Coronavirus Coverage - Business and Economy

New Hampshire’s energy efficiency sector is shedding jobs due to COVID-19, but advocates also say that industry could help the state dig out of the recession.

The state lost more than 750 energy-related jobs in March, according to the research firm BW. New England lost nearly 15,000 energy jobs overall that month, mostly in Massachusetts.  

New restrictions for New Hampshire campgrounds are easing some -  but not all - fears in North Country towns about the spread of coronavirus.

Under new state orders, campgrounds must run at half capacity and can only open to New Hampshire residents or private members.

New England saw a big drop in energy prices and demand in March, as the coronavirus pandemic coincided with mild late-winter weather.

The region's grid operator, ISO-New England, says March had the lowest electricity prices since 2003, when the current market structure began.

The regional grid runs mostly on natural gas, and gas prices were 60 percent lower in March of this year than last.

The phone hasn’t stopped ringing since Friday afternoon for Kae Mason, who owns Salon K in Concord.

She says since Governor Sununu announced that some businesses can re-open this month with  restrictions, her salon has booked over 175 appointments.

Related: What's changed in N.H.'s stay-at-home order?

State child care advocates say New Hampshire’s essential industries will not be able to operate at full capacity without first expanding access to and affordability of child care.

Health and Human Services Associate Commissioner Chris Tappan says that in the grocery industry, for example, over a quarter of employees are in need of some type of child care.

Gov. Chris Sununu rolled out a limited reopening plan for some areas of New Hampshire’s economy Friday, citing what he called a “downward trend” in the overall rate of coronavirus cases and the readiness of the state’s hospitals to handle any surge in infections.

The state's community college system is seeking millions in federal COVID-19 aid.

Most of the money would be for tuition assistance. The community college system wants more than $29 million to help students pay for classes.

Chuck Ansell is the system’s chief financial officer. On Wednesday, he told members of the legislative committee advising Governor Sununu on COVID-19 aid that the state's community colleges are ready to help create a workforce relevant to local economic needs.

Local banks say technical glitches are delaying the submission of applications for the second round of an emergency funding program for small businesses and nonprofits.

On Monday, the second phase of the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, got off to a rocky start. Local banks reported technical glitches as they attempted to submit loan applications for approval through the Small Business Administration.

New Hampshire artists and arts organizations have been struggling during the pandemic, despite coming up with creative ways to stay afloat, including drive-by art shows.

Speaking on The Exchange, Russ Grazier, CEO of the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, says shifting to online classes has been successful at the Center, even attracting new students – but that hasn't made up for severe losses in other sources of income, such as concerts, theater productions, and gallery showings.  

Some New Hampshire hair stylists are petitioning Gov. Chris Sununu to allow them to reopen and see one client at a time.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced closed businesses not deemed “essential” in New Hampshire, including hair salons, barber shops and other cosmetology shops.

The Star Island resort on the Isles of Shoals will not open this summer, for the first time in decades.

The seasonal facility off the coast near Portsmouth is only accessible by boat. It typically hosts thousands of people each summer for conferences, retreats and more.

This year, that will change due to fears about the spread of coronavirus.

The Nashua Telegraph will scale back its print editions to Sundays only as the coronavirus continues to reshape the local news industry in New Hampshire.

Many local print outlets have laid off staff and cut production due to a loss of advertising revenue. Now, The Telegraph says it will turn its focus to its online edition and begin printing only on Sundays.

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Updated on April 27, 2020 at 10:24 a.m.  

Following an executive order from Governor Sununu and the passage of the federal CARES Act, many more people are now able to apply for unemployment benefits as a result of COVID-19, including those who need to quarantine, and those who are self-employed.

The Exchange spoke with Deputy Commissioner Richard Lavers of N.H. Employment Security in March and April. You can find those full conversations here and here.

Read all of NHPR's coronavirus coverage here. 

The leader of the New Hampshire Senate said it’s too soon to make a decision on Gov. Chris Sununu’s proposal to retain business tax cuts scheduled to take effect in January, regardless of whether the state meets the revenue benchmarks required by law.

A task force created to safely re-open the state’s economy met for the first time on Thursday.

The group consists of lawmakers, as well as leaders from a variety of industries including restaurants, retail and hospitals.

D.J. Bettencourt, policy director for Gov. Chris Sununu, said the committee’s mandate is “to ensure that New Hampshire’s economy is able to reopen efficiently, and in a manner that protects public health, while limiting the risks of any resurgence.”