Dan Tuohy

New Hampshire lawmakers sat in their cars on a cold January day and listened to the first legislative session of the year - by tuning into a radio frequency. Even their vehicles were socially distanced, each separated by a parking space, in Wednesday’s "drive-in" style meeting of the New Hampshire House in a UNH parking lot intended to mitigate the risks of COVID-19.

The year began with intense scrutiny over the New Hampshire Primary and the 2020 elections. The coronavirus pandemic soon overshadowed everything. At the start of this year, NHPR's The Exchange had a show that was somewhat prophetic: Is 2020 The Year of Resilience? It was that, and so much more.

Beyond the words and phrases of 2020 that are now part of our collective knowledge (and/or angst) — like social distance, cloth face covering, quarantine, PPE, remote learning, mask up —here are NHPR photos  that try to capture one very long year.

New Hampshire ski areas are reopening for winter with new safety precautions amid the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Jessyca Keeler of Ski NH says a lot of slopes are instituting reservation systems for lifts and lodges, limiting capacity overall and putting in place socially distanced systems for getting on and off the mountain to prevent the spread of the virus.

Ski areas are readying for a winter season with renewed skier interest amid new COVID-19 precautions, including reduced lodge capacity and the potential for restricted lift ticket sales on busy days.

Resorts have made several notable changes to operate while abiding by the state’s N.H. ski area guidance.

Restaurants in New Hampshire began collecting customers' names, phone numbers and times of arrival this weekend as part of a new policy to aid the state in contact tracing.

The Manchester Doubletree Hilton hotel has hosted its fair share of campaign events through the years, but this past weekend it also hosted a crucial part of the voting process — serving as the absentee ballot pre-processing hub for New Hampshire’s largest city.

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Republican challenger Corky Messner debated on NHPR Thursday morning. The two candidates opened the hour-long debate by accusing one another of being beholden to their party leaders on Capitol Hill. 

Jill Biden campaigned in New Hampshire Friday, hours after President Trump announced he'd tested positive for COVID-19.

In Durham, where Biden met with an oyster farmer, reporters were asked to wear a second face mask and keep their social distance.

She watched oysters being shucked and she ate one harvested from the waters of Little Bay - not far from her feet.  “Did you guys bring beer?” she called out to reporters.

At the Portsmouth District Court on Saturday night, a group of about 50 people held candles, sang Amazing Grace and shared their thoughts about the legacy and life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

Ginsburg died on Friday at the age of 87 because of metastatic pancreatic cancer. 

Get stories like this in your inbox - sign up for our Rundown newsletter today.

Gov. Chris Sununu used his veto pen only a handful of times in his first term, when Republicans held a majority in both chambers of the Legislature.

This session, with Democrats now holding majorities in the House and Senate, Sununu has already set a modern record for the number of gubernatorial vetoes in a single year. 

Update: Thursday, 5:10 p.m.: About 5,000 customers of Eversource and the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative are still without power in the wake of Tropical Storm Isaias on Tuesday night. 

Previous updates continue below: 

When Kate McNally was emceeing a Dar Williams show at the former Tupelo Music Hall in White River Junction to air on NHPR in 2012, she missed the step off the stage and landed with a thud.

Dar Williams didn’t miss a beat.

“That was a perfect TEN,” Williams announced to the audience.

In the pandemic summer of 2020, even New Hampshire town meetings have had to get flexible.

A time for backyard barbecues and trips to the beach must make way for taxes and town business. In a corkscrew twist of the calendar, Stratham is holding its town meeting — a rite of spring since it was incorporated in the 18th century — on the second Saturday of July.

All Seacoast beaches could soon be reopened for walking, running, swimming and surfing under a plan delivered Thursday to Gov. Chris Sununu.

A state task force voted in support of the phased-in approach, which could begin June 1 with Sununu's approval.

New Hampshire's medical marijuana program is extending the renewal deadline for patients whose medical cards expire over the next three months.

The announcement coming out today is in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Governor Chris Sununu issued an executive order Sunday, March 15, for the closure of public schools as New Hampshire works to limit spread of the coronavirus.

[Click here for all of our coverage, including our updated FAQs and the latest guidance about coronavirus in New Hampshire.]

Watch the full news conference below, via NHPR's Facebook live:

Steve Stepanek called it “the big reveal.”

He paused for effect. He then donned a red Keep America Great ball cap and announced:

“I’ve been in the closet too long. I’m happy to be out, and I want all the other Trump supporters to come out of the closet and get out there and support and elect Donald Trump in New Hampshire and across this great country.”

New Hampshire legislators are starting work on a dozen marijuana bills filed for the 2020 session, including allowing patients enrolled in the state's therapeutic cannabis program to grow their own medical marijuana. 

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard a handful of bills Wednesday that propose expanding qualifying conditions — adding autism, for example — and addressing access and affordability.

Michael Bennet, a Democratic presidential candidate, shared his campaign priorities during an interview Monday on NHPR's The Exchange.

Ahead of the interview, the Colorado senator was asked to give his "elevator pitch" on why voters should cast a ballot for him in 2020. Watch:

Senator Michael Bennet, a Democratic presidential hopeful, appeared on The Exchange Candidate Forum on Jan. 13. Ahead of that hour-long interview, NHPR asked him on the way up to the studio for his elevator pitch - while actually riding in the elevator - on why voters should cast a ballot for him.

Democratic presidential hopeful Cory Booker outlined his national priorities over an hour-long interview on The Exchange Candidate Forum today. On the way to the NHPR studios, he was asked to give his elevator pitch, while actually in the elevator, on why Granite Staters should vote for him in the New Hampshire presidential primary.

Watch:

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg discussed his campaign priorities on The Exchange Candidate Forum on Dec. 6.

Ahead of that hour-long interview, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was asked to give his elevator pitch - while riding up in the elevator - on why he should be president. Watch:

If you want to run for president, New Hampshire is an easy place to start.

The relatively low barrier to getting on New Hampshire's primary ballot is legendary, something Secretary of State Bill Gardner has promoted ever since he first became the state’s chief election officer in 1976. Still, people might have questions about the ins and outs of this political tradition.

Andrew Yang, the Democratic presidential hopeful who wants to give every American a $1,000 check each month, was interviewed for an hour Nov. 7 on The Exchange 2020 Candidate Forum, a series produced in collaboration between NHPR and New Hampshire PBS.

Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren was interviewed on The Exchange Candidate Forum this week.

Ahead of the hour-long interview, the Massachusetts senator was asked to deliver her "elevator pitch" — while she was actually in the elevator — on why she should be the next President of the United States.

Tom Steyer was interviewed this week on The Exchange Candidate Forum, a collaboration between New Hampshire Public Radio and New Hampshire PBS.

Ahead of the hour-long interview, the Democratic presidential hopeful was asked to give his "elevator pitch" — while he was actually in the elevator — on why he should be President.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld outlined campaign priorities this week in The Exchange Candidate Forum. Before the main event, NHPR joined him in the building's lobby to continue our "Elevator Pitch" video series. 

The Republican presidential hopeful responded to NHPR's Lauren Chooljian during the forum that he's less of a long shot every day. On the way in, as the elevator door closed, we asked him to make his best pitch to New Hampshire voters for why he deserves their support.

Watch Weld's pitch to New Hampshire voters:

A new law allows medical marijuana patients to get prescriptions without first having a three-month relationship with their doctor or medical provider.

Governor Chris Sununu vetoed the bill, but the Legislature overturned that veto last week. 

The law eliminates the requirement of a three-month provider-patient relationship before a patient is certified and gets their registry identification.

Operators of medical cannabis dispensaries are urging legislators to overturn a veto of a bill that would allow them to operate as for-profit companies.

Ted Rebholz is CEO and founder of Temescal Wellness, which currently has dispensaries in Dover and Lebanon.