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New Hampshire

Casino growth spurt in N.H. comes within inches of Massachusetts border – The Boston Globe

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Casino growth spurt in N.H. comes within inches of Massachusetts border – The Boston Globe


General manager Eric Althaus said the casino has intentionally overstaffed by about two dozen new hires to prepare for peak traffic, noting that March is typically among the busier months for those in the gaming industry.

“We’re in a really good spot right now,” Althaus said Tuesday night, as he sat on one of the plush blue couches that face a two-story TV screen dedicated to sporting events. “But we still have open positions. So anyone that’s looking for a job, by all means, go online and we can start those conversations.”

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The Nash, which is operated by ECL Entertainment, isn’t the only casino making big investments within a short drive of the state line. Just about every casino operator in New Hampshire has moved to expand since the state legalized historic horse racing machines in 2021, according to a 2024 market analysis by Spectrum Gaming Group.

Yvonne Wheatley reacts to winning $1,147.10 on an electronic historic horse racing game Tuesday evening at The Nash Casino in Nashua, N.H. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe it!” Wheatley exclaimed.Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe

While historic horse racing machines look similar to slot machines, their outcomes are based on decades of actual horse race results rather than random numbers.

“Every once in a while, you’ll see somebody playing a game and up at the top you’ll see an actual horse race run across the screen,” said Sheila M. Doherty of Nashua, a player who likes to try her luck on those machines and also on the roulette wheel.

Doherty, who attended a “soft opening” event Tuesday night before the grand opening on Wednesday morning, said The Nash has an impressive variety of games, including some that even she hadn’t seen elsewhere. (She laughed as she said she’s visited “a lot of casinos.”)

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Since slot machines still aren’t allowed in New Hampshire, the legalization of historic horse racing machines offered an opportunity for existing race tracks and smaller mom-and-pop gaming operations to expand.

The former Seabrook Greyhound Park became The Brook, which debuted the historic horse racing games in 2022 and embarked on a series of renovations, with further expansion planned. Other gambling businesses, including the Gate City Casino in Nashua and Revo Casino and Social House in Dover, have tackled expansions of their own, and plans are in motion for a massive overhaul of the Hampton Beach Casino as well.

Some have repurposed older or underused buildings rather than starting from scratch. In Rochester, the Lilac Club Casino is slated to open next week in what had been a small, long-neglected mall. And in Salem, a casino is being developed in a former Lord & Taylor department store at The Mall at Rockingham Park.

The Nash Casino has five separate restaurant and bar concepts on two floors inside the building formerly occupied by Sears at Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua. Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe

The growth spurt has come as New Hampshire effectively took a free-market approach to casinos, without imposing additional limits on the number, size, or location of such venues, according to the Spectrum Gaming Group analysis. While the rest of New England had a combined total of nine casinos, as of last year, New Hampshire alone had 10 casinos with historic horse racing machines, according to the analysis. Most aren’t nearly as big as The Nash, and the state has imposed a moratorium on new licenses.

Concerns about problem gambling, addiction, and other negative social impacts associated with casinos have spilled over the state line. City councilors in Lawrence, Mass., passed a resolution last fall saying the planned casino in Salem, N.H., would rely heavily on “targeting the financial desperation of Lawrence’s low-income workers, elderly, and disabled” community members. Salem’s planning board signed off on the project in December anyway.

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In Nashua, where the new casino is just about as close to the state line as is physically possible, some local leaders voiced practical concerns about potential jurisdictional complications whenever a law enforcement matter crosses from the casino floor in New Hampshire to the parking lot in Massachusetts.

Nashua Alderman Patricia S. Klee said she has nothing against casinos but worried police might encounter challenges in court stemming from the adult entertainment venue having been placed adjacent to the state line. The Nash isn’t like Sears, she noted.

“This place is going to be open till the wee hours of the morning, where people are drinking … so it’s a completely different type of business,” she said.

The Nash, which will open at 9 a.m. every day, will close at 2 a.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with no alcoholic drinks served after 1:30 a.m.

Althaus, the general manager, said The Nash has prioritized safety and security for visitors and casino employees. The facility has high-power security systems, police details with both Nashua and Tyngsborough, and safety plans, he said.

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Tyngsborough Police Chief Shaun Woods said the two municipalities have a mutual aid agreement in place that allows officers to collaborate across state lines.

The economic upsides that The Nash expects to contribute to the local economy include both a boost to tourism-related tax revenues and charitable contributions.

Stephen Depoala practices his swing in one of the four Topgolf Swing Suite bays at The Nash Casino in Nashua.Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe

All casinos in New Hampshire are charitable gaming establishments, meaning they must contribute a share of their revenues to nonprofit organizations. The state stipulates that charities be given 35 percent of the revenue from table games and 8.75 percent of the revenue from historic horse racing machines. On top of that, the state takes 10 percent and 16.25 percent, respectively.

Because of the state’s charitable gaming rules, The Nash projects that it will generate nearly $24 million each year for 104 nonprofits.

Matthew R. Fentross, executive director of the Nashua Children’s Home — which is one of the two nonprofits designated to receive a share of The Nash’s revenues for the current week — said his organization has received $20,000 to $30,000 in charitable gaming revenues in past years from a smaller casino, so this year’s haul will likely be much larger.

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Only two of the three programs operated by the Nashua Children’s Home receive funding through government contracts, Fentross said. The third program, which provides transitional living support for young adults, relies on contributions from the public and from charitable gaming, he said.

“That program prevents homelessness for kids who are aging out of residential care, 18 to 22 years old,” he said. “So we provide affordable housing, some job coaching, and assistive programs to help them into adulthood.”

Fentross said the charitable gaming revenue is a significant help for his nonprofit and many others in New Hampshire.

“It’s huge,” he said.

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Customers at the new Nash Casino tried out the games during a soft opening Tuesday night.Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe
Champagne Casanova vocalist Lindsey Miller performs “Tennessee Whiskey” at the Nash Casino in Nashua, N.H. Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe
The Nash Casino occupies 130,000 square feet inside the building formerly occupied by Sears at Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, N.H.Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe

Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.





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New Hampshire

Bank Robber, Sexual Assaulter, With 40-Plus Year Criminal History, Wanted On Parole Violation: NH DOC

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Bank Robber, Sexual Assaulter, With 40-Plus Year Criminal History, Wanted On Parole Violation: NH DOC


CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Department of Corrections is asking for the public’s help in finding a sex offender and robbery convict, with “violent tendencies,” who is wanted on a parole violation.

Michael J. Wells is 60, white, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall, and weighs around 150 lbs. He has dirty blond hair and hazel eyes. Officials said Wells sometimes uses the following aliases: “Michael Morris,” “Michael Morse,” and “Michael Kirby.” He has Tasmanian devil, star, moon, and skull tattoos on his right arm and a cross over a skull with a spider web on his left arm.

The warrant against Wells was issued by the New Hampshire Parole Board as well as Manchester police for duty to report, after accusing him of absconding from parole and failing to register as a sex offender.

“In December 1994,” an alert stated, “Wells was convicted of aggravated felonious sexual assault and as a result, is required to register as a Tier III sex offender for the remainder of his life. Wells is currently on Parole Supervision for robbery.”

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In December 2018, Wells robbed the Citizens Bank in Manchester, passing a note stating, “I have a gun. No tracking. No dye bag. $20-$50 quickly. No alarm.” In August 2021, he committed the same offense under similar circumstances, officials said, after he was placed on escape status from the Calumet Transitional Housing Unit. He was arrested in Massachusetts a few weeks later.

Wells is known to frequent both Concord and Manchester.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the New Hampshire Department of Corrections and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains how to request the removal of a name from New Hampshire Patch police reports.

Wells criminal history dates back more than four decades, according to superior court records, after he was accused of forgery in Nashua in August 1985. In June 1988, he was convicted on one forgery charge.

Wells was accused of theft in 1990 and he pleaded guilty to the charge a month later.

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Wells was accused of bail jumping in February 1989.

In 1994, Wells was accused of aggravated felonious sexual assault, sexual assault, and second-degree assault charges in Nashua. In December 1994, he pleaded guilty to the second-degree assault charge. Wells was found guilty by the court on one aggravated felonious sexual assault charge in January 1996.

Wells was also accused of escape in December 1998.

In 2005 and 2006, more charges were racked up, including four acts prohibited counts in Nashua, a false report to law enforcement, receiving stolen property, two acts prohibited counts in Salem, and forgery in Manchester. Wells was found guilty on two of the drug charges in Salem and the Manchester forgery charge, while the others were nolle prossed.

In April 2019, Wells was convicted on the December 2018 bank robbery charges. He was given a three-and-a-half-to-10-year sentence with 136 days of time served credit and a 10-to-20-year sentence, suspended for 10 years.

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New Hampshire

N.H. lawmakers to vote on increasing tolls, civil rights, and k-12 education – The Boston Globe

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N.H. lawmakers to vote on increasing tolls, civil rights, and k-12 education – The Boston Globe


One proposal (Senate Bill 627) would generate more than $53 million per year in estimated revenue for turnpike projects by essentially doubling what certain cars pay on the state’s toll roads.

The cash fare for Hampton’s main toll booth on Interstate 95, for example, would jump from $2 to $4 for cars and pickup trucks. The toll wouldn’t increase at all for motorists who use New Hampshire’s E-ZPass transponders.

“Surrounding states already have the same in-state discount structure in place,” Democratic Representative Martin Jack of Nashua wrote on behalf of a House committee that unanimously recommended the bill.

A potential hitch: Governor Kelly Ayotte. She’s expressed opposition to the whole toll-hiking idea, and proven she’s not afraid to use her veto pen.

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Modifying civil rights standard

Another proposal (Senate Bill 464) would add a few words to the state’s Civil Rights Act. Instead of addressing conduct that is merely “motivated by” a legally protected characteristic, the proposed revision would address conduct that is “substantially motivated by hostility towards the victim’s” protected characteristic (such as their race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, or disability).

The prime sponsor, Republican Senator Daryl Abbas, an attorney, testified the change was small and aligned with the law’s intent. But the attorney who oversees the Civil Rights Unit at the New Hampshire Department of Justice, Sean Locke, testified in opposition, saying the proposal could reduce protections, especially since the meaning of “substantially” is somewhat vague.

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The House is also weighing a proposed amendment that would add a few more words than Abbas’s version, potentially narrowing the Civil Rights Act’s applicability a bit further.

Open enrollment for K-12 schools

A third proposal up for a vote on Thursday (Senate Bill 101) would make every K-12 public school in New Hampshire an “open enrollment” school. That way, students could freely choose to transfer to a district other than the one where they live.

The proposed policy is controversial, partly because of how schools are funded. Districts rely mostly on local property taxes to cover their costs, as the state government chips in relatively little, and property tax rates vary widely from one community to the next. That generates concern about who will foot the bill when a student transfers.

In light of those concerns, Republicans are offering a compromise amendment to SB 101 that would require the state to provide more money per pupil that a district receives via open enrollment, as the New Hampshire Bulletin reported. Democrats are offering their own amendment to establish a study commission on this topic, rather than adopt the proposed policy now.

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Lawmakers have until May 14 to take action on the bills that came from the other chamber, though they have until June 4 to iron out any discrepancies.

Amanda Gokee of the Globe staff contributed to this report.


This story appears in Globe NH | Morning Report, a free email newsletter focused on New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles elsewhere. Sign up here.


Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.





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New Hampshire

Boston MedFlight expands into NH

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Boston MedFlight expands into NH


Boston MedFlight often touches down at the scene of some of the worst tragedies in New England – where minutes can mean life or death for a victim. The critical care transport operation is now expanding with a new base in New Hampshire.

The organization is hosting an open house at the new Manchester location on Thursday.

Boston MedFlight flies a critical care transport paramedic and nurse on every flight. Jaik Hanley-McCarthy says their helicopters and ground vehicles are equipped to handle just about any emergency medical procedure.

“Anything that can be done in the ICU,” explained Hanley-McCarthy. “We have a mobile lab so we can draw blood and run labs in real time.”

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Boston MedFlight now has five bases across the region.

“Having a base in Manchester just expands this Boston-level care even further north to the more remote areas of the state,” said Hanley-McCarthy.

Boston MedFlight operates as a network of bases and some of the locations are staffed 24 hours.

Chief Executive Officer Maura Hughes says the nonprofit operation survives on public and private donations.

“We provide about $7 million in free care every year to patients,” said Hughes. “Not every hospital can be everything to every patient. We’re really the glue that keeps the health care system together.”

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Heather Young says her daughter, Teighan, is still alive because she was flown for a critical assessment and procedure after falling off a truck and hitting her head.

“She should not be driving and walking and talking and all the things she’s doing as quickly as she is,” said Young.

Teighan just turned 18 and plans to go to college to study the medical field.

“I want to be a nurse and help other people,” she said.

It’s stories like this that keep the men and women who work Boston MedFlight focused on their mission.

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“I think we just go call by call and try to do the best we can,” said Hanley-McCarthy. “I think when we stop and truly think about it, I think that weight is pretty heavy.”

Boston MedFlight also has a yearly reunion where patients and the team get together here in Bedford to meet and check in on their progress. It really shows you how connected they are to the people they help.



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