NH News Recap for April 26, 2024: What's the NH National Guard doing at the Texas border?

N.H. News Recap

A group of New Hampshire National Guard soldiers are in Eagle Pass, Texas to assist with that state's border control efforts. New Hampshire Bulletin's Annmarie Timmins is reporting from the southern border in collaboration with NHPR. We talk with her about what she's seen this week.

And a joint investigation from NHPR and APM Reports has found that New Hampshire's Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut has used his office repeatedly to elevate conservative complaints against the education system. That's despite his pledge to keep the job nonpartisan when he took over in 2017.

We talk about these stories on this edition of the New Hampshire News Recap.

Guests:

• Annmarie Timmins, New Hampshire Bulletin
• Sarah Gibson, NHPR

Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:

NH soldiers’ first impressions from Texas: It’s busy

Two weeks into their mission in Eagle Pass, NH National Guard soldiers said they are seeing more attempts to cross the border illegally than expected. That’s true even for those who’ve been deployed to the border before.

How NH Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut used his office in the culture war

Frank Edelblut pledged to stay “nonpartisan.” But as head of New Hampshire’s education department, he’s used his platform to pursue conservative grievances against the education system and individual educators.

A trans teacher asked students about pronouns. Then the education commissioner found out.

Commissioner Frank Edelblut seized upon the controversy as a symbol of public schools gone awry — part of a larger battle his department has been waging for years.

More New Hampshire headlines:

• Settlement fund payouts for YDC abuse reach $66 million
• One NH town is trying to decarbonize their building – and build a workforce in the process
• This NH club meets to talk about death and dying