The Exchange

Amid coronavirus concerns and a national reckoning on issues of race and policing, it might be hard to detect that there's campaigning going on. But candidates are trying to get their message out ahead of the state's Sept. 8 primary, when voters choose Republican and Democratic contenders for the general election. We'll check in on what candidates have been saying.

Air Date: June 29, 2020

From tactics and training to issues of oversight and transparency, police conduct has come under national scrutiny in the aftermath of George Floyd's death at the hands of a former Minnesota police officer. Calls for racial justice and police reforms have resonated in the Granite State, as well, and on Tuesday, Governor Sununu announced a new commission charged with examining police accountability and transparency and issuing recommendations within 45 days. Also on Tuesday, the state senate passed a bill that includes a ban on the use of chokeholds.  

Air date: June 17, 2020

We check in with leaders from three New Hampshire cities: Keene, Nashua, and Manchester. We'll find out how the coronavirus pandemic has affected their communities - and their budgets. We'll also ask what conversations are underway right now about local policing – and racial justice.

Air date: June 15, 2020.

We look at the research, at times evolving, behind the safeguards promoted to help prevent COVID-19. As much as scientists have learned about this coronavirus, questions remain - from the six-feet-apart rule to the most effective way to wear a mask.

If you have questions about COVID-19 -- including on where, how, and when to get tested -- visit this NH DHHS site.  You can register for a test here. 

Air date: Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

The arrest and death of George Floyd, a brutal scene captured on video, has led to both peaceful and violent protest in cities across the country.

In New Hampshire, about 800 protesters held a gathering in downtown Manchester that police described as "peaceful" and "respectful.

From restricting access to certain areas, offering drive-through services, and delaying non-emergency procedures, veterinarians have been taking some of the same precautions as doctors who treat humans, since COVID-19 arrived.  They have even adopted telemedicine in some cases. 

This week on The Exchange:  An in-depth series on the impact of COVID-19 on our health care system. Among those most vulnerable to this disease are health care workers; many have dealt with shortages of testing supplies, equipment, and staff, as well as shifting guidelines from authorities. We talk with three New Hampshire caregivers, all in the early years of their careers, about how this pandemic has affected them and their workplaces, as well as how these experiences might help shape the future of their fields. 

Air date: May 21, 2020

While New Hampshire gradually loosens COVID-19 restrictions in hopes of restoring some sense of economic normalcy, the state should also be assembling an army of public health officials to trace the contacts of people infected with the coronavirus.

That's according to Dr. Michael Calderwood of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine. "That's going to require a public health infrastructure we have not yet had and we need to develop,  he says. 

They may have closed their doors due to the coronavirus but libraries have been busy on behalf of patrons and the wider community, from lending laptops and hot spots to using 3 D printers to make parts for masks. Libraries and librarians across the country are also pondering the future, collaborating with researchers to determine best practices for handling books and other materials while protecting the health and safety of staff and the communities they serve.

For Granite Staters struggling with mental illness -- and those caring for them -- fears about COVID-19 have added layers of anxiety. Telemedecine can help but not in all cases, and protective gear needed for in-home visits is scarce.  Community mental health centers, considered essential services, remain open around the state, with as many services as possible being provided remotely. But case managers must still at times drive patients to get their prescribed injections, and mobile crisis team members must respond in person in crisis. We talk with those managing these situations, trying to help while also keeping themselves safe. 

Air date: Monday, March 30, 9 a.m.

New Hampshire remains one of the least racially diverse states in the country, but that diversity is growing. Wednesday on The Exchange, we reflect on Black History Month and talk with leaders of color in the Granite State. We'll discuss the work they're doing in the Statehouse and in local communities, and about where New Hampshire still lags in equality and representation.

 Air date: Feb. 26, 2020.         

Now that the presidential candidates have packed up and moved on to the next primary contest, we take a look at state politics, including Governor Chris Sununu's State-of-the-State address and bills that have been making their way through the legislature -- some more smoothly than others. 

Air date: Feb. 14, 2020.

We talk with town managers from the southern tier to the north country about what challenges they have in common, what sets their communities apart, and what they're hoping to hear from Governor Chris Sununu when he delivers his State of the State address.

Watch the live broadcast of Governor Sununu's  speech.

Air date: February 13, 2020 

During an Exchange interview, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, who describes herself as progressive but practical, emphasized the word "progressive" in that characterization.  

"I actually pass bills and get things done," she said, referring to the 100 bills she has passed in Washington, DC. -- a frequent campaign theme.  Among the bills she is most proud of: securing funding for a collapsed Minnesota bridge, a bill on drug shortages, and her work on broadband issues. 

Each Friday until the N.H. primary on Feb. 11, The Exchange focuses on the latest news in the presidential race. The special N.H. Primary News Roundup features state and national reporters, sound from the campaign trail, and occasional appearances by candidates.

During the second half of the show Friday, Jan. 31,  NHPR interviews Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar from Washington, D.C., before she heads back to the Senate impeachment trial.  

We talk with former U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest  Moniz about the threat of nuclear weapons and strategies for strengthening nonproliferation policies. We'll also discuss  his work on a dramatic plan called "Clearing the Air," which describes how to remove many gigatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Air date: Jan. 27, 2020

Sidelined by the impeachment trial this week, several Democratic presidential candidates are working on alternative ways to connect with voters, including sending out surrogates and planning satellite interviews and remote events over Skype.  

Will large-scale solar energy take off in New Hampshire? Although far behind its New England neighbors in producing solar energy, there are several major projects in the works that could significantly boost capacity here.  But these expansive installations can face challenges and opposition, even among renewable energy supporters. 

We examine the history of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in New Hampshire.  Twenty years ago, The Granite State was the last in the nation to attach King's name to its holiday, previously called Civil Rights Day.  We'll discuss that period with some of the people responsible for the change. And we'll explore what the holiday means now for older -- and younger -- generations.  

We find out what New Hampshire state lawmakers hope to accomplish this year.  Many bills from last year have been revived, concerning guns, energy, transportation, health care and more.   Last week, for instance, House Democrats voted again to establish and gradually increase the state's minimum wage -- an effort vetoed last year by Gov. Sununu.  We'll explore how this debate -- and many others -- might play out this year.

We begin our Jan. 13 show  with U.S. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado.  A former Superintendent of Schools in Denver and co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, with a keen interest also in immigration reform, Bennet is running on a platform that includes a public option for helath care, expanding tax credits for the middle class, and repairing the country's infrastructure.   

It's been a volatile period in the Middle East, with the U.S. and Iran trading threats and attacks.  In just the last few weeks, an American contractor in Iraq was killed in an attack the U.S. blamed on an Iran-backed militia; the U.S. responded with airstrikes in Iraq that killed at least 25 fighters; hundreds of Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters held violent protests at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad; and a U.S. airstrike in Iraq killed a top Iranian general, setting off massive protests and a retaliatory strike by Iran.  We'll discuss the latest on this conflict, the history behind it, and what's at stake for U.S. foreign policy in the region.

Original Air Date: Jan. 13, 9:30 a.m. 

Last week, Congressional Democrats and President Trump announced major progress in forging a new North American trade deal, called the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement by President Trump.  The USMCA includes some hard-fought changes such as greater environmental and labor protections and has so far gained approval from some of the staunchest opponents of the original NAFTA.

However, some Republican lawmakers reportedly feel the president conceded too much to House Democrats. And some big-tech critics are disappointed in expanded protections for the industry under the agreement.  

Just about a year after starting his first term in Congress, Manchester Democrat Chris Pappas finds himself in the midst of an impeachment process, as the House prepares to vote on two articles of impeachment against President Trump -- abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. 

The debates have been bitter. Pappas has called for a "bipartisan response to uphold the rule of law,"  indicating he will consider the facts presented by Congress while maintaining his focus also on the concerns of Granite Staters. 

We talk with him about this tumultuous political period -- as well as the new U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement on trade, military spending, and more.