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 Preshow Return to index of stories... |
Next on New Hampshire Outlook. The Legislature is being asked to consider a ban on affirmative action in the Granite State. We'll hear from two sides of the debate. Plus.MTBE. Cleaner air, trouble underground. Reformulated gas and the dangerous tradeoff we could be making. |
| Headlines Return to index of stories... |
Welcome to New Hampshire Outlook. I'm Allison McNair. |
| Intro Affirm. Action Return to index of stories... |
The University of New Hampshire should not be allowed to practice affirmative action, whether through quotas, goals or guidelines. That's the intent of a bill that got a sometimes emotional hearing at the state house today. As producer Richard Ager tells us, while the restrictions would apply to all state agencies, the clear target of the legislation is the university. |
| Affirmative action Return to index of stories... |
track: Of the nearly 29,000 students on the campuses of the University System of New Hampshire, including UNH in Durham, about 6% are minorities. That's twice the average for the state of New Hampshire, which according to the census is about 97% white. But it's not enough for the university administrators, who have pursued a vigorous campaign to attract minority students as well as faculty. Graphic: The university's affirmative action plan states its goals "are not intended as rigid, inflexible quotas" nor are they "intended to discriminate in employment against any individual or group of individuals who are not themselves the beneficiaries of affirmative action." Standup: tape 3 16:40:50 But the policy's workforce analysis section states "goals are necessary to rectify the underutilization of a particular group such as women, native americans, African americans, and so on. It goes on to detail a mathematical formula for determining how many minority members any particular department should hire. Track: Representative Michael Harrington believes language like that contradicts the NH Constitution, which bans any discrimination based on categories such as gender and race. He wrote a bill that would ban the university from formulating such stated goals as: Bite: tape 1 13:34:35 There will be no fewer than a total of 10 black tenure-track faculty by the year 2003 as well as no fewer than two black visiting professors by the year 2003. Bite: tape 1 13:34:54 I think the time has come to stop using race, sex, national origin, religion or sexual orientation as the basis for hiring, promotion, or admissions in NH. It's time to make NH a state where there is equal opportunity for all but special treatment for none. Track: UNH president Joan Leitzel says essentially, that is the situation. Bite: 14:49:00 I am saying the university admits all students under the same criteria. What is different is our attention to how we advertise, how we recruit, where we send recruiters, what kind of programs we make available that are attractive to a diverse population, what kind of activities are there for students when they come. Bite: 14:44:16 We are not concerned with quotas. We don't have them, we don't want them. But we do care about goals and guidelines. The university must have goals to pursue its strengthen its programs; we must have guidelines to indicate how the university will meet its goals. Track: Legislators are divided over the need for affirmative action. Representative Daniel Itse said since the University system belongs to NH residents, it's going to reflect NH's population. Bite: tape 1 14:09:28 And the fact that that doesn't match the national racial complexion - that's the breaks. Bite: tape 1 13:54:55 This is not a nation where everybody has an equal opportunity to do everything they want. I wish it was. Bite: 13:57:23 The proponents of this legislation are taking a constitutional amendment which was designed to end discrimination against blacks, hispanics, women, gays - and turning it on its head. Track: The bill now goes goes to a subcommittee for consideration. For NH Outlook, I'm Richard Ager. |
| Intro discussion Return to index of stories... |
President Joan Leitzel and Representative Michael Harrington joined us in the studio to talk more about the bill. We asked Representative Harrington why he's sponsoring it. |
| BP Bump Return to index of stories... |
For more information on House Bill 1304 you can go to the state website at www-dot-state-dot-nh-us. |
| Donor Towns Return to index of stories... |
Since the statewide property tax was first introduced, New Hampshire's so-called donor towns have fought to keep their education tax revenues for themselves. On Tuesday, they proposed a constitutional amendment to the legislature that would let them do just that. The proposed amendment was presented to the House Ways and Means committee. It would allow the donor towns to adjust their portion of the statewide property tax downward to the actual level needed to fund local schools. Currently, all towns pay the same statewide property tax to the state. In the case of the donor towns, their tax revenues are more than the designated cost of education - so the surplus is distributed to other towns that are property-poor. Currently,donor towns send about $32 million to Concord for redistribution. Those towns say that's unfair. |
| TAG donor towns Return to index of stories... |
Tuesday's hearing was the first for C-A-C-R 35. The amendment will now go to sub- committee for further discussion. |
| Business Outlook Return to index of stories... |
An attempt at a rally fizzled as worries about corporate accounting practices and earnings won out following Monday's selloff. Stocks also pulled back following word that Senate majority leader Tom Daschle is shelving the economic stimulus bill that President Bush said would hasten the country's recovery from the recession. |
| Wall Street Stocks Return to index of stories... |
The Dow ended down one and-two-thirds points, after dropping 220 points a day ago. The Nasdaq fell 17 points - its lowest close since mid-November. And the S and P 500 lost more than four points. Dow Jones\9685.43\-1.66\NYSE\560.60\- 2.04\AMEX\831.75\- 4.89\Nasdaq\1838.52\-17.01\S&P 500\1090.02\-4.42\Wall Street |
| Tyco Return to index of stories... |
Shares of Tyco International - dropped again Tuesday, after a debt substitution plan failed to reassure investors. The stock slid 22 percent before Tuesday's close. Some analysts say investors are overreacting, though they add Tyco should be more open about its finances. Tyco - with its headquarters in Exeter - makes everything from fire extinguishers to clothes hangers. Nagging suspicions about its accounting have taken a toll, as investors continue to react to the Enron collapse. |
| NH Stocks Return to index of stories... |
Tyco lost six dollars and 80 cents, ending the day at 23-dollars and 10 cents a share. Enterasys Networks of Portsmouth is also under the accounting microscope. Its shares fell just over 60 percent yesterday. and just over four and a half percent today. Tyco Intl\23.10\-6.80\Enterasys\4.00\-.20\General Elec Co\36.21\+1.21\MBNA Corp\32.15\-1.09\Oxford HLT Plans\38.02\+1.99\NH Stocks\Source: yahoo.com |
| Intro MTBE Return to index of stories... |
A well in Madbury has been shut down after elevated levels of MtBE were found last week. Those levels exceed the state limit. The well supplies a fraction of drinking water for the city of Portsmouth. The gasoline additive is required by the federal government to help reduce air pollution, but at the same time it appears to be contaminating the water supply. We talked to local and state officials to get a better understanding of MtBE and what it means to the Granite State. |
| MTBE Return to index of stories... |
Well #2 at the Water Treatment Plant in Madbury was recently shut down after the water tested high for the gasoline additive MTBE. While the well only supplies 5% of the city of Portsmouth's water, the city's Public Works shut the well down as a precautionary measure. Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether, or MtBE, is used in gasoline to help reduce pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency requires New Hampshire to meet certain standards of emission by law. Fred McGarry works for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. He says that while MtBE has cleaned the air in states all over the country, it is also showing up in places its not wanted: like groundwater. And, he adds, a small amount can have far reaching consequences. One gallon of gasoline can easily contaminate 5 million gallons of water. Because of its makeup, MtBE travels through the ground and into the water without being absorbed by the soil. The health consequences of MTBE aren't known. But there is cause for concern. The EPA has been studying the potential hazards for years. And it's put MTBE on a list of contaminants for which they are considering setting health standards. MtBE can leach into the ground from many sources: including underground gas tank leaks and lawnmower spills. The well in Madbury is only one site in the state that has tested positive for the presence of MTBE. DES has found the additive in over 180 public water sources, a sharp rise from 1995, in which only forty sites reported contamination. People worried about contamination in their personal wells should get their water tested at least once every three years. |
| Tag MTBE Return to index of stories... |
Both Senator Bob Smith and Governor Jeanne Shaheen have been working to get MtBE banned from gasoline, but have had little success so far. Federal law currently prohibits New Hampshire from opting out of the federal MtBE program until 2004, unless the EPA grants a waiver. |
| Intro Mt. Washington Return to index of stories... |
It was downright cold around the state Tuesday. We checked in earlier with meteorologist Nicole Plette at the mount washington observatory to see how long it will last. |
| Mt. Washington Return to index of stories... |
Mt. Washington Observatory\Tuesday on the Summit\Foggy\Visibility: zero\High: -6 degrees\Peak Gust: 78 mph Overnight\Statewide\Partly to mostly cloudy \Chance of snow showers\Low: around 0 \Winds: NW light Wednesday\North\Mostly cloudy \Highs: upper teens \Winds: W 5 to 10\ Wednesday\South\Partly sunny \Highs: upper teens\Winds: W 5 to 10 \ |
| Tomorrow Return to index of stories... |
On the next New Hampshire Outlook - The future of retirement. The ENRON crisis and your savings portfolio. |
| Goodnight Return to index of stories... |
That's it for this edition of our program. We'll see you next time on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| founders Return to index of stories... |
Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook: New Hampshire Charitable Foundadtion Public Service of New Hampshire Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust Putnam Foundation Stratford Foundation |
| Tonight 10:00 Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. Will the legislature vote to end affirmative action in the Granite State? See and hear the debate Tonight at 10pm only on NH Outlook. |
| Weds daytime Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. The future of retirement. The ENRON crisis and your savings portfolio tonight at 10 only on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| WEB PROMO Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. The future of retirement. The ENRON crisis and your savings portfolio tonight at 10 only on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| UNH Satellite Return to index of stories... |
University of New Hampshire scientists have a stake in a Tuesdays NASA satellite launch. The HESSI project is designed to study gigantic explosions in the Sun's atmosphere by producing the first high-fidelity X-ray movies of solar flares and emissions. The emissions sometimes affect spacecraft and interfere with communications and astronaut activities. U-N-H officials say their project will use data from the satellite to get the clearest picture yet of what happens during a solar flare. |
| Berlin Prison Return to index of stories... |
Those who want a federal prison in Berlin haven't given up - despite a vote late last year against the proposal. The City Council was presented with close to 11 hundred signatures and letters of support from unions representing firefighters and city employees. Some residents hope a federal prison would diversify the city's economy, which was hit hard when its major employer, Pulp and Paper of America shut down in August. In November, voters rejected the prison idea by 90 votes in a non-binding referendum. Supporters want another vote on the matter. |
| Unitil Rates Return to index of stories... |
Customers of two New Hampshire utilities will see lower electricity bills this month. State regulators approved lower rates for Concord Electric and Exeter and Hampton Electric. Unitil Corporation, their parent company, says the bill for a typical residential customer will go down three to five dollars a month. The decrease reflects lower costs for fuel and supplemental power the companies buy. |
| Other news Return to index of stories... |
Here's a look at other stories making news. |
| UNH Patents Return to index of stories... |
The number of patents held by the University of New Hampshire is now seven. Three patents were recently awarded to researchers at the university. The patents were obtained with the help of the UNH office for intellectual property management. A professor of civil engineering, received a patent for his phosphate mineral-based reactive barrier containment system. The system employs a barrier to prevent the release of contaminants from waste materials, sediments or dredged materials. James Ryan, John Macri and Mark McConnell received a patent for a method and apparatus for imaging through three-dimensional tracking of protons. This invention has real-world applications in the treatment of cancer and other diseases. And another group we introduced to you on Outlook has also received a patent. Kevin Short, assistant professor of mathematics, and graduate students Dan Hussey and Kimo Johnson, received the patent for a new method and apparatus for compressed chaotic music synthesis. Short's invention provides a new method for music synthesis. |
| key: govenrment Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:2/5/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 3:05 minutes In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a report on afirmative action practices at the University of New Hampshire. At issue, should the University be allowed to practice affirmative action, whether through quotas, goals or guidelines. Producer Richard Ager reported on the testimony before the senate. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Richard Ager NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Rep. Michael Harrington\Bill Sponsor Joan Leitzel\President, UNH Rep. Daniel Itse\Bill Co-Sponsor Rep. John Pratt\D - Walpole NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:2/5/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 3:05 minutes In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a discussion on afirmative action practices at the University of New Hampshire. At issue, should the University be allowed to practice affirmative action, whether through quotas, goals or guidelines. We were joined in studio by the bills sponsor Michael Harrington and UNH President Joan Leitzel. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Allison McNair NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: UNH President Joan Leitzel Representative Michael Harrington |
| key: environment Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:2/5/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 3:05 minutes In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a report that a well in Madbury had been shut down after elevated levels of MtBE were found. Those levels exceed the state limit. The well supplies a fraction of drinking water for the city of Portsmouth. We talked to local and state officials to get a better understanding of MtBE and what it means to the Granite State. PRODUCER/REPORTER: NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: David Allen\Portsmouth Public Works Fred McGarry\Dept. of Environmental Services |
| website Return to index of stories... |
For information on our program, and links to our guests and interviews, visit our web site at nhptv.org. You can also see and hear streaming video of our broadcasts. If you've got a story idea or comment on our program you can call us at 800-639-2721. |