Here are the top stories at noon:
There’s apprehension among some union workers at Verizon over the FairPoint deal; workers’ compensation rates are expected to drop by 4.2 percent; major fire has caused serious damage in an area near Littleton, N.H.; Rep. Peter Welch says he hasn’t changed his opposition to President Bush’s Iraq policy. Gov. Jim Douglas lays out his vision for the state this afternoon.