Sprint Cup points leader Stewart crashes hard in practice at NHMS, moves to backup car

LOUDON, N.H. — Tony Stewart had to move to a backup car Friday after crashing in the first NASCAR Sprint Cup practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Ethan Allen laying off about 260 in Beecher Falls, and 60 in Andover, Maine

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. is laying off 238 workers at a plant near the Canadian border, but will keep a sawmill and dimension mill operating at the site where Vermont, New Hampshire and Quebec meet.

NH tax evaders face new trial for weapons, bombs, booby traps allegedly aimed at marshals

CONCORD, N.H. — Retired exterminator Ed Brown and his dentist wife Elaine holed up on a mountaintop in their turreted concrete castle, protected by an arsenal of homemade bombs, booby traps, semiautomatic assault-type rifles and a cache of 60,000 rounds of ammunition — all aimed at federal agents, prosecutors say.

Iconic Einstein photo sold for more than $74,000; shows genius sticking tongue out at photogs

CONCORD, N.H. — One of the original signed prints of Albert Einstein sticking his tongue out at photographers has been sold by a New Hampshire auction house for $74,324.

Drug use data: Boon to medical progress or cost driver? Courts to decide

MONTPELIER, Vt. — The prescription drugs you take are on the minds of a lot of people: judges on two federal courts, legislators in several states, countless doctors and, at the center, the companies that make money by figuring out who’s prescribing what.

Wayward cows decide to abandon Massachusetts farm and walk at least 5 miles to New Hampshire

NASHUA, N.H. — Two wayward cows decided to abandon their Massachusetts farm and walk at least five miles into New Hampshire, generating 911 calls from drivers. Nashua Deputy Fire Chief Michael O’Brien said he and his partner spent 45 minutes with ropes in hand trying to chase down the cows Tuesday, WMUR reported.

Mmmm, good: For maple syrup makers, the sweetest outcome in years

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Accommodating weather and a boost in the number of maple trees tapped are being credited for a bumper 2009 maple syrup crop.

NH soldier killed disarming bomb in Iraq; chose Army over full college scholarship

SALEM, N.H. — Bright and hardworking like his immigrant parents, Edmond Lo’s future grew even more promising when he was offered a full scholarship to a prominent engineering school. But he turned it down, choosing instead to disarm bombs for the Army.

Pilot of small plane dies in crash on grounds of New Hampshire resort

GILFORD, N.H. — Authorities say the pilot of a single-engine plane has died after crashing on the grounds of a New Hampshire resort.

NH man charged after saying his infant son was behind the wheel in hit-and-run accident

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Police in Portsmouth, N.H., said a man has been charged with lying about his involved in a hit-and-run accident by telling them his son was driving the vehicle. Problem is, the man’s son is an infant. A police officer questioned the man about who “normally” drives the car and was told by the man that his 19-year-old son drives the vehicle, but wasn’t home, Foster’s Daily Democrat reported. The man told police he would have his son contact them.

Police say NH man drove his car at a friend after argument over a $10 bar tab

SALEM, N.H. — Police said a man drove his car at a friend in Salem, N.H., after the two argued over a $10 bar tab. The man, 23, was charged with two counts of first-degree assault, reckless conduct and criminal mischief. Police said the man and a co-worker were out drinking on Friday, and the two went to the co-worker’s house early Saturday.

NH mill attracts notice for team effort by managers, employees to weather the slump

MADISON, N.H. — In late 2003, things were bleak for the 40 employees at the Madison Lumber Mill. Part of the mill had burned down, and owner International Paper was looking to shut it down.

Timberland to stay put in Stratham, NH, plans to modernize its building

STRATHAM, N.H. — After searching 18 months for a possible new home, the outdoor apparel maker Timberland Co. is staying in Stratham, N.H.

2 sailors from nuclear submarine are held in brutal attack on New Hampshire street

CONCORD, N.H. — Two nuclear submarine sailors, including one assigned to help crewmates stay out of trouble, are accused of brutally beating a man, leaving him near death on a Portsmouth street and then trying to orchestrate a cover-up.

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men cannot find Humpty Dumpty costume missing in NH

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. — Missing: One Humpty Dumpty costume, last seen with Cheshire Cat.

Gay bishop Robinson rejoices in NH gay marriage vote; looks to churches to welcome ceremonies

CONCORD, N.H. — It was tough enough to get New Hampshire’s lawmakers and governor to approve gay marriage, but Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson says there’s an even tougher job ahead: getting churches to fully embrace gay marriage and gay people.

NH regulators: UBS unit misled investors about complex Lehman Brothers securities

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire securities regulators accused a unit of banking giant UBS AG of misleading investors about complex securities issued by Lehman Brothers before Lehman filed for bankruptcy protection last year.

Gay marriage in New Hampshire and Iowa could affect landscape of presidential politics in 2012

CONCORD, N.H. — Iowa and New Hampshire traditionally offer presidential candidates vastly different political landscapes when they seek their party nominations. Yet legalizing gay marriage, as both states have now done, is unlikely to have much impact in 2012 because of party dynamics and the different emphasis voters place on social issues.

AP News in Brief

Obama says he’ll accept Nobel Peace Prize as ‘call to action’ toward peace and prosperity

Governor signs bill legalizing gay marriage in New Hampshire after legislators OK revisions

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage Wednesday in a move that reflects the state’s changing demographics from reliably Republican and conservative to younger and more liberal.

New Hampshire’s governor signs gay marriage law as state becomes 6th to recognize gay marriage

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire’s governor has signed legislation making the state the sixth to allow gay marriage.

New Hampshire legislators approve gay marriage; governor says he’ll sign bill

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire legislators approved a measure Wednesday that would make the state the sixth to allow gay marriage, and Gov. John Lynch said he would sign it later in the afternoon.

New Hampshire legislators advance gay marriage bill; fate now hinges on House

CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire Senate has passed revised gay marriage legislation and sent it to the House.

NH man arrested for the 153rd time, this time after he was accused of punching someone in face

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — A man has been arrested for the 153rd time, this time after he was accused of punching someone in the face over the weekend. Paul Baldwin, 49, told a judge Monday he plans to plead guilty to the assault, along with trespassing and alcohol charges. He said he’s had a long battle with alcohol and was trying to correct the problem during his most recent one-year jail term, which ended last week.

NH man is arrested 153rd time for punch, has criminal record prosecutor calls too long to read

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — A New Hampshire man has been arrested for the 153rd time, this time after he was accused of punching someone in the face over the weekend.

Man banned from NH Dunkin Donuts after getting suspended sentence for stealing a bag of coffee

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — A Portsmouth, N.H., man was given a suspended 60-day jail sentence for stealing an $8.29 bag of coffee — and he’s been banned from all the Dunkin’ Donuts in town. Matthew Anderson, 20, pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor count of shoplifting. He admitted going into a Dunkin’ Donuts, placing two bags of coffee under his shirt, and leaving one behind after an employee confronted him, The Portsmouth Herald reported.

Star Trek items on display at New Hampshire science center

CONCORD, N.H. — In honor of the new “Star Trek” movie, some rare items from an old movie and a TV show are boldly on display at New Hampshire’s McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.

NH city workers rescue ducklings trapped in storm drain

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Just in time for Mother’s Day, a mother duck has been reunited with two of her babies who fell into a storm drain in Manchester, N.H.

New Hampshire toddler left alone on school bus while driver ran errands, visited her mother

SOMERSWORTH, N.H. — A 3-year-old New Hampshire boy has been left alone on a school bus after the driver delivered other children to preschool and didn’t notice he was there.

NH toddler left on school bus

SOMERSWORTH, N.H. — A 3-year-old New Hampshire boy was left alone on a school bus this week when the driver did not notice the youngster after delivering other kids to preschool.