Valley News – Local Regional Briefs

Hanover —Police in Hanover will begin wearing body cameras today, as part of efforts to better document interactions with the public and build trust.

Uniformed officers will wear the cameras, which show a red indicator when turned on, near or at chest level, according to a news release from the Hanover Police Department.

The cameras will supplement the department’s cruiser cameras, which have been used for years to document traffic stops.

“The body warn camera program is another component to help us maintain the highest professional police standards available,” Hanover Police Chief Charlie Dennis said in the release. “It demonstrates our commitment to the community.”

Tour Tuesday of Solar Array At Claremont’s Wastewater Plant

Claremont — The public is invited on Tuesday morning to see the new solar array that has been installed at the wastewater treatment plant on Plains Road.

The 151.2 kilowatt array has 432 panels and sits on land adjacent to the plant.

Claremont treatment plant is the city’s largest electricity user and the array is projected to save about $800,000 in energy costs over the system’s estimated 40 year life span.

Additionally, the city said the array lowers peak demand at the plant and has locked in energy prices. The system’s purchase and installation does not have any impact on the city tax rate.

Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting and tour is from 9 to 10 a.m.

N.H. Lawmakers to Vote On Sales Tax Bill

Concord — Lawmakers are set to vote, possibly on Wednesday, on a bill to protect New Hampshire’s tax advantage.

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu asked lawmakers to respond to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding online shopping. Though New Hampshire doesn’t have a sales tax, the ruling could force its businesses to collect taxes for other states.

NHPR reports that the bill requires any jurisdiction seeking to collect sales taxes in New Hampshire to register with the New Hampshire Attorney General and pay a fee. Then, the jurisdiction will have to prove its sales tax is constitutional and that isn’t targeting a small business.

The bill says if it’s deemed lawful, the business can recoup the cost of collecting that tax.

Rural New England Faces Burden Of High Energy Costs

A new report finds that rural New England households spend over 10 percent of household income on energy bills.

The report released this month by American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy finds rural New England residents spend a median of 5.1 percent of household incomes on energy bills.

The advocacy’s report finds rural residents of New England, the mid-Atlantic and the East South Central regions face the highest burden. The report says one solution could be better access to affordable energy efficiency upgrades.

A quarter of rural low-income households in New England and the mid-Atlantic spent over 18 percent.

Manufactured homes spent the biggest chunk of their income on energy bills.

New England has long faced the nation’s highest electric rates.

Free Sunscreen Is Popping Up In Vermont Parks

New England Cable News reports that 11 Vermont state parks have free sunscreen dispensers. NECN reports that Vermont health officials said Vermont ranks only behind Utah in the nation when it comes to per-capita rate of new melanoma cases. Most cases of melanoma tumors are caused by UV exposure.

State cancer control program director Sharon Mallory said more than 260 Vermonters each year are diagnosed with melanoma and more than 20 people die each year of melanoma.

— Staff and wire reports