Sam Evans-Brown

Republican are working at finding common language on a bill that would weaken or repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI. They will have to agree on a version that will get enough votes to overcome a governor’s veto.

Episcopalians in New Hampshire have elected Reverend Robert Hirschfeld as their next Bishop. He will replace Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the history of the church.

Robert Hirschfeld – currently the rector of Grace Church in Amherst Massachusetts – was elected on the first ballot, which is a rarity in Episcopalian elections.

The chair of the Bishop Search and Nomination Committee, Kevin Nichols, says that reflects a consensus in the New Hampshire dioceses that Hirschfeld is the right man for the job.

"He touched people, he spoke to people, he spoke to where people are in their own lives, and into the future of the dioceses," Nichols says.

Reverend William Rich – an openly gay candidate – did not get the nod.

Today members of the New Hampshire Episcopalian dioceses are gathering to elect a successor to Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Bishop in the history of the church. 

The election of Robinson in 2003 tore a rift in the global Anglican community. In 2010, Robinson announced that he would retire next January, saying years of death threats and controversy had taken their toll.

The vice-chair of New Hampshire’s bishop search committee, Margaret Porter, says that sexual orientation did not figure in to the selection of candidates.

"We selected our nominees based on their fitness to be a bishop of the Church," Porter says.

One of the nominees for Robinson’s job – Reverend William Rich, who is currently a priest in Boston – is also openly gay.

The New Hampshire House has passed a new version of the rules that govern what counts as renewable energy. The bill would expand the definition of renewable to include thermal energy.

The changes mean schools, hospitals or other large buildings that install high-efficiency, wood-burning heating plants could get a piece of state subsidies. Money would also go to solar-hot water, or geothermal installations.

The Senate has unanimously voted against a bill that would have prohibited the use of International Baccalaureate curriculum in New Hampshire Schools.

The state's IB program became controversial after parents in Bedford and Merrimack complained that it has political, anti-american overtones.

But even Senators who have concerns, like Republican Jim Forsythe, decided Wednesday not to supersede local schools’ decision to use IB.

Forsythe: It’s not our place to override local control, if communities choose to adopt this program, whether we like it or not, they should be free to adopt that.

Tonight selectmen in Rye will hear from the town's lawyer about the legality of a new cycling ordinance in that town. Cycling - both for commuting and recreation - is on the rise, but so too is the number of cars on the road, and recently on the seacoast, tensions between cyclists and drivers have flared.

A new initiative is hoping to change how Manchester convenience stores stock their shelves.

Students and Faculty at Chester College are demanding the resignation of college President and former Manchester Mayor Bob Baines.

Last week, some of the world’s top engineering students met at the New Hampshire motor speedway to race hybrid cars of their own design and build.

Public Service of New Hampshire has asked for a change in how much it charges consumers for electricity.

PSNH asked the Public Utilities Commission for a ten percent decrease in the price it charges for electricity. But any savings consumers might see would be eaten up by a simultaneous increase in the Stranded Cost Recovery charge.

This week some of the world’s top engineering students converge at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway to race hybrid cars. The cars are student designed and built, and for some of those students, a good showing at Loudon is a ticket to ride.

The Occupy Movement held May-Day rallies all over the across the country yesterday. In New Hampshire the protest was focused on immigration reform.

Around ninety protesters in Dover were entertained by music from the “Leftist Marching Band”, as they rallied to support immigrants in the Granite state

Immigration activist Eva Castillo MC’ed the Event.

"We have to press our congress-people and our senators to pass immigration reform," Castillo called from Dover's city hall steps,"Every day that goes on without immigration reform families get split apart."

But the protest garnered pushback as well: about a half-dozen Tea Party counter-protesters picketed quietly to one side, led by Former New Hampshire Republican Party chair, Jack Kimball.

The Senate Finance committee has voted unanimously to recommend banning a so-called “internet tax”. The bill would clear up the confusion surrounding the state’s Communications Services Tax.

Salem Senator Chuck Morse says two months ago, internet providers approached him to say that the state was starting to get serious about collecting taxes on internet. So he decided to do something about it.

"The amendment is very simple," Morse says, "New Hampshire is making a statement, it will not tax the internet, that’s it."

The industry is thrilled with the proposal, because they would be able to offer cheaper internet. But that doesn’t come for free.

According to state revenue officials the change would cost at least $6 million in taxes already being collected.

All eyes were on the State Senate today, where lawmakers voted down a bevy of bills that would regulate abortion and allow employers to opt out of covering contraception.

State lawmakers have traditionally rejected such measures, but the issue has become a point of friction between the house and Senate. That friction is set to continue.