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Executive Council shelves $4 million in proposed contracts for tourism photography • New Hampshire Bulletin

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Executive Council shelves  million in proposed contracts for tourism photography • New Hampshire Bulletin


The Executive Council shelved an attempt by the Department of Business and Economic Affairs Wednesday to spend more than $4 million in federal money to pay for professional photographs of New Hampshire’s seasons. 

In a series of four proposed contracts, the department sought to spend the money – which comes from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 – to pay four photography companies to develop “still images, b-roll video, and produced video segments,” according to a written explanation to the council from Commissioner Taylor Caswell.

But a number of councilors – as well as Gov. Chris Sununu – raised objections over the price tag. The contracts have been tabled, and Councilor David Wheeler, a Republican of Milford, has urged the department to find better ways to spend the money. 

“I’d like to know: What are we doing with $4 million taking pictures?” said Wheeler.

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“What are we getting for $3,000 a day out of this?” asked Councilor Cinde Warmington, a Concord Democrat. 

Under the contracts, the companies would be tasked with creating content to cover New Hampshire’s seven tourism regions in all four seasons. The content is meant to serve as a free resource for tourism businesses in the state to use in their promotional materials, and could be used by the state in its advertising efforts, too, Caswell said. 

Caswell’s department assigned different areas of the state to different contractors. Brian Nevins, a former staff photographer for Surfer and Snowboard magazines, would be awarded $1.3 million to produce content in the Lakes Region, the Dartmouth and Lake Sunapee areas, and the Seacoast. Portland Post Production LLC, which has worked with the University of New Hampshire, L.L. Bean, and Saucony, would be given $860,000 to focus on the Merrimack Valley and Monadnock areas. 

Meanwhile, Warden Co., which has worked with the department on winter photography in the past, would be awarded $860,000 to take photos and video for the Great North Woods and White Mountains areas. And Dennis Welsh, a professional photographer and videographer, would be paid just under $1.1 million to develop general content for the VisitNH seasonal campaign. 

Not all councilors appeared opposed. “The shelf life: You’re going to get five, six years out of these images, correct?” Councilor Janet Stevens, a Republican of Rye, asked Caswell. “This is an investment that could span a decade moving forward,” she said. 

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Defending the contracts, Caswell said the federal funds have been awarded to the state for very specific purposes, and that when they put the contracts out to bid, the amount reflects the offers received. 

“These were as a result the best combination of quality and cost that we saw,” he said. He said the department chose to split up the money into different contracts so that no one photography business would be tasked with developing content for the whole state.

He also said the department is running out of time to spend down the money in that program. 

“I wouldn’t necessarily be able to guarantee that we’ll be able to come up with an additional program (in time),” Caswell said, responding to Wheeler’s suggestion that they spend the money otherwise. 

The contracts can come off the table and receive an up or down from the council in future meetings. But Sununu agreed with councilors that the services were too high, even if they did come from federal funds. 

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“I have an iPhone,” the governor quipped. “And I’m like 20 bucks.” 



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Is Hannaford open Christmas Day 2025? Target? See what’s open and closed in NH

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Is Hannaford open Christmas Day 2025? Target? See what’s open and closed in NH


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Cooking your Christmas dinner and missing that one key ingredient? In New Hampshire, you might find it difficult to locate an open grocery store on Dec. 25.

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New Hampshire state laws don’t restrict grocery stores from opening on Christmas Day, which falls on a Thursday this year.

But while most businesses are allowed to open, many still opt to close in observance of the December holiday. You should check a shop’s hours or call ahead before heading over.

Here’s what to know about New Hampshire grocery stores on Christmas Day.

Are any grocery stores open on Christmas in NH? Market Basket? Hannaford?

Several grocery store chains, like BJ’s Wholesale Club, ALDI, Market Basket, and Costco, will be closed on Christmas. Target, which sells groceries, will also be closed on Dec. 25. So will Walmart and Trader Joe’s.

Most Hannaford locations in New Hampshire, like those in Portsmouth, Dover, Nashua, and Manchester, will be closed on Christmas Day.

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Most Shaw’s locations will be closed on the holiday, as well as most Price Chopper and Market 32 stores.

All Price Rite locations, including the Manchester store, will be closed on Dec. 25, according to a company spokesperson.

Additionally, Whole Foods said all of its stores will be closed on Christmas.

While more New Hampshire grocery stores will be open on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) than on Christmas Day, many chains will operate with limited hours.

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Are liquor stores open on Christmas in New Hampshire?

All 67 of New Hampshire’s state-run liquor stores will be closed on Christmas this year, according to the N.H. Liquor Commission.

Will convenience stores be open on Christmas? What about pharmacies?

Most businesses, like gas stations, restaurants, and pharmacies, are allowed to open on Christmas.

Certain Cumberland Farms, CVS, and Walgreens locations have opened on Dec. 25 in previous years.

However, many shops still close on certain holidays to give employees time with their families. It’s best to call ahead and check.

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Melina Khan of USA TODAY and Margie Cullen of the USA Today Network contributed to this report.



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New Hampshire 6-year-old tests positive for cocaine, cannabis; mother faces multiple charges

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New Hampshire 6-year-old tests positive for cocaine, cannabis; mother faces multiple charges


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A New Hampshire woman was charged with child endangerment and witness tampering after her daughter ingested a THC gummy and later tested positive for cannabinoids and cocaine, according to officials.

The incident prompted a police investigation after the state Division for Children, Youth and Families notified the Nashua Police Department Nov. 3.

According to a release shared by Nashua Police Department, detectives learned the 6-year-old had been hospitalized following the ingestion and that her mother, Paige Goulet, allegedly told a witness not to cooperate with investigators.

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DRUG-LACED CANDY DISGUISED AS KIDS’ TREATS FUELS NEW HALLOWEEN SAFETY WARNING FOR PARENTS: POLICE

The Nashua Police Department took custody of Goulet and formally charged her. (Nashua Police Department)

“While at the hospital, the juvenile victim tested positive for the illegal drugs, cannabinoids, and cocaine,” the release said.

“Detectives learned that Goulet had told a witness not to cooperate with the police investigation, and detectives determined that Goulet had neglected her duty to care for her juvenile daughter.”

Goulet, 30, was arrested Monday by Meredith police on a felony warrant for tampering with witnesses involved in the Nashua police investigation.

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GUATEMALAN NATIONAL FREED WITHOUT BAIL IN THC GUMMIES CASE THAT SENT 12 MIDDLE-SCHOOLERS TO THE HOSPITAL

Nashua police determined Goulet had neglected her duty to care for her daughter. (Wang Zhao/AFP/GettyImages)

She was taken into custody by Nashua police and formally charged.

She is facing charges of tampering with witnesses and endangering the welfare of a child, according to the release.

FLORIDA PARENTS ARRESTED AFTER 4-YEAR-OLD TWINS ALLEGEDLY SHOT THEMSELVES

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Paige Goulet was taken to the Nashua Police Department and charged with witness tampering and child endangerment after her daughter’s THC gummy ingestion. (Google Maps)

Goulet was released on $300 cash bail and is scheduled to be arraigned in Nashua District Court Jan. 7.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Meredith and Nashua police departments for comment.

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It’s been 50 years since turkeys were reintroduced to N.H. A survey will check on the population. – The Boston Globe

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It’s been 50 years since turkeys were reintroduced to N.H. A survey will check on the population. – The Boston Globe


In recent years, the survey has helped identify about 910 flocks on average, with about 16,488 birds reported per year.

Those numbers can fluctuate based on winter conditions. The birds are more likely to congregate at backyard feeders during winters with heavy snow and limited food, driving up reported numbers. On the other hand, when birds can easily get the food they need in the wild, reports tend to decrease, according to Daniel Ellingwood, a wildlife biologist and turkey project leader at New Hampshire Fish and Game.

He said the state has been conducting the survey for about 20 years. This year, the survey started in December and will run through March.

Right now, the turkey population in New Hampshire includes about 48,000 birds, Fish and Game estimated.

But just over 50 years ago, there weren’t any turkeys in the state at all. In fact, Ellingwood said, turkeys had been absent from New Hampshire’s landscape for about 125 years — starting in the 1850s and lasting until a successful reintroduction effort began in 1975.

Populations were diminished to the point of disappearing because of human activities like hunting and deforestation.

Then, in 1975, the state launched a successful effort to bring the turkeys back.

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“A single flock from southwest New York was captured and translocated to Walpole, New Hampshire in ’75,” Ellingwood said. “That population took hold and began to expand.”

That first flock included about 25 birds. In the following years, other flocks were relocated to New Hampshire, and the turkey population began spreading to other parts of the state.

At this point, the birds have made a remarkable recovery.

“The population is largely stable and healthy,” Ellingwood said.


This story appeared in Globe NH | Morning Report, a free newsletter focused on New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles elsewhere. To receive it via email Monday through Friday, sign up here.

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Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee.





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