IN AUGUST 2008, Brian Harris noticed a loose branch hanging from a tree in his Merrimack yard, just above a power line. Harris used his pruners to cut the limb. The branch fell onto the line, resulting in a year-long hassle and one big bill from the power company. "If we would've had any idea what we were getting into, we would've left it alone," said Deanne Harris, Brian's wife.

►Tree removal proves a knotty problem (4)
►Evening power outage still a mystery (1)

Public Service of New Hampshire thought it was being proactive by adding more than 20 trees in Epping to its list of those to be chopped down.

MANCHESTER - Portions of east Manchester and Londonderry, including the Mall of New Hampshire, lost power last night.

MANCHESTER - The electric utility asks the PUC for delivery charge increase and energy charge decrease.

Updated, 7:23 p.m. As line crews continue to connect households and businesses, southern New Hampshire is watching the weather forecasts again: The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Cheshire and Hillsborough counties with an expected mix of rain and snow tonight and tomorrow.

Click for PDF (PSNH estimates of power restoration)

MANCHESTER - State GOP party chief Fergus Cullen says the former governor was a "radical community organizer."

SEABROOK - John McCain initiated discussion on a second reactor last month, and now other prominent voices are expressing interest in expanding the nuclear energy plant.

A desire to control costs and cut employees' commuting expenses has prompted some New Hampshire towns and other institutions to try out compressed work weeks.

►Four-day week catching on nationwide (5)
►New retail democracy emerging