Michael Brindley

Ten years after the Granite State was chosen as the home of the Free State Project, organizers want to speed up the process of getting people to move here.

The Free State Project launched in 2003, with a mission of getting 20,000 pro-liberty people to move to New Hampshire.

The project’s president Carla Gericke says nearly fourteen thousand have committed to moving here, but only roughly eleven hundred have actually done so.

  State Department of Transportation officials say at least two steel trusses on the Sarah Long Bridge will need to be replaced, after a tanker struck the bridge on Monday.

While estimates of the total cost of repair remain unknown, it’s clear the damage from the accident earlier this week was substantial.

Department of Transportation Spokesman Bill Boynton says the bridge connecting Portsmouth and Kittery, Maine took a "big hit."

The tanker Harbour Feature broke free from its mooring and drifted into the bridge Monday afternoon.

The sponsor of a bill that brought the Stand Your Ground law to New Hampshire says concerns about increased violence in the streets have proven to be unfounded.

On The Exchange Monday, Republican State Senator David Boutin says there is no evidence that crime spiked after the law changed in 2011.

People can now use deadly force in a public place as a first option if they feel their lives are in danger. Before the law passed, people had a duty to retreat if possible.

Governor Maggie Hassan she will nominate former Democratic state senator and Nashua attorney Joe Foster as the state’s next attorney general.

“The role of Attorney General in protecting and ensuring justice for the people of New Hampshire is one of the highest responsibilities in our state,” Hassan said in a press release Monday. “I am confident that Joe’s judgment and experience make him the ideal candidate to serve as New Hampshire’s chief legal and law enforcement officer.

9:50: Shurtleff says, “We need to have common sense any time we use deadly force.” There are some circumstances where we have to use deadly force and retreat is not possible, but “If you’re just involved in a verbal confrontation, just walk away.”

9:46: Boutin says he’s never owned a gun; when asked whether person would be held responsible if bystander shot in Stand Your Ground situation, “Police officers shoot bystanders too…Things like that can happen.”

New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte says states should be able to decide for themselves whether to legalize same-sex marriage.

The United States Supreme Court heard arguments this week challenging Proposition 8, a referendum passed by voters in California that bans same-sex marriage.

Senator Kelly Ayotte says it’s critical that states to be able to make their own decisions on the issue.

Since same-sex marriage became legal in New Hampshire in 2010,  2,257 couples have wedded in the Granite State.

But female couples have been far more likely to get married than men.

Nearly three-quarters of all same-sex marriages conducted in New Hampshire since 2010 have been between two women.

Data from the state Division of Vital Records show 1,634 female couples have exchanged vows in the last three years.

Keene State College has named Anne Huot as its tenth president.

Huot comes to Keene State from the Brockport campus of the State University of New York, where she has been the provost and vice president for academic affairs for the past six years.

She replaces Helen Giles-Gee, who stepped down last year. Jay Kahn is serving as the interim president this year.

Huot will start in July.

Governor Maggie Hassan is making her support for same-sex marriage clear on Facebook.

Like many, she changed her profile photo on Tuesday to a red equality sign, part of an online movement by the Human Rights Campaign.

So did Ann McLane Kuster. 

9:56: Huddleston on UNH School of Law, “It’s been a wonderful partnership so far,” two joint degree programs so far, our faculty have been working on research projects.”  

9:51: On money from collegiate athletics, Huddleston says college sports for overwhelming majority of schools is a “huge money loser.” Says only a handful of institutions able to generate revenue from programs. Hockey and football at UNH “make a little money” for the school.

9:50: Huddleston says UNH has had to explore public/private partnerships because of cuts to budget.

A House Finance Subcommittee wants to scale back state funding being restored to the University System of New Hampshire.

Governor Maggie Hassan has proposed restoring $20 million in fiscal year 2014 and another $15 million in fiscal year 2015 to the university system.

But Representative Dan Eaton says his subcommittee made cuts in this area.

“There’s a $6 million reduction each year in UNH from the governor’s recommended funding.”

The university system also covers Plymouth State University, Keene State College and Granite State College.

The House Finance Committee will consider Tuesday whether to approve a subcommittee recommendation to cut funding for new charter schools over the next two years.

Governor Maggie Hassan has set aside nearly $2.5 million for new charter schools in her budget proposal.

But Representative Dan Eaton said during a budget presentation Monday that his subcommittee recommends freezing funding in two areas of proposed education funding.

“Basically, there’s a moratorium on charter schools and building aid for the biennium.”