Story Archives of 'Politics'

In Vermont, lawmakers return to Montpelier this week with their plates full.

Dealing with serious budget shortfalls and the relicensing of the state's only nuclear power plant loom large on the list of things to accomplish.

But supporters of gay marriage are pushing a bill that could prove to be a big distraction.

The Vermont Standard's Kevin Forrest reports.

We look back at some of the state’s biggest stories of the year - and forward to the coming year. We’ll look at the New Hampshire’s First in the Nation primary, the general election and the victory of New Hampshire’s first woman Senator, Jeanne Shaheen. We’ll talk about an ice storm and tornado that wreaked havoc on our state, at the first death penalty sentence in New Hampshire in almost 50 years. We’ll remember longtime Republican State Representative Mike Whalley and discuss the state’s first ever wind farm in Lempster and major changes right here on NHPR.

Guests

• Jim Van Dongen, public information officer for the Department of Emergency Management
• Kathy Marchocki, staff reporter for the New Hampshire Union Leader
• James Pindell, national managing editor of the Politicker.com websites and author of the Pindell Report, analyzing campaigns for Congress, Senate and Governor
• Josh Rogers, State House Reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio
• David Hess, Republican state representative from Hooksett
• Ed Cherion, project manager for Iberdola Renewable
• Virginia Prescott, host of NHPR’s Word of Mouth
• Jeanne Shaheen, Democratic Senator-elect and former governor of New Hampshire from Madbury

Democrats won big this year once again. In 2006, they won control of the U.S. House and Senate. Two years later and they still maintain control, while voting in a few more seats as well as a Democratic President. Many Democrats call the victories of 2008 a mandate by the U.S. citizenry and time for the Democrats to “cash in” on their political capital. Today a roundtable of New Hampshire Democrats join us to talk about how they might drive the federal government’s car, now that they seemingly have been given the keys.

Guests

• Carol Shea-Porter, Democratic congresswoman from New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District
• Paul Hodes, Democratic congressman from New Hampshire’s 2nd Congressional District
• Terry Shumaker, labor attorney at Bernstein-Shur, former head of the NEA, and former ambassador to Trinidad under the Clinton Administration

Guests

• Ray Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party

Of all the people running for state Representative this year, Richard Komi was probably the only one who listed "refugee camp survivor" on his campaign literature. Before arriving in Manchester, he spent over three years in a camp in Benin after fleeing his native Nigeria. Last Wednesday, Komi - now a United States citizen - was sworn in for his first term as a state Representative. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Dan Gorenstein has this profile.

And back to Africa for a story of technology and survival. For more than two decades, war raged on in southern Sudan. When the conflict officially ended three years ago, it had been one of the longest lasting wars of the 20th century. Nearly two million civilians were killed and four million people had been displaced, sparking chaos in neighboring Darfur that continues today.

Now, southern Sudan is a semi-autonomous state, and people are returning to their homes. And radio is helping to heal the nation. The nonprofit organization Internews built four radio stations in the civil-war-torn south, and powers them with sustainable, renewable energy. Deborah Ensor is program director for Internews in Sudan. She spoke with Living on Earth’s Bruce Gellerman about radio as a critical link, empowering the people of southern Sudan.

(Photo of Richard Komi by Peter Hoe Burling)