Banking & Growth: Hometown Financial’s CEO Sosik says scale is key as the state’s fastest-growing bank lines up its next big move—completing the Primary Bank purchase and converting from mutual to shareholder-owned in early 2027. Health Policy: NH-01 Democratic candidate Christian Urrutia pushes hard for Medicare-for-All, attacking Maura Sullivan and Stefany Shaheen over “Medicare for All Who Want It” versus a single-payer plan. Medical Ethics & Accountability: Harvard agreed to pay $53 million to settle lawsuits tied to theft and sale of donated human remains by a former morgue manager, with some remains linked to New Hampshire. Environment & Wildfire Risk: The Trump administration moves to fully rescind the Roadless Rule, a shift that could reshape national forest management and inflame environmental groups. Public Health & Water: PFAS contamination was confirmed at the Lebanon airport, prompting a city council hearing on funding a state-mandated investigation. STEM & Innovation: Bold Laser Automation in Bedford won its 25th U.S. patent for a high-velocity vacuum system that improves debris removal during laser ablation. STEM Education: Society for Science selected 100 educators for its 2026–2027 Advocate Program, investing $326,000 to expand student research and science competitions. Tech & IP: Collision Communications’ patent fight with Samsung continues to draw attention after a massive 2025 verdict for signal-interference reduction tech.