The N.H. Audit

05/26/2026

ℙ𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝔸 𝕊𝕖𝕩 𝕊𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘?

Robert Charbonneau, 52 m, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced in Chittenden Criminal Division after pleading guilty to one felony count of attempted luring of a child.

𝕻𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕖 said the case began when Charbonneau used an online messenger app to contact someone he believed was a 14-year-old for s*x. That person was actually a Hartford Police investigator, which ties this case directly to Upper Valley law enforcement work.

𝕿𝕙𝕖 court sentenced him to zero to five years, all suspended, with 12 years of probation. Conditions listed by the Attorney General’s Office include restrictions involving female minors under 16, s*x offender treatment, searches, periodic polygraph exams, limits on computer and recording-capable devices without probation approval, and s*x offender registration for 10 years after probation ends.

𝕿𝕙𝕖 public question is plain: is suspended prison time and probation enough for a felony attempted child-luring case? Probation can place strict controls on a defendant, but it is still community supervision. In a case involving alleged s*xual contact sought with someone believed to be a child, many people will fairly ask why no active prison time was ordered.

𝕿𝕙𝕚𝕤 is where accountability matters. A suspended sentence only works if probation has the staffing, tools, and follow-through to monitor internet access, device use, treatment compliance, contact restrictions, and violations for the full term. If that supervision breaks down, the penalty becomes much weaker than it looks on paper.

𝕮𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥𝕤 have discretion, and plea agreements often reflect evidence, sentencing guidelines, risk assessments, and negotiated outcomes that the public does not always see in full. Still, when the final result is no active incarceration after a felony child-luring conviction, the public has every right to ask what message that sends and whether the penalty matches the conduct.

𝕿𝕙𝕖 issue here is not only one defendant. It is whether Vermont’s handling of online child exploitation cases gives enough weight to deterrence, victim protection, and public confidence. Probation may be part of the answer, but in cases like this, the public should expect clear answers about why prison time was suspended and how supervision will be enforced.

Read the Vermont AG release here:
https://ago.vermont.gov/blog/2026/05/19/burlington-resident-sentenced-probation-attempted-luring-child

Read the WCAX report here:
https://www.wcax.com/2026/05/19/burlington-man-sentenced-probation-attempted-child-luring/

04/30/2026

𝕌𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕍𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕪 𝔾𝕦𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖 𝕎𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙

𝕷𝕖𝕓𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟 Police say a 33-year-old Vermont man was found with a gunshot wound Thursday morning after a report came in around 6:52 AM. Police believe the shooting happened on Hardy Hill Road near the I-89 overpass. The victim was treated at the scene and taken to a local hospital.

𝕻𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕖 say the case is still under investigation, with no known danger to the public at this time. They are calling it an isolated incident, and no further case details have been released.

𝕿𝕙𝕚𝕤 comes after several recent gun-related cases across the Upper Valley and nearby Twin State communities, including fatal shootings reported in Hartford, Vermont, and Bath, New Hampshire, in 2025. That does not prove a statistical spike by itself, but it does show why residents are paying closer attention.

𝕿𝕙𝕖 public interest question is simple: when gun violence appears in small communities, residents need more than isolated press releases. They need clear follow-up, case outcomes when legally available, and local reporting that helps separate rumor from verified risk.

Read the Lebanon Police release here:

On April 30, 2026, at approximately 6:52 AM, the Lebanon Police Department received a report of a male who had been shot.

04/30/2026

𝕀𝕟𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕊𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕣 𝕌𝕡𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕖

𝕬 federal judge has denied Gordon-Darby’s request to hold New Hampshire officials in contempt over the suspended vehicle inspection program. The court found the state has made enough effort toward compliance, including a new vendor bidding process and rule work tied to the emissions inspection program.

𝕱𝕠𝕣 drivers, the practical answer has not changed: state inspections remain suspended for now, stations are not issuing stickers, and motorists are not currently required to get an annual sticker. Drivers are still responsible for keeping vehicles safe to operate.

𝕿𝕙𝕖 key detail is that the federal fight centers on New Hampshire’s emissions inspection duties under the Clean Air Act and the state’s federally approved air plan. The court also rejected Gordon-Darby’s argument that the state must restart the full old safety inspection system through this order.

𝕹𝕖𝕨 Hampshire still needs a clear public roadmap. Drivers, garages, and police need one set of instructions, not rolling confusion. Until the courts, EPA, and state contracting process settle the next step, the sticker issue remains paused in daily life but unresolved in law.

Read the WMUR update here: https://www.wmur.com/article/judge-new-hampshire-contempt-inspection-42926/71168591

Read the April 29 court order here:https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/unionleader.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/01/00172d31-2f9f-4166-b935-5d05720286c8/69f25bfa5cb2c.pdf.pdf

Read the NH DOJ guidance here: https://www.doj.nh.gov/news-and-media/vehicle-inspection-program-public-guidance

04/22/2026

𝕎𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕤𝕧𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕖 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒 𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘

𝕮𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥 records cited by WCAX say Demetrius White, 22, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was found dead Monday inside an apartment on Nelson Street in Woodsville, and that multiple armed people forced their way into the home. One other person was shot and survived. Police later arrested Jayden McClanahan, 21, of Hartford, Connecticut, on burglary and gun charges, while reporting indicates other suspects may still be outstanding. At this point, there has been no public confirmation that this homicide was tied to drug trafficking, and that distinction matters.

𝕭𝕦𝕥 this case still lands in a pattern people across northern New Hampshire, the Upper Valley, and parts of Vermont have watched for years: out-of-state traffickers or runners cycle into local neighborhoods, stay with locals for stretches of time, use homes as distribution points, and pull residents into the operation until it ends in raids, prison cases, overdoses, or violence. Federal prosecutors have repeatedly described Massachusetts-based trafficking networks operating in New Hampshire, and Vermont cases in which out-of-state dealers were hosted in local homes and used locals to move or sell drugs. That does not prove this Woodsville killing was one of those cases, but it does show why communities should be paying close attention to how these networks take root.

𝕬𝕕𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 it means doing more than waiting for the next arrest photo. It means coordinated enforcement across New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut; faster action on known drug houses; pressure on repeat organizers instead of only low-level replacements; and real support for locals who are being used, intimidated, or recruited into these setups. The public interest issue here is not just one shooting. It is whether small-town housing, weak oversight, and regional trafficking routes are continuing to create predictable conditions for violence before institutions act.

Read the article here: https://www.wcax.com/2026/04/21/man-arrested-connection-with-deadly-nh-shooting/

Spread awareness and share your thoughts, comments, and concerns by commenting below and sharing this article.

04/21/2026

𝔼𝕍 𝔽𝕚𝕣𝕖 𝔸𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔸𝕔𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕚𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕪

𝕾𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 the Manchester Information Facebook post on the EV involved in the March 31 toll plaza crash. After the initial fire and a later reignition at the tow yard, the wrecked vehicle was placed in a lined tank and submerged as part of a battery decommissioning process. That may be the most practical option available once a damaged battery pack becomes unstable, but it also shows how resource-heavy these incidents can become for local responders and public works systems.

𝕿𝕙𝕖 larger issue is what comes next. A submersion tank is not really a clean “solution” so much as a containment step. It buys time, reduces the chance of another flare-up, and helps discharge the pack, but it also leaves behind contaminated water, damaged battery materials, and a destroyed vehicle that cannot be handled like an ordinary fire loss. That means more specialized transport, more hazardous-waste handling, and more disposal costs pushed into a system that most towns in New Hampshire were not built around.

𝕰𝖁 battery fires raise a broader oversight question for the Granite State: who ultimately pays, who is responsible for disposal, and what standards are in place for storage, runoff control, and final handling after the headlines fade. As EV use grows across New England, these are no longer one-off problems for firefighters alone. They are policy, infrastructure, and environmental management questions that state and local government need to answer clearly.

𝕿𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕒𝕨𝕒𝕪: this incident is not just about one crash. It is a reminder that modern vehicle technology can create public safety and waste-management burdens that go well beyond the scene itself, and those downstream costs deserve more public attention.

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The new resting spot for the EV car involved in toll plaza crash

The incident began on March 31, when an EV slammed into the toll plaza structures and was immediately engulfed in flames. New Hampshire State Police troopers, including a detail accompanying Governor Kelly Ayotte, were on the scene within seconds. In a life-saving move, a trooper successfully pulled the driver from the wreckage just before the fire spread into the vehicle's cabin.

The driver was later identified as Eugene Mirman, the comedian and actor best known as the voice of Gene Belcher on the hit animated series Bob’s Burgers. Mirman was transported to a local hospital and has since been released following treatment for his injuries.

While the driver was safe, the vehicle itself presented a significant challenge for first responders. Bedford Fire crews, supported by mutual aid, utilized thousands of gallons of water to suppress the initial inferno. Once the fire appeared extinguished, the car was towed to a local facility.

However, the volatile nature of EV batteries proved difficult to tame. On April 6, six days after the initial crash, the wreckage spontaneously reignited. Merrimack Fire responded to the tow yard, once again using thousands of gallons of water to douse the secondary blaze.

To prevent a third ignition, a specialty team dispatched by the vehicle's manufacturer has implemented a specialized "decommissioning" process.

The remains of the car were lifted into a large, lined industrial container and completely submerged in salt water. This method is designed to permanently discharge the high-voltage batteries by safely dissipating any remaining energy.

The vehicle is scheduled to remain in its saltwater bath for 10 days. Following this period, the water will be treated for contaminants before the chassis is finally removed for disposal.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the initial collision. For now, the "resting spot" for the celebrity-owned EV remains a specialized tank of brine, highlighting the evolving complexities that electric vehicle fires pose to local emergency services.

©Jeffrey Hastings

02/20/2026

𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕕𝕒𝕪: ℕ𝕖𝕨 ℍ𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕖 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕎𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝔸𝕕𝕧𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕣𝕪

02/16/2026

Ｃan you and should you still get your car inspected? The short answer is YES!

Even though New Hampshire’s formal inspection program is suspended and you won’t receive a state sticker, having your vehicle checked remains one of the best ways to ensure it is safe to operate.

𝕐ou are still legally responsible under RSA 266 to operate a safe vehicle on New Hampshire roads. The pause in the sticker program does not eliminate equipment laws. In fact, the current enforcement structure may place more direct discretion in the hands of law enforcement to stop and ticket vehicles they determine are unsafe — from bald tires to faulty brakes or broken lights.

𝕎ithout an annual sticker acting as a baseline compliance marker, the burden shifts more squarely onto the driver. If a crash occurs and your vehicle is found to have dangerous defects, that condition could complicate fault determinations or liability questions, even if the accident itself was not initially your doing.

𝕋he takeaway: no sticker is required right now, but safety standards still apply. In the Granite State and across the Twin States region, maintaining your vehicle isn’t just about compliance — it’s about protecting yourself and others on the road.

02/14/2026

𝔽𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕦𝕒𝕣𝕪 𝟙𝟜, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟞: 𝔸𝕦𝕥𝕠 𝕀𝕟𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 (𝔸𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟) 𝕊𝕦𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕨𝕚𝕕𝕖

𝕿𝕙𝕖 New Hampshire Department of Justice and Department of Safety announced today that the state’s vehicle inspection program is officially suspended until further notice. Inspection stations can no longer issue state inspection stickers, and drivers are not currently required to obtain an annual inspection.

𝕿𝕙𝕚𝕤 suspension follows a January 27 preliminary injunction issued by the federal district court and the Executive Council’s decision to deny an extension of the State’s contract with its inspection vendor. With no approved vendor in place, state agencies say they lack the legal authority under existing statutes to continue operating the inspection program.

𝕿𝕙𝕖 State has filed a notice of appeal with the First Circuit Court of Appeals and is seeking a stay of the injunction, meaning the legal status of inspections could change again depending on court action. Agencies also indicated they are exploring options to comply with the court order while working within current statutory limits.

𝕿𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 is one important constant: under RSA 266, drivers remain legally responsible for ensuring their vehicles are safe to operate, regardless of whether inspection stickers are being issued. In other words, the enforcement mechanism is paused — but the safety standards written into law are not.

𝕿𝕙𝕚𝕤 moment highlights a broader governance issue for New Hampshire. A court order, an expired vendor contract, and Executive Council action have effectively halted a long-standing regulatory program statewide. Whether inspections resume will depend on judicial rulings, contract approval, and possible legislative adjustments.

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01/31/2026

In response to the last-minute injunction to block inspection law repeal, New Hampshire has now extended the inspection requirement until April 10 for those individuals whos vehicles inspection expired prior to March 2026.

01/30/2026

𝕊𝕒𝕪 ℕ𝕆! 𝕥𝕠 ℍ𝔹𝟙𝟟𝟘𝟛 $𝟝𝟘/𝕪𝕣 𝔹𝕚𝕔𝕪𝕔𝕝𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕘𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝔽𝕖𝕖𝕤

𝕿ucked quietly into the legislative process, HB 1703 proposes a major shift in how New Hampshire treats something as basic as riding a bicycle. The bill would require annual registration—reported at $50 per bicycle—for every bike in a household, enforced through fines and police interaction. This isn’t a small administrative tweak; it’s a structural change that turns everyday movement into a regulated activity.

𝕿his proposal directly impacts the freedom to travel, especially for those who rely on bicycles out of necessity rather than recreation. In many New Hampshire towns, bikes are how people get to work, pick up groceries, or manage daily life without a car. Conditioning that movement on annual fees and compliance effectively places a price tag on mobility—and for lower-income residents, that price can be prohibitive.

𝕿he burden compounds quickly. A family with multiple children could be required to register and pay for several bicycles every year. That’s not a user fee tied to road damage or infrastructure costs; it’s a flat tax on ownership and use. In practice, it functions as a regressive policy that hits working-class households hardest while offering no clear public benefit.

𝕿here are broader social consequences as well. New Hampshire promotes outdoor activity, independence, and healthy lifestyles for both adults and kids. Adding financial and legal barriers to bicycling discourages those very outcomes. When physical activity becomes something you need permission—and paperwork—to engage in, participation predictably drops.

𝕿ake a moment to imagine your kids riding their new Christmas bikes around the neighborhood, only to be stopped by police because a registration wasn’t filed or a fee wasn’t paid. That scenario isn’t hypothetical once routine behavior is criminalized through noncompliance. Laws like this don’t just regulate objects; they reshape daily interactions between residents and law enforcement.

𝕿he conflict with New Hampshire’s core identity is hard to ignore. “Live Free or Die” has long stood for limited government and personal autonomy. A policy that requires state approval to pedal down the road represents a quiet but meaningful departure from that principle. Freedom isn’t only about big constitutional fights—it’s also about whether ordinary movement remains free from surveillance and permission.

𝕿hose concerned about HB 1703 can still act. Residents can contact their state representatives, submit testimony when the bill is heard in committee, and publicly question why such a sweeping change is being advanced with little public awareness. Civic engagement is often the only check on policies that move fastest when few are watching.

01/29/2026

𝕃𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔻𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖: 𝔸 𝕃𝕖𝕘𝕚𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝔸𝕟𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕠 𝔽𝕖𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕝 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕀𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

𝕴𝕟 the wake of a federal judge blocking efforts to repeal New Hampshire’s vehicle inspection requirements, Republican leadership in the New Hampshire House has advanced a new constitutional proposal branded the “Live Free and Drive” amendment. The proposal has been promoted through the official pages of the New Hampshire House Republican Caucus and the House Republican Office, framing the issue as one of individual liberty rather than regulatory compliance.

𝕿𝕙𝕖 amendment does not eliminate inspections outright. Instead, it restructures how the state can enforce compliance. Under the proposal, law enforcement would be barred from stopping drivers solely for refusing to participate in the inspection program. Any penalty for noncompliance would be reduced to a nominal civil fine of one dollar, signaling symbolic enforcement rather than punitive regulation.

𝕴𝕟 addition, the proposal seeks to insulate drivers from secondary consequences tied to inspections. Insurance companies would be prohibited from denying coverage based on inspection refusal, and motorists could not be automatically assigned fault in an accident simply for lacking a valid inspection sticker. Together, these provisions aim to neutralize inspections as a leverage point in policing, insurance, and civil liability.

𝕿𝕙𝕚𝕤 approach reflects a broader response to judicial intervention in state policymaking. By proposing a constitutional amendment, House Republicans are signaling that inspection enforcement is not just a statutory issue but one they believe rises to the level of fundamental rights and state identity. Constitutional amendments also shift decision-making power closer to voters, bypassing courts and executive agencies.

𝕮𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕝 to the messaging is New Hampshire’s long-standing “Live Free or Die” motto. The amendment’s branding deliberately echoes that phrase, tying modern regulatory debates to the state’s historical emphasis on personal autonomy and limited government. Supporters argue that vehicle inspections, as currently enforced, conflict with that tradition by enabling low-level penalties to cascade into broader legal and financial consequences.

𝕿𝕙𝕖 takeaway is less about inspections themselves and more about governance. The proposal highlights ongoing tension between courts, legislatures, and voters over who ultimately defines the scope of state authority. Whether or not the amendment advances, it raises a broader question about how New Hampshire balances public safety regulations with its deeply rooted political culture of individual freedom.

Does shifting enforcement power away from the state and toward personal choice strengthen accountability—or does it create new gaps in oversight?

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We ended the Inspection Sticker Scheme for a reason.

Today, House Republicans are proposing the Live Free and Drive Amendment.

The Sticker Scheme will end - Republicans in the House will deliver for Granite Staters, no matter what activist judges say.