Local Reporting
In 2024, many New Hampshire residents were navigating a complicated and often confusing election season. NHPR helped meet that moment with clear reporting on shifting voting rules, ballot procedures and competitive local races, offering voters the context they needed to understand changes ahead of Election Day. Through our Conversations with the Candidates series, we created welcoming spaces where voters could hear directly from those seeking office. These events encouraged civil, informed conversations about housing, the substance use disorder crisis, climate resilience and women’s health care, while keeping the focus on community needs and local voices during a divisive political year.
NHPR’s coverage also offered residents clear insight into an unfolding investigation involving state officials. Senior Reporter Todd Bookman broke the story on the grand jury inquiry into Ports and Harbors Director Geno Marconi, bringing early transparency to a case that later resulted in indictments against Marconi and Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi. As new details emerged — including differing accounts from state leaders and thousands of pages of investigative records — NHPR helped communities understand the scope of the allegations and what they revealed about oversight and ethics in state government. By offering straightforward, factual reporting on a complex and evolving situation, NHPR provided information about the systems meant to serve them and reinforced the value of independent journalism in maintaining public trust.
NHPR also helped illuminate community level issues that affect daily life. Our reporting on the long‑running dispute at Vernon Family Farm in Newfields highlighted the tensions that can emerge as small farms expand their operations and as rural towns work to balance agricultural activity with neighborhood expectations. After years of disputes over noise, zoning and events, several neighbors sued the farm and the town, opening up broader conversations about how communities adjust to changing land use needs. By sharing perspectives from both the farm and nearby residents, NHPR offered clarity on a complex local issue and reflected our commitment to elevating the voices and concerns of people across New Hampshire.
Photo credits, top to bottom: Governor Kelly Ayotte and Mayor Joyce Craig (Zoey Knox/NHPR); Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi (Senior Reporter Todd Bookman/NHPR); attendees at a concert at Vernon Family Farm (Reporter Olivia Richardson/NHPR).
Locally produced, locally powered
Behind the headlines you read on our website, there’s a dedicated team of journalists working hard to bring you local news you can trust. On any given day, that can look like:
Reporters hustling to track down sources, get the facts and hold powerful officials accountable
Producers coordinating interviews with people who offer perspectives that go beyond soundbites
Editors carefully vetting our stories to make sure they’re accurate, fair and easy to follow
I believe that journalists, when we do our jobs well, can play a crucial role in connecting people and making communities stronger. But we can’t do this work without you.
Your donations, in any amount, can help keep independent journalism vibrant in New Hampshire — and accessible to everyone, no paywall required.
Sincerely,
Dan Barrick
News Director
