Brendan Williams, president of the New Hampshire Health Care Association, wears an isolation gown with no sleeve openings for hands, which was received in a shipment from the federal government, outside Webster at Rye senior care center on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, in Rye, N.H.  (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A group representing New Hampshire nursing homes says shipments of personal protective equipment from the federal government were mostly garbage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced in May that it would send a 14-day supply of masks, gloves and other equipment to nearly 15,000 nursing homes across the country. But Brendan Williams of the New Hampshire Health Care Association says the shipment included isolation gowns with no arm openings, child-sized gloves, surgical masks with ear loops that break when stretched and fabric masks unsuitable for clinical settings. A FEMA spokeswoman says only 1% of facilities have raised such concerns.

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CONCORD, N.H. (AP) —The New Hampshire House has passed a bill that would put into law some of toughest drinking water standards for a group of toxic chemicals and providing tens of millions of dollars to help communities in the state meet the rules. The House voted 210 to 116 to put into law the standards that were put forth last year by the state Department of Environmental Services for potentially harmful chemicals known collectively as PFAS. The standards limit one chemical to a maximum of 12 parts per trillion and another to 15 parts per trillion, far lower than the 70 parts per trillion the federal Environmental Protection Agency has advised for the chemicals.

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CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A bill allowing guns to be taken from people who present a danger to themselves or others is on its way to Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who is likely to veto it. The Democratically-controlled Senate voted 14-10 Monday for the bill, which would allow relatives or police to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms. Supporters argue the so-called “red-flag” measure is needed in a state where the suicide rate is rising faster than elsewhere and would be used only in cases of extreme risk. Opponents counter that the bill violates not only the right to own firearms, but also other constitutional guarantees.

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