Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:
A coalition of education groups has dropped its lawsuit against Tax Commissioner Tom Pelham. Pelham has now complied by recommending a two-cent cut in the residential rate. But the battle over education funding is expected to be a key issue in the 2009 legislative session. Public Service of New Hampshire is ringing in the New Year with a rate increase. Though neighboring states are more lenient, tourism officials say New Hampshire’s latest effort to penalize unprepared hikers is unlikely to turn people away.