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TOP STORIES:
UNFIT DRIVERS
CONCORD, N.H. — Legislation that would protect New Hampshire doctors and other medical professionals from lawsuits if they report someone as unfit to drive ran into a potential roadblock in the Senate on Tuesday. The bill has the support of the state branches of the AARP and AAA but members of the Transportation Committee said they were concerned drivers could be inconvenienced if the reports are unfounded. By Norma Love. SENT: 400 words.
TRAFFIC STOP-GREEN TONGUE
CONCORD, N.H. — A police officer who stopped a driver for a defective taillight acted unlawfully when he asked to see the man's tongue, then used its green hue as the basis for a marijuana arrest, the New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. The court reversed the drug convictions of the man, Hillman Blesdell-Moore, saying the Enfield officer who stopped the 18-year-old in 2011 had no basis to ask to see his tongue or continue questioning him about whether a drug-sniffing dog might detect drugs in his pickup truck. By Lynne Tuohy. SENT: 500 words.
EDUCATION TAX CREDIT
CONCORD, N.H. — A look at who's weighing in on a Supreme Court challenge on the constitutionality of an education tax credit program that allocates scholarships to religious as well as private schools. Republicans overrode a veto by then-Gov. John Lynch to set the scholarships in motion last year, but a superior court judge declared unconstitutional the provision making religious school students eligible for scholarships. By Lynne Tuohy. SENT: 320 words.
FLOODING
MONTPELIER, Vt. — Heavy rains and melting snow and ice pushed rivers toward or above flood stage around Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine on Tuesday with the city of Montpelier warning residents to expect some street and basement flooding by early Wednesday. The National Weather Service issued flood watches for most of the three states and portions of upstate New York while flood warnings — meaning flooding is taking place or imminent — were issued for some areas. Lisa Rathke. SENT: 320 words.
AROUND THE STATE:
HOTEL STABBING
NORTH HAVERHILL, N.H. — A Vermont man was insane when he stabbed a stranger to death last year in the lobby of a New Hampshire hotel, the state and his defense lawyer have agreed. Senior Assistant Attorney General Susan Morrell said Tuesday that the state agrees Rodney Hill of West Danville, Vt., was insane on Jan. 28, 2013, when he attacked 70-year-old Catherine Houghton of San Francisco at the Hampton Inn in Littleton, N.H. SENT: 300 words.
BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING-NH
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is thanking New Hampshire law-enforcement officials who responded to the Boston Marathon bombings a year ago. SENT: 215 words.
BOY BURNED-NEW CHARGES
BRENTWOOD, N.H. — A man accused of severely beating and burning the 3-year-old son of his girlfriend has been indicted on new charges of assaulting and threatening a county jail inmate in New Hampshire. SENT: 240 words.
IN BRIEF:
HEALTH OVERHAUL-NETWORK
CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire's insurance commissioner says he needs more time to decide whether to hold a hearing on the narrow provider network for individuals buying health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
RIVERA'S SON-NH TEAM
LACONIA, N.H.— The son of Mariano Rivera, the retired Yankees legend considered the best relief pitcher in baseball, is playing for a collegiate summer program in New Hampshire. Mariano Rivera Jr. will join the Laconia Muskrats this summer, part of the 12-team New England Collegiate Baseball League. SENT: 130 words.
NH UNEMPLOYMENT
CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire Employment Security office says the state's unemployment rate for March was 4.5 percent, down from 4.7 percent in February.
YARD WORK-STABBINGS
NASHUA, N.H. — A New Hampshire man sentenced to over 20 years in prison for stabbing two teenagers he hired to do yard work is asking for a new trial, saying his court-appointed attorneys were ineffective. Ronald Bourdon was sentenced in December 2012 after being convicted of attempted murder on 19-year-old Scott Dunlap and assault on 17-year-old Dylan Fitzgerald.
RIVER SEARCH
BRISTOL, N.H. — Rescue crews have been searching a New Hampshire river for a man who went in and was not seen afterward. WMUR-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1n8nXSR) the man was seen jumping near the Profile Falls waterfall in the Smith River in Bristol at about 7:45 p.m. Monday. When he was not seen, witnesses called 911.
POLAR PLUNGE-WARNING
CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is warning people not to join in a current trend where teenagers dare each other to jump into frigid waters. The department says the "Polar Plunge" is being fanned on social media; teens are dared to jump into the freezing water wearing only summer swimwear and without life vests. They also have to dare five others to take the plunge.
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