As Medicaid faces cuts and new work requirements, two addiction specialists told the New Hampshire Bulletin something worth remembering about the state’s big drop in drug deaths.

Opioid fatalities fell by a third last year—the biggest decline in more than ten years. And the doctors said the reason is simple: federal dollars. Federal opioid-response funding and Medicaid expansion helped hire more providers, expand access to medications like methadone and buprenorphine, distribute more Narcan, and launch the Doorways program, which connects people to treatment and even helps pay for sober housing.

➡️ Read the full story: Amid dramatic decreases in NH drug deaths, a Q&A with two addiction specialists on what’s working

Here’s what I’m covering today:

🥐 Best bakeries in New Hampshire to try out for National Pastry Day

🎮 What you missed on Granite Gaming

🔠 How well do you know Taylor Swift? See if you can figure out this word game

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Pastries. (Connor Brown/Unsplash)

Happy National Pastry Day!

Today’s the perfect excuse to swing by your favorite New Hampshire bakery and grab something flaky, buttery, and totally worth it.

Pastries have been around since ancient Mediterranean baklava and phyllo were refined by Renaissance chefs, and eventually gave us icons like cream puffs, eclairs, and Napoleons.

If you want to celebrate locally, here are a few standout spots:

🥐 Polish Princess Bakery — New London
Taste of Home’s best bakery in New Hampshire in 2024. The owner brings recipes and techniques from her native Poland, focusing on wholesome, natural ingredients like unbleached flours and fresh produce from local farms.

🥐 Orchard Hill Breadworks — Alstead
The Takeout’s best bakery in New Hampshire in 2025. Famous for inventive pastries like the creamsicle Danish with marinated sheep’s feta.

🥐 Blue Loon Bakery — New London
Named the best in New Hampshire by MSN in 2025. A cozy, community-first bakery turning out artisan breads, croissants, and sandwiches.

🥐 Bread & Chocolate — Concord
Name NH’s best by Finance Buzz in 2024. A classic stop for pastries, tarts, and breads. Their chocolate cake is especially well-known and might just be the best in the capital city.

The Trump administration is moving closer to dismantling the US Education Department, shifting some of its biggest grant programs to other federal agencies.

Title I funding for low-income schools is moving to the Department of Labor, while other programs are moving to Health and Human Services, the State Department, and the Interior Department.

Some worry that all this change will interrupt services for students who rely on extra support.

So this week’s question is…

What do you think of Trump’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education?

Granite Post offers straightforward, accessible reporting for Granite Staters who want to stay informed about their communities. With our year-end drive running through Dec. 16, this period is especially important in shaping what we can cover next year.

Your support keeps our journalism free for all.

You can catch Colin and Angelique streaming live Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon. Last week, they discussed why this poll from the University of New Hampshire spells trouble for Republicans in 2028. And they talked about why Nintendo has acquired a new and unexpected studio.

Watch a snippet here.

🗓️ When is it streaming? Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon.

📍Where to watch: Twitch.tv/granitegamingnh

🎮 This week’s game: Escape From Duckov

Think you’ve got what it takes to crack this crossword? Tell us how long it takes you to finish it by emailing us at info@granitepostnews.com! This week’s topic? Taylor Swift.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Katy Savage. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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