NH News Briefs 10-2-2025

NH Governor Ayotte is calling on federal lawmakers to put an end to the government shutdown. Two proposals failed in the United States Senate yesterday, meaning government services that are not considered essential will remain closed until a deal is reached. Right now, there are roughly six-thousand federal workers in New Hampshire who are without pay. State Employment Security officials say they’re ready to help out those individuals. The U.S. Senate is not in session today because of Yom Kippur.

A Manchester resident is facing more charges in connection with a crash that killed an 11-month-old girl. Prosecutors say 24-year-old Justin LaClair is indicted for manslaughter and negligent homicide. LaClair is accused of striking the victim with a car near Space Street last month after getting into an argument with his girlfriend. LaClair had slurred speech when he was taken into custody and is being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 20th.

Health officials are identifying two more people with tuberculosis who recently traveled through Nashua and Manchester. These are the second and third active cases of the illness in those areas since this past March. The state health department is now working with leaders in both cities to see if anyone else was exposed or may have had contact with the infected individuals. Symptoms of tuberculosis include a persistent cough that lasts for weeks, night sweats, unexplained weight loss and fever.

The state Department of Transportation says a project aimed at widening the Everett Turnpike is going to take longer than expected. The agency says that’s because the Granite State is roughly 400-million-dollars short for transportation projects, meaning work between Nashua and Bedford will see delays. The turnpike system is looking into ways to generate revenue and that could come in the form of raising tolls. The proposed increase would leave the state with the 26th lowest toll rate per mile.