed were siblings, TV correspondent Fatima Ftouni and her cameraman brother, Mohammed Ftouni. Afterward their father appeared on TV, saying he was proud of his children.
All three had been covering Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon.
Lebanese officials called the attack a flagrant violation of international law, and said they’re complaining to the UN Security Council. Hundreds of fellow journalists marched at a protest vigil in Lebanon’s capital.
The three journalists were among at least 47 people killed Saturday in Israeli attacks, according to Lebanese health officials.
Nine of those killed were paramedics, which the head of the World Health Organization called “a tragedy,” noting health workers are protected under international law.
Israel has intensified its attacks across Lebanon, mostly in the South, where Israeli ground troops are moving northward to try to oust Hezbollah militants.
Another Israeli soldier was also killed in Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing his condolences on X over the weekend.
Developments in Syria, Iraq
The war is spreading to more parts of the Middle East. On Sunday, Syria said it had intercepted a drone strike from Iraq targeting a U.S. military base. Pro-Iran Iraqi groups have claimed responsibility for some attacks on US interests.
Separately, the Syrian and UAE governments condemned an attack targeting the residence of the Kurdish region’s president Nechirvan Barzani.
French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attack saying: “The sovereignty of Iraq, and of Kurdistan within it, is essential to regional stability. Everything must be done to prevent Iraq from being drawn into the ongoing escalation.”
On Sunday, the Israeli army said it had launched its “first” attack into Lebanon from Syria.
Jane Arraf in Amman, Emily Feng in Van, Turkey, Lauren Frayer in Jezzine, Lebanon, Carrie Khan in Tel Aviv, and Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg contributed to this report.
Copyright 2026 NPR
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