Utah has a new state flag: Governor approves new look featuring ...

On Tuesday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill approving a new state flag. The new flag is set to take effect in March 2024.

Cox also issued an executive order requiring Utah's current, or now historic, flag to be flown at the state Capitol at all times – and at state buildings on holidays.

While Cox's signature authorizes the new state flag to become official next year, a potential public referendum could still challenge the change.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation on Tuesday approving a new state flag, set to go into effect in March 2024.

But Utah's current, or now historic, flag isn't going away entirely. In addition to signing Senate Bill 31 – which, despite some pushback and controversy prompting changes to the bill, was narrowly passed by the Utah legislature earlier this month – Cox issued an executive order outlining how the state's historic flag will continued to be displayed.

The new state flag legislation, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Dan McCay, gives "historical" status to three versions of the current Utah flag. Cox's executive order requires the historic Utah flag "be flown at the Capitol at all times and at all state buildings on certain holidays and special occasions."

The governor also requested that the state legislature amend SB31 during an upcoming session, to require the historic Utah flag be displayed above the new flag when the two are on the same pole.

"This will ensure that the historic flag will remain a symbol of our history and strength," Cox stated in a Tuesday release, adding that he was "grateful for the tens of thousands of Utahns who participated in designing and selecting this new flag."

The state flag for all 50 states:See the state flags (plus D.C.) and the meaning behind each.

Do you know your state's official nickname? Here's the story behind all 50 state nicknames.

When does new Utah flag take hold?

The new state flag is set to take effect on March 9, 2024 – 113 years after the Utah legislature adopted the historic state flag on March 9, 1911. According to the Utah Department of Culture and Community Engagement, the state's original flag was created in 1903.

Efforts to change Utah's state flag began in 2019, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Last year, officials selected the new flag design from thousands of proposals that were submitted by the public.

Potential referendum could challenge change

While Cox's signature authorizes the new flag to become official next year, a potential public referendum could challenge the change.

A group named "Referendum to Save Utah's Flag" filed paperwork seeking the referendum earlier this month, KSL.com reported. If enough signatures are reached next month, the bill could end up on a future ballot.

As of Tuesday, the referendum effort had 137 signatures, according to Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson's office. That's well under the 134,298 signatures needed by April 12, KSL.com and the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

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What does the new Utah flag look like?

The new flag features a central beehive and accompanying star surrounded by a hexagon, snowy mountains, and red rocks on a blue foundation, according to Utah Department of Culture and Community Engagement's "More Than Just A Flag" initiative.

The colors and symbols represent various aspects of the state's history, people and geography, as well as principles like strength and unity, the initiative says.

Why did Utah change its flag?

Utah launched a campaign to change its flag to better represent current Utah residents' "shared values," the state says.

Utah's historic flag features a bald eagle, the state motto and two dates – 1847, for when Mormon pioneers first came to the region, and 1896, for when Utah became the 45th state – among other aspects of Utah's state seal.

According to "More Than Just A Flag," a 2021 survey of Utah residents found that the majority of respondents didn't feel like the now-historic flag represented them – strengthening calls to change the design.

"The aim was to create a design that's easier to reproduce and recognize at a distance, a design that Utahns can rally around," the state website reads.

Ohio bill targeting transgender athletes with genital check is cruel

The politicians who claim to be oh, so concerned about kids sure don’t hesitate to sign their death warrants.

Not content with banning transgender girls and young women from playing sports, Ohio House Republicans are encouraging people to hunt them down. Anyone could question the gender of a female athlete under legislation they jammed through Wednesday night, and those girls and young women would then have to “verify” their gender through a genital inspection.

That’s right. A physically intrusive exam that has no other purpose than to stigmatize and demean them. With the suicide rates among transgender youth already horrifyingly high – nearly 1 in 5 attempted suicide in the last year, according to research from The Trevor Project, while over half seriously considered it – this will only cause more harm.

Roadrunner by van, monkeypox: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: Convicted former state House Speaker Mike Hubbard told people he was innocent and “held my nose” as he signed a letter apologizing for his crimes, according to state prosecutors who used Hubbard’s own phone calls and emails from prison to cast doubt on his claims of remorse as he seeks early release. The attorney general’s office combed through emails and 600 of Hubbard’s phone calls from prison and cited some of the conversations as they oppose his request for early release from prison. State attorneys said the communications show he was “not truthful” when he signed a letter apologizing for his 2016 conviction for violating state ethics law, including using his public office for personal financial gain. Hubbard submitted the letter – in which he said that “I recognize and admit my errors” – in September along with a request for early release from prison. He wrote that his conviction embarrassed the state and his family and that “for this, I am severely sorry and respectfully ask forgiveness from everyone affected.” According to the Monday court filing, Hubbard told a friend before submitting the apology letter that “I promise you I did nothing wrong.” Prosecutors said Hubbard also talked to friends about efforts to add language to community corrections legislation that could benefit his release.

Alaska

Juneau: A fast-growing area north of Anchorage known as a hotbed of conservatism gained the most population since the 2010 census and will keep the same number of seats in the Legislature under a new map of state political boundaries that some critics say shortchanges the area. It’s not the only criticism of the plan approved by a divided state Redistricting Board, and court challenges are expected. Among the criticisms are House district pairings for Senate seats for the Anchorage and Eagle River areas that board member Nicole Borromeo said would open the board to “an unfortunate and very easily winnable argument of partisan gerrymandering.” Census data showed the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, which is about the size of West Virginia and includes Palmer and former Gov. Sarah Palin’s hometown of Wasilla north of Anchorage, had 18,086 more people last year than in 2010, the biggest jump for any borough or census area in Alaska. The region also was the second most populous overall in the state, with an estimated 107,081 people, behind Anchorage, with 291,247, according to census data. While the region would have the same number of seats, new House maps would place two Wasilla incumbents in the same district.

Arizona

Phoenix: The state’s corrections chief says incarcerated people often have greater access to health services than people who aren’t locked up. Corrections Director David Shinn’s defense of the health care system for inmates came as he testified at a trial about the quality of medical and mental health care in state prisons, after the state has faced years of complaints and been fined $2.5 million for not complying with a settlement over the issue. A judge who threw the settlement out this summer concluded that the state showed little interest in making many improvements it promised under the 6-year-old deal and that inadequate care for prisoners had led to suffering and preventable deaths. “They often have greater access to care than I do as a private citizen,” Shinn said of people behind bars. Lawyers for the inmates are asking U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver to take over health care operations in state-run prisons, appoint an official to run medical and mental health services there, ensure prisons have enough health care workers, and reduce the use of isolation cells, including banning their use for prisoners under age 18 or those with serious mental illnesses. They say Arizona’s prison health care operations are understaffed and poorly supervised, routinely deny access to necessary medications, fail to provide adequate pain management for end-stage cancer patients and others, and don’t meet the minimum standards for mental health care.

Arkansas

Lonoke: A former sheriff’s deputy pleaded not guilty Monday in the fatal shooting of a white teenager whose death has drawn the attention of civil rights activists. Michael Davis entered the plea to a felony count of manslaughter in the June 23 shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. Davis shot Brittain during a traffic stop outside an auto repair shop along Arkansas Highway 89 south of Cabot, a city of about 26,000 people roughly 30 miles northeast of Little Rock. Davis was charged in September in Brittain’s death. Davis told investigators he shot Brittain once in the neck after the teen reached into the back of his truck and did not comply with his commands to show his hands, according to Davis’ arrest affidavit. Brittain was holding a container – which his family members have said held antifreeze – and no evidence of firearms was found in or near the truck, the affidavit said. A passenger with Brittain said he and the teen had been working on the transmission for Brittain’s truck. The passenger told investigators he never heard Davis tell the teen to show his hands, according to the affidavit. Davis was fired by Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley in July for not turning on his body camera until after the shooting occurred. Staley said there’s no footage from the shooting, only the aftermath.

California

Los Angeles: Staples Center is getting a new name. Starting Christmas Day, it will be Crypto.com Arena. The downtown Los Angeles home of the NBA’s Lakers and Clippers, the NHL’s Kings and the WNBA’s Sparks will change its name after 22 years of operation, arena owner AEG announced Tuesday night. A person with knowledge of the deal said Crypto.com is paying $700 million over 20 years to rename the building. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the parties aren’t publicly announcing the terms of what’s believed to be the richest naming rights deal in sports history. The 20,000-seat arena has been the Staples Center since it opened in October 1999, with the naming rights owned by the American office-supplies retail company under a 20-year agreement. The name will change when the Lakers host the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA’s annual Christmas showcase. Crypto.com is a cryptocurrency platform and exchange headquartered in Singapore. Along with its sports tenants, the arena has hosted 19 Grammy Awards ceremonies, three NBA All-Star Games, two NHL All-Star Games, and countless high-profile concerts, performances and important public events, including memorials for Michael Jackson, Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers have won six NBA championships during their tenure in the cavernous arena.

Colorado

Aurora: A suburban Denver police department has agreed to reforms after the killing of Elijah McClain led to indictments against officers and a first-of-its-kind civil rights investigation that found a pattern of racially biased policing and excessive force. The plan, announced Tuesday by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Aurora’s city manager, police chief and fire chief, was reached in response to a civil rights investigation launched by Weiser amid outrage over the death of McClain, a Black man who was put into a chokehold by police and injected with ketamine by paramedics in 2019. The proposal calls for the city to revamp its use-of-force policies and launch new training programs in an effort to combat bias in the ranks. Another key goal of the agreement is eliminating unnecessary use of force and increasing tracking and transparency about how officers engage with the community, Weiser said. It also aims to create a more diverse workforce in the police and fire departments. Aurora city officials said they are on board with the plan, which also includes the city’s fire department. It still hinges on City Council approval. “We are not going to shy away from reform,” Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said. “To the officers on the street, this consent decree is nothing to be afraid of.”

Connecticut

Hartford: Seven women who say they suffered excruciating pain after a nurse stole fentanyl for her personal use and replaced it with saline sued Yale University on Wednesday, alleging it failed to safeguard its supply of the painkilling opioid at a fertility clinic. The women say they underwent painful and invasive procedures for in vitro fertilization and were supposed to receive fentanyl at the Yale University Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinic in Orange, Connecticut, last year. Unbeknownst to them, they received saline instead of fentanyl, and when they told staff of their extreme pain during and after the procedures, their concerns were dismissed, according to the lawsuit filed in state court in Waterbury by the women and their spouses. “Yale’s failure to develop and implement safety measures mandated by state and federal law to secure drugs like fentanyl resulted in these patients being traumatized,” Joshua Koskoff, a lawyer for the women, said in a statement. “What should have been a time of hope for these women and their families became one of unimaginable suffering.” Yale spokesperson Karen Peart Peart said university officials will not comment on the lawsuit, which seeks undisclosed damages.

Delaware

Georgetown: A fledgling nonprofit’s efforts to address homelessness with temporary shelter villages are progressing in Sussex County and could become a statewide solution. “Our vision is to build across state,” said Judson Malone, Springboard Collaborative co-founder and director. “We think we have a provable model that actually has a solution to homelessness.” The Georgetown Town Council passed a resolution Oct. 27 allowing Springboard to build and manage a temporary shelter village, similar to a tiny home village. Conley’s Church, in the Angola area of Lewes, has offered its property for a second such site. Springboard will use shelters designed by an Everett, Washington, company called Pallet, named for how the shelters are shipped. They’re framed with aluminum, and the panels are made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic with a foam-insulating core, according to the company’s website. Like traditional houses, Pallet shelters are temperature-controlled, weather-resistant and lockable, but they can be assembled in less than an hour and cost as low as $5,500. They’re not quite tiny houses, though. Pallet shelters do not have plumbing, kitchens or bathrooms, as they’re meant to be temporary shelters. In typical Pallet villages, there are shared bathhouses, laundry facilities and eating areas.

District of Columbia

Washington: After 34 days of protest at the Blackburn University Center, Howard University students have reached an agreement with the school, ending their weekslong sit-in demonstration, WUSA-TV reports. “Howard University is pleased to announce that we have come to an agreement with the students who occupied Blackburn,” university President Wayne Frederick wrote in a statement released on Twitter and Youtube. “The health and well-being of our students is the most important part of my job as president. As I have said before, even one issue in one of our dormitories is too many, and we will continue to remain vigilant in our pledge to maintain safe and high-end housing.” Frederick’s statement also referenced the 2020 campus master plan, promising to “grow and invest in our beloved Hilltop” and to share more details soon of his plans to bring the campus back together following this division. Dozens of Howard University students had occupied the Blackburn University Center for weeks, setting up and living out of tents to bring attention to several issues, including living conditions in their dorm rooms, as they claim some were found to have mold. They also wanted student representation to be restored on the university board of trustees.

Florida

St. Petersburg: More than 1,000 manatees have died in the state so far this year, eclipsing a previous annual record as the threatened marine mammals struggle with starvation due to pollution in the water. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported the updated total Wednesday. The 1,003 manatee deaths so far in 2021 are many more than the 637 recorded last year and well above the previous mark of 830 set in 2013. Slow-moving, bulky manatees have long struggled to coexist with humans. Boat strikes account for some deaths and many injuries. But state officials and environmental groups say polluted water runoff from agriculture, sewage and other man-made development has caused algae blooms in estuaries, choking off the seagrass upon which manatees rely. Climate change is worsening the problem. Authorities expected another bad year for manatees, with more deaths to come as Florida enters the winter months, when the animals congregate in warm-water areas where food supplies have dwindled. Seagrass beds on the state’s eastern coast have been hit especially hard. To compound the problem, manatees are slow to reproduce. According to the nonprofit Save the Manatee Club – co-founded by Florida troubadour Jimmy Buffet – one calf is born every two to five years after a manatee reaches sexual maturity at about age 5. Twin births are rare.

Georgia

Atlanta: Scores of housing activists, tenants and lawmakers rallied Tuesday to pressure officials to speed up the distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid aimed at preventing evictions in the state. Congress set aside nearly $1 billion in funding for Georgia to help tenants pay past-due rent and utility bills during the pandemic, but the state has struggled to get the money out. Georgia had distributed less than 10% of the first set of funds by the end of September, according to a report last week by the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The report singled out Georgia, Ohio, Arizona and Tennessee for their slow disbursement of aid and large populations of renters. At Tuesday’s rally in downtown Atlanta, Lajoycelyn Bowles, 43, said she has repeatedly contacted the Georgia Department of Community Affairs – the state agency administering Georgia’s funds – but has never heard back. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 in August and has been too sick to work. She received an eviction notice this week from her landlord in Lithonia. “I’m frustrated and pissed off,” she said. The Department of Community Affairs said in a statement that it has distributed $44.2 million to more than 6,900 tenants and landlords so far. It has also added staff and extended working hours to handle an increase in applications.

Hawaii

Honolulu: The state ranks last in the nation for the early diagnosis of lung cancer, according to a new study from the American Lung Association. Just 2.8% of high-risk smokers in Hawaii undergo annual CT scans that capture detailed pictures of the lungs, compared to 5.7% nationally, the study said. A state-by-state analysis also found that just 19% of lung cancer cases in Hawaii are diagnosed early, compared to 24.5% nationally, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that smokers and former smokers who are at high risk of developing lung cancer undergo the CT scans. The high-risk category includes adults between the ages of 55 and 80 who smoke a pack a day or more and former heavy smokers who quit in the past 15 years. The annual screenings are limited to the highest-risk smokers, in part due to the risk of false positive results, which can cause anxiety and lead to follow-up tests and procedures that aren’t needed and carry their own risk. Detecting lung cancer early can dramatically improve the chances of successfully treating it. The five-year survival rate for people diagnosed early is 60%. The survival rate drops to 6% when spotted at a late stage. The study found that Native Hawaiians are more likely to be diagnosed and die of lung cancer than other ethnic groups.

Idaho

Boise: A bill making it easier for residents to get worker compensation if they become ill after taking an employee-mandated vaccine sailed through the state House and headed for the Senate on Tuesday. The measure passed the House on a 67-3 vote. It was among seven COVID-19-related bills the chamber pushed through with expedited voting and sent to the Senate. Supporters said workers are getting sick after being vaccinated against COVID-19, and some are having problems receiving compensation. The bill tilts the field toward employees for compensation of hard-to-prove claims such as illnesses caused by vaccines, backers said. “If the employer is telling you, ‘You have to do this in order to work here,’ if they’re doing that, then, by golly, I think our system ought to provide a fair compensation method,” Democratic Rep. John Gannon said. Bill opponents said THAT Idaho’s worker compensation has worked well for decades and that workers sickened by vaccines are already being compensated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines can include tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea. Also heading to the Senate was a bill that would prohibit questioning the sincerity of people claiming religious exemptions from vaccinations.

Illinois

Springfield: Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday signed a law making voting easier for people with disabilities and creating a group to study removal of further barriers. The law also makes adjustments in deadlines and other technical requirements for candidates in next year’s primary election because it’s later. Pritzker signed a law in June moving the primary from March 15 to June 28 because late-arriving 2020 census numbers delayed the drawing of new congressional district boundaries. Under the law, which takes effect immediately, any polling place that is accessible to voters with disabilities and elderly voters is to include at least one voting booth that is wheelchair-accessible. The Access to Voting for Persons with Disabilities Advisory Task Force will be composed of 15 members, three each appointed by the governor and leaders of the partisan caucuses in House and Senate. The group must meet at least four times and publish its results. Another change allows voters to designate sex on voter registration forms as “male,” “female” or “non-binary.” The measure was sponsored by Senate President Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, and Democratic Rep. Katie Stuart of Edwardsville.

Indiana

Indianapolis: The state’s largest teachers union is calling on lawmakers to address educator burnout and ongoing teacher shortages during the next legislative session that begins in January. The state is “slowly making progress” on teacher pay, but additional action is needed to attract and retain teachers, Indiana State Teachers Association President Keith Gambill said during a news conference Monday. Teacher workload and burnout were already issues before the start of the pandemic, Gambill said, but the onset of the coronavirus has since worsened the teacher shortage. “We are now going into the third consecutive school year impacted by the coronavirus pandemic,” he said. “Our educators, already overburdened, are facing unsustainable levels of stress and stress-related illness.” The shortage of teachers – compounded by a substitute shortage – has meant more educators are required to work longer hours without time off or time for classroom planning, Gambill said. For some, he said that has included working 12-plus-hour days on top of second or third jobs. Gambill said educators cite a lack of professional respect as a contributing factor in the lack of teachers. In response, he said the union is calling on the Legislature to restore teachers’ ability to bargain contracts that include health and safety conditions, class sizes and prep periods.

Iowa

Des Moines: Most Iowans support United Auto Workers members over their Deere & Co. bosses in the 10,100-worker strike in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas, a Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll finds. About 58% of Iowa adults say they mostly side with Deere workers, compared to just 16% who mostly side with the employers. Another 19% are unsure, and 7% support neither group. With the strike in its fifth week, the UAW announced Friday that it had reached a tentative agreement with Deere. Union members, who have rejected two previous offers, were voting Wednesday on the latest pact. Striking UAW members have a majority or plurality of Iowans’ support regardless of political party, age, gender, educational attainment, religious affiliation, income bracket, or whether they live in a rural or urban area. Selzer & Co. conducted the poll of 810 adults Nov. 7-10. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. Elsie Carroll, 31, a customer service representative in Dubuque who participated in the poll, said she supports the workers because she believes they would sacrifice their paychecks to go on strike only if the company is failing them. UAW members on strike receive $275 a week from the union, far less than what they earn at Deere.

Kansas

Topeka: A high-ranking Republican lawmaker who is running for statewide office wants the upcoming special session to put an end to coronavirus contact tracing, calling the practice an invasion of privacy. State Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, made the suggestion to “stop this specific contact tracing” at a Monday meeting of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and Regulations. The GOP supermajority in both chambers of the Legislature forced Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to call a special session starting Nov. 22. Lawmakers are set to debate proposals on COVID-19 vaccine mandate exemptions and unemployment insurance for unvaccinated workers who lose their jobs, though additional measures could be proposed. Tyson, who is running for state treasurer, said during and after the meeting that she would want legislation removing virus contact tracing language from last session’s appropriations bill. But she demurred on whether she would introduce a bill or an amendment herself. The budget bill granted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment the authority to hire contact tracers and to adopt related regulations. It is unclear whether repealing the contact tracing provision as Tyson proposed would end the practice or remove some of the more arduous rules imposed by the Legislature.

Kentucky

Frankfort: The Appalachian Regional Commission has awarded more than $1.5 million in federal funds to five Kentucky projects that aim to address the region’s substance abuse crisis through recovery-to-work programs, Gov. Andy Beshear said. The grants announced Tuesday are part of an ARC initiative that focuses on funding efforts that help create recovery-friendly work environments and provide supports to those in recovery and their employers. The projects can also include job training. Since April 2021, ARC has invested $14.9 million in 47 related projects. A request for proposals for a third round of awards will be be announced in the coming weeks.

Louisiana

New Orleans: A state board granted parole Wednesday to Henry Montgomery, whose Supreme Court case was instrumental in extending the possibility of freedom to hundreds of people sentenced to life in prison without the opportunity for parole when they were juveniles. Montgomery, 75, was convicted in the 1963 killing of Charles Hurt, an East Baton Rouge sheriff’s deputy who caught him skipping school. Montgomery was 17 at the time. He was initially sentenced to death, but the state’s Supreme Court threw out his conviction in 1966, saying he didn’t get a fair trial. The case was retried and Montgomery convicted again, sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He served decades at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. A three-member board voted unanimously in favor of parole. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the meeting was held on Zoom, with Montgomery appearing on camera from the prison where he has spent his entire adult life. “He’s been in prison for 57 years. He has an excellent … disciplinary record. He is a low risk by our assessment. He’s got good comments from the warden. He has a very good prison record,” board member Tony Marabella said as he voted to approve Montgomery’s release with certain conditions, including a curfew and that he have no contact with the victim’s family.

Maine

Freedom: A wayward roadrunner is on the mend in the Pine Tree State after traveling across the country in a moving van. The greater roadrunner, a species native to Southwestern states, hitched a ride in the storage area of a moving van from Las Vegas to Westbrook, Maine. Volunteers took the bird to Avian Haven, a bird rehabilitation facility. Avian Haven representatives said they took the call about the bird Nov. 13, and it continued to rest Tuesday. They said in a Facebook post that the bird was in “remarkably good shape” for having been stuck in a van for four days but might have lost weight during the journey. The center is looking at ways to return the roadrunner to Nevada once it is healthy enough, said Diane Winn, Avian Haven’s executive director. The center has created a special habitat for the bird that is warmer than its typical outdoor areas while also being sufficiently roomy, the group said.

Maryland

Baltimore: A case of monkeypox has been confirmed in a Maryland resident who recently returned from Nigeria, state health officials announced Tuesday. The person had mild symptoms and is recovering in isolation but isn’t hospitalized, the Department of Health said in a news release. The general public doesn’t need to take any special precautions, officials said. People who may have been in contact with the person who was diagnosed with the illness have been identified, and public health authorities are continuing to follow up with them, Deputy Secretary for Public Health Dr. Jinlene Chan said in a statement. Monkeypox is in the same family of viruses as smallpox but generally causes a milder infection, officials said. It can be spread through direct contact with lesions or body fluids or via contaminated materials like clothing or large respiratory droplets. Illness typically begins with flu-like symptoms and lymph node swelling and progresses to a rash on the face and body. The people who may have been exposed in this case will be monitored for symptoms for 21 days after exposure. Human monkeypox infections primarily occur in central and western African countries and have only rarely been documented outside of Africa.

Massachusetts

Boston: Michelle Wu was sworn in Tuesday as the first woman and first person of color elected mayor in the city’s long history. The swearing-in of Boston’s first Asian American mayor came two weeks after Wu won the election. Before Wu, Boston had elected only white men as mayor. “City government is special. We are the level closest to the people, so we must do the big and the small. Every streetlight, every pothole, every park and classroom lays the foundation for greater change,” Wu said after taking the oath of office. “After all, Boston was founded on a revolutionary promise: that things don’t have to be as they always have been. That we can chart a new path for families now, and for generations to come, grounded in justice and opportunity,” she said. Wu, 36, takes over for a fellow Democrat – former acting Mayor Kim Janey – who was Boston’s first woman and first Black resident to serve in the top post, to which she was not elected. To push back against soaring housing costs that have forced some former residents out of the city, Wu has promised to pursue rent stabilization or rent control. The biggest hurdle to that proposal is the fact that Massachusetts voters narrowly approved a 1994 ballot question banning rent control statewide. Another of Wu’s top campaign promises is to create a “fare-free” public transit system.

Michigan

Grand Rapids: A federal judge retained jurisdiction Tuesday in a dispute over a Canadian oil pipeline that runs through a section of the Great Lakes, rejecting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s contention that the case belongs in state court. The clash over whether Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 should continue operating raises issues “under consideration at the highest levels of this country’s government” involving a U.S.-Canada treaty and federal pipeline safety regulation, U.S. District Judge Janet Neff ruled. The matter “is properly in federal court,” she wrote in a 15-page opinion that drew praise from Enbridge. Whitmer’s office expressed disappointment, and environmentalists ramped up pressure on President Joe Biden to intervene. Line 5 moves 23 million gallons daily of crude oil and natural gas liquids between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario, passing through northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A 4-mile section is divided into two pipes that cross the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. Whitmer ordered Enbridge last year to close the 68-year-old line, agreeing with Indigenous tribes, environmentalists and tourist businesses that it risks a devastating spill. Enbridge contends the line is safe and ignored the Democratic governor’s May 12 shutdown deadline.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: The Department of Defense will send medical teams to two major hospitals to relieve doctors and nurses who are swamped by a growing wave of COVID-19 patients, Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday. The teams, each comprising 22 people, will arrive at Hennepin County Medical Center and St. Cloud Hospital next week and begin treating patients immediately, Walz said in a conference call from the Finnish capital, Helsinki. the latest stop on his European trade mission. Minnesota has become one of the country’s worst hot spots for new coronavirus infections. Hospital beds are filling up with unvaccinated people, and staffers are being worn down by the surge. Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said Tuesday that she’s ready to expand access to booster vaccines to all adults by the end of the week if the federal government doesn’t act first. “Our best defense against this is the vaccine,” Walz told reporters. He noted that Minnesota is No. 2 in the county for the number of booster shots given, behind only Vermont, and that first doses have risen 60% over the past week. “And we know that that is our way out of this. … I need Minnesotans to recognize, as we’ve been saying, this is a dangerous time.”

Mississippi

Jackson: Saying it could be days before tap water is safe to drink, officials issued a citywide boil-water order the same day the Environmental Protection Agency was in town to tout the newly passed federal infrastructure bill. About 15,000 residents and businesses, mostly in south and west Jackson, were without water Monday and early Tuesday, city officials said. Water pressure is gradually being restored, and most residents should have at least some water coming out of the tap. “Obviously, this is not a position that we want to be in,” Jackson City Engineer Charles Williams said. The water is not safe to drink anywhere in the city until the Mississippi State Department of Health tests the water and declares it contaminant-free. The boil order will probably be lifted gradually as water pressure is restored, Williams said, with Thursday the soonest the order may be lifted in any part of Jackson. Williams said the city received a bad batch of aluminum chlorohydrate, a chemical used to treat drinking water, and workers shut down part of the water treatment system at the O.B. Curtis plant Saturday. None of the chemical made it into the city’s water supply, and residents were not exposed, Williams said.

Missouri

Springfield: State Attorney General Eric Schmitt sued the city’s school district Tuesday over its response to his office’s requests for records related to critical race theory and anti-racist teaching. Schmitt’s office submitted a Sunshine Law request in October seeking records from the district relating to how and whether it teaches critical race theory. Schmitt, a Republican running for Senate, alleges in the lawsuit that the district broke the law by demanding payment for services other than copies before it would make public records available to his office. He also contends the district didn’t use hourly rates that would have kept the cost of fulfilling the request as low as possible, as required by law. The district initially required a deposit of $37,000 to process the request before it began searching for records, according to the lawsuit. Schmitt’s lawsuit claims the district has used critical race theory in its teachers’ training for at least two years, citing as an example a training program in 2020 for about 170 teachers and staff that would “create shared understanding … around complex issues of systemic racism and xenophobia” and allow them to “receive tools on how to become anti-racist.” District spokesman Stephen Hall said in a statement that the district focuses on equity but does not teach critical race theory.

Montana

Great Falls: Native American tribes in the state – including the Blackfeet Nation, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and Fort Belknap Indian Community, as well as the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council – have expressed support for a bill that would establish a panel to look into the history of U.S. efforts to force assimilation. The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the U.S. Act would establish a formal, diverse commission to investigate and document Indian boarding school policies, including the U.S. government’s attempt to terminate Indigenous cultures, religions and languages. The commission should recommend practices for the federal government to acknowledge these atrocities and promote healing. The panel would also hold culturally sensitive public hearings for boarding school survivors and community members. The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council in October passed a resolution supporting congressional efforts in approving the act. Lauren Monroe Jr., council secretary, said past atrocities still influence Indigenous people today. “For Blackfeet people that don’t speak the language or don’t know our history, this isn’t so much in the past as it is in the present,” he said. “Until we have this conversation, there can’t be progress or healing.”

Nebraska

Scottsbluff: A fire that had burned about 2,560 acres in northwest Nebraska was about 40% contained, officials said Tuesday. The fire in the Buffalo Creek Wildlife Management Area in Scotts Bluff and Banner counties began Sunday, and efforts to contain it are expected to last through the week, The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said. The Buffalo Creek wildlife area is about 7 miles southeast of Gering and Scottsbluff. No homes had been burned, no injuries were reported, and no evacuations had been necessary, according to an update provided Tuesday. The firefighting effort has included helicopters, with 27 departments supplying resources and firefighters, who have been working 16-hour shifts, the Scottsbluff Star Herald reports. The National Weather Service posted a red flag warning for the area, which means any fire that ignites could grow rapidly. The area was reporting temperatures in the 50s and the 60s, 20% humidity and wind speeds of 20-30 mph.

Nevada

Las Vegas: A man’s admission that he voted twice in November 2020 in a case on which state Republicans seized to claim voter irregularities amounted to “a cheap political stunt” that backfired, a state court judge said Tuesday. Donald “Kirk” Hartle appeared by videoconference from his defense attorney’s office to plead guilty to a misdemeanor – voting more than once in the same election – and told Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny he accepted full responsibility for his actions and regrets them. Hartle’s attorney, David Chesnoff, prevented his client from having to describe publicly how he voted early using a ballot that had been mailed to his dead wife. Rosemarie Hartle died in 2017, but her name remained on the voter rolls. Chesnoff told the judge that state Attorney General Aaron Ford’s office agreed to reduce two felony charges against Hartle to the misdemeanor. Kierny made it clear she was unhappy with the deal but accepted it. Hartle was fined $2,000 and has to stay out of trouble for one year. The judge set a Nov. 17, 2022, date to review the result. “This seems to me to be a cheap political stunt that kind of backfired,” Kierny said, “and shows that our voting system actually works because you were ultimately caught.”

New Hampshire

Manchester: The city is getting a $25 million federal grant to help improve transportation in the South Millyard area. The grant was announced by the state’s congressional delegation Tuesday. “This project will mitigate traffic congestion, provide increased transportation options including biking and walking trails and a pedestrian bridge over Granite Street and create opportunities for development throughout South Elm Street,” Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig said in a statement. “This is a big deal for the City of Manchester.” The grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will be allocated through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant program. Manchester’s award ties with the state of New Mexico for the largest RAISE grant in the country this year.

New Jersey

Atlantic City: State lawmakers are proposing financial relief for the city’s casinos to help them continue to recover from the coronavirus pandemic by exempting two of the industry’s fastest-growing revenue streams from calculations on how much the casinos should pay the city. It would reduce payments for some casinos, including the Borgata, while imposing higher payments onto others, including Hard Rock. The bill, advanced Monday by a state Senate committee, is a renewal of a measure requiring the casinos to make payments in lieu of taxes to Atlantic City that was first enacted five years ago, when the city was reeling from the closure of five of its 12 casinos. There currently are nine casinos. Easily able back then to show that their businesses were worth less in a declining market, the casinos successfully appealed their property tax assessments year after year, helping to blow huge holes in Atlantic City’s budget. Meanwhile, New Jersey’s red-hot sports betting industry smashed its own national record in October for the highest amount of bets taken in a single month, topping $1.3 billion. That figure easily surpassed the $1.01 billion worth of bets that Atlantic City’s nine casinos and the three horse tracks that offer sports betting took in September.

New Mexico

Eunice: The city is looking to salty underground sources as it seeks an “unlimited” supply of water. The Eunice City Council recently voted to have a Hobbs-based engineering firm continue studying the benefits of building a desalination plant for the community. Amid depletion of fresh water from the Ogallala Aquifer continues, the council wants to know the feasibility of a proposed alternative: desalination of saline or brackish water. The Hobbs News-Sun reports it could cost about $5.5 million to build a plant, and the completion of the engineering study likely will provide a more accurate estimate. City Manager Jordan Yutzy told the councilors that the engineering work by Pettigrew and Associates will cost about $464,000. State funds are paying for the work. The engineering firm began the study last summer to determine whether water from underground brackish aquifers can economically be desalinated for human consumption. The Ogallala Aquifer underlies portions of eight states, in which agriculture, commercial industry and residences use more than is replenished from rainfall or snowmelt. Below the freshwater aquifer are saline and brackish water supplies that need to be treated, often at high cost, before human consumption.

New York

New York: A new effort to find a mass-transit solution for LaGuardia Airport after a $2 billion rail link project was put on hold amid criticism from public officials will look at options including ferry service, a subway extension and dedicated bus lanes. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, announced Tuesday that it has commissioned a panel to review alternatives for LaGuardia, one of the few major airports in the country without a rail link. The panel will consist of Mike Brown, former London transportation commissioner and managing director of Heathrow Airport; Janette Sadik-Khan, former New York City transportation commissioner; and Philip Washington, the CEO of Denver International Airport and a former CEO of Los Angeles Metro. Tom Wright, president and CEO of the Regional Plan Association, a New York-based think tank, called the formation of the panel “the right move at a critical time for our region.” A 1.5-mile elevated railway linking the airport to a rail station near CitiField in Queens was given environmental approved by federal regulators in July, but the plan prompted criticism from Gov. Kathy Hochul and other officials, as well as a lawsuit from an environmental group.

North Carolina

Raleigh: The largest school system in the state said none of its students went hungry Tuesday despite a sickout by school cafeteria workers demanding better pay and improved working conditions. Leaders at the Wake County Public School System warned parents that another sickout could affect food services at other schools Wednesday, The News & Observer of Raleigh reports. Late Monday evening, the Wake County school system alerted families at 32 schools that they should bring their own lunch on Tuesday because the system couldn’t guarantee meal service. But a tweet sent in the morning indicated the district was able to provide meals to every student who wanted one. The district provided bagged lunches to students, according to Lisa Luten, a school spokeswoman. Luten also said parents and local businesses and restaurants also brought in food for students Tuesday. WCPSS warned Tuesday night that 15 schools could be affected by staffing shortages Wednesday. The sickout comes as a 19% vacancy rate is forcing the cafeteria workers to do more work than before. Two weeks ago, dozens of WCPSS school bus drivers called out sick for a three-day protest that disrupted bus service for many students.

North Dakota

Bismarck: The Defense Department’s internal watchdog said its investigation into a $400 million border wall contract found it was properly awarded to a North Dakota firm whose owner used multiple appearances on Fox News to push for the job. The Pentagon’s inspector general on Monday released results of the audit, requested last year by House Homeland Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. He asked for the review of the contract awarded to Dickinson, North Dakota-based Fisher Sand and Gravel Co. by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that the company’s bid met standards and that the contract was awarded in accordance with federal procurement regulations. “We reviewed Fisher Sand and Gravel’s proposal, compared it to the solicitation, and agreed with (the Corps’) assessment that it was the LPTA (Lowest Price Technically Acceptable) and was properly awarded the contract,” the audit said. Company President Tommy Fisher is a GOP supporter and has appeared on conservative media touting his company as the best pick for building the wall that former President Donald Trump made a priority. The company was awarded a contract to build 31 miles of wall in Arizona but had little experience with such construction.

Ohio

Cleveland: A transit officer who was captured on surveillance video shoving a 68-year-old man off a rail platform and onto the tracks in February has been charged. Patrick Rivera, 41, pleaded not guilty to three charges, including first-degree misdemeanor assault, on Saturday, cleveland.com reports. Rivera was placed on unpaid leave after charges were filed, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority spokesperson Linda Scardilli Krecic told the news outlet. Rivera was called to the site because the man refused to move his belongings when asked by a custodian, cleveland.com reports. Rivera wrote in a report that the man was aggressive and lunged at him, at which point he shoved the man. Video footage shows that the interaction happened quickly and that Rivera and another officer prevented the man from immediately climbing back up onto the platform even though trains were active on that track. Rivera wrote two citations for the man after he shoved him, but prosecutors later dropped the charges after a psychologist found the man was not competent to stand trial because of mental illness. Rivera was not fired or suspended because he signed an agreement with RTA that he would be fired if he “makes another mistake” in the next year. Former RTA Police Chief Michael Gettings called Rivera’s actions “unacceptable.”

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Students across the metro area walked out of classes Wednesday in support of death row inmate Julius Jones, who is scheduled to be executed Thursday. Students at Northwest Classen, Classen SAS, Putnam City North, Harding Charter and John Marshall staged walkouts Wednesday morning. Students were seen congregating in parking lots and on football fields. The walkouts happened as Jones’ supporters awaited word from Gov. Kevin Stitt on whether he will grant Jones clemency ahead of his scheduled execution. Oklahoma City rapper and activist Jabee Williams, a longtime supporter of Jones, spoke to the students from Classen SAS, who marched about 10 blocks from their school to the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon. “Julius loves you, he appreciates you, and he knows he is not alone,” Williams said. “What you guys did today was so brave.” He said there is a dark cloud hanging over Oklahoma right now. “If this man is executed, there’s a part of us that will be executed too. We won’t be the same,” Williams said. Greg Robinson, a community organizer and supporter of Jones from Tulsa, also praised the students for their walkout in support of Jones. “Why is it that a group of high schoolers,” Robinson said, “got more courage than the people that walk through this building?”

Oregon

Salem: A philanthropist filed papers with the secretary of state on Tuesday to decriminalize sex work in Oregon, aiming to put the issue before voters in the 2022 election. “Sex worker rights are human rights, and the denial of those rights enables human trafficking,” said chief petitioner Aaron Boonshoft, who filed the prospective petition for the Sex Worker Rights Act. Advocates said Oregon’s laws that criminalize sex work make it difficult for workers to report rape, harassment and human trafficking to police, fearing they themselves could be arrested. Organizers of the effort said the proposal would end criminal penalties for participating in consensual adult sex work and add health and safety protections while maintaining laws against human trafficking. “Our current system is broken and harms sex workers,” said Anne Marie Backstrom, political director for the campaign. “Sex workers deserve to do their job without fear of arrest or violence, and, like all workers, they deserve access to health care, labor protections and public services.”

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: A bill to allow people to carry concealed weapons without a permit was passed by a divided state House on Tuesday but faces a veto threat from the governor. The parties were split in the vote, as occurred in the state Senate last week, with Republicans mostly supporting it and Democrats mostly opposed. Supporters said that getting concealed carry permits under current law can be subject to the whims of county sheriffs and that permit holders can forget when their licenses expire and therefore unknowingly violate the law. Opponents pointed out the proposal is unlikely to be enacted, as Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said he will veto the legislation, and argued the bill would make people less safe by making guns more readily accessible. Pennsylvanians are generally allowed to openly carry loaded firearms, although current law is silent on it. Only in Philadelphia is a permit required for it. The legislation sent to Wolf would remove Philadelphia’s open-carry permit requirement, as well as the state’s requirement for people to get a permit to carry a concealed weapon, including for storing them in their cars.

Rhode Island

Providence: Civil rights organizations have sued the state’s Department of Corrections on behalf of a man who alleges his rights were violated when he was held in solitary confinement for eight months as punishment for his complaints about prison conditions. The Rhode Island Center for Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island sued the state’s corrections director and other prison administrators at the behest of Joseph Shepard, 28, on Monday. In the lawsuit, Shepard alleges his constitutional rights to free speech and due process were violated when prison administrators put him in solitary confinement in retaliation for raising concerns. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections said the state disagreed that Shepard had served time in solitary confinement because the prison system “does not practice solitary confinement, as we have stated on the record numerous times.” Shepard claimed in the lawsuit that he brought concerns about prison conditions to administrators but was told to follow the formal grievance procedure. In response, Shepard sent documents to civil rights groups to bring attention to the cause. He was then placed in high-security segregation for eight months for being in possession of documents that had never been identified as contraband, he said.

South Carolina

Columbia: The state House will return to Columbia next month for a special session about redistricting. House Speaker Jay Lucas said the House will first meet at 2 p.m. Dec. 1 with the primary focus on approving the new state House, Senate and U.S. House districts based on 2020 U.S. census data. The chamber may also be in session Dec. 2 and Dec. 6 if necessary. The Senate hasn’t announced the dates it might meet in special session, but they are expected to gather in early December, too, because that would leave three months for legal challenges about the new maps to be resolved before filing for the new districts in the 2022 elections begins in March. The Legislature set aside only a few issues that can be taken up in the special session without a two-thirds vote. They include redistricting and spending billions of dollars in federal pandemic funds and from a settlement with the federal government over radioactive material stored past a deadline at the Savannah River Site. The list of items did not include COVID-19 vaccine or mask mandates. The General Assembly returns in January for the second year of its regular session.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: Gov. Kristi Noem’s daughter says she’ll quit the real estate appraiser business following scrutiny over whether her mother used her influence to aid her application for an appraiser license. Kassidy Peters slammed a legislative inquiry and news reporting on the episode in a letter to Secretary of Labor Marcia Hultman on Tuesday. She also released a document that a legislative committee was seeking to subpoena. Lawmakers were zeroing in on the timeline of a meeting Noem called last year that included Peters and key decision-makers in a government agency that had moved days earlier to deny her application for an upgrade to her appraiser certification. “I am writing you today to express my disappointment and anger that my good name and professional reputation continue to be damaged by questions and misinformation concerning the Appraiser Certification Program,” Peters wrote to Hultman in the letter. She told Hultman she would turn in her license by the end of the year, adding: “I’m angry and I can acknowledge that this has successfully destroyed my business.” The Republican-dominated Government Operations and Audit Committee had requested the document to confirm Hultman’s assertion that state regulators had already decided to give Peters another chance to win her appraiser certification prior to the meeting in the governor’s mansion. Noem echoed that defense in a later news conference. But the signed agreement with Peters is dated the week after the July 27, 2020, meeting.

Tennessee

Nashville: Universities, transportation agencies and the operator of a national laboratory are among those landing exemptions to a new state law that strictly limits or prohibits most government entities and businesses from implementing COVID-19 prevention mandates. For some, approval was almost immediate. Six of the 19 entities that submitted requests Monday – the first day to apply – were granted exemptions to the new law’s stringent requirements. Tennessee now largely bars governments and businesses from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination and only lets schools and other public entities require masks in rare, dire public health situations. Exemptions also are allowed if groups can show they would lose federal funding by complying with the state law, which conflicts with policies implemented by President Joe Biden’s administration. Early exemptions have been given to Vanderbilt University, the University of Tennessee system, the University of Memphis, East Tennessee State University and UT-Batelle, which operates Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Crockett County Ambulance Service also was approved, though state officials noted that certain Medicare and Medicaid providers are already exempt. Other medical providers also applied.

Texas

Austin: Democrat Beto O’Rourke said Wednesday that he has raised more than $2 million after announcing his campaign for governor Monday, showing a persistent ability to quickly pile up cash after coming off failed runs for the U.S. Senate and presidency. The money came from more than 31,000 donations in the first 24 hours, with 57% of the contributions coming from Texas, spokesman Abhi Rahman said. Small donors have powered O’Rourke’s massive fundraising hauls in the past, but his campaign did not disclose a breakdown of contribution sizes so far. The numbers showed an early burst of enthusiasm for the former El Paso congressman, who in one day raised more money than the entire campaign of Democrats’ little-known candidate for Texas governor in 2018. But O’Rourke still has a long way to catch or even approach Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who this summer reported having at least $55 million in his campaign account, more than any incumbent governor in the country. Abbott, who is seeking a third term, routinely collects six-figure donations in big money from Texas executives. The Lone Star State’s sheer size makes mounting a statewide campaign costly, and Abbott and O’Rourke are likely to make this among the most expensive governor’s races in the country.

Utah

Cedar City: Gov. Spencer Cox cut the ceremonial opening ribbon Monday for a new business center. The Cedar City Business and Innovation Center is meant to provide a space for community members, students and businesses to come together to discuss entrepreneurial ideas, said Brennan Wood, president of Southwest Technical College. In a speech, Cox touted the center as a place that could be used as a “model” for other business centers to open in the state, saying he sees these centers as playing an important role in Utah’s economic future. “This is how we future-proof our education system,” he said. “It’s how we future-proof our economy. We do that by working together and innovating together.” The Cedar City center is located on the grounds of Southwest Technical College but isn’t technically an extension of the college, as the center had many other partners in its opening. Those include Southern Utah University, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, the office of economic development for Cedar City and Iron County, and the Women’s Business Center of Utah. The center’s main mission is to help people handle the early challenges of starting a small business by offering office space, professional equipment, opportunities for business guidance and businesses classes.

Vermont

Montpelier: An audit has found that the cost of state employee health care jumped between 2010 and 2019 and urged changes to save money. The report released by State Auditor Doug Hoffer found that the cost of annual medical reimbursements for state employees, retirees and their families increased 51% in that time, from $94 million to $142 million. One reason the report identified for the increase was that different health providers charged different amounts for the same care. “The difference in prices paid for the exact same health care procedures under the State employee health plan is startling, especially since higher prices do not necessarily mean higher quality,” Hoffer said in a statement. The reports suggests that the state move to reference-based pricing, in which the state would set a maximum price it would pay for any service instead of paying the price negotiated by the health care provider and insurance company. Hoffer said that could save the state $16.3 million annually. A second suggestion is to provide state workers, retirees and their families with information about the cost of care and implement a cash incentive for them to use less expensive options. The report predicted this could save $202,000 annually if implemented for seven specific services.

Virginia

Fredericksburg: A school board rescinded a directive for staff to pull books with “sexually explicit” books from libraries early Tuesday after hours of passionate public comment. The Spotsylvania County school board voted 5-2 to reverse the order amid public backlash, but some board members said they’ll continue to take a stance against the inclusion of what they view as offensive material in school library books, The Free Lance-Star reports. Board members Rabih Abuismail and Kirk Twigg, who spoke of burning books at last week’s meeting, did not support the reversal. “I think we should throw those books on the fire,” Abuismail said at the Nov. 8 school board meeting, while Twigg said many “would like to see the books before we burn them so we can identify within our community that we are eradicating this bad stuff.” Monday’s specially called meeting on the matter was held at the Chancellor High School auditorium to accommodate the large number of speakers expected. It stretched past midnight as dozens of parents, students, teachers and librarians spoke, most in support of libraries and books. Two speakers, both high school students, spoke in favor of removing books from library shelves. Comments were cut off at midnight.

Washington

Spokane: The head of the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission that failed to meet its deadline for redrawing political maps urged state Supreme Court justices to consider their work nonetheless now that the high court will have to complete the process. The panel had a deadline of 11:59 p.m. Monday to approve new boundaries for congressional and legislative districts following the 2020 census but acknowledged Tuesday that it had not been able to complete its task on time. This is the first time the panel has failed to finish its work on time since the state adopted a constitutional amendment giving redistricting authority to a bipartisan commission after the 1990 census. “While we acknowledge we missed the deadline for our maps to be considered by the Legislature, we see no reason why the Court can’t do so,” Commission Chair Sarah Augustine said in a statement late Tuesday night. “These maps reflect the input of the thousands of people who took part in the process with us. It would be a shame to see these maps go unconsidered simply because the clock struck 12.” Despite the plea to the Supreme Court, many were critical of the process by the panel – especially in the final hours Monday night, when there were complaints its deliberations were closed to the public and may have violated open meetings laws.

West Virginia

Charleston: Two trees to be displayed in the West Virginia Capitol during the holidays will feature photos recognizing military and first responders. West Virginians can submit photos to be displayed on the trees, according to a news release from Gov. Jim Justice and first lady Cathy Justice. The trees will be placed in the west rotunda of the main Capitol building. A third tree will be decorated by Gold Star mothers and families to honor people who died while serving the country. Photos will not be returned, and photocopies should be submitted. The military recognition form and the first responder recognition form and tag are available online. Photos, submission forms and tags must be received by Nov. 29. They can be submitted by email to first.lady@wv.gov or regular mail to attention of Katie Morris, West Virginia Governor’s Mansion, 1716 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, WV 25305.

Wisconsin

Madison: Two top state Republicans are criticizing mandatory University of Wisconsin-Madison sexual violence prevention training that includes references to privilege, identity and critical race theory. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on Tuesday wrote a letter to the school chancellor demanding answers on why graduate students are required to watch the two-hour webinar that university spokesperson John Lucas said includes “a brief reference” to critical race theory, which he said is supported by academic research and noted in the citations. Critical race theory is an academic framework that centers on the idea that racism is systemic in U.S. institutions, which function to maintain the dominance of white people. It has become a catchall political buzzword for any teaching in schools about race and American history, and conservatives have seized on the concept to galvanize their base. Vos said it was “unacceptable” and “appalling” to mandate a class that “instills the university’s negative opinion of white students and the idea that students should feel guilty simply because of their race.” Gubernatorial candidate and former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch first drew attention to the training in a video she posted on Facebook last month.

Wyoming

Kemmerer: A small city in the top U.S. coal-mining state will be home to a Bill Gates-backed experimental nuclear power project near a coal-fired power plant that will soon close, officials announced Tuesday. Bellevue, Washington-based TerraPower will build its Natrium plant in Kemmerer, a southwestern Wyoming city of 2,600 where the coal-fired Naughton power plant operated by PacifiCorp subsidiary Rocky Mountain Power is set to close in 2025. “Our innovative technology will help ensure the continued production of reliable electricity while also transitioning our energy system and creating new, good-paying jobs in Wyoming,” TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque said in a statement. The project will employ as many as 2,000 people during construction and 250 once operational in a state where the coal industry has been shedding jobs. If it’s as reliable as conventional nuclear power, the 345-megawatt plant would produce enough climate-friendly power to serve about 250,000 homes. The announcement came days after officials from the U.S. and other countries pledged at a global climate-change summit in Scotland to continue working to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Surfboard proposal, Duke dorm opossum: News from around our 50 ...

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Gadsden: Hundreds of fish have been added to a creek as part of an ongoing effort to boost tourism. The Gadsden Times reports Black Creek was restocked Tuesday with about 1,100 pounds of trout above Noccalula Falls by the Rainbow Fly Fishing Club. The group also stocked 1,000 coppernose bluegill into the watershed in late March. Republican Rep. Craig Lipscomb, of Rainbow City, is a member of the fishing club and says its members are working with the city to fill a gap for activities at the falls in the winter months. Lipscomb says trout fishing in Georgia brings in tens of millions of dollars for the state, and Gadsden would benefit even from a fraction of that.

Alaska

Anchorage: A new FBI report says the state has the nation’s highest rate of sexual assault, and violent crime has increased. Alaska Public Media reports that the 2018 statistical analysis from the agency’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program says Alaska does not conform to a general national decline in violent crime. The annual report uses statistics from law enforcement agencies to provide an analysis of crime at the national, state and municipal levels. The report says violent crime in Alaska increased by 3% from 2017 to 2018 while falling 3% nationally. It says Alaska saw an 11% increase in the number of sexual assaults reported to law enforcement, while nationally there were 2.7% more assaults. The FBI says Alaskans reported four times more sexual assaults than the national rate.

Arizona

Phoenix: An increase of bald eagle breeding areas this year didn’t result in more nestlings in the state. Game and Fish Department officials say there were 71 eagle nestlings during the 2019 breeding season, down from 87 hatched last year. During the department’s annual bald eagle survey, raptor biologists counted a minimum of 74 occupied breeding areas statewide – up from the 69 counted last year. But the number of eggs laid dipped from 102 last year to 97 this year. The number of birds that made their first flight fell to 63 from the 70 recorded in 2018. Arizona’s bald eagle population has flourished since 1978, when 11 pairs were counted within the state and the species was listed as endangered. There currently are an estimated 74 adult breeding pairs.

Arkansas

Fayetteville: Court records show a former lobbyist who pleaded guilty to bribing three former state lawmakers will be sentenced this month. Rusty Cranford could face up to 10 years in federal prison for bribing Sen. Jon Woods, Rep. Hank Wilkins and Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, the nephew of Gov. Asa Hutchinson and son of former U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson. Cranford had hoped to increase revenue for the Missouri-based nonprofit Preferred Family HealthCare. Cranford also confessed to embezzling from the nonprofit where he worked. His attorney declined to comment. The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports court records posted Tuesday show he’ll be sentenced Nov. 25. A federal grand jury in Missouri indicted Cranford on one count of conspiracy and eight counts of accepting bribes.

California

Santa Rosa: A Northern California brewery owner upset with devastating fires sparked by Pacific Gas & Electric power lines is producing a beer he named “F--- PG&E,” and the brew has sparked a backlash. Steve Doty, owner of Shady Oak brewery in Santa Rosa, announced the new beer last week on a Facebook post. Doty tells SFGate he meant to draw attention to the negligence of PG&E executives and was stunned by the onslaught of critical comments by people who said they are related to utility employees. Others have attacked Shady Oak by giving it one-star reviews on Yelp and Google or calling the taproom with violent threats. Doty posted an apology to those upset by the beer name but says he is still standing by the name.

Colorado

Denver: A Muslim civil rights group is protesting after an arena security guard told a woman to remove her hijab before she could enter to see her 8-year-old daughter sing the national anthem with her school choir at a Denver Nuggets basketball game. Gazella Bensreiti said Wednesday that the guard told her to “take that thing off of my head” at the Pepsi Center box office Nov. 5. Bensreiti said she explained the scarf was for religious purposes. She said the guard replied that she didn’t care. After speaking with a supervisor, the guard ushered her inside. The Council on American-Islamic Relations protested the incident. Arena owner Kroenke Sports & Entertainment called the encounter a misunderstanding and said the guard didn’t recognize that Bensreiti was wearing a hijab.

Connecticut

Hartford: Republicans in the state Senate are unveiling an alternative transportation plan they say doesn’t rely on tolls or tax increases. Thursday’s plan from the minority party in Connecticut’s Senate comes a day after Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont pitched his 10-year, $21.3 billion initiative to Senate Democrats. While the Democrats liked projects in Lamont’s proposal, they didn’t like how it includes 14 tolls on bridges across the state. It’s unclear whether the GOP’s plan will ultimately lay the groundwork for a compromise on an issue that has vexed the state for years. Like Lamont’s plan, the 10-year, nearly $18 billion Senate Republican plan also relies on low-cost borrowing from the federal government. Instead of using toll money to pay off the loans, it banks on money from the state’s dedicated transportation fund.

Delaware

Wilmington: The state’s birding community is mourning the loss of Wilmington resident William “Bill” Stewart Jr., who died Tuesday after battling cancer, while celebrating his legacy of conservation and determination. Stewart, 67, was a well-known birder, conservationist, educator and former gymnastics coach who helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to permanently preserve nearly 2,000 acres of land for future generations of birders and Delawareans through the Delaware Bird-A-Thon program he started in 2006. He helped put the First State on the birding map by showing visitors and locals the state’s beauty and international role in shorebird migrations. The Bird-A-Thon effort has raised more than $400,000, which has helped protect properties and start a hawk watch program in northern Delaware, as well as a science education grant for researchers. A celebration of life for Stewart will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday at the Delaware Nature Society’s Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin.

District of Columbia

Washington: A landlord in the district is being forced to pay $1.1 million in rent payments to former residents who homes were plagued by pests, mold and raw sewage and violated housing and fire codes. The Washington Post reports D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine announced Wednesday that Sanford Capital LLC will pay the settlement to 155 former residents “forced to live in squalor.” Racine’s office had sued the Bethesda, Maryland-based company for violating consumer protection laws. For years, tenants struggled with unsanitary and poor conditions that left many without heat in winter months. Prosecutors said some residents also lacked working toilets, stoves or refrigerators. They say Sanford refused to fix some broken locks and didn’t maintain fire extinguishers, a move made even more dangerous by missing or broken smoke detectors.

Florida

Orlando: It’s light and bright in all the merriest of ways at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom this holiday season. For the first time since the park opened in 1998, there’ll be holiday-themed entertainment and decor throughout the 500-acre park, with twinklers lining rooftops and other new seasonal touches at the park, now Central Florida’s second most popular theme park, behind Magic Kingdom. At DinoLand, Donald’s Dino-Bash, the dance party is complemented by holiday decorations chosen by Donald Duck’s pals, with all kinds of holiday merch available for sale at the gift shop. Diwali, India’s festival of lights, is celebrated over in Asia, while in Africa, African celebrations blend with Western traditions, making a stroll through Harame for food and shopping a colorful mix of tastes and treats.

Georgia

Atlanta: A nonpartisan organization has placed a national debt clock downtown ahead of a Democratic presidential debate coming to the city. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports New York-based Peter G. Peterson Foundation placed the billboard on Ted Turner Drive between Walton and Marietta streets, near Centennial Olympic Park. The clock displays the nation’s nearly $23 trillion debt and pegs each American’s share of the number at about $68,000. CEO Michael A. Peterson says the debt issue affects everyone, not just lawmakers. He says he hopes the billboard sparks conversation on the enormous debt and ways to manage it. The foundation says the clock will remain in the city indefinitely. The Democratic debate will be Wednesday at Tyler Perry Studios in southwest Atlanta.

Hawaii

Honolulu: A man was surfing with his girlfriend when – instead of hanging 10 – he knelt down on one knee on his board and proposed. Hawaii News Now reports Lauren Oiye said yes just before Chris Garth dropped the ring in the ocean. Multiple photographers nearby captured the Sunday moment. Luckily, he had a spare. Garth said he knew it could go wrong, so he used a stand-in while they were out in the water. The real ring was on shore at Queen’s Beach in Waikiki, where the two met years before.

Idaho

Rexburg: Brigham Young University-Idaho has stopped accepting Medicaid as health insurance coverage, forcing full-time students to buy a university-backed plan. University officials say health plans could be purchased for at least $81 a month for single students and up to $678 a month for a family. Officials say a student form used to opt out of the school health plan was updated this month reflecting the change in policy. Open enrollment for Medicaid expansion began Nov. 1. State health officials say Madison County has the highest concentration of potential Medicaid expansion enrollees in the state. Students say a reason for the change has not been disclosed. Some students argue the plan is expensive and has limited coverage. The university declined multiple requests for comment.

Illinois

Springfield: A copy of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address that was handwritten by the 16th president himself is going on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum for two weeks. In a news release, the museum says it will display the copy – one of only five surviving copies written by Lincoln – from Thursday through Dec. 2. The display coincides with the anniversary of Lincoln’s delivery of the brief speech Nov. 19, 1863, at the height of the Civil War. The document that stays in a climate-controlled space most of the time to protect it from light and humidity will be housed in the museum’s Treasures Gallery. The address that begins famously with the words: “Four score and seven years ago … ” is handwritten on plain white paper.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Gov. Eric Holcomb isn’t promising any quick action on the call for further boosting teacher pay that thousands of educators will be making at the Statehouse next week. Teacher unions say at least 107 school districts with more than 40% of Indiana’s students will be closed Tuesday while their teachers attend the rally. Holcomb didn’t criticize school districts for closing the day of the union-organized rally, saying it was a local decision. The Republican governor said Thursday that he applauds teachers for expressing their concerns, but he’s waiting for a teacher pay commission he appointed to make recommendations by the end of next year. The rally dubbed “Red for Ed Action Day” will happen on the day legislators are gathering for organization meetings ahead of their 2020 session.

Iowa

Des Moines: The Slaughterhouse has a new home downtown. The haunted attraction, which has become a staple in Iowa, has begun moving to the old Bank of America building. To break in the new digs, set to open fully next September, Slaughterhouse will host a Krampus Krawl. The event will begin Dec. 7 with an all-age photo op before the crawl to four Full Court Press establishments. Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure described as “half-goat, half-demon” in Austro-Bavarian Alpine folklore. During the Christmas season, Krampus punishes children who have misbehaved, as opposed to Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas, who rewards well-behaved children with gifts. Tickets are available online. General admission tickets include a Glow Stein for one free pour at each of the four Full Court Press stops.

Kansas

Wichita: The City Council has approved a public financing package worth about $35.5 million to subsidize the creation of a medical school. The Wichita Eagle reports the package approved Tuesday will help create a campus for training osteopathic physicians. Called the Kansas Health Science Center, the new school will be built in the former Finney State Office Building. Once the center of state government in Wichita, the building was abandoned in favor of leasing privately owned office space across the city. Plans also call for three other buildings to be transformed – one into student housing, another into a dining hall and culinary center, and the third into a boutique hotel. The bulk of the money for the development will come from tax abatements.

Kentucky

Frankfort: A federal court is allowing a man to personalize a license plate with the phrase “IM GOD” after a three-year legal battle over the custom engraving. Court documents show Ben Hart, a self-identified atheist, set out to get the Kentucky plate in 2016. But Hart’s request was denied by the state transportation department on the basis it violated antidiscrimination guidelines. News outlets report similar plates had been approved before, including “TRYGOD” and “NOGOD.” Kentucky’s American Civil Liberties Union and the Freedom From Religion Foundation got involved to help Hart challenge the decision. In an opinion Wednesday by a U.S. District Court in Frankfort, the judge ruled that “vanity plates” are private speech protected by the First Amendment and that the state had violated Hart’s rights by denying him the plate.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: A legislative auditor says 18 cities, towns and villages may be close to reaching bankruptcy or may have the inability to provide basic services to residents in the future based on the municipalities’ most recent financial information. The Monroe News Star reports Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera compiled a list of “fiscally distressed municipalities” and added it the auditor’s website. The municipalities range from small villages like Epps in northeastern Louisiana to larger towns like Winnsboro in central Louisiana. Purpera says the list is a way to alert the public and officials of the problems so they can be easily addressed. The list includes concerns for each municipality, including incomplete or inaccurate financial information, insufficient utility rates, debt and rural water infrastructure problems.

Maine

Harpswell: The town wants the Navy to protect the clam flats as part of its remediation plan for the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. The Harpswell Conservation Commission has argued the stormwater system that brings water from ponds at the former Navy base to Mare Brook and Harpswell Cove should be extended. The commission told the environmental coordinator for the closure process that the Navy has an obligation to investigate the impact of the stormwater system. The Times Record reports that an investigation of the pond system had found several heavy metals including lead, arsenic and cadmium that could potentially reach nearby clam flats. Paul Plummer, Harpswell’s harbormaster, says the Harpswell side of the Harpswell Cove alone holds $100,000 worth of shellfish.

Maryland

Baltimore: The city has reached 300 homicides in a year for the fifth year in a row. Detective Donny Moses told WBAL-AM the total reached 300 Thursday morning with the shooting deaths of a man and a woman. The Baltimore Sun reports the city is on track to see one of its most violent years on record. The city recorded 309 homicides last year and 342 the year before. Democratic Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young addressed the homicide rate at a news conference Wednesday. He said the city is working to reduce the crime rate, and leaders aren’t to blame. Young took over as mayor this spring after Democrat Catherine Pugh resigned amid investigations into her business dealings. He’s running for reelection in 2020 against a dozen challengers, some of whom criticized his comments Wednesday.

Massachusetts

Sudbury: The Sky Bar, the multiflavored chocolate bar divided into four sections, is back on the market after a yearlong hiatus. The Boston Globe reports that production of the confection has resumed at a suburban gourmet shop less than a year after the owner bought rights to the brand in an online auction. The Sky Bar made its debut in 1938 but was discontinued last year when the New England Confectionery Co., also known as Necco, went out of business. Louise Mawhinney, owner of Duck Soup in Sudbury, bought the rights to the Sky Bar in January. The candy bar, divided into caramel, vanilla, peanut and fudge sections, is available in the store and online for $1.98. After the holidays, Mawhinney plans to get a wholesale license and ramp up operations.

Michigan

Jackson: A museum at a former southern Michigan prison is closing at the end of December. Cell Block 7 in Jackson allows visitors to step into the cells and walk the corridors of what was once the largest walled institution in the world. The museum’s website invites people to “spend some time on the inside” during a self-guided tour. The museum opened five years ago under an agreement between the state of Michigan and the Ella Sharp Museum, also in Jackson. Ella Sharp director Diane Gutenkauf says the costs are too high. Gutenkauf says some artifacts from the prison museum will be available at the Sharp museum, including oral histories of people who worked there or were inmates. The last day at the prison museum will be Dec. 29.

Minnesota

St. Paul: The battle over the name of a popular Minneapolis lake has landed before the Minnesota Supreme Court. Justices heard arguments Wednesday on whether the state Department of Natural Resources has the authority to change the name of Lake Calhoun to its original Dakota name, Bde Maka Ska. The state Court of Appeals ruled in April that the agency overstepped its authority in January 2018 when it changed the name. It said authority to change the name rested with the Legislature under statutes governing lake and other place names. KARE-TV reports Save Lake Calhoun attorney Erick Kaardal argued the legislature enacted a policy that says lake names that have been used more than 40 years cannot be changed without lawmakers granting additional authority. It could take the court months to make a decision.

Mississippi

Rolling Fork: The state is naming a stretch of land in the south Delta in honor of the two-term governor who is leaving office in January. Officials gathered Wednesday to dedicate the Phil Bryant Wildlife Management Area. The 18,000-acre site in Warren and Issaquena counties is made up of bayous, cypress sloughs and bottomland hardwoods. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Director Sam Polles says the area is divided into four tracts that will offer different types of hunting, including group hunts in a primitive setting. The department worked with the Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to buy the land in 2018 from Anderson-Tully Company. Republican Bryant said during the dedication ceremony that he looks forward to bringing his grandchildren hunting on the land.

Missouri

Jackson: A rescued puppy is attracting a lot of attention because of his resemblance to a unicorn. The nearly 10-week-old puppy, named Narwhal, has a tail-like appendage growing from his forehead. Narwhal was rescued over the weekend and sent to Mac’s Mission in Jackson, which specializes in fostering animals with special needs. Mac’s Mission founder Rochelle Steffen says Narwhal doesn’t notice the extra tail and is otherwise a happy, healthy puppy. Although it looks like a tail, Narwhal cannot wag it. Steffen says the rescue group has been flooded with requests from people wanting to adopt Narwhal since his picture hit social media. But he’ll remain at Mac’s Mission so his caretakers can be sure the tail doesn’t grow out of proportion to his face and cause him problems.

Montana

Butte: A fish hatchery will be locked at night and begin using security cameras after vandals mutilated several fish. The Montana Standard reports the perpetrators killed about 20 rainbow trout, broke windows and tossed items into water channels at the Ennis National Fish Hatchery. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the Oct. 27 vandalism at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service facility about 88 miles southeast of Butte. Sheriff Phil Fortner says a witness saw a yellow ATV near the hatchery, but no suspects have been identified. Hatchery Manager Ron Hopper says the fish were cut with garden hoes, ice choppers or other tools. Hopper says that for the previous 80 years, the hatchery was left unlocked for after-hours visitors.

Nebraska

Lincoln: The state Transportation Department is offering to produce and emplace roadside memorials as a way to keep highways free of roadside safety hazards. The new departmental policy announced Wednesday says each sign will display the name of the person being memorialized and include one of five safety messages: “Please Drive Safely,” “Seat Belts Save Lives,” “Don’t Drink and Drive,” “Don’t Text and Drive” or “Don’t Drive Impaired.” The sign will be placed as near to the accident site as possible. Family members who have placed private memorials alongside state highways are encouraged to contact their local department offices to discuss disposition of the memorials and get information on the state installing new signs. The department’s Jeni Campana says the state-produced signs would be of a familiar design and would pose less of a safety hazard than the irregular appearance of private memorials.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Elon Musk’s Boring Co. will begin drilling an underground tunnel Friday for the Las Vegas Convention Center’s forthcoming people mover. To officially kick off the tunneling phase of the company’s first commercial project, the boring machine will be turned on 40 feet below ground. The $52.5 million underground people mover will allow convention attendees to travel the expanse of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s 200-acre campus in approximately one minute, according to officials. The transportation system will include three passenger stations that connect the convention center’s 3.2 million-square-foot space with the 1.4 million-square-foot West hall that is now under construction. Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority officials say plans call for the expansion project to be completed by January 2021.

New Hampshire

Durham: After facing criticism over its prior annual holiday celebrations, the town is making some tweaks, planning a “Frost Fest” without a tree-lighting ceremony or grand entrance from Santa. WMUR-TV reports in past years Durham’s held a tree-lighting ceremony. But after some concerns that the event was too focused on Christmas, a working group was formed to make changes, such as not hanging wreaths on light posts. The Frost Fest is billed as a “winter celebration” with a bonfire, cookie decorating, ice sculpting, crafts and activities. Last year, town officials were under fire for denying a menorah to be displayed next to the tree decorated annually at a local park. The officials cited vandalism concerns.

New Jersey

Toms River: The state has drumsticked up a plan to deal with flocks of wild turkeys that are ruffling some feathers in a Jersey Shore neighborhood. And it doesn’t involve them winding up on dinner plates in two weeks. The state Department of Environmental Protection will trap scores of turkeys that have descended on a retirement community in Toms River and relocate them. The move comes as some residents say large flocks of turkeys have invaded the area, pecking at cars – and at some people who venture too close. Others say they give the birds a wide berth and haven’t experienced any problems. Toms River residents who have run a-fowl of the birds include former New York Yankees and Mets baseball player Todd Frazier, whose SUV was covered by turkeys recently.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: Federal and state officials have reached an agreement they say will strengthen their relationship as they work to improve forest conditions in the state. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen signed the so-called shared stewardship agreement during a gathering Thursday in Santa Fe. The agreement has been a work in progress over years and will address issues such as wildfires, drought and invasive species. Officials say the challenges faced by land managers transcend boundaries and affect people beyond the jurisdiction of any single organization, so they have to find new ways of working together and doing business at a greater pace and scale. Under the agreement, the state and national forests plan to evaluate opportunities, threats and alternatives for risk management.

New York

New York: Until recently, New York City police secretly kept fingerprints of children arrested as juveniles on file permanently in a department database. It’s an illegal practice that raised alarms about the lengths the nation’s largest police force has taken to keep tabs on the city’s youth. The Legal Aid Society uncovered the yearslong practice. The public defender organization pressured the police department to acknowledge it and threatened legal action to make it stop, citing a state law barring local police from stockpiling juveniles’ fingerprints. Now, after years of wrangling and resistance, the NYPD said Wednesday that it has purged all juvenile fingerprints records from the database and will no longer keep them indefinitely. The Legal Aid Society said the database contained the fingerprints of tens of thousands of New York City youths.

North Carolina

Durham: An opossum has illegally taken up residence in the ceiling of a Duke University dorm, where students have been complaining about being bitten by fleas. The school’s assistant vice president of student affairs, Joe Gonzalez, told reporters Wednesday that the school has yet to catch the elusive opossum about which students first complained in October. He says the creature has escaped custody partly because it appears to be splitting its time between the Few Quad dorm and somewhere else. Reports of fleas also began to surface last month, prompting the school to put students up in another dorm while they fumigated the place. Gonzalez says the opossum may have brought the fleas, but that’s unconfirmed. Irritated students are questioning why they’re dealing with such conditions at a $78,608-per-year school.

North Dakota

Bismarck: State officials have given an estimate on how much oil was spilled from a pipeline leak in Williams County last month. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality says an estimated 12,432 gallons of oil leaked from a pipeline operated by Hiland Crude about a mile northeast of McGregor on Oct. 17. The department says the oil leaked onto cropland. Department staff have inspected the site and say they will continue to monitor remediation.

Ohio

Dayton: A traveling exhibit celebrating the service and heroism of military working dogs and the sacrifices they make during battle is being displayed at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The exhibit titled “Canine Warriors – Courage and Sacrifice, Always Beside You” features wooden sculptures of eight Wounded Warrior Dogs and four Canine War Dogs and is now on display at the museum in Dayton. Ohio craftsman James Mellick designed the exhibit to be symbolic of the wounds suffered by military dogs in battle and to raise awareness of their needs. The exhibit also features art depicting working military dogs from the Air Force Art Program. It will remain at the museum through Jan. 31.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: District attorneys are raising concerns about a proposed new ballot measure aimed at further reducing the state’s prison population. In a statement late Tuesday, Oklahoma District Attorneys Association President Jason Hicks says one problem is that crimes like child trafficking, aggravated assault and battery, and domestic abuse aren’t technically violent crimes under state law. The proposed state question filed Tuesday would prohibit prosecutors from using previous nonviolent felony convictions to enhance prison sentences. Hicks says state prosecutors are still examining the proposal, but there are already elements that would be “detrimental, if not catastrophic, for public safety.” District Attorney Angela Marsee says ignoring past convictions of repeat offenders is “detrimental to our mission.”

Oregon

Medford: Traditional Christmas feasts featuring Dungeness crab may not be in the cards this year, as officials have delayed the commercial crabbing season due to the small size of the crustaceans. The Mail Tribune reports the season had been set to start Dec. 1 for Oregon’s most lucrative commercial fishery, but now crabbing has been postponed until at least Dec. 16. It’s the sixth straight year the season has been delayed to allow the crabs a chance to fatten up to meet industry standards. Dungeness crabs off the coasts of Washington and California also have low meat levels in their shells, prompting similar delays in those states. Tests planned for late November or early December will determine whether commercial crabbers can start plying the Pacific beginning Dec. 16.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: The FBI has begun a corruption investigation into how Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration came to issue permits for construction on a multibillion-dollar pipeline project to carry highly volatile natural gas liquids across the state. FBI agents have interviewed current or former state employees in recent weeks about the Mariner East project and the construction permits, according to three people who have direct knowledge of the agents’ line of questioning. All three spoke on condition of anonymity. The focus of the agents’ questions involves the permitting of the pipeline, whether Wolf and his administration forced environmental protection staff to approve construction permits, and whether Wolf or his administration received anything in return, those people say.

Rhode Island

Providence: A federal judge has sided with the cities of Providence and Central Falls after they challenged the conditions of U.S. Department of Justice public safety grants they said in a lawsuit would turn local police into federal immigration agents. District Court Judge John McConnell Jr. said in a ruling Thursday that “Congress has not granted the power to impose the conditions the DOJ imposed.” The federal government, among other things, wanted cities receiving public safety grants to notify federal agents when immigrants in the country illegally are about to be released. Attorneys for the cities said in a statement that they are pleased the court “found DOJ’s attempts requiring our police departments to be agents of a federal immigration system to be unlawful.”

South Carolina

Clemson: Bars throughout downtown in this college town are now signed on to the Angel Shot program, offering patrons a way to request help when they don’t feel safe. The simple order – “one Angel Shot, please” – is meant to be a simple solution to combat sexual violence and assault in the university’s entertainment district. An “Angel Shot” is not an actual drink. It is a code word that signals to a bartender or barback that a customer feels unsafe, typically from a potential perpetrator of sexual violence. From there, the bar’s staff will find that customer safe passage out of the bar and home. The Angel Shot program was implemented in every bar downtown this fall semester by Clemson University Student Government, which partnered with Pickens County Advocacy Center, Clemson City Police Department and Clemson’s Healthy Campus for the initiative.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: A man sentenced to 90 years in prison for killing his stepfather has petitioned the court in Minnehaha County to change his name because he wants a fresh start. Thirty-five-year-old Daniel Charles was 14 when he was sent to prison in 2000 for first-degree murder in Meade County. He was accused of putting a rifle to his stepfather’s head and pulling the trigger at a ranch near Opal. He told law enforcement at the time that he didn’t know the gun was loaded. Charles’ petition says he wants to change his name to Rameus Tiberius Aryada to start a new life with an adult identity. The South Dakota Department of Corrections lists Charles’ earliest parole eligibility as March 2045.

Tennessee

Nashville: The Tennessee State Museum is collecting stories of cultural identity, immigration and migration from the public. The project called Your Story, Our Story uses everyday objects as an entry point for these personal stories. Members of the public can add their own stories and read the stories of others on the Tennessee State Museum’s website. Because the museum is currently showcasing an exhibit on Tennessee food, it is especially encouraging visitors to add images and stories of recipes, cookware, dinnerware and ingredients that carry meaning in their families. Your Story, Our Story is an initiative of the Tenement Museum in New York City and partners across the U.S. that include museums, colleges, schools, libraries and community groups.

Texas

Robstown: With help from Nueces County Public Libraries, county Judge Barbara Canales led local students on a “bear hunt” at Oscar O. Ortiz Park on Wednesday evening. Despite the biting cold, Canales gamely led the students down a path to read from “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen. The county unveiled StoryWalk, a new feature at the park in which pages of picture books are displayed in wooden stands along paths so residents can read while they walk. It’s an effort to promote literacy and physical activity, and the county plans to implement StoryWalk at more parks. Canales and the kids read aloud together as the characters braved tall grass, a deep river, a forest and mud along their search for a bear. Canales called out to the students to stomp in big strides, run and tip-toe like the characters to bring the story to life.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. on Thursday announced his 2020 candidacy for the Republican nomination for the office that he held from 2005 to 2009 before leaving to serve as a U.S. ambassador. Huntsman announced his candidacy in a statement before a scheduled kickoff swing Thursday and Friday to Cedar City and St. George in southern Utah. Incumbent Republican Gov. Gary Herbert is not running for reelection, and Huntsman has said he was considering a run for governor. Huntsman served as U.S. ambassador to China in the Obama administration and as U.S. ambassador to Russia in the Trump administration. Other Republicans in the 2020 race include Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, Utah County businessman Jeff Burningham and Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton.

Vermont

Montpelier: Five groups are sharing more than $1 million to use phosphorus recovery technologies as the state works to reduce algae-causing phosphorus runoff into Lake Champlain and other waterways. It’s part of the Vermont Phosphorus Innovation Challenge announced last year to generate creative solutions to the phosphorus pollution in the state. Officials estimate about 38% of the phosphorus load in the lake comes from agricultural land. Gov. Phil Scott said Thursday that the state received 21 applicants for the funds. The finalists include Agrilab Technologies of Enosburg Falls. The governor’s office says the group will use existing phosphorus recovery technologies, composting and drying equipment to create a series of sites for phosphorus processing in Franklin, Addison, Lamoille and Caledonia counties.

Virginia

Richmond: A task force has been created to come up with ways to help mitigate and prevent evictions in the city. The group will include affordable housing and social justice advocates, youth and family homelessness specialists, public housing residents and property management professionals. Mayor Levar Stoney said in a news release that the group will work with the city’s Eviction Diversion Program, which began last month to provide rental assistance, free legal help, financial counseling and supportive service referrals to residents who are facing eviction. Stoney said the task force will explore steps the city can take to better understand the root causes of evictions. A research group at Princeton University found that Richmond and four other Virginia cities have some of the highest eviction rates in the country.

Washington

Seattle: A weeklong hearing will help determine whether a small American Indian tribe from the northwest corner of Washington state can once again hunt whales. The Makah Tribe conducted its last legal hunt in 1999, when its crew harpooned a gray whale from a cedar canoe. A U.S. appeals court later revoked permission for the hunts, saying the tribe needed to obtain a waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The tribe has been trying to obtain the waiver since 2005, a process that has been repeatedly stalled by scientific reviews. The hearing beginning Thursday will focus on whether the tribe meets the requirements for the waiver. Animal rights groups oppose the effort. Whatever the outcome, the matter is likely to end up in federal court.

West Virginia

Charleston: The West Virginia Board of Education will give the public 60 days to comment on a proposal on charter schools, double the normal allotted time. The board put the policy proposal up for comment Thursday. Legislation signed by Gov. Jim Justice authorizes a staggered implementation of public charter schools, limiting the state to three charters until 2023, then three more every three years after that. The legislation was part of a broader education bill that included teacher pay raises. The West Virginia Education Association and the West Virginia chapter of the American Federation of Teachers have lambasted the bill, saying it shut out teachers’ voices and violates the state Constitution.

Wisconsin

Madison: Gov. Tony Evers is asking the Republican leaders of the Legislature’s budget committee to release $3.7 million a year in funding to pay for programs designed to help homeless people. Evers sent a letter Thursday to the committee cochairs, urging them to make available the funding that has been pending for four months. Evers is seeking action now before winter sets in. He says with cold temperatures and snow across the state already, “my concern has only grown.” The funding would go toward such things as grants to help low-income people with housing costs, help fund emergency shelters and pay for support to help homeless people get into permanent housing. The Assembly passed bills to approve the funding, but they’ve stalled in the Senate.

Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park: The National Park Service says snowy weather last month likely cut down on visitors to Yellowstone during October. The agency recorded just over 170,000 visitors during the month, a 22% decrease from October 2018. So far in 2019, the park has hosted over 3.9 million visitors, which is down 2.5% from the same period last year. Yellowstone is entering its winter season, when visits to the park are typically the lowest of the year.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

RoboCop, Jimmy Carter: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Homewood: State regulators have suspended the alcohol license of a Birmingham-area bar over alleged violations of the state’s pandemic health order in what an official described as the first such case under COVID-19 rules. Regulators accused Grocery Brewpub in Homewood of violating rules about face mask requirements, occupancy limits and social distancing, Alabama ABC spokesman Dean Argo told WBMA-TV. The emergency suspension issued Tuesday was Alabama’s first license suspension linked to pandemic health rules, he said. Photos shared recently on social media showed people packed into the nightspot with few face masks visible. Bar owner Rayford Cook told the station the business was cited for violating Alabama’s mask ordinance, which requires facial coverings in public. “I look forward to our upcoming hearing regarding this matter and addressing it so we can provide a safe environment for patrons to enjoy in the future,” Cook said in a statement. A hearing is expected in April, but the business cannot serve alcohol until then. An order that has been in place since July requires face masks in public when within 6 feet of someone from another household.

Alaska

Anchorage: The city’s health department has arranged mobile clinics to provide COVID-19 vaccinations specifically targeting members of Alaska’s community of Pacific Islanders. The clinics Tuesday and Thursday were the first targeting a specific community since the pandemic began, the Anchorage Daily News reports. The focused clinic strategy was used by the department during past illness outbreaks. There were about 160 appointments available for the two clinics, officials said. “In order to make sure some of these other groups get access, we basically created some private clinics,” said Christy Lawton, Anchorage’s public health division manager. “We’ll still serve people who are eligible, but we’re not getting the message out the same way.” The clinics were advertised via word of mouth among Pacific Islanders rather than the usual appointment sites accessible to the public, officials said. “The minute any appointments go on those, they go like hotcakes. People with time to sit at a computer and refresh to get them,” Lawton said. The targeted clinics were possible because Anchorage health officials had discretion in the use of monthly vaccine supplies from the state, allowing the city to do “pocket allocations.”

Arizona

Phoenix: With COVID-19 cases dipping and teachers getting vaccinated, some school districts are looking to return to in-person learning as early as next month. The Osborn School District in Phoenix, which has been doing virtual learning full time since the start of the school year, will welcome students back into classrooms March 30. A survey conducted by the district found 90% of staff have already been vaccinated. Ylenia Aguilar, president of the district’s governing board, said officials expect that number to be closer to 95% in March. She knows the district has been very lucky. “We’ve been able to work and partner up and had access to multiple vaccination opportunities, which we know is not the case for other school districts in other areas, specifically rural areas,” Aguilar said. “We are ready to open.” The state Department of Education’s top official promised to help districts across the state safely transition back to in-person learning. But that would likely not look the same as before. The state wants to make sure mitigation measures such as plexiglass between desks and up-to-date ventilation systems are in place, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman said.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The number of people hospitalized because of the coronavirus dropped Wednesday to its lowest point since the fall as the state added 803 new virus cases. The Department of Health said the state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped by 49 to 496, the fewest since Oct. 3. The state’s coronavirus cases now total 317,396 since the pandemic began. The state’s COVID-19 deaths increased by 10 to 5,387. Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases in Arkansas has decreased by nearly 72%, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers. Arkansas received 22,500 more doses of the vaccine since Tuesday. The department said 553,004 of the 887,090 vaccine doses allocated to the state so far had been given. Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday announced the state was lowering the eligibility age for the vaccine from 70 to 65. “As anticipated, we are receiving additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine,” he said in a statement released by his office. “By expanding the eligibility of those who can get the vaccine to 65 and older, we will continue to administer these shots as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

California

Los Angeles: Los Angeles County on Wednesday reported another 806 deaths from COVID-19 during the winter surge, pushing California’s toll above 50,000, or about one-tenth of the U.S. total from the pandemic. The county, which has a quarter of the state’s 40 million residents, said the deaths mainly occurred between Dec. 3 and Feb. 3. The Department of Public Health identified them after going through death records that were backlogged by the sheer volume of the surge’s toll. “It is heartbreaking to report on this large number of additional deaths associated with COVID-19 and a devastating reminder of the terrible toll the winter surge has taken on so many families across the county,” Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County’s health director, said in a statement. Johns Hopkins University put California’s overall COVID-19 death toll at 50,890. The grim figure comes days after the U.S. recorded a half-million deaths. While the nation’s most populous state has the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., it is ranked 25th in the number of cases per capita because of its large population. It took 10 months for the state to hit 25,000 deaths on New Year’s Eve and less than two months for that number to double.

Colorado

Denver: State officials have said additional front-line workers and people with multiple chronic health conditions could become eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting late next week. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed the state is expecting to move into the next phase of its vaccination plan on or around March 5 but did not provide details on when everyone in the phase would be eligible, The Denver Post reports. The new phase will encompass front-line workers across multiple industries, including the U.S. Postal Service, grocery stores, public transportation, faith communities and journalists. It would also expand to people with two or more high-risk health conditions, including cancer, diabetes, Down syndrome, obesity and pregnancy. People with only one high-risk health condition would be eligible under an upcoming vaccination phase expected in spring, along with people between 60 and 64. Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said the new phase will start when about half of eligible people in the previous phase have received the vaccine. The state is currently offering doses to first responders, residents 65 and older, residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, and people in health care or education.

Connecticut

Hartford: Thousands of new residents have come to the state during the pandemic as workers in New York, Boston and elsewhere look to relocate as they work from home, economic development officials said. More than 16,500 new residents moved into the state in 2020. That compares to a loss of 7,520 residents from Connecticut in 2019, the state Department of Economic and Community Development announced. “People are rediscovering the Connecticut lifestyle a little bit and knowing what it means to have a little bit of extra space, maybe a little bit of a backyard,” Gov. Ned Lamont said. “If you think this may not be the last time we ever have to quarantine, Connecticut’s not a bad place to be.” Carol Christiansen, the president of the Connecticut Association of Realtors, said home prices have risen by about 20% over the past year, with fewer houses on the market than people looking to buy. The median sale price for a single-family home in the state in 2020 was an all-time high of $300,000, a 15.4% increase from 2019, according to a report this month from The Warren Group, which tracks real estate data across the country. Glendowlyn Thames, the deputy commissioner of the DECD, said the state also saw a 9% increase in new business startups last year.

Delaware

Newark: Two weeks into the spring semester, the University of Delaware is facing a spike in coronavirus cases. The uptick has caused the university to issue new restrictions on dining and building occupancy. As of Wednesday, the university reported 154 cases among students and faculty this week. UD has increased its number of students and faculty on campus compared to the fall semester. In-person course offerings have nearly doubled from 9% of undergraduate classes to 17%. This week’s daily COVID-19 health screenings put UD’s daily on-campus population just shy of 6,000, about double the number of people who were typically present in the fall. Contact tracing connected the spread to the increased number of students in dining halls, said Andrea Boyle Tippett, spokesperson for the university. “With the start of the spring semester, many students understandably want to socialize and connect with friends,” Dennis Assanis, university president, said in a letter to students and faculty. “Unfortunately, such increased levels of social activity and contact promote transmission of the virus.” To slow the spread, campus dining hall meals will be grab-and-go only. Students may not gather to share meals indoors on campus, including in residence hall common spaces.

District of Columbia

Washington: Frustration is mounting among many residents eager to get vaccinated after D.C.’s online appointment system had a dismal start on the first day eligibility was expanded to a new group, WUSA-TV reports. The city initially said in a tweet that a high volume of traffic could cause delays. But it also became evident from the flurry of residents commenting on social media that the vaccine portal somehow didn’t update to accept eligible residents under the new phase. Residents had to be 65 or older, have a qualifying medical condition or be part of an eligible workforce. The city listed 20 eligible conditions, including cancer, HIV, asthma, hypertension, pregnancy and obesity. Sianna Boschetti said she kept refreshing the website and filled out the questionnaire, only to receive a message at the end that she wasn’t qualified for the vaccine. “I was very bummed, and I was very surprised,” Boschetti said. “After all of the buildup to this, they made this little mistake – they forgot to update the website or didn’t prepare for the volume of people.” Another resident said he tried calling the health department but couldn’t get through. DC Health acknowledged the problems and said it was working with Microsoft to understand why heavy traffic blocked some eligible individuals from getting through.

Florida

Fort Lauderdale: The state will open vaccine sites in six underserved minority communities, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday, responding to criticism that such neighborhoods had been previously skipped. DeSantis also said he expects Florida will be able to expand eligibility in March and is optimistic that by sometime in April, inoculations will be widely available as vaccine supply increases. “We are going to lower the age as soon as the seniors are taken care of,” DeSantis said during a news conference at Edward Waters College, a historically black school in Jacksonville. It will have a vaccination site along with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Broward College, and community centers in Miami-Dade and Osceola counties. DeSantis said the sites will be modeled after one opened recently in the Palm Beach County town of Pahokee. The governor received criticism earlier this month after he announced that the Publix supermarket chain would be that county’s sole distributor of the vaccine. That left the predominately black farming communities of Pahokee, Belle Glade and South Bay near Lake Okeechobee isolated, as they are at least 25 miles from the nearest Publix. Those areas “don’t have the retail pharmacy, they don’t have the health care infrastructure, so we brought it,” DeSantis said.

Georgia

Plains: Now that former President Jimmy Carter and his wife are vaccinated against COVID-19, they have returned to one of their favorite things: church. Maranatha Baptist Church announced on its Facebook page Wednesday that Carter, 96, and Rosalynn Carter, 93, were again attending worship in person. The couple has been in the sanctuary the past two Sundays, Pastor Tony Lowden said in a video. Jimmy Carter hasn’t resumed teaching his Sunday school class, which once drew thousands of visitors annually. But video from last Sunday’s service showed both of the Carters sitting in their customary spots on the front pew and wearing face masks. The former president waved as members applauded their presence. “They’ve both had their shots,” Lowden said from the pulpit. In a reminder to keep a safe distance from the couple, Lowden said if someone gets tackled by him, another man or Secret Service agents, “it’s because we’re still practicing social distancing.” With the Carters once again in church, Maranatha Baptist posted rules that also include mandatory face masks and temperature checks, limited building capacity, reservations, and no photographs. Before the pandemic, visitors usually gathered around the couple for pictures at the end of worship.

Hawaii

Wailuku: Some Maui businesses face tough calls about who should be exempt from universal mask rules as the county pushes for greater compliance. Privacy laws prevent businesses from asking customers for proof of underlying health issues that exempt them from wearing masks in public, The Maui News reports. Business operators worry some shoppers may be abusing exemption rules by claiming to have medical conditions only to enter without masks. Requiring customers with medical or disability exemptions to continue wearing face shields complies with Maui County protocols and the state’s emergency proclamation regarding the virus, county spokesperson Brian Perry said. Businesses also have the authority to refuse entry or service, unless an exception such as a medical condition applies, Perry said. “The proclamation also addresses the use of face shields as a substitute for face masks, but only if there’s an applicable exception to the face covering requirement,” Perry said. The proclamation remains unclear about allowing exempt customers without face coverings to enter businesses, even with health screenings. Businesses who violate the mask mandate may be subject to enforcement, fines or mandatory closure, Perry said.

Idaho

Boise: Two lawmakers have dropped their lawsuit against the Republican-led Legislature and leadership that alleged lax coronavirus protocols at the Statehouse. Democratic state Reps. Sue Chew of Boise and Muffy Davis of Sun Valley notified the federal court Wednesday that they were dismissing the lawsuit. The court filing didn’t reveal why they dropped the case. Both lawmakers have health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19: Chew is diabetic and has hypertension, and Davis is a paraplegic with reduced lung function. There have been documented cases of the virus among Capitol staffers and lawmakers, but legislative leaders in conservative Idaho have declined to require masks, and lawmakers aren’t allowed to attend and vote on legislation remotely. A separate lawsuit brought by several disability rights organizations against the Legislature, House Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate Pro Tempore Chuck Winder over a lack of coronavirus restrictions is still moving forward in federal court. That case contends officials have failed to make reasonable accommodations to ensure that people with conditions that put them at greater risk from COVID-19 can still participate in the legislative process.

Illinois

Springfield: The state expanded its COVID-19 vaccination eligibility Thursday to include people younger than 65 with conditions that would put them at higher risk of COVID-19 and those with disabilities. The move came one day after the state set a new record for COVID-19 vaccinations. Joining the group of residents within Phase 1B of Illinois’ vaccination plan are those with conditions such as obesity, diabetes, pulmonary disease, smoking, heart conditions, chronic kidney disease, cancer, solid organ transplants, sickle cell disease and those who are pregnant. People with disabilities under the age of 65 are also included and are specified by the Illinois Department of Public Health as “physical disability, developmental disability, visual disability, hearing disability, or mental disability.” In a statement, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he was excited to expand the categories, coming as supply is likely to rise due to the eventual approval of Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine. The state administered 130,021 vaccinations Wednesday, setting a record for overall doses given in a day. The state also set records for first and second does of the vaccines. The new record helped push the seven-day average to 66,274 doses.

Indiana

Indianapolis: A day after the state expanded vaccine to all Hoosiers 60 and older, health officials doubled down on eligibility restrictions and announced new guidelines for clinics administering shots. Without enough vaccine for all Hoosiers, state health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said Wednesday that officials are stressing adherence to a vaccine rollout plan that bases shot eligibility on age, rather than moving up teachers and other essential workers as other states have done. Several clinics that have “ignored” those guidelines will not receive any more first-dose vaccines, Box said. She said state health officials are reaching out to other clinics that have deviated from the eligibility guidelines “to find out why and to reeducate them about the importance of following the state’s priority list” when scheduling appointments and adding names to waitlists. “We are not trying to be the vaccine police; that is the last thing we want to be,” Box said. The state health department’s chief medical officer, Dr. Lindsay Weaver, said clinics have also been instructed to stop administering first doses to people who live in other states to ensure “that every dose received in Indiana goes to Hoosiers.” About 19,000 health care workers and first responders who work in Indiana but live in other states were inoculated, Weaver said.

Iowa

Des Moines: Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday that essential workers and some individuals with disabilities likely will become eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations in early March. According to projections she shared at a news conference, 70% of people within those populations are expected to receive at least one dose of the vaccine by the start of April. When the state reaches that 70% milestone within a population group, Reynolds said, it will begin vaccinating the next group of Iowans. Reynolds said that by next week, the state is projecting 70% of “tier one” populations – which include first responders, public school teachers and staff, and other child care staff – will have received at least one dose. She said 70% of Iowans 65 and older are expected to receive the first dose of the vaccine by mid-March. That allows the state to begin opening up vaccinations to other populations, including essential workers in food processing, agricultural production, distribution and manufacturing. People with disabilities living in home settings who are dependent on care staff will also become eligible, along with their care staff. A new website – www.vaccinate.iowa.gov – will be available Friday to help Iowans find access to the vaccine, Reynolds said. It will include a vaccine locator and answers to frequently asked questions.

Kansas

Topeka: Lawmakers moved ahead Wednesday with a measure designed to help courts and prosecutors deal with a backlog of criminal cases caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a proposal to limit state and local officials’ power in setting restrictions in future pandemics. The House gave first-round approval to a bill that would suspend until May 2024 a Kansas law that sets deadlines for criminal trials to protect defendants’ constitutional right to a speedy resolution of their cases. Those deadlines have been suspended during the pandemic, but prosecutors fear that once Kansas ends its state of emergency for COVID-19, they won’t be able to get all the cases to court in time to avoid having them dismissed. Wednesday’s debate showed that some lawmakers are nervous about a three-year suspension. “Delaying it to 2024 is just asking for people drag their feet,” said Rep. Barbara Wasinger, R-Hays. “I say we do one year at a time.” Kansas’ speedy trial law generally requires defendants to be brought to trial within six months of entering a plea, or the case against them is dismissed. But courts have postponed trials throughout the pandemic, and House Judiciary Committee Chair Fred Patton, R-Topeka, said there’s now a backlog of about 5,000 cases.

Kentucky

Frankfort: The Democratic governor on Wednesday urged state lawmakers to move past an impeachment effort that targeted him for his actions to combat the spread of COVID-19, saying it’s time to renew respect for “the role of government and how it works.” Gov. Andy Beshear said a legislative panel made the “right choice” Tuesday night when it recommended that no action be taken on a remaining petition calling for his removal from office. From the outset, the governor denounced that petition and others as meritless. “Now I hope that in Frankfort we can all be adults in the room and move forward and leave it behind,” Beshear told reporters Wednesday. The panel’s recommendation that no further action be taken on petitions against Beshear and Attorney General Daniel Cameron will be submitted to the Republican-dominated House. The petitions took aim at Beshear for his coronavirus-related restrictions and Cameron for his handling of the Breonna Taylor death investigation. Beshear has said his virus-related orders have saved lives, and he portrayed the petitioners seeking his ouster as anti-government extremists. Kentucky’s Supreme Court ruled last year that the governor had the authority to put restrictions on businesses and individuals to try to contain the coronavirus.

Louisiana

Shreveport: The Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana is a part of a fight against hunger that’s only gotten more difficult with the COVID-19 pandemic. The food bank collects, sorts and stores food before distributing it to its more than 150 nonprofit partner agencies, which include organizations, shelters and churches. Between March and December 2020, more than 14,234,668 pounds of food were distributed to residents in need across Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Bienville, Red River and DeSoto parishes. It was a 42% increase from the year before, which officials credited to the hardships of the pandemic. “Since COVID, so many people have lost jobs that we saw a huge uptick in the need for food and service. Most of our growth has come because of the pandemic,” said Martha Marak, executive director of the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana. Feeding America projects that 1 in 6 people could experience food insecurity because of the pandemic, and people of color are even more likely to face hunger. The higher demand on food banks was noticed by a collective of donors who then collaborated to help carry the load.

Maine

Portland: The director of the Maine Center for Disease Control said the incoming supply of vaccine is stable and growing, and the number of COVID-19 deaths in the state topped 700 on Thursday. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services expects to receive an 8.4% increase in COVID-19 vaccine doses for a total of 30,080 next week, officials said. On top of that, 8,980 doses are being shipped from the federal government directly to pharmacies across the state. And additional doses of a new vaccine, from Johnson & Johnson, could come next week if it receives emergency approval, Dr. Nirav Shah, Maine CDC director, told reporters. “For the first time, we have stability in what our projections look like not just for the next few days but the next few weeks,” he said. Shah spoke on the same day the Maine CDC reported an additional 24 deaths, a day after 17 deaths were reported. Those deaths, 41 over two days, brought the total number of deaths to 701. The two-day figures reflect some of the highest death tolls in weeks and stand in contrast to an overall downward trend in deaths and hospitalizations since the start of the year. “We’re not out of it,” Shah said. Even though there are many positive trends, people need to remain vigilant, he said.

Maryland

Newark: Worcester County Public Schools will transition all hybrid students to in-person learning beginning March8. “Our staff has worked extremely hard both at the central office level and school level to make this possible,” Superintendent Lou Taylor said. “I want to assure you that we are going to do this as safely as possible, meaning safety will be our No. 1 priority.” Worcester County has been in Stage 3 of its return plan, which had many students in an A-Week/B-Week rotation. The district started to return students from virtual learning in January. Taylor said students will still need to wear masks, social distance and remain at home if ill. He said the biggest issue for WCPS will be bus transportation. Social distancing will not be possible on many buses, according to Taylor, who urged students to use other methods of transportation to the school building. “We will have kids sitting with others who do not necessarily live in the same household,” he said. “But I assure you our bus drivers and transportation personnel will make sure that those buses are clean, disinfected, and all students and adults will be wearing masks every time we enter those school buses.”

Massachusetts

Worcester: Nurses at St. Vincent Hospital have given notice that they plan to strike early next month unless management agrees to boost staffing to better protect patients during the coronavirus pandemic and after it ends, according to the nurses’ union. About 800 nurses at the Worcester facility plan to start the strike at 6 a.m. March 8, according to a statement Tuesday night from the Massachusetts Nurses Association. The nurses are in contract negotiations with Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, which owns the hospital. Tenet and St. Vincent management “refuse to heed nurses’ call to increase staffing levels to better protect their patients during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and beyond,” the union said in a statement. “We really feel that staffing is the most important issue, and we’ve heard nothing about it from (management) except that staffing is fine. We work at the bedside. It’s not fine,” said Dominique Muldoon, a St. Vincent nurse who has been at the forefront of negotiations. St. Vincent maintains that staffing levels are appropriate and called its most recent contract proposal Jan. 28 its “last, best, and final” offer. The latest contract proposal also includes wage increases between 5% and 22% by the end of 2022 and enhanced benefits for part-time nurses.

Michigan

Detroit: One of the pandemic’s latest casualties: a statue of RoboCop. A year ago, the plan for the eagerly awaited RoboCop statue outside the Michigan Science Center seemed clear. Now the final destination for the monument to pop culture is up in the air again. The Michigan Science Center will no longer be the permanent home for the grassroots-driven work of art, as first reported by the Metro Times. In a statement, the museum expressed gratitude for being part of the RoboCop statue’s journey since 2018, when it was announced that the 11-foot-tall bronze sculpture would be installed on its grounds. The statement said that “given the pandemic’s unprecedented pressures, MiSci’s resources must now be entirely focused on our core mission of serving Michigan’s students and families.” The effort began in 2011 with an offbeat idea that launched a successful crowdfunding campaign led by a community arts group, Imagination Station. Brandon Walley, a Detroit filmmaker and key part of Imagination Station’s quest to make the RoboCop dream a reality, said the statue is essentially done. “It’s all assembled and put together,” he said, with application of the final patina underway. “He will need a home, and we’re exploring possibilities. ... We’re still going through a pandemic, so we’re just happy to have it completed.”

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Public health officials are asking families to get tested for the coronavirus every two weeks from now until the end of the school year. A state Department of Health campaign announced Wednesday is reaching out to families, health professionals, schools and youth organizations to help encourage regular testing. “Over the past few months, the number of students attending in-person classes has significantly increased, with thousands more expected to return to the classroom in coming weeks,” Health Department Assistant Commissioner Dan Huff said, adding that many people will be resuming sports and other activities. “To protect this progress, we need to use all the tools at our disposal.” Of Minnesota’s 480,845 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 80,417 have been in those under the age of 20, or about 17% of all cases. The state is also beefing up vaccination plans for older residents. At least 70% of Minnesotans age 65 and older will get at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine before the state moves on to the next phase, according to Gov. Tim Walz. He said Thursday that the next tier will expand eligibility based on underlying health conditions and workplace exposure risk. Based on current projections, people in the next phase will begin getting inoculated in April, Walz said.

Mississippi

Jackson: The state health department reported 920 new coronavirus cases and eight COVID-19-related deaths Thursday. Since the virus hit the state in March, a total of 292,811 cases and 6,613 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported. There are currently 81 outbreaks at Mississippi nursing homes. Long-term care facilities have recorded 10,378 cases of the coronavirus and 1,945 related deaths as of Thursday. Residents between the ages of 25 and 39 represent the largest portion of the infected population across the state, with 64,245 cases reported as of Tuesday, the latest figure available. Among patients under 18, children between ages of 11 and 17 have the highest infection rate, with 22,334 cases identified. The 65-and-older age group has the highest total number of deaths with 5,066 reported. According to health department data, 358,246 people have begun the vaccination process in Mississippi as of Wednesday. About 167,077 people have been fully immunized against COVID-19 since the shots began in December.

Missouri

Columbia: The four-campus University of Missouri system won’t require incoming students to take admission exams again this fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The MU Faculty Council voted to extend the pilot test-optional admissions policy for an additional year, the Columbia Daily Tribune reports. Because it’s a pilot program and temporary, it doesn’t require further approval by the UM System Board of Curators, spokesman Christian Basi wrote in an email. “We know there are still a lot of students who won’t have the opportunity to test,” said Kim Humphrey, MU vice provost for enrollment management. Under the pilot program, all first-time students who apply for fall 2021 will be allowed to have their applications reviewed with or without test scores. “It is essential that the UM System adopt a test-optional admission policy for the class of 2021 to provide access to prospective students who may not have access to take standardized tests due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the proposal said. “Each campus will establish a minimum GPA requirement that allows us to be competitive while also maintaining institutional standards.”

Montana

Great Falls: U.S. Sen. Jon Tester announced he has introduced legislation to restore long-distance passenger rail service to Montana’s Hi-Line and to reinstate employees who lost their jobs after Amtrak announced deep service cuts last May, after April ridership crashed to less than 5% of what had been a year earlier in the wake of the pandemic. Beginning Oct. 19, passenger rail service on Amtrak’s 15 long-distance routes was slashed. That included the Empire Builder, the only route serving Montana. Rail service along the Empire Builder, which makes 12 stops across Montana’s Hi-Line, has now been cut from seven days a week to just three. Tester said the service cuts have been harmful to rural communities that rely on regular passenger rail service to access critical health care at large urban hospitals and for whom it provides a large economic boost in tourism. Tester’s bill proposes an additional $166 million in federal funding for Amtrak specifically targeted at restoring a seven-day schedule of long-distance rail service and recalling Amtrak employees who were furloughed because of the service cuts. 2020 was a disastrous year for national passenger railroad, which only a year before had been on the cusp of showing a profit for the first time in its nearly 50-year history.

Nebraska

Lincoln: The state’s Department of Health and Human Services and partners are working with various organizations to reach out to minority communities to discuss the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine as well as listen to concerns and feedback Nebraskans. Two online town halls Thursday were hosted by Bluestem Health, a Lincoln-based health center, and the New Era Baptist State Convention, an organization of historically African American Baptist Churches in Nebraska.

Nevada

Las Vegas: All Las Vegas-area middle and high school students can return to classrooms for hybrid in-person instruction in phases rolled out after the youngest pupils go back to campuses next week, school administrators said Wednesday. Clark County School Superintendent Jesus Jara said sixth and ninth graders and high school seniors can return to class beginning March 22, and grades seven, eight, 10 and 11 can return April 6. They will have two-day-a-week classroom schedules. Pre-kindergarten through grade five will return at that time to five days a week. Jara and school board President Linda Cavazos made the announcement – accompanied by school trustees and representatives of the district’s employee unions – just days before the nation’s fifth-largest school district begins hybrid schedules for pre-K to third grade students. Cavazos said officials were balancing the effects of the pandemic including “physical safety from COVID-19 and mental and emotional safety from the accompanying stress and anxiety.” The hybrid model has half the class attend on Mondays and Tuesdays. Classrooms are sanitized on Wednesdays. The other half of the class attends Thursdays and Fridays. On days pupils are not in class, they are scheduled for online instruction.

New Hampshire

Concord: A new program will help eligible residents who can’t pay their rent and utilities because of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Chris Sununu said Thursday. The federally funded New Hampshire Emergency Rental Assistance Program will be administered by the New Hampshire Housing Authority, in coordination with the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery. To be eligible for assistance, at least one person in the household must qualify for unemployment benefits, have had their income reduced, have encountered significant costs, or have experienced other financial hardship due to COVID-19. The household must also be at risk for homelessness and meet certain income requirements. Landlords may apply for assistance on behalf of their tenant, with the tenant’s permission. Assistance is available retroactive to April 1, 2020, through the date of application. Households may receive help for a total of 12 months. Details about the program are available at www.NHHFA.org/emergency-rental-assistance. Application information will be available by March 15.

New Jersey

Trenton: Family and friends of many nursing home residents will be able to visit their loved ones indoors – some for the first time in nearly a year – state officials announced Wednesday. But visits will be limited for now only to nursing homes in seven counties that have seen COVID-19 activity drop significantly in the past two weeks to “moderate” status based on a health department’s risk assessment. Those counties are Somerset, Hunterdon, Mercer, Camden, Burlington, Gloucester and Salem. “This is good news,” Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said at a briefing. “We are seeing the outbreaks in our long-term care facilities decrease.” Nursing homes closed their doors to visitors in mid-March under state orders to try to stem the spread. COVID-19 still devastated New Jersey’s nursing homes, killing 7,813 residents and 143 employees – about 40% of the state’s death toll. Outdoor visits were allowed in June after key metrics such as hospitalizations and deaths from the pandemic’s first wave dropped. Indoor visits were allowed in late summer at some facilities that met certain benchmarks. But that gradually stopped as the second wave of COVID-19 began to rise in the fall, said Laurie Facciarossa Brewer, New Jersey’s long-term care ombudsman.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: The Democrat-led state House of Representatives voted Wednesday to increase state spending on public education, health care and relief to businesses in efforts to chart a financial path out of the pandemic. The House endorsed a $7.39 billion general fund spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1 on a 60-10 vote, with many leading Republican legislators opposed. Spending on public education would increase by 5.5% to nearly $3.4 billion annually. Many lawmakers in the Democrat-dominated Legislature also want to shore up state spending on Medicaid amid a surge in enrollment in the federally subsidized health care program for the needy. “A pandemic as well as economic volatility is a challenge,” said Rep. Patty Lundstrom, D-Gallup, chairwoman of the lead House budget committee. “We are versatile enough to recognize immediate needs.” The budget proposal is linked to a package of pandemic-related economic relief that would provide $200 million in grants to businesses for rent and mortgage obligations and provide a $600 tax rebate to low-wage workers. The spending plan would provide four months of state taxation relief for restaurants and pay off $325 million in debt racked up by the state unemployment trust fund.

New York

New York: Tens of thousands of middle school students returned to their school buildings Thursday for the first time since city schools were closed in November amid a surge in coronavirus infections. Classroom doors opened for the 62,000 students in grades six through eight whose parents chose a mix of in-person and remote learning for their children. There are about 196,000 students in those grades in the city’s public schools. Mayor Bill de Blasio greeted children returning to school in the Bronx and said later that “it was wonderful to see the energy and the hope and the understanding that this is part of how we move forward.” He said a teacher told him: “I want to be here. It feels right.” Students receiving in-person instruction in the city are required to wear face coverings at all times, maintain distance from others and submit to random coronavirus testing. De Blasio said the city has performed 500,000 tests for the virus on students and staff members since the school year started. The mayor said more than 30,000 city educators have been vaccinated against the virus so far. United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, whose union represents more than 120,000 teachers, guidance counselors and other school staff members, said that’s not enough.

North Carolina

Raleigh: With cases and other key metrics trending downward, Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday announced the state will ease gathering and occupancy restrictions and end its 10 p.m. statewide curfew starting Friday. For the first time since early in the coronavirus pandemic, the Democratic governor is allowing bars and taverns to offer indoor service. His new executive order also increases alcohol sale cutoff times by two hours from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. and lets those businesses operate at 30% capacity up to 250 people. If they follow state health guidelines such as mask-wearing and physical distancing, nightclubs, conference spaces, indoor amusement parks, movie theaters, and sports and entertainment venues may also operate with the same capacity. “Easing these restrictions will only work if we continue protecting ourselves and others from this deadly pandemic,” Cooper said at a news conference. Larger sports venues able to seat more than 5,000 people can host up to 15% of their fans, provided they adhere to additional safety restrictions. Restaurants, breweries, wineries, gyms, bowling alleys, swimming pools, museums, outdoor amusement park areas, hair salons and retailers are given a 50% capacity limit.

North Dakota

Bismarck: As COVID-19 numbers continue to dwindle, Gov. Doug Burgum has signed an executive order terminating several prior executive orders issued during the pandemic that he said have fulfilled their stated objectives and are no longer necessary. The terminated orders pertained to temporary emergency licensing requirements for health care facilities and workers; workers’ compensation eligibility for first responders, health care workers, funeral home directors and employees, as well as individuals providing care to those with intellectual or development disabilities; the transfer of surplus state property needed for COVID-19 response; the reopening of certain businesses; work registration requirements for those seeking unemployment benefits; and public hearings conducted by the Department of Environmental Quality. Burgum also terminated a prior executive order last week that had allowed for Public Service Commission permit hearings and Department of Trust Lands public land leasing auctions to be conducted by remote means.

Ohio

Columbus: The ability of the governor to issue public health orders during a pandemic would be restricted under a bill in the state House that is the GOP’s latest effort to rein in the executive branch’s authority. A House committee reviewed a GOP-backed bill Wednesday that looks to create legislative oversight of emergency orders made by fellow Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health. The effort is similar to a bill that passed in the Senate last week that would limit public health emergency orders to 90 days and give the General Assembly the power to rescind those orders by resolution after 30 days. It’s the latest in a series of yearlong efforts by GOP lawmakers to curtail DeWine’s pandemic response, including his issuing of a statewide mask mandate, the now-expired curfew and a strict lockdown in the spring. Proponents of both the House and Senate bills believe DeWine and the state health department have issued orders during the past 11 months of the pandemic that have remained enacted for longer than necessary and thus unduly damaged small businesses and the economy. Opponents of the effort, which include several medical institutions, have called it unconstitutional and warned it would decentralize the state’s response during an emergency and cost lives in the process.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The state health department will pay nearly half a million dollars to Microsoft for the company’s work to build Oklahoma’s COVID-19 vaccine scheduling website. Documents from the department show the company billed $472,302 for creation of the website, and additional costs are likely. Many of the vaccine appointments made in the state have been booked through the state’s scheduling portal, vaccinate.oklahoma.gov. But some seniors have struggled to navigate the website. Many Oklahomans have expressed frustration about the lack of available appointments on the website – a result of limited vaccine supply. Microsoft is constantly working with the state health department to adjust and improve the site, said Dr. David Rhew, the company’s chief medical officer. Microsoft is doing similar work in cities, states and countries around the globe, Rhew said. There’s not a one-size-fits-all model, but there are common needs across the spectrum, he said. Most entities wanted to be able to register individuals into a system they could also use to schedule appointments. Oklahoma officials also wanted to tie the scheduling element in with vaccine tracking and allowing health care entities and other providers to report to the state’s immunization registry, Rhew said.

Oregon

Portland: Federal pandemic stimulus payments last year will generate $112 million in additional Oregon taxes because of a quirk in state tax law and mean many people are on the hook for a higher tax bill. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the taxes will affect 877,000 taxpayers, about half of all those who received federal stimulus payments in 2020 and early in 2021. They would owe an average of about $130 apiece from just the first stimulus payments last spring; many lower-income workers would owe $100 or more. Lawmakers from both parties say that’s unfair, and the Legislature is examining a fix that would wipe out the higher tax bill. But with the April tax filing date approaching, it’s not clear there’s consensus to make a change. The stimulus payments were structured as a tax rebate, which means they aren’t subject to federal or state income taxes. But Oregon is one of six states that allow taxpayers to deduct a portion of their federal tax payments from their state income taxes. Most years, the deduction functions as a state tax break. But when the federal government is giving out stimulus payments, it reduces the size of that break. A lower federal tax bill means there’s less to deduct from a filer’s state taxes.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: The chairs of the state Senate Education Committee on Wednesday asked the Biden administration to waive this year’s requirement for school standardized testing because of the pandemic. Sens. Lindsey Williams, D-Allegheny, and Scott Martin, R-Lancaster, wrote in a letter that they understood the need to find out how much learning and what kind of learning children missed during the pandemic. But students also need “some sense of stability before we thrust additional stress on them in the name of determining what schools ‘deserve’ more funding,” they wrote to President Joe Biden and Acting Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. Gov. Tom Wolf’s Department of Education is considering allowing districts to administer the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments and Keystone Exams over the summer or in September, when schools are expected to be back to educating children in classrooms, rather than remotely. On Monday, the U.S. Education Department said it will not allow states to forgo federally required standardized testing in schools this year but will give them flexibility to delay testing or hold it online. The Biden administration said states also can apply to be exempted from certain accountability measures tied to the results.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state is doing a better job of getting vaccines into the arms of more people and at a much faster rate than before, Lt. Gov. Daniel McKee said Thursday. McKee, who will take over as governor if Gov. Gina Raimondo is confirmed as President Joe Biden’s commerce secretary, had been critical of the state’s vaccine rollout efforts under Raimondo. Both are Democrats. The state isn’t sitting on supplies as long, and two state-run mass vaccination sites in Providence and Cranston have increased capacity, he said at a news conference just days before the one-year anniversary of the detection of the state’s first presumptive case. “Getting more shots into arms right now will get kids back to school, get people back to work and get us back to normal,” McKee said. Rhode Island has been administering about 6,600 shots per day for the past week, state Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said. The goal is to build the state’s capacity to administer vaccines as fast as possible once supply increases, McKee said. To that end, the state is planning two more mass vaccination clinics at the former Benny’s store in Middletown and at the old Sears location in Woonsocket soon.

South Carolina

Columbia: A bill that would prevent lawsuits against businesses and other groups by people who contract COVID-19 as long as federal and state health guidelines were being followed passed the state Senate on Thursday. The bill, which was one of the top priorities of business leaders this session, passed 40-3 and now goes to the House. The bill does nothing to protect people who don’t follow the rules and put customers or employees in danger, said Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, one of the sponsors. Opponents of the bill said existing laws could handle the problem and pointed out that there is just one lawsuit pending in state court in which someone blames a business for their illness. The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce said its members wanted this bill to provide some certainty as they reopen and struggle with challenges from the pandemic. “It will go a long way toward ensuring they can remain operational, keep South Carolinians employed, and make it through these challenging times,” interim Chamber CEO Swati Patel said in a statement.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: The South Dakota Department of Health reported eight additional COVID-19 deaths Thursday, bringing the total number of related deaths in the state since the pandemic began to 1,873. The new deaths included three people 80 or older, as well as three 70-79 and two 60-69. The state also reported 156 new coronavirus infections. Active cases increased to 1,948. Of the 100 COVID-19 patients occupying a hospital bed in South Dakota, 20 were receiving intensive care, and 12 were on ventilators. The number of vaccine doses administered through the Department of Health increased to 197,050, to a total of 130,148 people. That number does not include doses administered from federal entities.

Tennessee

Nashville: The state Department of Health announced it will soon lift its state-specific visitation restrictions for long-term care facilities. Nursing homes and other facilities should use the federal guidance provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services starting Sunday, health officials said in a news release Wednesday. The agency said all of Tennessee’s nursing homes and skilled nursing home facilities have finished giving both doses of COVID-19 vaccinations, and the state’s assisted care living facilities and residential homes for the aged are expected to be fully immunized by the end of the week. Meanwhile, Nashville Mayor John Cooper cited the drop in cases Thursday as he moved to ease restrictions starting Monday, with social distancing and mask-wearing requirements remaining in place. Bars and restaurants serving alcohol can stay open until 1 a.m., with up to 125 people per floor and an increase in bar counter seating, he said. City-approved events can increase from 500 to 1,000 people, with weddings increasing from 75 people to 125 people maximum, Cooper said. Event venues can stay open until 1 a.m. The outdoor gathering size limit will increase from eight to 25 people. Museums, zoos and other attractions can increase capacity to a level that just maintains social distancing, Cooper said.

Texas

Austin: Gov. Greg Abbott announced the launch of a statewide program to vaccinate homebound seniors Thursday, saying he expects vaccine shipments to ramp up in the coming weeks, which will allow Texas to move on to new tiers of vaccine recipients “sometime in March.” Texas currently allows COVID-19 vaccinations for health care workers and other first responders, those 65 and older, and residents 16 and older with underlying health conditions. It’s not clear who will be next in line. “The good news is there’s going to be a record amount of vaccines available across Texas this week, with increasing numbers going forward,” Abbott said, speaking from a fire station in Corpus Christi. He also said the increase in vaccinations could lead to the end of coronavirus restrictions, including the statewide mask order. Most Texas businesses, including restaurants, must keep their occupancy rates at 75%. In any hospital region where COVID-19 patients make up more than 15% of available beds, businesses must reduce to 50%, bars must close, and elective procedures must halt. “We’re working right now on evaluating when we’re gonna be able to remove all statewide orders, and we will be making announcements about that pretty soon,” Abbott said.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Gov. Spencer Cox doubled down Thursday on his prediction that there will be gatherings without masks by the Fourth of July, contrary to predictions from the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Cox told reporters he’s feeling optimistic about the nation’s vaccine rollout and expects mass gatherings could be held without masks this summer. His comments contradict predictions from Fauci who said earlier this week that Americans may still be wearing masks outside their homes in 2022. “I’m not gonna be wearing this on the Fourth of July, and I’m gonna be in a parade somewhere,” Cox said, holding a mask. “But if I’m wrong, then I’ll come here, and I’ll admit that I’m wrong and that we’re gonna do something different.” Cox announced Thursday that residents 16 and older with certain health conditions can make appointments to be vaccinated immediately. The group was initially expected to be able to get shots starting March 1. Utah experienced a dip in vaccine distribution last week because a shipment of 36,000 Moderna doses was delayed by recent storms. Cox said the state is “rapidly working to make up the decrease.” It has been approved to get 20,000 doses of the new single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine by early next weekpending federal approval, Cox said.

Vermont

Montpelier: Residents 65 and older can now make appointments to get their COVID-19 vaccinations at Walgreens pharmacies, the state Department of Health said Thursday. Walgreens received an unexpected 4,300 first doses of the vaccine for Vermonters through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, the state said. People can sign up online or call Walgreens. The Health Department announced earlier this week that Vermonters ages 65 and over will be able to begin making vaccination appointments March 1. The Walgreens appointments come in addition to the appointments that newly eligible residents can begin to make Monday. Meanwhile, firefighters in Rutland won’t be required to be vaccinated, town officials decided. The town board of health voted earlier this month not to require the shots, although those who wish to participate in fire department activities must follow safety protocols as outlined by the fire chief. Selectman John Paul Faignant, who is also the town health officer, told the Rutland Herald the majority of the department’s members have been vaccinated. “I know the ones that haven’t. They all have pretty good reasons,” he said. Those who opt not to get the vaccine must follow extra safety measures, such as temperature checks and signing in when they go to the station, he said.

Virginia

Richmond: The state Senate gave final approval Thursday to legislation that would require schools to provide full-time, in-person instruction as the coronavirus pandemic drags on. The chamber voted 36-3, sending the measure sponsored by GOP Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant to Gov. Ralph Northam. If signed as is, it would take effect July 1. Dunnavant said that effective date was the bill’s only flaw. She said she hoped Northam would consider amending the measure so that it would take effect immediately, given substantial bipartisan support it won in both chambers. The House passed it a day earlier on a vote of 88-9. “Our children needed to be in school last fall. We have spent an enormous amount of time discussing the science and the evidence that support that,” said Dunnavant, who is an OB-GYN. The bill would allow limited exceptions. If a school has high levels of coronavirus transmission, it could temporarily revert to virtual learning. The measure also includes a new definition of what counts as in-person learning. Setups that some districts have turned to involving a nonteacher monitor proctoring online learning in a classroom would not meet the standard.

Washington

Seattle: A judge has rejected a landlord group’s challenge to several Seattle laws meant to protect renters from eviction once the coronavirus pandemic moratorium expires. King County Superior Court Judge Johanna Bender on Wednesday found the laws, including Seattle’s ban on winter evictions, largely constitutional, The Seattle Times reports. The Rental Housing Association of Washington sued in an effort to block the laws, arguing the regulations would gut their rights under state law. Bender did strike one part of a law requiring landlords to allow payment plans for rent accrued during the pandemic. The city banned late fees, interest and other charges because of late payment during the pandemic. Bender struck down the reference to interest payments, citing a state law allowing landlords to collect interest on unpaid rent. The remainder of the ordinance, including the prohibition on charging late fees, can remain in place, she ruled. The Rental Housing Association’s lawsuit did not challenge Seattle’s ongoing moratorium on evictions during the pandemic but instead sought to nullify three laws that would affect eviction proceedings after the moratorium ends.

West Virginia

Charleston: Following the state Board of Education’s announcement Tuesday that students up through eighth grade should return to school full time next week, Mineral County Superintendent Troy Ravenscroft said he has applied for a waiver to allow the county’s students to attend four days a week for now. If that waiver is not granted, however, all Mineral County students will return to school full time beginning Monday. The state board’s vote Tuesday was designed to eliminate blended schedules in which students have alternated between classroom and online learning and to bring students back to full time learning by March 3. Those families that have chosen to keep their children in all virtual learning since the pandemic started will not be affected. Included in the board’s ruling is the stipulation that counties can apply for a waiver to conduct in-person learning four days per week and virtual instruction on the fifth day. As for high school students, the state board said they, too, are to return to five days a week unless a county’s coronavirus infection rate is high. The rationale for that is that “older students may transmit the virus at rates similar to adults,” according to the WVDE.

Wisconsin

Madison: A year into the coronavirus pandemic, state lawmakers are still debating face masks. Republicans who control the Legislature are pushing their colleagues to debate and vote on legislation in person but won’t require everyone to wear masks – an environment Democrats are warning could put those who visit and work in the Capitol at risk. The inconsistent mask-wearing is emerging as a flashpoint between Democratic lawmakers who want all members to wear face coverings at all times until everyone is vaccinated and some Republicans who refuse to wear them. The tension spiked last week on the Senate chamber floor when Republican leaders of the Senate refused to allow Democratic members to participate virtually and did not require the body to wear masks while sitting and bellowing together in one space. Over the last two floor sessions in the Senate, about 10 Republicans did not wear masks – about 30% of the chamber. Both Senate leaders and the chairman of the health committee were among them. At one point, Democratic Sen. Chris Larson pointed out the Senate has a rule for male members to wear jackets but not face masks after Senate President Chris Kapenga asked him to change his attire.

Wyoming

Casper: An official with the University of Wyoming said in a statement that an investigation into racist interruptions during a virtual Black history event last week has revealed one suspect was using an internet provider in Maryland. Administrators are now looking into more secure options for Zoom and other virtual events. University spokesperson Chad Baldwin said the other four suspects used virtual private networks, which made them appear to be calling from outside the United States, the Casper Star-Tribune reports. The university’s Black Studies Center was hosting a panel discussion Feb. 15 when panelists and attendees were interrupted by pornographic images and videos on the screen and a voice shouting racist slurs and phrases. “This has happened at dozens of other universities in recent months,” Baldwin said. “Our security analysts for our IT department feel strongly this was a coordinated effort by people from elsewhere. And that they’re doing this all across the country.” The university police and IT department are working with the FBI to investigate the incident, according to the statement.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Cross statement, injection sites: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday made her first public appearance in nearly three weeks, telling reporters she was in good health but also declining to say whether she had undergone any recent medical treatment. Ivey toured a science and technology lab at Dalraida Elementary School in Montgomery in her first public appearance since an Aug. 2 groundbreaking ceremony. The gap between appearances fueled speculation about the 77-year-old governor’s health. “I’ve got a clean bill of health from the doctors, and I’m looking forward to serving for four more years as governor,” Ivey told reporters. She brushed aside questions about whether she had recently undergone medical treatment in a hospital and did not directly answer. “It just seems like a lot of you just want to will these rumors into being, and that just isn’t going to happen,” the Republican governor responded, according to al.com. “I’ve got a clean bill of health from the doctors. That’s what matters, and I’m looking forward to serving four more years as your governor.” Ivey’s office on Aug. 12 began releasing occasional photos of her at work to combat the rumors, beginning with a photo of her greeting South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem at an airport when Noem arrived in Alabama for a speech.

Alaska

Anchorage: A state corporation is the only remaining leaseholder in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that intends to pursue plans to explore for oil and gas on the refuge’s coastal plain after another private company gave up its lease in the region. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management said Knik Arm Services, a small real estate and leasing firm, asked to have its 49,000-acre lease rescinded and lease payments refunded. The federal agency said it will honor the request made last week, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Knik Arm Services was one of two private companies that won leases in a sale held in the waning days of the Trump administration. The other, oil company Regenerate Alaska, gave up its lease earlier this year. The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, a state corporation, acquired seven leases in the sale. It is suing federal officials over what it calls improper actions that are preventing lease activities. The corporation got the leases to preserve drilling rights in case oil companies did not come forward. Mark Graber, who owns Knik Arm Services, said he invested about $2 million into his lease and for a first-year lease payment. He said he had wanted to hold onto his lease in hopes that the state corporation prevailed in its lawsuit and that oil development would produce royalties for his company. But he said the fight over the leases could take years.

Arizona

Phoenix: A controversial state law restricting how the public can film police faced its first legal challenge Tuesday with a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The group’s Arizona chapter, joined by several news organizations in the state, filed a petition in U.S. District Court arguing the law criminalizes First Amendment freedoms. “This law is a violation of a vital constitutional right and will severely thwart attempts to build police accountability. It must be struck down before it creates irreparable community harm,” the ACLU wrote in a statement on its blog. In the complaint, the group contends the law not only has “blatant constitutional issues” but is too ambiguous in some parts. They are seeking an injunction barring law enforcement and others from enforcing the law. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, Maricopa County Attorney General Rachel Mitchell and Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone are all named as defendants. The law, signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey in July, makes it illegal to knowingly film police officers from 8 feet or closer without an officer’s permission. An officer can order someone to stop filming even if they are on private property recording with the owner’s consent if an officer finds they’re interfering or deems the area unsafe.

Arkansas

Mulberry: Federal authorities have now started a civil rights investigation following the suspension of three law enforcement officers after a video posted on social media showed two of them beating a man while a third officer held him on the ground. The officers were responding to a report of a man making threats outside a convenience store Sunday in the small town of Mulberry, about 140 miles northwest of Little Rock, near the border with Oklahoma, authorities said. Arkansas State Police said the agency would investigate the use of force. State police identified the suspect as Randal Worcester, 27, of Goose Creek, South Carolina. The attorney for the two deputies said Monday that Worcester attacked one of the deputies, giving him a concussion. The video shows one officer punching the suspect with a clenched fist, while another can be seen hitting the man with his knee. The third officer holds him against the pavement. In video recorded from a car nearby, someone yells at officers to stop hitting the man in the head. Two of the officers appear to look up and say something back to the person who yelled. The officers’ comments could not be heard clearly on the video.

California

Sacramento: Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill Monday that he said could have brought “a world of unintended consequences” by allowing Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco to set up sites where opioid users could legally inject drugs under supervision. “The unlimited number of safe injection sites that this bill would authorize – facilities which could exist well into the later part of this decade – could induce a world of unintended consequences,” Newsom said. While he said the sites could be helpful, he worried that “if done without a strong plan, they could work against this purpose” and said that “worsening drug consumption challenges in these areas is not a risk we can take.” It was one of the most watched and most controversial measures of this legislative session. Proponents wanted to give people who already use drugs a place to inject them while trained staff stand by to help if they suffer accidental overdoses. The proposal came amid a spike in overdose deaths and a national opioid crisis. But opponents said the move in effect would have condoned the use of dangerous drugs. “Each year this legislation is delayed, more people die of drug overdoses,” said state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco who authored the California legislation.

Colorado

Denver: There is no evidence a woman who lost custody of her 7-year-old son for allegedly lying about his health problems plotted with QAnon supporters to have him kidnapped from foster care, her lawyer told jurors Monday at the start of her trial. The prosecution’s case about the alleged plot in 2019 is based on the account of Cynthia Abcug’s then-16-year-old daughter, who told her counselor that her mother was talking with followers of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory about launching a raid on the home, defense lawyer Brian Hall said during opening statements in court in Castle Rock in suburban Denver. Many QAnon supporters believe ex-President Donald Trump was fighting enemies in the so-called deep state to expose a group of satanic, cannibalistic child molesters they believe secretly runs the globe. Hall stressed that the girl did not know details about what was supposed to happen and did not think her mother knew where her son’s foster home was. But Chief Deputy District Gary Dawson told the jury that the daughter heard her mother talking about the raid on several occasions in September and August of 2019. Around that same time, Abcug bought a gun, and a man identified only as Ryan and described as an ex-member of the military and a sniper moved into their home to provide protection, Dawson said. An older son who was no longer living at home will also testify that he remembers Abcug talking about launching a raid to get her young son back, Dawson said.

Connecticut

Norwich: A city-maintained list of historic buildings could be the start to revitalizing the waterfront along the Thames River. A Local Historic Inventory was created during Monday’s Norwich City Council meeting, with a list of historic properties that the city would like to redevelop. All are located within areas determined by the Federal Emergency Management Association to be flood hazard areas and aren’t currently recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. The need for a list comes from a FEMA rule, which prohibits improvements worth more than half a property’s value yearly for buildings in a flood hazard area, likely preventing a quick redevelopment, Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom said. “If you only allow (developers) to redevelop a site in a piecemeal fashion, it ties the hands of anyone interested in developing a site like that,” he said. There is an exception is if a property is on a recognized list of historic places. A property can join the National Register of Historic Places with a State Historic Preservation Office nomination. The property must be of sufficient age and historical significance, while retaining much of its historic character. If the property can make the list, there are tax credits and legal recourse to prevent demolition, said Regan Miner, executive director of the Norwich Historical Society, who was a consultant for the city in picking the list.

Delaware

Wilmington: DuPont plans to build a new production facility in Glasgow to support the expansion of the company’s semiconductor materials business. The new facility will likely be the first building in a 1 million-square-foot logistics park planned in the city. Once complete, about 70 current employees will move to the site. DuPont intends to hire about 10 new positions. DuPont estimates it will invest $50 million in the facility. The state on Monday approved taxpayer-funded grants up to $1.64 million to support job growth and construction of the building. “The DuPont Company has been part of Delaware’s DNA for 220 years,” Gov. John Carney said in a statement. “With this expansion of their semiconductor division, the company is showing their commitment to our state and workforce.” One member of the Council on Development Finance, the state board tasked with determining whether to give businesses money to relocate to or expand in Delaware, voted against the grants. State Rep. Ed Osienski of Newark pointed to DuPont’s history of downsizing within Delaware as cause for concern. “It’s great that you’re considering staying here, but I question the need for Delawareans to come up with $1.6 million to get DuPont to remain here and add some jobs when Delaware suffered a lot,” Osienski said.

District of Columbia

Washington: The states of Arizona and Texas continue to send asylum-seekers to the district as the school year approaches for children, but the Pentagon has again turned down a request from the mayor for National Guard aid, WUSA-TV reports. More than 8,700 asylum-seekers have been sent to D.C. from both states since April. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said his state has sent about 7,200 migrants on 175 buses to the nation’s capital so far, while Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s office said 1,516 migrants have gotten on 41 buses to go to the district. About 1,300 migrants have been bused to D.C. from those states over the past month alone. Many of the buses that have rolled into Union Station have included children. Neither state could provide data on just how many of the bus passengers were below the age of 18, but it appears they will be welcome in DC Public Schools this fall. “School-aged children will go to school,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday. “That’s the plan.” Many of the kids who have been bused to D.C. have come with very little, said Madhvi Bahl, a migrant organizer with Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network and Sanctuary DMV. She said efforts are ongoing to collect supplies for them for the upcoming school year.

Florida

Orlando: The president of a local NAACP branch has resigned, saying that as a South Asian woman she experienced “racist marginalization” from others in the civil rights group. Dr. Vanessa Toolsie, an elected vice president of the Orange County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, became its leader in March when Tiffany Hughes resigned to run for a Florida legislative seat. Born in Trinidad of Indian descent, she posted a lengthy resignation letter on Facebook on the NAACP branch’s Facebook page Sunday, the Orlando Sentinel reports. She also placed a brief statement on her personal Facebook page, saying: “I will NO LONGER tolerate ANY racism against me for being a #ProudBrownWoman of #SouthAsian and #Caribbean descent,” the Orlando Sentinel reports. Toolsie read her resignation letter during a virtual board meeting Monday night. One person objected, describing her claims as “false allegations against the executive committee,” the newspaper reports. Others asked in the chat feature whether Toolsie had any proof and what could be done to assure that no one else has a similar experience. The meeting was adjourned without further discussion. “I am concerned about this person and the charges that were made,” John Cummings, a spokesman for the group, told the Sentinel. “We don’t want to overlook or dehumanize or, in any way, cause anybody problems or concern intentionally or unintentionally.”

Georgia

Savannah: A company seeking to mine near the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp’s vast wildlife refuge said Monday that its project is back on track after a federal agency reversed a June decision that had posed a big setback. Twin Pines Minerals said the Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by the company by once again relinquishing the agency’s regulatory oversight of the proposed titanium and zirconium mine in southeast Georgia near the Okefenokee, home to the largest U.S. wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River. “We appreciate the Corps’ willingness to reverse itself and make things right,” Twin Pines President Steve Ingle said in a statement, calling the development “great news” for the project. Scientists have warned that mining close to the swamp’s bowl-like rim could damage its ability to hold water. They urged the Army Corps of Engineers to deny the project a permit. But the agency declared in 2020 it no longer had that authority after regulatory rollbacks under then-President Donald Trump narrowed the types of waterways qualifying for protection under the Clean Water Act. Trump’s rollbacks were later scrapped by federal courts. President Joe Biden’s administration has sought to restore federal oversight of development projects that under Trump had been allowed to sidestep regulations to prevent pollution of streams or draining of wetlands.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Calling allegations that a couple stole identities of dead babies for unknown reasons unique, a U.S. judge on Monday upheld a previous ruling to detain the pair without bail. According to prosecutors, Walter Glenn Primrose and Gwynn Darle Morrison are the real names of the couple who have been fraudulently living for decades under stolen identities, Bobby Fort and Julie Montague. The case has drawn speculation about Russian espionage. Prosecutors say Primrose spent more than 20 years in the Coast Guard, where he obtained secret-level security clearance. U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi said the mystery behind why the couple lived under allegedly stolen identities for so long is what makes the case unique “because the real question is, ‘Why?’ ” Primrose and Morrison have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, false statement in a passport application and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors have suggested the case is about more than identity theft. A search of the couple’s home in Kapolei, a Honolulu suburb, turned up Polaroids of them wearing jackets that appear to be authentic KGB uniforms, an invisible ink kit, documents with coded language and maps showing military bases, prosecutors said.

Idaho

Boise: The state’s near-total abortion ban appears to have a serious conflict with a federal law governing emergency health care treatment, a federal judge said Monday. The U.S. Department of Justice sued the Republican-led state of Idaho earlier this month, saying the abortion ban set to take effect Thursday violates a federal law requiring Medicare-funded hospitals to provide “stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing medical emergencies. Idaho’s law criminalizes all abortions in “clinically diagnosable pregnancies” but allows physicians to defend themselves in court by arguing the procedure was necessary to avert the death of the mother. U.S. District Senior Judge B. Lynn Winmill said the potential conflict exists because Idaho’s law doesn’t appear to account for cases when a pregnant person might face serious medical consequences if the pregnancy is continued. “That is more than just a hypothetical concern,” Winmill told attorneys on both sides during oral arguments in Boise’s federal courthouse. The judge said he would decide by the end of the day Wednesday whether to temporarily block the strict abortion ban while the lawsuit proceeds.

Illinois

Edwardsville: Two young men who died last week after they entered a southern Illinois manhole where toxic gases were present have been identified by a coroner. Madison County Coroner Stephen P. Nonn said Jack M. Pfund, 19, of Edwardsville and Cody W. Toenyes, 22, of Bethalto died Friday at a construction site in Edwardsville. The men were found dead in a manhole leading to a sewer pipe at the residential development, and crews needed advanced breathing equipment to recover their bodies, said Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford. He said first responders were met with “very little oxygen” and a “buildup of toxic gases” that likely led to the workers’ deaths, the Belleville News-Democrat reports. An Edwardsville police officer who was among the first responders at the scene was taken to a hospital for evaluation Friday in the city about 20 miles northeast of St. Louis. Nonn said Tuesday that autopsies found both Pfund and Toenyes’ preliminary causes of death were due to possible asphyxia due to low environmental oxygen and drowning. Toxicological testing that could determine the final causes of death for both men are pending.

Indiana

Chesterton: For the second time in three years, a lifeguard shortage has prompted Indiana Dunes State Park to ban swimming until further notice. Visitors can wade up to waist-deep in the waters of Lake Michigan but are not permitted to swim or go deeper into the lake, the park announced Friday. Indiana conservation officers and park staff will be on hand to enforce the ban, it said. Visitors interested in next weekend or Labor Day weekend should monitor the Indiana Dunes State Park Facebook page for notifications regarding beach status, it said. Swimming is permitted at the beach at Indiana Dunes State Park only when lifeguards are present because of frequently changing conditions of the lake bottom and the unpredictability of dangerous rip currents that can occur along the shoreline at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, a news release said. The park is located about 50 miles southeast of Chicago and is a popular summer recreational destination for the region.

Iowa

Des Moines: The owner of an ethanol plant in the west central Iowa city of Denison has agreed to pay a nearly $210,000 fine for failing to report chemicals that could be released during an emergency, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The penalty was part of a $1.73 million settlement the Andersons Marathon Holdings agreed to pay for 131 reporting violations there and at ethanol plants in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. The EPA says companies must report annually chemicals released into the air, water or through land disposal via the Toxic Release Inventory, which is meant to provide communities with information to help them respond in an emergency. The fine is the largest the agency has obtained to date under the 1986 Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, the EPA said. The agency said the violations occurred from 2016 to 2020. The EPA found the Andersons Marathon plant in Denison committed 32 violations in which it failed to report the release of chemicals in the plant’s fermentation vapor stream and also failed to provide accurate data. It was fined $209,241. The company also paid $1.52 million for violations at ethanol plants in Logansport, Indiana; Albion, Michigan; and Greenville, Ohio.

Kansas

Topeka: The Kansas Museum of History is offering free admission to the public through Sept.3 before it closes to undergo renovations. Carrie Nation’s hatchet, George Armstrong Custer’s riding boots and Dwight D. Eisenhower’s World War II field jacket are among pieces of the past on display at the museum, along with an airplane built in 1914 by Topekan Albin Longren and a steam locomotive, named after Topeka co-founder Cyrus K. Holliday, that was constructed in 1880 for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. “Please join us in saying ‘Goodbye to the Past,’ ” the museum said on Facebook. The historical museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays until Sept. 3. The Kansas Historical Society’s Museum Store and Discovery Place have already closed for renovations, while construction is underway near the entrance to the building where they are located, the society’s Facebook site said. The state archives research room and the historical society’s nature trail will remain open during renovations. The museum normally charges admission fees of $10 for adults; $9 for senior citizens, active military and college students with identification; and $5 for youths ages 2 through 17.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear announced Tuesday that he’s calling the Republican-led Legislature into a special session to take up a relief package for flood-ravaged eastern Kentucky. The special session will begin at noon Wednesday, the governor said. The decision to reconvene lawmakers comes after discussions among lawmakers and Beshear’s administration. “We’ve had productive conversations – not bipartisan, but nonpartisan,” the governor said in a tweet. “We have now reached an agreement.” The governor didn’t immediately offer details of the relief package to be presented to lawmakers but wrote: “Together, we can provide the support and relief eastern Kentucky needs.” Historic flooding engulfed parts of eastern Kentucky late last month. The surging floodwaters destroyed homes and caused significant damage to roads, bridges and water systems. The catastrophic flooding caused at least 39 deaths.

Louisiana

New Orleans: A deputy constable for a city court has resigned following allegations that he didn’t act when a witness told him a woman was being raped. The deputy had already been suspended after the allegation was made. The constable for 2nd City Court, Edwin Shorty, told news outlets that the deputy resigned Thursday. The deputy was working a private security detail in the French Quarter on July 26 when he was approached by a witness who said a man was raping an unconscious woman nearby. Shorty said an investigation showed the deputy stayed in his car for several minutes before walking away from the scene. He did not release the deputy’s name. Shorty said the deputy, who had 30 years of law enforcement experience, gave no explanation for his inaction.

Maine

Bangor: The federal government will pay $8 million to settle a claim that a federally funded clinic failed to alert a mother or authorities of signs of abuse of a 6-month-old boy. Alexandria Orduna, of Brewer, contended medical professionals failed to recognize or report abuse inflicted on her son by a man who was living with her in 2019. The abuse wasn’t noted and reported until her son was taken to a hospital emergency room in Bangor. The boy is now almost entirely blind, and his brain stopped growing at the time of his attack, the Bangor Daily News reports. “This little boy couldn’t talk, but his body could, and his health care practitioners didn’t listen to what it was saying,” Terry Garmey, one of the mother’s attorneys, told the newspaper. Orduna sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which funds Medicaid, which paid for the boy’s care. The settlement sets aside $17,000 a month in a trust account for the rest of the boy’s life to contribute to the cost of his long-term medical needs and accommodations. The man who inflicted the injuries pleaded guilty last year to aggravated assault and other charges. He was ordered to serve four years in prison.

Maryland

Salisbury: The state’s second-largest port is set to receive much-needed dredging and open the door to a continued economic boom thanks to a new agreement. On Friday, Gov. Larry Hogan announced a landmark partnership for a major dredging project totaling 137,000 cubic yards of material dredged from the Port of Salisbury to be reused to benefit over 70 acres on the Deal Island Wildlife Management Area. The material will be used to help restore wetlands, preserve natural habitats and protect infrastructure along the Manokin River to keep pace with rising sea levels. “When we learned about the dredging needs threatening to restrict operations at this port, our team immediately got to work with (our state partners) to focus on solving the problem. Thanks to a unique partnership at all levels of government, we’re moving forward with the dredging of this port,” Hogan said. According to current economic state data, the port transports more than $200 million in goods annually, including grain, petroleum and building aggregates. It has a 150-foot-wide channel and 14-foot-deep mean tide from the Chesapeake Bay to Salisbury.

Massachusetts

Mattapoisett: Gasoline vapors ignited by spark during a gas tank replacement project on a boat were the likely cause of a major fire at a marina last week that destroyed buildings, vehicles and boats and sent one employee to the hospital, investigators said. The fire at the Mattapoisett Boatyard on Friday that drew more than 100 firefighters and sent a plume of thick black smoke over southeastern Massachusetts that could be seen for miles was determined to be accidental, according to a statement Monday from the state fire marshal and local authorities. The investigation determined that the fire began inside a building at the boatyard where a worker had been replacing a boat’s gas tank. The fire, fanned by winds of up to 25 mph, spread to six buildings, 47 vehicles and 14 boats, authorities said. The injured worker remains in the hospital but is expected to survive. Three firefighters who suffered smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion injuries were treated at the hospital and released. Mattapoisett is about 50 miles south of Boston.

Michigan

Grand Rapids: A jury on Tuesday convicted two men of conspiring to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, delivering swift verdicts in a plot that was broken up by the FBI and described as a rallying cry for a U.S. civil war by anti-government extremists. The result was a big victory for the U.S. Justice Department. A different jury just four months ago couldn’t reach a unanimous decision on Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. but acquitted two other men – a stunning conclusion that led to a second trial. Fox and Croft were convicted of two counts of conspiracy related to the kidnapping scheme and attempts to obtain a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors said they wanted to blow up a bridge to disrupt police if the abduction could be pulled off at Whitmer’s vacation home. Croft was also convicted of another explosives charge. The jury deliberated for roughly eight hours over two days. “Today’s verdicts prove that violence and threats have no place in our politics, and those who seek to divide us will be held accountable. They will not succeed,” said Whitmer, a Democrat, who turned 51 years old Tuesday. “But we must also take a hard look at the status of our politics. Plots against public officials and threats to the FBI are a disturbing extension of radicalized domestic terrorism that festers in our nation, threatening the very foundation of our republic.”

Minnesota

Proctor: The parents of a teenage boy who was assaulted after football practice have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit claiming the coach and others failed to protect their son against known hazing. The September assault resulted in cancellation of Proctor High School’s football season and the resignation of its head coach. An 18-year-old former Proctor student and football player was given probation in June for assaulting the victim with a toilet plunger and must register as a predatory offender for 10 years. The federal lawsuit alleges the hazing practice was common before and during Derek Parendo’s coaching run. The complaint said other assistant coaches, the athletic director, superintendent and guidance counselors also knew about the practice. District leaders told Parendo to remove the plunger from the locker room and to advise players on hazing, the complaint said, but the district didn’t take adequate measures to ensure this, the Star Tribune reports. Parendo has called the assault an isolated incident and said hazing is part of the district’s “old culture,” which coaches have not discussed. Superintendent John Engelking has since retired from the district. He has said the district “has never ignored any alleged misconduct toward staff or students that (was) brought to its attention.”

Mississippi

Jackson: A mother testified Tuesday that her child’s public school is harmed by the state putting $10 million of federal pandemic relief money into infrastructure grants for private schools. Tanya Marsaw of Crystal Springs is a member of Parents for Public Schools, a nonprofit group suing the state to try to block the program Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law earlier this year. The lawsuit cites Section 208 of the Mississippi Constitution, which prohibits the use of public money for any school that is not “a free school.” During a hearing before Hinds County Chancery Judge Crystal Wise Martin, Marsaw testified that she pays taxes. “It is some of my money, and it should not go to private schools,” Marsaw said. Reeves signed two bills in April. One created a grant program to help private schools pay for water, broadband and other infrastructure projects. The other allocated the $10 million of federal money for the program, starting July 1. The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, the Mississippi Center for Justice and Democracy Forward filed the lawsuit June 15 on behalf of Parents for Public Schools, an advocacy group founded more than 30 years ago.

Missouri

Jefferson City: Gov. Mike Parson on Monday called on lawmakers to return to work Sept. 6 for a special legislative session to cut income taxes. The Republican told reporters gathered in his Capitol office that he wants lawmakers to cut the top income tax rate from 5.3% to 4.8% and increase the standard deduction by $2,000 for single filers and $4,000 for couples. A single adult caring for two children and making at most $35,000 a year would see income taxes drop by about $140 a year, according to estimates provided by the governor’s office. Parson specified that, based on the limits in his special session call, lawmakers cannot cut income taxes so deeply that the state loses more than $700 million per year in revenue. The governor also recommended cutting income taxes entirely for individuals who make $16,000 or less in a year or for couples filing jointly who make less than $32,000. Missouri has more money on hand than ever before, thanks partly to a combination of inflation, higher wages and federal funds. The state closed out its 2022 fiscal year with a general revenue balance of nearly $4.9 billion – more than double the previous record set just one year ago.

Montana

West Yellowstone: Cleanup continued Monday after a fuel pup trailer rolled onto its side in Yellowstone National Park last week and spilled gasoline, park officials said. The accident, which happened about 4 a.m. Friday on U.S. Highway 191 in the western side of the park, spilled 4,800 gallons of gasoline onto the roadway and into a wetland adjacent to the highway, the Environmental Protection Agency said. While the wetland feeds into nearby Grayling Creek, there had been no reports of gasoline reaching the creek. Crews were working Monday to clean up fuel, pump contaminated water, and excavate contaminated soil in and around the wetland, said Katherine Jenkins, a spokesperson for the EPA. Park law enforcement cited the truck driver for failure to maintain control, said park spokesperson Morgan Warthin.

Nebraska

Lincoln: A state lawmaker from Omaha is promising to introduce a bill to legalize medical marijuana after similar measures failed to collect enough valid signatures to appear on the November ballot. State Sen. Jen Day said in a news release Tuesday that she will introduce legislation in the upcoming legislative session slated to begin Jan. 4. “We will exhaust every measure possible to get Nebraskans the medical freedom they deserve and want,” Day said. Her announcement came a day after Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced that the Medical Cannabis Patient Protections Initiative and the Medical Cannabis Regulation Initiative failed to get the nearly 87,000 signatures required to get on the Nov. 8 ballot. The failure did not come as a surprise. Organizers announced in early July that they would likely miss the signature goal needed to make the November ballot, citing the death of one of the effort’s top donors. That forced organizers to rely primarily on volunteers.

Nevada

Reno: As students move into a repaired and remodeled college dormitory for the first time since it exploded three years ago, the legal battle over who is to blame has just started. More than 700 students, mostly freshmen, will be living in the University of Nevada, Reno’s Argenta Hall when the fall semester starts Monday. “Argenta is back,” UNR President Brian Sandoval announced Aug. 16 during a reception to thank contractors, architects and university staff for helping to rebuild and for getting through the past three years. On July 5, 2019, an explosion left the eight-story residence hall, the largest of nine dorms on campus, uninhabitable. UNR officials have often called the explosion the luckiest disaster: No one was seriously hurt when a pipeline in the boiler room filled air ducts and elevator shafts with gas, causing a massive explosion that rattled campus, twisted metal, blasted appliances across rooms and broke windows. A lawsuit filed in June by UNR’s insurance company says the company that serviced the boiler is to blame and responsible for millions in costs. A status conference with both parties is scheduled with Washoe District Court Judge Egan Walker at 10 a.m. Thursday.

New Hampshire

Concord: Election monitors have been appointed in Windham, Bedford and one ward in Laconia for the state’s Sept. 13 primary after problems were found in vote counting or the administration of elections in November 2020, the attorney general’s office said. The office said in a news release Monday that the monitors are appointed to work with election officials and review the conduct of the upcoming election to ensure compliance with state law. Following the November 2020 election, the Windham election review found “administrative shortcomings and significant inaccuracies in vote counts due to the processing of incorrectly folded ballots,” the office said. In Bedford, the election review found that election officials inadvertently failed to count 190 absentee ballots “due to misplacing a container of ballots during election day processing,” according to the attorney general’s office. The office said the Laconia Ward 6 election review found that “election officials inadvertently failed to count 179 ballots from 2020 elections that were cast but left in a ballot collection box, as well as some officials double-counting dozens of ballots” in the November 2020 election. The election monitors are required by law to produce a report within 30 days of the state primary election.

New Jersey

Annandale: After a school year of fighting personal attacks and opposing the removal of LGBTQ books from school libraries, North Hunterdon High School librarian Martha Hickson was awarded the Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity by the American Library Association. Daniel Handler, also known as Lemony Snicket, presented Hickson with the award − a $10,000 prize, a certificate and an “odd, symbolic object” from Handler’s private collection − at the ALA’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., in June. The award annually recognizes and honors a librarian who has faced adversity with integrity and dignity intact. During the 2021-22 school year, Hickson was personally targeted when parents and other community members sought to remove five books that are LGBTQ-themed from the North Hunterdon High School library, which she opposed. The group labeled her as a “pornographer” and “pedophile” for providing children with access to the books in question, and she received hate mail, threats, nuisance vandalism, and questions about her judgment and integrity. She said the adversity became so pervasive and extreme that her blood pressure and anxiety rose to a dangerous point, and her physician removed her from the workplace.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: More than four grueling months and $300 million later, the federal government has declared the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s recorded history 100% contained, a notable milestone but just another step in what local residents and officials say will be a long journey toward recovery. The blaze was sparked in the spring by two errant prescribed fires conducted by the U.S. Forest Service. More than 530 square miles of the Rocky Mountain foothills burned, hundreds of homes were destroyed, livelihoods were lost, and drinking water supplies were contaminated. Local officials say there are years of work ahead of them to restore the landscape and protect against post-fire flooding. San Miguel County Manager Joy Ansley and her team have been working nonstop since the first plumes of smoke began rising from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. They helped coordinate the evacuation of thousands of people from small mountain villages and worked with the state and the city of Las Vegas as flames approached. With the summer rainy season in full swing, Ansley said parts of northern New Mexico are flooding on a weekly basis. “It’s going to be a long process, and just because the fire is contained, we’re certainly not out of the woods,” she said Tuesday.

New York

Rochester: A couple whom a Black firefighter accused of throwing a racist pool party this summer mocking the Juneteenth holiday said Tuesday that the party was intended to ridicule liberal politicians but wasn’t bigoted. The couple, dentist Nicholas Nicosia and real estate agent Mary Znidarsic-Nicosia, said their July 7 party had been mischaracterized, but Znidarsic-Nicosia confessed to running a racist Twitter account. According to a legal notice filed by firefighter Jerrod Jones, the Nicosias’ party featured a display mocking the Juneteenth holiday, which celebrates the end of slavery in the 19th century, with Juneteenth flags displayed over buckets of fried chicken. Jones, a 14-year veteran of the fire department, said his captain forced him and two co-workers to attend the party while on duty. He filed a notice of claim against the city of Rochester and the fire department seeking at least $3 million for emotional distress and at least $1 million in compensatory damages. The fire captain, Jeffrey Krywy, was suspended by the department and later retired. Znidarsic-Nicosia did admit to running an anonymous Twitter account that posted racist images and content but denied being racist. “I have made blatantly racist comments under that persona,” she said. “The culture of Twitter operates that way. It gives you an opportunity to be someone you’re not.”

North Carolina

Raleigh: North Carolina’s most powerful state senator said Tuesday that he would prefer to have approved restrictions on abortion after roughly the first three months of pregnancy. Senate leader Phil Berger, speaking before convening another round of no-vote General Assembly sessions this week, also said he would support exceptions to any prohibition following the first trimester, such as in situations of rape and incest or when the mother’s life is in danger. The views of Berger, R-Rockingham County, would appear to represent a more tempered effort compared to GOP legislators in North Carolina and other states who want to outlaw abortion or dramatically scale it back following a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade. A federal judge last week reinstated a North Carolina law that prohibits abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy save for urgent medical emergencies. Incest and rape exceptions currently are not granted in state law. The first trimester is usually defined as 12 or 13 weeks of pregnancy. “I would say that after the first trimester, the state has an absolute interest in regulating the incidence of abortion,” Berger told reporters. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland County, and Berger have said no potential action on abortion would occur until next year.

North Dakota

Bismarck: The main group working to legalize recreational marijuana in the state has more than a half-million dollars to press its case – far more than the mostly shoe-leather effort on which it relied four years ago. Meanwhile, a major oil industry group that helped fund opposition last time says it will sit on the sidelines this time. The North Dakota Petroleum Council will not contribute to the fight the pot legalization effort that will appear on the November general election ballot, said Ron Ness, the group’s president. “It’s one of those things where we only have so many resources,” said Ness, whose group represents several hundred companies. Ness said 1 in 6 North Dakota jobs is directly or indirectly tied to the state’s oil industry. Most oil-field jobs require drug testing, and legalizing pot would likely shrink the employment pool, he said. The energy group contributed $30,000 to the failed statewide ballot effort in 2018 to legalize recreational marijuana. It was among a group of lawyers, law enforcement and business leaders that pushed opposition. The Greater North Dakota Chamber, the state’s largest business organization, contributed $64,000 to oppose the measure in 2018. CEO and President Arik Spencer said the group hasn’t decided whether it will help fund or even support another opposition effort.

Ohio

Columbus: Two constitutional amendments have cleared their last big hurdle before heading to November ballots – one seeking bail reform, the other prohibiting noncitizens from voting. The specific language for describing the amendments was approved Monday by the Ohio Ballot Board, a panel of legislative appointees led by Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican. The Legislature had sent the amendments in June to be put on the ballot. Issue 1, the amendment on bail, would change the conditions and amount of money needed to release someone. Bail would no longer be a standard set by the state. Instead, it would be up to a judge’s discretion based on factors such as public safety, including the seriousness of an offense, an individual’s criminal record, the likelihood a person will commit another offense, or “any other factor the General Assembly may prescribe.” The proposal followed a ruling by a divided Ohio Supreme Court in January, which said a $1.5 million bond for a Cincinnati man accused of fatally shooting a man during a robbery was too high. The language cleared the committee unanimously. The second amendment, Issue 2, would prohibit local governments from allowing non-U.S. citizens to vote in local elections. They are already prohibited from voting in federal and state elections.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Green or red – the colors will symbolize life or death, mercy or no mercy, in a prominent anti-death penalty display outside a northwest Oklahoma City church. Twenty-five crosses have been erected along the front lawn of The Lazarus Community at Clark Memorial United Methodist Church, each representing a person the state is scheduled to execute, beginning Thursday with James Coddington, and extending into 2024. The Rev. Bo Ireland, the church’s pastor, said the crosses – each 6 feet tall and about 4 feet wide – are hard to miss along a busy thoroughfare. But he said they’ll be even more eye-catching in the coming days and weeks. Ireland and a group of volunteers spray-painted the large crosses white Monday, but they won’t stay that way. “If James Coddington is executed, we will paint one of these crosses red, and if he is granted clemency, we will paint it green,” Ireland said. Coddington is set to be executed by lethal injection at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1997 murder of Albert Hale. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency for Coddington in early August. It is up to Gov. Kevin Stitt to decide whether the death row inmate is granted clemency or executed Thursday.

Oregon

Salem: A new microshelter village for unsheltered residents is set to open in south Salem after the City Council allocated funds for the project Monday night. The council voted unanimously to direct $750,000 in state sheltering grant funds to fund a microshelter village at Turner Road SE near Church at the Park, which owns the property there. The money was previously allocated to establish and operate a safe park program on Front Street, but staff said the location is no longer cost-efficient due to higher than anticipated costs. “Startup expenses will exceed original projections, leaving less for operations,” city staff said in a report to council Thursday. “For example, environmentally friendly sanitation services for up to 40 recreational vehicles requires a high level of up-front investment. The lease for the property ends in December 2023.” The Turner Road location was one of three locations Salem City Council approved for microshelters in a Jan. 24 meeting. Another was Front Street. Work is currently underway to relocate the Village of Hope shelter site to the other location approved on Center Street. Local advocates have made it their goal to have microshelter villages throughout the city in all eight wards. A community effort has raised more than $770,000 in donations – enough for at least 154 shelters.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Last week, searches for the word “crudités” on Dictionary.com spiked by more than 10,000% after Dr. Mehmet Oz mentioned the raw vegetable appetizer in an online video that went viral in the worst way possible for the U.S. Senate candidate. “Thought I’d do some grocery shopping. I’m at Wegners,” the GOP nominee says at the outset of the TikTok video, apparently jumbling the names of supermarket chains Redner’s and Wegmans by accident. The clip continues as Oz scans the produce section and grabs a head of broccoli, a bag of whole carrots, asparagus, salsa and guacamole in an awkward attempt to make a point about inflation. Cradling his vegetables, he announces aghast that the total at the register would come to $20 – for crudité! But few besides Oz seemed to know what that is. “In PA we call this … a veggie tray,” Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Oz’s Democratic opponent in the Senate race, tweeted dryly after the video started to blow up. But even after figuring out what a “crudité” was, the internet still had many questions for Oz. Why didn’t he have a shopping basket? Why did he feel salsa and guacamole would be appropriate dips for raw vegetables? Who eats uncooked asparagus? The TikTok video has racked up 4.4 million views to date and has been shared thousands of times on Twitter, generally accompanied by snarky comments. Fetterman wasted no time capitalizing on Oz’s social media mishap, reportedly raising $500,000 in just 24 hours after the clip went viral.

Rhode Island

Providence: Federal officials have declared a drought-related disaster in the state. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Monday declared all five of Rhode Island’s counties as “primary natural disaster areas” because of the ongoing drought. The declaration allows eligible farms to be considered for low-interest, emergency loans and other assistance from the department’s Farm Service Agency. Farmers have eight months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for the assistance. “This prolonged drought has been tough on many Rhode Island farmers, harming the yield and quality of crops,” U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat who earlier this month requested the disaster declaration, said in a statement. “This federal declaration is good news for the state and should help mitigate some of the production losses local farmers are facing.” Rhode Island saw less than 0.5 inches of rain in July, compared to an average of 2.5 inches, according to Reed’s office. More than 99% of the state is experiencing extreme drought.

South Carolina

Columbia: The director of the state’s Department of Mental Health is giving up the post he’s held for two years, officials said. Dr. Kenneth Rogers, a psychiatrist hired to run the agency in April 2020, announced Thursday at an executive session of a meeting of the Mental Health Commission that he would be leaving the department effective Nov. 1, The State reports. Rogers emailed agency staff Friday shortly after The State reported news of his resignation, to announce his pending departure and thank them for their support. “You have shown incredible fortitude as we have faced extraordinary challenges, and I am proud to work with you,” he wrote. “While I am moving on to a new opportunity, I will forever be grateful for returning to SCDMH and for all I have learned during my tenure as state director.” Rogers did not disclose his next move to staff but pledged to send more information about what to expect in the near future and said he was confident the agency would be in “capable hands” going forward. The seven-member Mental Health Commission, which is appointed by the governor, will select the agency’s next director with confirmation from the Senate. Commission Chairman Greg Pearce said the board was surprised by Rogers’ announcement and had not asked him to resign.

South Dakota

Aberdeen: Gov. Kristi Noem has suggested she won’t push back if voters approve a recreational marijuana ballot measure this fall. The Republican governor talked about the possible future of legal cannabis in South Dakota during a visit to Aberdeen last week. Residents will once again vote on the issue when Initiated Measure 27 appears on the ballot in November. “From what I’ve seen, this amendment this year that will be on the ballot is written more appropriately towards the Constitution,” Noem said Friday at the Brown County Fair. In 2020, Amendment A sought to legalize recreational marijuana. It was approved by voters but struck down by the South Dakota Supreme Court after justices ruled that the amendment violated a provision in the constitution requiring amendments to encompass only one subject. Noem was an opponent of Amendment A two years ago. At her request, state Highway Superintendent Rick Miller and Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom filed the lawsuit that led to the court battle. Noem said that her job as governor is to implement the recreational marijuana resolution if it’s approved by voters in November. Unlike Amendment A, Initiated Measure 27 does not include tax and regulatory stipulations. Those will be left up to the Legislature.

Tennessee

Nashville: Disgraced former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his top aide were arrested Tuesday on federal charges including bribery, kickbacks and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Their indictments follow the abrupt resignation in March of Republican state Rep. Robin Smith, who pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges involving Casada and his chief of staff, Cade Cothren. Afterward, speculation swirled about what additional charges might come in the corruption probe. FBI agents arrested Casada and Cothren at their homes Tuesday morning. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in prison. Both pleaded not guilty Tuesday and received pretrial release with travel restricted to the middle district of Tennessee unless otherwise approved. The 20-count charging document alleges Casada and Cothren exploited their positions of power by working with another unnamed lawmaker to funnel money to themselves using a political consulting firm – known as Phoenix Solutions, LLC – to conceal their involvement. Cothren registered the firm in New Mexico because the state allows anonymous registration of LLCs, and he rebuffed requests for in-person meetings with Casada’s fellow lawmakers, saying the company representatives were out of state.

Texas

Austin: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, accused of acting unethically and dishonestly when he worked to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential election victory in 2020, has turned to his agency for help in a legal battle that could put his law license in jeopardy. A State Bar of Texas disciplinary committee sued Paxton in May, arguing he should be sanctioned for violating his duties as an attorney by lying to the U.S. Supreme Court when he said Texas had substantial proof that voting fraud propelled Biden to victory in four swing states. Paxton “knew or should have known” that his claims were false, misleading and unsupported by credible evidence, the bar argued. Paxton responded in June by asking a state judge to dismiss the lawsuit as an unconstitutional check on his power and a politically motivated attack based on his support for fellow Republican Donald Trump. State District Judge Casey Blair of Kaufman County is scheduled to hear arguments on Paxton’s motion during a Wednesday morning hearing in Kaufman, about 30 miles southeast of Dallas. The Texas Attorney General’s Office entered the fray last week when it asked state District Judge Casey Blair of Kaufman County to allow the agency to join the case on Paxton’s behalf.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Democrats are demanding that Gov. Spencer Cox’s pick to head the Department of Natural Resources resign his legislative seat and withdraw from the November ballot, saying it violates the state constitution for him to serve in both roles. Cox selected Republican state Rep. Joel Ferry as the agency’s executive director, a Cabinet position. Ferry has been serving in an acting role pending his confirmation by the Utah Senate, but he’s hanging onto his legislative seat and remains on the ballot in House District 1. The Utah Democratic Party says that violates the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches set out in the Utah Constitution, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. The governor’s office has previously argued that it doesn’t because Ferry resigned from legislative committees and assignments that would govern natural resources-related issues, and he is not taking any compensation for his legislative role. Legal counsel for the Utah Democratic Party and Joshua Hardy, Ferry’s opponent in November, wrote to Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson’s office Thursday asking for Ferry to be disqualified from the ballot since he’s ineligible to hold office if he is reelected.

Vermont

Montpelier: The state’s primary election results have been certified after a delay caused by a technical issue, Secretary of State Jim Condos announced Tuesday. The vote tallies and winners in the Aug. 9 primary were certified as official at a meeting of the canvassing committee Monday, he said. “The tri-partisan certification of election results as official is an important step in verifying the accuracy and integrity of our election results,” Condos said in a statement. “Vermonters deserve to have 100% confidence that official vote totals accurately reflect the ballots cast by voters. That is why results are carefully reviewed and certified by a member of each major political party.” Of the 133,578 ballots cast, 809 were deemed defective, his office said. Of those, 492 were fixed by voters under the new ballot-curing provisions of Vermont’s election law, leaving 317 defective ballots that were unable to be counted, he said. That amounts to a very low defective ballot rate under 0.25%, he said. The secretary of state’s office said a week ago that the certification was delayed because a state contractor had been unable to resolve a technology issue affecting the office’s ability to produce reports from votes submitted by town and city clerks.

Virginia

Fairfax: Police say their efforts to inform a school system about the arrest of a counselor on solicitation charges were thwarted by undeliverable emails. Fairfax County Public Schools has launched an investigation into how Darren Thornton, 50, was able to keep his job as a counselor at Glasgow Middle School for 20 months after his arrest on charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor in November 2020. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin and others criticized the school system after police in Chesterfield County, where Thornton was arrested, said they informed school administrators in Fairfax County at the time of the arrest in 2020. Now, though, Chesterfield police say the emails they sent back in 2020 never went through. In a statement posted Tuesday on Facebook, Chesterfield County police Chief Jeffrey Katz said the email addresses his agency used had typos in them. “I think it is important not to lose sight of the fact that our staff caught Thornton (twice),” Katz said. “We made good faith efforts (twice) to ensure he was appropriately dealt with by the criminal justice system and his employer.” Thornton was arrested as part of an online sting when a police officer posing as a 17-year-old connected with Thornton over the internet.

Washington

George: The Grant County Sheriff’s Office believes its deputies stopped a man from carrying out a mass shooting at the Gorge Amphitheater on Friday night. The sheriff’s office said people at the event and security personnel told them about 9 p.m. of a man in the parking lot near his vehicle, KOIN-TV reports. Witnesses saw the man inhale an unknown substance from a balloon and then load two 9 mm pistols from the trunk of his car, according to the sheriff’s office. Witnesses also told investigators the man put one gun in the waistband of his pants and the other in a holster that was outside his waistband. Witnesses say he then approached concertgoers and asked what time the concert ended and where they would be leaving the venue. The sheriff’s office said the man, identified as Jonathan Moody of Ephrata, Washington, was stopped by security outside the gates and disarmed. The sheriff’s office said no one was injured. After investigating, deputies arrested Moody on suspicion of one count of possession of a dangerous weapon and one count of unlawful carrying or handling of a weapon. Moody was lodged in the Grant County Jail. It wasn’t immediately known if he had a lawyer to comment on his behalf.

West Virginia

Charleston: A rainy summer has set a record in the state capital. With a month still left in the summer, the 23.23 inches of rain that have fallen in Charleston since June 21 broke the mark of 23.13 inches set in 1958, the National Weather Service said. Nearly 4 inches of rain fell last week in the Charleston area. Flooding in parts of Kanawha and Fayette counties prompted Gov. Jim Justice to declare a state of emergency. Five of the 10 rainiest summers in Charleston have occurred this century. The others happened in 2003, 2006, 2013 and 2018, the weather service said.

Wisconsin

Madison: Republicans who control the Legislature asked a judge Tuesday to dismiss Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul’s lawsuit challenging Wisconsin’s 173-year-old abortion ban. Kaul filed the lawsuit in June after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, the landmark decision that essentially legalized abortion across the country. The ruling gave states the authority to regulate abortion on their own, putting Wisconsin’s ban back into play. The ban prohibits abortions in every instance except to save the mother’s life. Kaul’s lawsuit argues that the ban conflicts with a 1985 Wisconsin law that allows abortions before a fetus has grown enough that it could survive outside the womb. That point in time is unclear; some physicians say it’s about 20 weeks, others around 28 weeks. The attorney general also argues that the ban is unenforceable because it has become obsolete. The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board and former Democratic state Rep. Sheldeon Wasserman, who works as an obstetrician and gynecologist, have joined Kaul as plaintiffs in the case. Senate President Chris Kapenga, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMehieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, all named defendants, filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in Dane County Circuit Court.

Wyoming

Jackson: The state has lost its holdout status in the monkeypox outbreak, with the Wyoming Health Department reporting Monday morning that a case has been detected in Laramie County, the Jackson Hole News&Guide reports.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Pandemic popcorn, doctor's notes: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: Two Alabama National Guard-staffed mobile vaccination units will begin canvassing counties in the Black Belt and Wiregrass regions next week in an effort to expand COVID-19 inoculations to some of the state’s most rural communities. Vaccinations will begin Tuesday in Covington and Sumter counties. Gov. Kay Ivey announced the locations Thursday, saying in a statement that delivering vaccine to rural Alabama is important to her due to her own upbringing in rural Wilcox County. “I am proud that our guardsmen stand willing to help our great state in any way, especially as we look to put this virus in our rearview mirror,” Ivey said. “I encourage everyone eligible to take advantage of this great resource, and please remain patient as we continue working to get our hands on as many doses as we are able from the federal government. Be sure to help get the word out to your family, friends and neighbors!” The ALNG units will be able to issue “at least 1,000” doses per day, per site, in a Tuesday-through-Friday schedule. Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said last week the extra weekday will be used for planning and handling data. The clinics, open to all Alabamians free of charge, are expected to run between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Alaska

Anchorage: The final musher has crossed the finish line in this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, nearly three days after the winner reached the finish line near the small community of Willow. Victoria Hardwick finished the race at 12:22 a.m. Thursday, claiming the race’s Red Lantern Award. The lantern is an Alaska tradition, awarded annually to the competition’s last-place finisher. Race officials say the award honors the final musher’s perseverance in not giving up. Hardwick, of Bethel, Alaska, finished the race 36th, completing the 850-mile race in 10 days, 9 hours, 22 minutes and 6 seconds. It’s her second Red Lantern Award. She got her first in the 2019 race, when she placed 39th. This year’s race started March 7 with 47 mushers. Nine quit the race, and one was withdrawn after testing positive for the coronavirus. Because of the pandemic, mushers didn’t follow the traditional route that travels across Alaska and ends at Nome at the Bering Sea. It was shortened to a loop with mushers starting and ending the race near Willow, about 50 miles north of Anchorage. It was the first time Nome was not the finish line for the world’s most famous sled dog race. Dallas Seavey won his fifth Iditarod championship, crossing the finish line early Monday morning. He’s now tied with Rick Swenson for the most-ever Iditarod wins.

Arizona

Phoenix: State lawmakers on Tuesday advanced legislation offering a broad shield from lawsuits related to COVID-19, saying businesses and health care providers deserve protection for doing their best during a challenging time. Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee backed the measure in a party-line vote over strong objections from trial lawyers and consumer advocates, who said the measure would reward bad actors who flouted health guidance. Very few lawsuits have been filed related to COVID-19, critics say. The bill, which has already passed the Senate, would raise the bar for successful pandemic-related lawsuits against businesses, health care providers, nursing homes, nonprofits, governments, churches and schools. Instead of proving negligence by a preponderance of the evidence, plaintiffs would have to prove “gross negligence” or “willful misconduct” by clear and convincing evidence. That’s a “double whammy” requiring plaintiffs to both show more egregious conduct and meet a higher standard of proof, said Barry Aarons, a lobbyist for Arizona trial lawyers. The legislation effectively creates broad immunity for anyone who can claim some link to the pandemic, he said. A nursing home might claim, for example, it was unable to properly respond to a patient’s stroke or heart attack because of COVID-19.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state Supreme Court has said it will hear arguments in a lawsuit by a group of legislators challenging Arkansas’ coronavirus restrictions. Justices granted the request for oral arguments in the case late last week but did not immediately schedule the hearing. A Pulaski County judge last year dismissed the lawsuit, and the legislators appealed to the Supreme Court. The case is moving forward a week after Gov. Asa Hutchinson lifted most of the state’s virus restrictions but left the state’s mask mandate in place through at least the end of March. It also comes after the Senate passed a measure expanding the Legislature’s ability to terminate a disaster declaration during a public health emergency. The lawsuit argues that the restrictions put in place during the pandemic required legislative approval. Arkansas on Wednesday reported 14 more coronavirus deaths as the state saw a drop in its active virus cases. The Department of Health said the state’s COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began now total 5,507. The state’s active virus cases, which don’t include people who have recovered or died, dropped by 67 to 2,808. The state reported 325 new cases, bringing its total since the pandemic began to 327,781. Its COVID-19 hospitalizations increased by three to 260.

California

Los Angeles: AMC Theatres says it will have 98% of its U.S. movie theaters open Friday as a bunch of theaters reopen in California. Even more are expected to open by March 26. AMC said more than 40 of its locations in the Golden State are reopening Friday, and the state is expected to open 52 of its 54 locations by Monday. The company is preparing to resume operations at the rest of its California locations once the proper local approvals are in place. AMC’s announcement is welcomed by film fans not only because more of them will get to return to reclining seats and a stadium-style format but also because it means the company has hopefully put the worst behind it. It was only in June that AMC cautioned it may not survive the coronavirus pandemic, as its theaters closed and film studios started releasing more movies directly to viewers on streaming services. More theaters opening will also mean more jobs. AMC spokesman Ryan Noonan said the company is welcoming back employees from before theaters were shut down, as well as bringing in new workers. All will be trained on its cleaning and safety protocols, which include social distancing and automatic seat blocking in each theater, mandatory mask-wearing, hand sanitizing stations, upgraded air filtration, contactless ticketing, and mobile ordering for food and drinks.

Colorado

Denver: A state Senate panel advanced a bill Wednesday that would grant minimum wage and overtime rights to thousands of farmworkers and allow them to organize and join labor unions. The bill, sponsored by three Democratic lawmakers, would regulate working hours for overtime, rest and eating breaks and would guarantee farmworkers living in cramped quarters space that conforms with distancing guidelines recommended by health authorities to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Several states allow farmworkers collective bargaining to some extent – among the many rights originally denied them on the basis of skin color under U.S. labor laws first adopted in the 1930s. “Generations of workers have been exploited for profit,” said Sen. Jessie Danielson, a bill co-sponsor who was raised on a family farm in northern Colorado. Danielson told the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee that most farmers and ranchers treat their workers well. But she cited a litany of abuse, including relentless work hours in all weather conditions, substandard housing, lack of regular access to medical care, and the fear of retribution, including firing, for workers who complain about their labor and living conditions. “The pandemic brought the struggle of these essential workers to the forefront,” Danielson said.

Connecticut

Hartford: The state House of Representatives on Tuesday voted unanimously in favor of legislation that requires Gov. Ned Lamont to provide top legislative leaders with recommendations for spending the approximately $2.6 billion Connecticut expects to receive in state COVID-19 relief funds from the latest congressional package. The legislation creates an unusual process that ultimately gives the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee until May 16 to report its approval or modifications to Lamont’s proposal, if any, to the leaders. “I wanted to make sure that we as a group, we are a team addressing the Coronavirus American Rescue Fund and that all of us are participating in making the decisions and supporting what we need to do with these dollars,” said Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, the House chair of the Appropriations Committee. Rep. Mike France, R-Ledyard, the top House Republican on the committee, said he’s pleased the legislation also requires Lamont’s budget office to provide legislators with an accounting of how Connecticut spent earlier federal pandemic aid. The bill now awaits final legislative approval by the state Senate.

Delaware

Wilmington: Officials at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Wilmington have announced that all veterans enrolled in Veterans Affairs health care are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The Delaware State News reports veterans must be enrolled in VA health care. And they should preferably receive care at the Wilmington VAMC or one of its five Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Delaware or southern New Jersey. “By expanding the eligibility criteria, we will be able to vaccinate all of our veterans more quickly and get closer to having staff return to their team assignments so we can offer more routine care to veterans at a pre-pandemic level,” Vince Kane, director of the Wilmington VAMC, said in a statement. The Wilmington VAMC has so far administered more than 22,000 vaccine doses to veterans and medical center staff.

District of Columbia

Washington: More than two dozen clergy members from the capital region rolled up their sleeves inside the Washington National Cathedral and got vaccinated against COVID-19 on Tuesday in a camera-friendly event designed to encourage others to get their own shots. The interfaith “vaccine confidence” event targeted in particular Black, Latino and other communities of color, with the aim of overcoming reluctance among populations disproportionately hit by a pandemic that has killed more than a half-million people in the country. “Over 50% of all cases and almost half of all deaths are in persons of African American, Latino or Hispanic background, American Indian and Pacific Islanders,” said Dr. Eliseo Perez-Stable, director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. “Now, much has been said about, ‘Well, the risk is greater because there’s more disease, more diabetes, more obesity, more heart disease.’ But the reality is that the infections are more likely because people live in more crowded conditions. They work in jobs that do not allow the privilege of teleworking. They cannot self-isolate at home.” Following a moment of prayer for COVID-19 victims, the socially distanced attendees applauded when the Rev. Patricia Hailes Fears from Fellowship Baptist Church became the first one present to be inoculated.

Florida

Fort Lauderdale: Claes Bell repeatedly called his doctor, desperate to get a state form signed so he could get a COVID-19 vaccine before traveling to be at his father’s bedside after heart surgery. But the 39-year-old, who suffers from hypertension, said he couldn’t get through and eventually called a private, 24-hour emergency doctors network where he paid $45 for a virtual consult. “I’m privileged. I have the money to pay for that,” said Bell, a father of three. “It just sets up a scenario where your outcomes are going to be different depending on your income and employment.” Gov. Ron DeSantis recently opened up vaccine eligibility for younger people with health conditions to get the jab at pharmacies and community centers, but they’re required to have their doctor’s OK. The form requires little more than a signature and is aimed at preventing healthy younger people from jumping the line. But critics say it’s an onerous added barrier for minorities and low-income residents without health insurance or access to a doctor. The inequitable distribution of has been an ongoing challenge for the governor. Of the 3.2 million people who have received one or two doses, less than 6% have been Black – about a third of the corresponding share of the state’s population. Even those like Bell with insurance say they can’t reach their doctors because their offices have been flooded with requests.

Georgia

Savannah: Pulling the plug on the South’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade didn’t stop the party in Savannah, where gaudy green-clad tourists kept bars, restaurants and hotels busy for days and had police handing out thousands of masks amid fears the revelry could brew a coronavirus outbreak. Tourism officials and business owners said the Irish holiday Wednesday and the weekend preceding it were the busiest they’ve seen since the pandemic began a year ago. They credited visitors weary of the virus and given hope by rising vaccinations. “The ’rona might not be done with us, but there are a lot of people who are done with the ’rona,” said Jessica Walden, co-owner of the bar Bay Street Blues near Savannah’s riverfront. St. Patrick’s Day is typically the most lucrative time of year in Savannah, whose parade dates to 1824. It has since ballooned into one of the South’s biggest street parties after Mardi Gras. The celebration Wednesday was notably more subdued. Still, a steady stream of people strolled downtown sidewalks and the riverfront promenade of bars and souvenir shops. Tables outside restaurants were mostly full, and a daiquiri bar had more than a dozen people lined up waiting to enter. Only about half the people celebrating outside wore masks, despite a large green banner hanging from City Hall urging revelers to “MASK UP.”

Hawaii

Lihue: As the coronavirus ravaged other parts of the U.S., residents of this rural Pacific island watched safely from afar. Kauai, one of the world’s most sought-after vacation destinations, has been nearly impossible to visit for most of the past year, with officials bucking pressure to ease quarantine rules as the state’s economy tanked. As a result, Hawaii’s least populated county has been one of the safest places to be. Hair salons were open, kids went to school and played team sports, and residents enjoyed restaurants, bars and beaches without the typical hordes of visitors – or the fears of surging virus numbers. As of Wednesday, Kauai has recorded only 218 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, compared with more than 28,000 statewide. Now, local officials are loosening restrictions, saying early measures and the island’s departure from a state testing program that allowed in more people gave it time to build a strong foundation of public health. A unique “resort bubble” program also helped Kauai bring back some tourists and prepare to reopen more broadly. Next month, the island will rejoin the state’s Safe Travels program, which allows travelers to avoid quarantine with a single negative pre-flight coronavirus test.

Idaho

Boise: A fourth lawmaker in the state House of Representatives has tested positive for the coronavirus in less than a week’s time – and just as the Legislature is debating a bill that would ban local governments from requiring that people wear masks. The increasing number of lawmakers out sick with the virus has legislative leaders in the conservative state worried they may not be able to finish business in a timely fashion. “Of course I’m concerned,” Republican House Speaker Scott Bedke said Wednesday, before the announcement of the fourth COVID-19 diagnosis among his colleagues. Bedke wasn’t wearing a face covering but put one on before getting in an elevator in the Statehouse. “We’re reemphasizing the safety protocols. We also want to be done by the end of the month. I guess we’ll just see how it goes,” he said. Republican Rep. Julie Yamamoto said Thursday that she tested positive Wednesday afternoon and immediately left the Statehouse. She had been on the House floor earlier in the day without a mask as lawmakers debated a huge tax-cut bill. All four lawmakers out with the illness are Republicans who rarely or never wear masks. “I actually feel fine,” Yamamoto said. “The coughing is the worst thing. And I was doing that before with just the asthma and allergies.”

Illinois

Chicago: The city will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility this month to include people with underlying health conditions and more categories of workers, including in food service and construction, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Wednesday. The expansion to so-called Phase 1c is expected March 29. It’s the last category before vaccines are available to the wider public. Illinois has allowed people with some underlying health conditions to receive the shots since last month, but Chicago and its surrounding areas have largely held off because supplies are limited in the densely populated region. The expansion includes workers in finance, higher education and retail. Still, issues persist with snagging limited appointments and eligibility confusion. Criteria have changed several times at a federally backed mass vaccination site at the United Center, which has allowed people with underlying health conditions since it opened this month. Initially, it was supposed to be open to Illinois residents but then was narrowed to Chicagoans. Later, those in city ZIP codes hit hard by the pandemic were given priority, with officials saying suburban Cook County residents would be offered limited access. Also Wednesday, Chicago schools officials announced staff and vendors can sign up for vaccinations at four dedicated sites for educators.

Indiana

Indianapolis: The state attorney general’s office vigorously defended Gov. Eric Holcomb’s emergency powers in response to a restaurant’s lawsuit challenging his order that masks must be worn inside restaurants – even though Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita, who took office in January, previously called for curbing the governor’s authority. Yergy’s State Road BBQ in Bluffton filed a suit in December against the Wells County Health Department, Holcomb and the state after it was shut down for violating face-covering requirements and capacity limits amid the pandemic. The lawsuit contends that the county health order closing the restaurant was based on unconstitutional executive orders issued by the governor and that Holcomb didn’t have authority to mandate mask-wearing without backing from the Legislature. The restaurant in the town about 20 miles south of Fort Wayne maintains the order caused “unjust injury to Yergy’s fundamental civil rights, liberty interests and property rights.” The state attorney general’s office, however, argues that based on “broad, clear, and unambiguous language” of Indiana’s emergency powers law, the General Assembly “intended to grant the executive branch the authority to protect Hoosiers through an emergency declaration.”

Iowa

Des Moines: Zero Iowa nursing homes have active COVID-19 outbreaks as of Thursday, a milestone in the pandemic response nearly a year after the disease wound its way into the state. Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to the disease and have accounted for nearly 40% of the state’s 5,600-plus deaths, despite making up less than 1% of the state’s population. Family visits to the facilities were strictly limited last spring as officials tried to keep the virus from finding a foothold in the facilities. That led to months of isolation for thousands of frail, elderly Iowans. “Without a doubt this has been probably the longest and most difficult journey for long-term care providers in their lifetimes,” Iowa Health Care Association Senior Vice President Lori Ristau said in an interview. “Residents are like a second family to them. So that was very traumatic and a lot to work through. That makes the progress we’re seeing even more meaningful and more joyful because of how long this road has been for them.” Nursing home residents, along with health care providers, were the top priority for immunization after vaccines arrived in the state in December. Gov. Kim Reynolds said during a Wednesday news conference that more than 90% of residents and 60% of staff have been vaccinated.

Kansas

Topeka: Legislators are working to give prosecutors and courts time to clear a backlog of several thousand criminal cases that built up during the coronavirus pandemic, though they disagree about how much is enough time. The Senate approved a bill Wednesday night that would suspend until May 1, 2023, a law aimed at protecting defendants’ constitutional right to a speedy trial. The law requires cases to come to trial within five months of a defendant who has been jailed entering a plea and within six months if the defendant is free on bond. Lawmakers have said there’s a backlog of about 5,000 criminal cases, and prosecutors worry many of them will have to be dismissed if the deadlines are not suspended. “This is a serious public safety issue,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Kellie Warren, R-Leawood. “It’s a solution. It’s not ideal, but it’s that something that we still need.” The House approved its version of the measure three weeks ago, suspending the speedy trial deadlines for three years instead of two, until May 1, 2024. It can either accept the Senate’s version and send that to Gov. Laura Kelly or demand negotiations with senators. But some GOP conservatives and Democrats are nervous about suspending the deadlines, worried defendants will languish unnecessarily in jail.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Republican lawmakers have doubled down on demanding that the Democratic governor obtain their approval before spending the massive federal pandemic relief headed to the state. The lawmakers also started signaling their own priorities for allocating Kentucky’s share of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, passed by congressional Democrats over united Republican opposition. The state government is expected to receive about $2.4 billion. Friction between Gov. Andy Beshear and GOP lawmakers extended to the budget when the Legislature mostly held the line on spending, rejecting extra outlays Beshear wanted for education and other priorities. Now they’re trying to find a path forward on spending the federal relief. One potential place for common ground is broadband – a priority for Beshear and lawmakers alike. The GOP-dominated Legislature pushed through a bill Tuesday designating $250 million of the federal aid to extend broadband service to the hardest-to-reach regions of Kentucky. Meanwhile, Republicans tucked language into another spending bill Tuesday putting more restrictions on Beshear, saying the governor’s budget office would forfeit more than $900,000 into the state’s budget reserve fund if any of the federal funds are spent without the Legislature’s permission.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: With states receiving steady supplies of vaccine, Gov. John Bel Edwards on Thursday further expanded eligibility to a long list of healthy essential workers who don’t have one of the two dozen medical conditions that already provided access to the shots. As the Democratic governor announced the widened eligibility, the state also kicked off an outreach campaign aimed at getting vaccines to people in underserved areas and persuading those who are skeptical, as the state continues to see available, unused appointments for its vaccine doses. The new immunization eligibility rules, which take effect Monday, will include workers at grocery stores, bars, restaurants and colleges. That’s expected to be the last expansion of access before Edwards throws open vaccinations to all adults around the state. Already, most of the adult population is expected to meet one of the eligibility criteria on the books. Those added to the list Monday will also include people who work at agricultural sites, post offices, manufacturing facilities, utility companies, construction sites, banks and veterinarian offices. Judges and their staff, public transit workers, river pilots, clergy, communications workers, people in the media and security staff all will be eligible.

Maine

Portland: Younger Mainers account for a growing number of COVID-19 infections in the state, raising concerns that they could fuel another spike. People in their 20s make up the highest percentage of new cases, about 18%, and those under 20 account for nearly 16%, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Together, those groups account for about a third of new infections, compared with residents over 70, who account for nearly 12% of cases but 85% of deaths. There are signs pointing to another wave of COVID-19 cases, and young people are most likely to facilitate that spike, Dr. James Jarvis, COVID-19 incident commander for Northern Light Health, told the Portland Press Herald. While younger people aren’t as likely to suffer from severe illness, they can still spread the coronavirus to others, including at-risk groups, often while having no symptoms themselves, Jarvis said. “If young people are infected and then go visit (others), that’s just one step away from an outbreak occurring.”

Maryland

Baltimore: Restaurants, retail outlets and gyms are among locations that will see a further loosening of COVID-19 restrictions just days after Mayor Brandon Scott pushed back against Gov. Larry Hogan’s decision to reopen many businesses statewide. Beginning Friday, March 26, Baltimore will allow indoor dining at 50% of capacity and outdoor dining at 75% capacity, news outlets report. Religious facilities, retail, indoor and outdoor recreation, gyms and casinos will also be allowed to operate at 50% of capacity. Until now, indoor dining in Baltimore had been operating at 25% of capacity, as had gyms, retail, shopping malls and recreation. Outdoor dining was permitted at 50% of capacity. Scott’s order is still stricter than the reopening plan allowed under Hogan’s statewide order, announced last week, which allows for lifting capacity restrictions at restaurants and opening up large indoor and outdoor venues to 50% capacity. Scott weighed the city’s legal options for several days ahead of Hogan’s order becoming effective Friday and eventually announced the city would stick to its existing restrictions despite ambiguity about his power to do so under Hogan’s order. However, Scott, a Democrat, said Wednesday that the city will now begin reevaluating COVID-19 restrictions on a two-week basis.

Massachusetts

Boston: Just in time for baseball season, ballparks, arenas, and indoor and outdoor stadiums will be allowed to open Monday with a strict 12% capacity limit after submitting a plan to the state Department of Public Health. The step is part of the state’s ongoing reopening efforts as Massachusetts continues to ramp up vaccination efforts and as hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 continue to drop, according to the Baker administration. Also Monday, gathering limits for event venues and in public settings will increase to 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors. Outdoor gatherings at private residences and in private backyards will remain at a maximum of 25 people, with indoor house gatherings remaining at 10 people. Dance floors will be permitted at weddings and other events only, and overnight summer camps will be allowed to operate this summer. Exhibition and convention halls may also begin to operate, following gatherings limits and event protocols. Beginning Monday, Massachusetts will institute a new pandemic travel advisory that will urge everyone entering the state, including returning residents, to quarantine for 10 days after arriving if they’ve been out of state for 24 hours or more. An earlier advisory called for a 14-day quarantine and made it a mandate.

Michigan

Lansing: The state had the country’s fifth-highest rate of new COVID-19 cases in the last week and is among 14 states where infections rose over the past two weeks, a trend that may be tied to the increasing prevalence of a more contagious coronavirus variant, health officials said Wednesday. The seven-day case average was 2,372, an increase of more than 1,000 from March 1. The average positivity rate, 6.4%, was 3.8% two weeks ago. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the state’s chief medical executive, said Michigan is in a “different place” than earlier in the pandemic because of vaccinations but warned that herd immunity is still quite some distance away. At least 25% of residents 16 and up have received at least one dose. State Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel said to achieve herd immunity and stop the uncontrolled spread of the virus, 90% to 95% of people will probably need to have immunity. Meanwhile, more than 220 Defense Department military and support personnel are expected at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday to support COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Shots are expected to start Wednesday and run for eight weeks. Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson, commander of U.S. Army North, said 6,000 vaccines can be administered each day at the site. “State government can’t tackle this pandemic and the vaccination drive alone,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Thursday during a news conference at Ford Field.

Minnesota

St. Paul: Officials at the Department of Natural Resources say sales of its statewide cross country ski pass have been the best in six years. The DNR says more than 17,900 people bought the Great Minnesota Ski Pass, which is required to access many trails in the state. The agency collected more than $510,000 from sales, which will go toward trail maintenance, Minnesota Public Radio News reports. The Legislature in 2019 increased prices from $6 to $10 for the daily pass, from $20 to $25 for the annual pass and from $55 to $70 for the three-year pass. DNR spokeswoman Rachel Hopper said the trail maintenance fund saw decreasing revenue in recent years that forced a delayed payment to clubs in 2019, before the new prices were in effect. This winter’s boost, which she attributed in part to the COVID-19 pandemic steering people toward outdoor activity, has helped refill the fund. “Sales were so good that we were able to move the payments back to the normal timing,” Hopper said.

Mississippi

Jackson: A Millsaps College and Chism Strategies State of the State quarterly survey showed 63% of the more than 600 participants said they will “definitely or probably” get vaccinated against COVID-19. Another 25% noted they either would not get the shot or were unsure about it. That’s a significant leap from January, when the survey found almost 50% of people said they would refuse the vaccine or were uncertain. “We have seen a massive turnaround in just two months in the way Mississippians perceive the coronavirus vaccination program,” Nathan Shrader, Millsaps College Department of Government and Politics chair, said Thursday. He pointed to education about COVID-19 vaccines and encouragement from state officials and public health experts as the drivers that surged vaccination support. As of Thursday, more than 330,000 Mississippians were fully vaccinated, 11% of the state’s population. Among survey results, 55% of participants disagreed with Gov. Tate Reeves’ repeal of all county mask mandates, saying the decision was made too soon. Although Reeves rolled back mask mandates, state health officials continue to urge mask-wearing and social distancing.

Missouri

Clayton: A new effort has begun in St. Louis County to help homebound residents and people with disabilities get vaccinations. The county health department is working with 15 fire and emergency management services districts to deliver COVID-19 vaccine to homes and independent living facilities, St. Louis Public Radio reports. “We’ve lined up a lot of partners, and we already have a lot of people who have been asking us for this for quite some time,” said Spring Schmidt, the county’s deputy director of public health. A pilot program began earlier this month with five fire districts. Schmidt said the county is expanding the effort to prioritize people who have no other choice than to have a vaccine delivered to their home. “Some homebound residents can rely on family members or loved ones to drive them to schedule appointments, but not everyone can immediately respond when a vaccine becomes available,” said Dawn Chapman, a member of the county’s disability commission who also is helping schedule vaccine appointments. Meanwhile, the Kansas City region is seeing a slight uptick in the rolling average for new coronavirus cases. The region, which includes Kansas City and its suburbs in both Missouri and Kansas, reported 160 new cases Wednesday.

Montana

Helena: The state has a total of 19 confirmed cases of coronavirus variants in 11 counties, the state health department said Wednesday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified the state this week of 11 tests that identified variants matching two California strains and another that originated in New York, along with three more cases of the United Kingdom variant already identified in Gallatin County. The California and New York variants involve specimens that were submitted for testing from January to early March in Beaverhead, Cascade, Glacier, Hill, Jefferson, Madison, Phillips, Roosevelt, Silver Bow and Valley counties. When these samples were initially submitted for testing, the California and New York versions had not yet been classified by CDC. Gallatin County has 11 known cases of the U.K. variant, including the three that were confirmed this week. “Montana continues to submit both random and suspect COVID-19 samples to the CDC for testing,” said Adam Meier, director of the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Meier stressed the best thing Montanans can do to protect themselves is get vaccinated and continue to follow CDC guidelines about wearing masks, social distancing, staying home if sick, washing hands often and avoiding large crowds.

Nebraska

Omaha: A variant of the coronavirus first found in Brazil has been found in the city, state health officials said. On Wednesday, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services confirmed two people in Douglas County had tested positive for the so-called Brazil P.1 variant, the Omaha World-Herald reports. That strain is believed to be responsible for a surge in hospitalizations in Brazil even though many people there had already developed COVID-19 and made antibodies against it. Investigations into the Douglas County cases are underway, state health officials said. As of Thursday, the state’s virus-tracking dashboard showed more than 205,500 people in Nebraska have tested positive for the virus, and 2,130 have died from COVID-19 since the outbreak began last year. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has decreased over the past two weeks, going from nearly 261 new cases per day March 2 to just over 232 new cases per day Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Nevada

Carson City: The city is making all residents 16 and older eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting April 5 as part of its efforts to inoculate the population as quickly as possible. Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak on Wednesday said opening eligibility was made possible through the approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and increased production. But whether shots would be available, he said, depended on the supply delivered by the federal government. The timeline could mean appointments in the coming weeks open to hundreds of thousands more people in Nevada, where roughly 61% of the population is older than 18 and younger than 65. The state’s new timeline satisfies the goal that President Joe Biden announced last week, when he said he wanted everyone in the U.S. 18 and older to be eligible for vaccines by May 1. The timeline would not require Nevada to alter its vaccine playbook that prioritized and designated available doses for seniors and front-line workers. Throughout the state, teachers, health care workers, police officers and hospitality industry workers have already been made eligible to receive the vaccine, as have individuals ages 65 and older. Nevada also plans to make residents 16 and up with underlying health conditions eligible for shots Monday through partner pharmacies.

New Hampshire

Keene: Keene State College is planning for a fully in-person fall semester. Currently, classes have been a mix of in-person, hybrid or online, with many campus activities curtailed because of the coronavirus pandemic. But officials are planning to resume all in-person classes, athletic events, on-campus student activities and study-abroad opportunities in the fall. Keene State President Melinda Treadwell said officials expect to be in a better place by the end of the summer with the vaccine rollout underway. “Our students have told us loud and clear that they want to be together on campus in our community. We are having a successful spring semester, and are actively planning a shift to additional on-campus and in-person community experiences for the fall 2021 semester,” she said in a statement Wednesday. “Safety guided by science will remain a priority in the fall, and we will continue to carefully monitor the pandemic to make decisions accordingly.”

New Jersey

Jackson Township: Nothing, not even a global pandemic, can stop the team at Six Flags Great Adventure from entertaining guests year after year. The Jackson thrill park launches its 2021 season this month, with innovations necessitated by caution for COVID-19 still in place. “The pandemic required us to pivot and explore new ways to entertain, which included bringing back something from our past with a new twist,” said park marketing and public relations manager Kristin Fitzgerald. That something was the Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure, which kicks off its season Saturday. The 4.5-mile trip across a 350-acre preserve housing approximately 1,200 animals resumed operation as a drive-thru experience in 2020 for the first time in nearly a decade. Across the park, COVID-19 safety measures remain in place, including a limit on daily attendance. All guests, including park members and season pass holders, must make advance reservations and are required to have been healthy for at least 14 days prior to visiting. All employees and guests older than 2 are required to wear masks covering their nose and mouth at all times, with the exception of designated mask break zones and in pools and waterpark attractions. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, and social distancing will be encouraged.

New Mexico

Kewa Pueblo: Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, made his first solo trip as the nation’s second gentleman Wednesday, stopping at a vaccination clinic in an Indigenous community in northern New Mexico and later meeting with a group of working mothers as part of an effort to promote the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package. Looking east toward snowcapped mountains, Emhoff told tribal leaders it was an honor for Kewa Pueblo to be his first stop in the state as he and other top Democrats have spent the past few days traveling and talking about the funding that will be trickling down to families, businesses, tribes, cities and state governments over the coming months. He watched as Kylea Garcia got her vaccination and took the opportunity to encourage others to do the same. “Get the vaccine when it’s your turn,” he said, “because it will save your life, and it will save the lives of others. It’s the right thing to do. It’s safe, it’s painless, and it’s going to help us all get through this pandemic.” Kewa Pueblo, formerly known as Santo Domingo Pueblo, has vaccinated more than 4,300 people, including most of its tribal members. At the heart of its efforts to combat COVID-19 has been the pueblo’s health clinic, which has been transitioning from testing and contact tracing to vaccinations. It recently opened a drive-thru for second doses.

New York

New York: Mayor Bill de Blasio got his COVID-19 shot Thursday, then ripped embattled Gov. Andrew Cuomo, accusing the fellow Democrat of letting his personal political crisis influence important decisions on pandemic restrictions. The mayor’s ire revolved around Cuomo’s decision Wednesday to lift a ban on indoor fitness classes – just a day after de Blasio said it was still unsafe for groups of people to exercise together indoors. “The state of New York continues to make decisions without consulting the city of New York or our health experts or any locality, and this is why we need local control,” said de Blasio, who has long chafed under Cuomo’s broad power to set coronavirus policy. De Blasio implied that Cuomo, who is facing sexual harassment allegations from several women, is easing coronavirus restrictions to curry favor with a virus-weary public. “Is this being done because of what the data and science is telling us, or is this being done for political reasons?” de Blasio asked. “Because it sure as hell looks like a lot of these decisions are being made by the governor because of his political needs.” Reporters were barred from a news briefing Thursday at which Cuomo announced a plan to let fans return to Yankees and Mets games this season.

North Carolina

Raleigh: A sizable group of college students will be eligible for a vaccine in April, under guidance from the state Department of Health and Human Services. When North Carolina drafted its initial COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan in October 2020, college students were listed as a priority, just ahead of the general public. When schools reopened in August, the cohort proved it had the ability to rapidly contribute to community spread and fuel outbreaks through off-campus parties. But in January, North Carolina bumped the group from the priority list amid a backlash from state lawmakers and encouragement from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to give stronger preference to older adults and those working in certain job sectors. On Tuesday, health officials released a statement saying college students who live on campus or in other congregate settings will be able to receive starting April 7, regardless of their age, health condition or employment status. “We want to prioritize those in congregate settings,” state health department secretary Mandy Cohen said at a news conference Wednesday. “We know that’s where the virus spreads fastest, so that is why we’re doing that prioritization. I don’t think there’s going to be a huge time difference.”

North Dakota

Bismarck: Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has announced that applications are again being accepted for 2021 Specialty Crop Grants due to additional one-time funding from a coronavirus relief package passed by Congress late last year. “Projects that solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in North Dakota are eligible for these grants,” Goehring said. “We encourage organizations, institutions and individuals to submit proposals on their own or in partnerships.” North Dakota has not yet received an allocation amount from USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service but is expected to receive it in the next few weeks. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture will distribute the funds through a competitive grant program. Goehring said an information manual with application instructions, scoring criteria and an application template can be found on NDDA’s website. Applications must be submitted in electronic form by 4 p.m. CDT April 7. Applications will then be reviewed, scored, ranked and provided to Agriculture Commissioner Goehring to determine which will be forwarded to USDA for final approval in May. Projects funded by the grants start Oct. 1, 2021, and must be completed by Sept. 30, 2023.

Ohio

Columbus: High school juniors and seniors will be able to substitute their end-of-year grades for the statewide final exams as soon as the governor signs a bill passed nearly unanimously by the Ohio House and Senate on Wednesday. The legislation also waives the American history exam requirement, lets schools spend extra time administering all federally required tests and exempts home-schooled kids from yearly evaluations. “Our freshman and sophomore classes, though they were excluded, will still have time to meet the necessary requirements for graduation,” said Rep. Adam Bird, R-New Richmond. The bill’s passage followed weeks of debate about how to modify state testing requirements for students during the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Mike DeWine is expected to sign the bill. The original plan had been to let school districts choose whether they wanted to test kids at all. That idea became impossible in February when the Biden administration announced it wouldn’t be handing out waivers to federal testing requirements. So lawmakers quickly moved to determine how to test without harming students who’ve fallen behind during the pandemic. The exam results will be published by the Ohio Department of Education but won’t impact school rankings or eligibility for the EdChoice scholarship program.

Oklahoma

Tulsa: The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health and the federal Indian Health Service said Wednesday that they will provide 4,000 vaccinations to all Native Americans and members of their households during a two-day clinic next week. Any member of a federally recognized tribe and members of their households, Native American or not, are eligible for an appointment, said Muscogee (Creek) Health Secretary Shawn Terry. The March 26-27 clinic will be held at River Spirit Expo Center, the Tulsa World reports. About 21,000 of the tribal nation’s estimated 65,000 Oklahoma citizens have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and the clinic is an effort to reach out to a larger population of Native Americans, according to Terry. “It’s a way for us to do a large event in an urban setting and do it efficiently,” he said. The Oklahoma State Department of Health on Wednesday reported a total of 433,516 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began and nearly 1.5 million vaccinations. The federal Centers for Disease Control has reported 7,610 deaths in Oklahoma due to COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, according to the state health department.

Oregon

Portland: All adult residents will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine beginning May 1, state health officials confirmed Wednesday. Last week, following President Joe Biden’s pledge to make all adults eligible for vaccines by May 1, Gov. Kate Brown said she would not change the state’s eligibility schedule until she was sure Oregon would receive enough vaccines. Since then officials said they have received an order from the United States Department of Health and Human Services that directs vaccination sites to make the change with eligibility. “We are following up with the administration for more specifics about when vaccine shipments to states will increase, but in a briefing with governors earlier this week, it was clear the White House has worked hard to secure additional vaccine supplies for states in the coming weeks,” Charles Boyle, a spokesman from the governor’s office, said Wednesday. Those who can currently receive the vaccine include health care workers, first responders, teachers and residents over age 65. People who are 45 or older with a preexisting condition, seasonal and migrant farmworkers, food processors, the homeless and those affected by last summer’s wildfires are scheduled to become eligible March 29.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Health officials on Thursday announced changes to the state’s vaccine provider map to make finding appointments more accessible. The provider map will now allow the public to easily see what pharmacies and providers have received first doses of vaccine each week, Executive Deputy Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter said. “It is also important to remember that doses do not equal appointments,” she said. “Even if a provider has received an allocation of doses, the provider is the best source of information as to whether they have appointments available.” Klinepeter said the state intends to centralize information on which providers have appointments available onto the map in the coming weeks. That will be important as the state moves toward opening vaccination appointments to more Pennsylvanians by May 1. Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said the department is currently working to restructure where vaccine doses are being sent to make sure the most Pennsylvanians possible are receiving shots. Beam said Pennsylvania is ranked second in the nation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for number of doses administered per 100,000 residents statewide. In total, 1.3 million Pennsylvanians are fully vaccinated, and 2.5 million have gotten a first dose.

Rhode Island

Providence: All residents ages 16 and older will be eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine starting April 19, Gov. Daniel McKee said Thursday. The change is possible because the state has learned it will be getting significantly more vaccine from the federal government in the near future, the Democratic governor said at a news conference. President Joe Biden promised last week that all the nation’s adults would be eligible by May 1. “If Rhode Island can get the vaccine supply we need, we can achieve and beat this goal,” he said. “We are confident the president will deliver.” He warned that it will likely take two weeks or so for everyone who wants an appointment to book one, but the goal is to provide a first dose of the vaccine to everyone who signs up by the end of May. The state has already given more than 282,000 vaccine first doses, while more than 136,000 people, or about 12% of the state population, have been fully vaccinated, state Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said. But she said mask-wearing is still important. If 70% of the state population is vaccinated, the state could lift COVID-19 emergency restrictions, McKee said.

South Carolina

Clemson: Clemson University is planning to have a mostly normal fall semester with more students in classrooms and more fans at football games. Thanks to weeks of low coronavirus spread on campus and the increased efforts of the state’s vaccine rollout, Clemson President Jim Clements announced the university would be almost all in-person next fall. “Almost all courses” will be offered completely in-person next semester, Clements said in a memo. This semester, about one-third of classes are completely in-person. Students and faculty will still be able to request virtual accommodations due to the coronavirus, but Clements said the school is banking on the community to be widely vaccinated by the time classes resume Aug. 18. Still, “we will continue to put the health of our staff, faculty, students, and community members first as we plan for the fall,” Clements said. Clemson spokesperson Joe Galbraith said the university will let employees and students continue to work from home only on a “case-by-case” basis. COVID-19 guidelines on capacity, masking and social distancing will remain in place until further notice, though, according to Galbraith.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: The City Council has repealed an ordinance that required residents to put garbage containers curbside if their garbage hauler requested it. The ordinance, which was passed in April 2020 and repealed Tuesday evening in a 8-0 vote, was aimed at helping local garbage haulers facing workforce problems during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to save time during pickup. Its repeal means the city’s previous rules on garbage will once more be in effect, requiring garbage cans to be stored in an “inconspicuous place” and not put on the curb for pickup. Councilor Alex Jensen said he’d like to hear from Public Works at a future informational meeting about what they’d learned during that period and whether there were any changes that should or shouldn’t be considered.

Tennessee

Memphis: Restaurant patrons can now sit eight to a table and dine until 1a.m., according to a new Shelby County health directive issued Wednesday. The directive, which goes into effect at midnight Saturday, still requires people seated together at restaurants to be from the same family or close contact group. Customers can stay until 1:30 a.m. to complete their meal or pay. Additionally, the Shelby County Health Department issued a new mask mandate, effective Wednesday, clarifying that people who cannot medically tolerate wearing a face covering do not have to wear a face shield. People declining to wear a face covering because of a medical condition are not required to show medical documentation. The mandate also clarifies that scarves, ski masks and balaclavas are not substitutes for masks, although coverings made of “suitable layered fabrics” are acceptable. Medical- or procedure-grade masks are recommended but not required.

Texas

Galveston: A woman who was recorded on police body camera video refusing to wear a mask at a bank last week was arrested Wednesday after declining to wear a mask inside another Texas business. Terry Wright, 65, already had a warrant out for her arrest after she refused to wear a mask in a Bank of America branch in Galveston last Thursday. On the video, she taunts the officer, asking if he’s going to arrest her. Police arrested Wright on Wednesday after she entered the Office Depot in Texas City and said she would not cover her nose and mouth to protect against the spread of the coronavirus, police spokesman Cpl. Allen Bjerke said. She was arrested on Galveston warrants for trespassing and resisting arrest, Bjerke said. Wright, of Grants Pass, Oregon, was taken into custody without incident, Bjerke said, noting that she was not charged for trespassing at the office supply store and that no additional charges were expected. Gov. Greg Abbott last week lifted statewide orders requiring people to wear face masks in public, declaring businesses should decide for themselves which COVID-19 precautions to take on their properties. Many businesses have kept their own mask rules in place.

Utah

Salt Lake City: All adults can begin signing up for a COVID-19 vaccine next Wednesday – one week earlier than previously planned because the state has unallocated doses, Gov. Spencer Cox said Thursday. About 15% of the state’s supply isn’t being claimed by eligible people making appointments, the Republican governor said. He acknowledged that opening up eligibility so widely means there won’t be enough vaccines for all residents over 18 at first but the goal is to prevent vaccines from going unused. “We always want to keep demand above availability,” Cox said during a televised news conference on PBS-Utah. Utah teenagers 16 and older may also have a chance to get the Pfizer vaccine in some parts of the state starting next week too, Cox said. New coronavirus cases have been decreasing since January. More than 714,000 of the state’s 3.2 million residents have been fully vaccinated, according to state data. More than 380,000 virus cases have been reported in Utah, along with 2,041 known deaths, according to state data.

Vermont

Burlington: A committee of more than two dozen health care providers and advocates is calling for the immediate vaccination of the state’s prison inmates. WCAX-TV reports the memo from the COVID-19 Vaccine Implementation Advisory Committee to Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine, dated Monday, says inmates have little or no ability to protect themselves or demand better conditions. The memo comes as the Department of Corrections continues to cope with an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport, the state’s largest prison. Gov. Phil Scott has said inmates are vaccinated when they fit within the state’s guidelines for age or high-risk medical conditions. All inmates will be eligible for vaccination by the end of April. “There are dozens and dozens of groups, sectors and populations who have requested prioritization. A case can be made for each,” said Scott spokesperson Jason Maulucci. “But with a limited supply, everyone can’t be at the front of the line, so preservation of life must be the top priority.” On Wednesday, the Department of Corrections reported 12 new cases of the coronavirus at the Newport prison, 10 among inmates and two among staff. There are currently 40 cases among inmates and six among staff at the prison.

Virginia

Richmond: Schools and colleges can hold outdoor graduation ceremonies with as many as 5,000 attendees. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports Gov. Ralph Northam made the announcement Wednesday. The Democratic governor said Virginia will restrict capacity at outdoor ceremonies to 5,000 people or 30% of the venue’s capacity, whichever is lower. Indoor ceremonies will be capped at 500 people or 30% of the venue’s capacity. All attendees will need to wear masks and socially distance themselves. “While graduation and commencement ceremonies will still be different than they were in the past, this is a tremendous step forward for all of our schools, our graduates and their families,” Northam said in a statement. School districts and colleges across the state are still deciding how best to honor this year’s graduates, though Liberty University said Thursday that it will offer an outdoor, in-person ceremony and an online option. The University of Virginia is considering two proposals: holding an in-person graduation this spring with no guests or postponing graduation until guests can attend. Virginia Tech intends to host several in-person ceremonies with a restricted number of guests. It will also host an online ceremony.

Washington

Seattle: A federal judge on Thursday dismissed an industry lawsuit that sought to block a $4-an-hour pay boost for Seattle grocery workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour issued the ruling after hearing oral arguments earlier in the day. “This is a big win for grocery store employees who have been critical and vulnerable frontline workers since the start of the pandemic,” City Attorney Pete Holmes said in a statement. The Seattle City Council in January approved the pay boost for workers at large grocery stores, to remain in effect as long as the city has a declared civil emergency related to the pandemic. Assistant City Attorney Jeremiah Miller told the judge the hazard pay was justified by the facts that the employees work among members of the public and are at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus and that grocery companies have made record profits during the pandemic. The judge rejected arguments by the Northwest Grocery Association and the Washington Food Industry Association that the pay increase interfered with collective bargaining and discriminated against large grocery stores. The industry warned that some stores would be unable to absorb the increased labor costs, especially those like Grocery Outlet that operate on smaller margins.

West Virginia

Charleston: The state Supreme Court won’t be making its annual trip to the West Virginia University College of Law in Morgantown this year as a result of COVID-19, but the special docket of cases will be heard virtually. The school and the court have made arrangements to allow students and the public to watch the arguments online, Chief Justice Evan Jenkins said in a news release. “We will miss being on campus next week and the opportunity to meet in person with the students, but the justices are committed to continuing our outreach efforts even in a COVID environment,” Jenkins said. Documents for the cases have been posted online. The arguments will be streamed Tuesday on the court’s YouTube channel through a link on the West Virginia judiciary website. The court also will judge the finals of the Baker Cup Moot Court appellate advocacy competition at 1 p.m. The final competition will also be livestreamed.

Wisconsin

Madison: Implementing a new call center to help unemployed people 24 hours a day, seven days a week is moving ahead with the signing of a $1.2 million contract, Gov. Tony Evers’ administration announced Thursday. The state Department of Workforce Development received a $2.4 million federal grant that it is using to begin overhauling the 50-year-old computer system that Evers has blamed for causing delays in helping customers and getting out unemployment benefits amid the coronavirus pandemic. Problems with the state’s call center, which was unable to handle the massive spike in calls particularly early on in the pandemic, will be the first target for improvements with the system. Republicans have blamed the Democratic governor for not doing more sooner to address the problem, and a state audit showed less than 1% of calls to the hotline were answered by state officials. Evers fired Caleb Frostman, the former secretary of the department that handles unemployment claims, and pushed the Legislature to approve new funding to upgrade the computer system. Lawmakers have known for years that the department’s computer system and software were out of date, but the pandemic laid bare the problems. The department hopes to have the new call center up and running within six months.

Wyoming

Gillette: Shots of COVID-19 vaccine are now available or soon will be for anybody over 18 in almost one-third of the state’s counties. In the past few months, vaccines have been available to health care workers, first responders, residents of long-term care facilities and senior citizens, among others. Vaccines are now widely available or close to being in eight of Wyoming’s 23 counties: Campbell, Converse, Fremont, Hot Springs, Johnson, Sheridan, Washakie and Weston, Wyoming Department of Health spokeswoman Kim Deti said Thursday. At the same time, anybody who qualified for a vaccine earlier can still get it, Campbell County Public Health Director Jane Glaser told the Gillette News Record. The department recently got almost $500,000 in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funding to help with vaccination clinic costs. “We were not getting complete supplies with the shipments of vaccines,” Glaser said. “We’ve had to use our own funds to purchase syringes and various things.” Campbell County Public Health has been doing three vaccination clinics per week, averaging between 260 and 300 vaccines per clinic. “We’re having a really good rollout with the vaccine so far, but it’s definitely not going to be over anytime soon,” Glaser said.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Invasion of cisgender Utah girl's privacy shows danger in anti-trans ...

Well, who could have predicted this? Aside from pretty much everyone.

A Utah school combed through the education history of a cisgender girl last year after some parents who couldn't accept that their kids got beat launched a transgender witch hunt. Didn't let the girl or her parents know "to keep the matter private," and instead asked her middle school and elementary school to check her enrollment records.

"The school went back to kindergarten and she'd always been a female."

That was an actual sentence uttered Wednesday night by an official with the Utah High School Activities Association, which is now tasked with being the gender police because some craven politicians have decided they can demonize transgender children – children! – for their own gain.

Manatee mortality, bug zapper zaps vision: News from around our ...

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: The fees imposed by Alabama Power on the company’s customers who generate their own electricity with rooftop or on-site solar panels are now the subject of a federal lawsuit against the state’s regulators. Environmental groups argue that punishing fees are purposely discouraging the adoption of solar power in the sun-rich state. Alabama Power maintains that the fees are needed to maintain the infrastructure that provides backup power to customers when their solar panels don’t provide enough energy. The Southern Environmental Law Center and Ragsdale LLC filed the lawsuit Monday against the Alabama Public Service Commission on behalf four Alabama Power customers who installed solar panels on their properties and the Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution, or GASP. “We’re asking the court to require the Commission to follow the law so that Alabama Power will stop unfairly taxing private solar investments,” Keith Johnston, director of SELC’s Alabama office, said in a statement. “Alabama is being left behind by other Southern states when it comes to solar generation, and the jobs, bill savings and other benefits that come with it,” SELC’s statement said. “These charges are a significant roadblock to our state’s success.”

Alaska

Juneau: A lawsuit challenging a voter-approved initiative that would end party primaries and institute ranked-choice voting for general elections in Alaska is alleging constitutional violations, but the accusations are actually policy objections, an attorney for the state argued Monday. Assistant Attorney General Margaret Paton Walsh said the initiative setting out the new system does not violate constitutional rights. Political parties previously have used primaries to advance a nominee to the general election. Under the new system, the top four voter-getters in each race would advance to the general election, regardless of party. Superior Court Judge Gregory Miller did not immediately rule Monday after hearing arguments from Paton Walsh, attorneys for the plaintiffs and the group behind the initiative. Changes under the initiative that voters narrowly approved in November are set to take effect for next year’s elections, which will decide races for offices including U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor and lieutenant governor. The lawsuit was filed late last year by residents affiliated with the Libertarian Party and the Alaskan Independence Party. Anchorage attorney Kenneth P. Jacobus said Monday that he expected the case would go to the Alaska Supreme Court.

Arizona

Phoenix: Members of the Legislature who live outside the metro Phoenix area will be getting a big increase in their daily expense pay under legislation Republican Gov. Doug Ducey allowed to become law Monday. It was the first time in seven years a bill became law without his signature. Ducey’s decision came two years after he vetoed similar legislation that would have boosted the expense pay of all 90 lawmakers. He said such an increase shouldn’t benefit Phoenix-area legislators who don’t have to maintain a second home, nor should it take effect without an election in between. The governor’s spokesman, C.J. Karamargin, said the new law isn’t perfect but is far more limited than the 2019 version. Lawmakers earn $24,000 a year. Those who live in Maricopa County get $35 a day in expense pay for the first 120 days of the session or while doing actual legislative work outside of session. Lawmakers from other parts of the state get $60 a day. The expense pay drops significantly after 120 days. Under the bill Ducey allowed to become law without his signature Monday, rural lawmakers will get the federal winter per diem rate for Phoenix during session, which is $207 a day – $151 a day for lodging and $56 for meals. Proponents of the legislation called it long overdue, noting that there had not been a change in the rate since 1984.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state’s coronavirus hospitalizations increased by 68 over the weekend, the Department of Health said Monday as Arkansas remained tops in the country in new cases. The department said the state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations now total 565. The state’s virus cases increased by 2,013 to 357,473 total since the pandemic began. The department recently stopped reporting daily COVID-19 numbers on weekends, releasing the figures on Mondays instead. Arkansas has seen a resurgence in the coronavirus in recent weeks, fueled by the delta variant of the virus and the state’s low vaccination rate. The state’s COVID-19 deaths increased by seven over the past three days. The state leads the country in new cases per capita over the past two weeks, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers. Only 35% of the state’s population has been fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

California

Sacramento: Gov. Gavin Newsom can’t put his Democratic Party affiliation on the ballot voters see when they decide whether to remove him, a judge ruled Monday. Newsom’s campaign missed a deadline to submit his affiliation to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber for the Sept. 14 recall election. Newsom’s campaign said it was inadvertent and asked Weber, who was appointed by Newsom, to allow the affiliation to appear. She said the issue needed to go to a judge, so Newsom filed a lawsuit. His Republican opponents criticized the move as an attempt to change rules everyone else must follow. Newsom’s elections attorney, Thomas Willis, and an attorney for Weber both argued during an hourlong hearing Friday that Newsom merely missed an arbitrary, harmless filing deadline and that it is in the voters’ interest to know his party preference. Adding that information now wouldn’t cause a procedural problem because elections officials still have enough time to ensure Newsom’s party preference appears on the ballot along with those seeking to replace him, Weber said in a court filing. An attorney representing recall supporters noted that Newsom himself had signed the law that recently changed recall rules to speed up the election.

Colorado

Loveland: The Northern Colorado Wildlife Center has seen double the number of turtles treated at the facility after being injured by vehicles, chewed on by dogs or picked up by people this year compared to years past – and there remains plenty of summer left. “We have had a lot more turtle patients this year,” said Kate Boyd, the center’s licensed wildlife rehabilitator. “All have been human-caused. The good news is a lot of folks are reaching out to us to get help for these animals. In the past, we have had a lot of folks see an animal that is or might get injured but think it’s not a big deal because it’s just a reptile, snake or turtle.” Boyd isn’t sure what is causing the rise in turtle injuries. The center has treated nine this year and expects to treat at least that many more before things quiet down. She said the end of May through August is when turtles are most mobile. During that period, they are moving to make nests and lay eggs, young are hatching, and some are looking for new homes. She said another reason turtles move is when being displaced by development. “All these movements happening simultaneously makes it a busy time of the season for people and turtles,” Boyd said.

Connecticut

Glastonbury: An 18-year-old has been charged with computer crimes after police say he hacked into a database and put a quote from Adolf Hitler into a high school yearbook. The teen was a student at Glastonbury High School, where the quote appeared in May beneath the photo of an unsuspecting classmate, police said. It read: “It is a quite special secret pleasure how the people around us fail to realize what is really happening to them.” The quote was attributed in the yearbook to George Floyd, the Black man killed by a Minneapolis police officer last year. Police said the same student also was responsible for another unauthorized yearbook entry, which referenced one of the Boston Marathon bombers and drug use. The teen, who was previously barred from attending his graduation ceremony, faces two counts of third-degree computer crime and is due in court Aug. 6. The quotes were discovered in May after distribution of the yearbooks began. The school recalled the books to remove the offending quotes. “We deeply regret not having caught the act of bigotry and vandalism before the yearbook was printed,” school administrators said in a statement at the time of the recall. “We are examining and will revise our yearbook procedures for collecting and reviewing future student submissions.”

Delaware

Wilmington: Delaware’s COVID-19 state of emergency, implemented in March 2020 when the coronavirus reached the First State, ended Tuesday. The effect of the official end of the emergency order is minimal, as the bulk of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, including its mask mandate for vaccinated individuals and social distancing requirements, have been lifted for almost two months. But it signifies the coronavirus is no longer a public health emergency, Gov. John Carney said last month when announcing the emergency order’s end, adding that it’s still important for unvaccinated people to protect themselves and their families. The state of emergency granted Carney the power to shut down businesses in the initial scramble to contain the virus and implement other public health measures such as testing and contact tracing. Carney issued more than two dozen modifications to the emergency order. They changed rules on mask-wearing and restrictions as case counts in Delaware waxed and waned and as scientists learned more about how the virus spreads. Carney on Monday signed a public health emergency order to allow the Division of Public Health and Delaware Emergency Management Agency to continue its vaccination and testing programs.

District of Columbia

Washington: The so-called Little Lady Liberty has finally made her way to the nation’s capital, just in time for Bastille Day on Wednesday, WUSA-TV reports. France initially shipped the 9-foot-tall replica to New York City and placed it near the original sculpture. The Statue of Liberty stands more than 150 feet tall on Liberty Island, where it was reassembled in 1886 after being constructed across the Atlantic and gifted to the United States by its longtime ally. As of Tuesday, the more diminutive Liberty is on display at the French ambassador’s residence in Northwest D.C. And there is plenty of time for residents and visitors to see it: The statue, which is on loan from France, will stay on display in Washington for the next 10 years.

Florida

Stuart: More manatees have died already this year than in any other year in Florida’s recorded history, primarily from starvation due to the loss of seagrass beds, state officials said. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that 841 manatee deaths were recorded between Jan. 1 and July 2, breaking the previous record of 830 that died in 2013 because of an outbreak of toxic red tide. More than half the deaths have occurred in the Indian River Lagoon and its surrounding areas in Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. The overwhelming majority of deaths have been in Brevard, where 312 manatees have perished. Some biologists believe water pollution is killing the seagrass beds in the area. “Unprecedented manatee mortality due to starvation was documented on the Atlantic coast this past winter and spring,” Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute wrote as it announced the record Friday. “Most deaths occurred during the colder months when manatees migrated to and through the Indian River Lagoon, where the majority of seagrass has died off.” Boat strikes are also a major cause of manatee deaths, killing at least 63 this year. The manatee was once classified as endangered by the federal government but was reclassified as threatened in 2017. Environmentalists are asking for reconsideration.

Georgia

Savannah: The staff of Green Truck Neighborhood Pub got the surprise of a lifetime Thursday when first lady Jill Biden walked in to pick up a few pecan pies, according to co-owner Whitney Shephard-Yates. After her visit to Beach High School to urge residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Biden made an unscheduled stop at the restaurant on the recommendation of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Savannah native. Shephard-Yates, who has previously met Warnock through her day job as a transportation engineer, jokingly said she planned to give the senator a hard time for not giving the staff a heads-up that Biden was going to stop by the restaurant. “The staff was thrilled to meet both Rev. Warnock and Dr. Biden,” Shephard-Yates said. “I think you could tell by the looks on their faces how exciting it was for everyone involved.” The surprise visit was significant timing, as the staff of Green Truck had recently celebrated being fully vaccinated. Fortunately, no one on staff got sick during the pandemic, which Yates credited to their cautiousness. Having everyone immunized has been an incredible relief and experience given the stress of the past year, she said. “Being a small-business owner during the pandemic was incredibly challenging, personally and financially,” Shephard-Yates said. “We’re really thankful for this opportunity to rebuild and the small amount of attention that the senator and first lady’s visit is bringing to the cause.”

Hawaii

Honolulu: The state said people haven’t been completing the paperwork they need to continue receiving food stamps, raising concerns that thousands may be unintentionally cut off from public assistance. The concerns come after the federal government, citing the coronavirus pandemic, dropped the normal requirement that people on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program do an eligibility review and a six-month review, in an effort to ensure that people did not experience a lapse in benefits during the public health emergency. It lifted the waiver this month. The state Department of Human Services sent 2,200 letters for the six-month review last month, but only 700 were returned, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. It sent 15,000 eligibility review letters, but only 7,000 were returned. “Typically, we receive about 80% back in normal years,” said Brian Donohoe, the department’s benefit, employment and support services administrator. He called the response rates “frighteningly low.” Those who do not turn in their paperwork on time will be notified that their SNAP benefits have been terminated. While the person’s Electronic Benefit Transfer card will still work, no new funds will be added. The person would have to reapply and would likely see a gap in receiving the service.

Idaho

Boise: Republican state senators plan to meet this week to discuss the possibility of a special session after three large health care providers announced policies requiring employees to get COVID-19 vaccinations, the top Senate Republican said Monday. Senate Pro Tempore Chuck Winder said GOP senators will meet online Friday morning amid growing calls for a special session on employers requiring the vaccines. Winder said he hopes to “find out where everyone is at and what their level of interest is in coming back” but said that “at this stage, I don’t really have a good feeling on it. I want to make sure we don’t take away from the contract rights of health care providers. There are always two sides to every story.” The House never fully adjourned earlier this year under a plan to allow Republican House Speaker Scott Bedke to simply call lawmakers back to the Statehouse without needing Republican Gov. Brad Little’s OK. Typically, only governors can call special sessions. Little’s spokeswoman, Marissa Morrison, said Little had received no formal requests for a special session. There is some disagreement among legal experts over whether the Legislature is still in session because the Senate officially adjourned, while the House only recessed. But lawmakers appear to be proceeding on the belief the Legislature is only recessed.

Illinois

Springfield: New signs are popping up along highways across the state to let drivers of electric vehicles know where they can refuel. The signs are being posted on designated “alternative fuels corridors” and will direct drivers to stations that offer alternative fuels, with the first signs focused on electric charging stations. The Illinois Department of Transportation said future signs will direct drivers to sites for liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, hydrogen and propane fueling stations. The signage is part of a national effort to promote alternative fuels, as well as a push by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to increase the number of electric vehicles on Illinois roads. The Federal Highway Administration has designated 145,000 miles of interstate as alternative fuel corridors. In Illinois that includes stretches along Interstates 39, 55, 70, 74, 80, 90 and 94.

Indiana

Indianapolis: The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the state must temporarily continue payment of federal unemployment benefits, affirming an earlier court order for Indiana to restart the extra $300 weekly payments to jobless-aid recipients. Chief Judge Cale Bradford denied a request from the state government to issue a stay on a Marion County judge’s order that Indiana resume participation in the federal government’s programs that supplement unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, who has pushed to drop the state from the federal programs before they’re scheduled to end Sept. 6, did not say Monday whether the state would next call on the Indiana Supreme Court to consider the preliminary injunction. “We acknowledge the court of appeals decision today,” the governor’s office said in a statement. “Notwithstanding, the Department of Workforce Development will continue to work with the U.S. Department of Labor on finalizing the pandemic unemployment insurance benefits to comply with the judge’s order.” Holcomb announced in May that Indiana would reinstate a requirement that those receiving jobless benefits would again have to show they are actively searching for work as of June 1 and that the state would leave the federal programs effective June 19.

Iowa

Des Moines: State officials expect hundreds or possibly thousands more parents to teach their children to drive after a new law expanded the opportunity beyond home-schooling families. Advocates for more parental choice in education applauded the move as widening options for families and providing a potentially less expensive option for parents. But some critics of the new law are concerned that children will be less prepared as a result. “We have a lot of kids who come to us, and their parents do a great job. And there’s still a lot those kids don’t know,” said Ed Jennings, personnel manager for Street Smarts, a driver education company that trains thousands of Iowa students a year. “There’s a huge difference between driving a car and driving it safely.” The new Iowa law, which went into effect July 1, builds on the parent-taught option for home-schoolers that the Legislature established in 2013. That year, parents could serve as their home-schooled child’s driver education instructor rather than enrolling their child in a program at a school or a for-profit driver education company. Parents must still meet certain qualifications to teach their child, including holding a valid Iowa driver’s license and having a clear driving record for the previous two years.

Kansas

Wichita: Wichita State University plans this fall to stop allowing Kansas residents 60 and older to audit its courses for free. The university sent a letter this month to people who’ve previously audited its classes to notify them of the fees, The Wichita Eagle reports. Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Shirley Lefever said the new fees will help cover instructional costs. The new fees range from $7.75 a credit hour for liberal arts courses to $68 a credit hour for business courses. Most courses are three credit hours. The move comes after the Kansas Board of Regents in June approved the university’s proposal to keep its tuition flat during the upcoming school year. Donna Perline is currently auditing a water fitness class and plans to audit another course on the Holocaust in film this August. She said she hopes the new charges don’t discourage seniors from auditing classes. The university still plans to offer free four-week classes specifically for people 60 and older if they enroll by Sept. 8.

Kentucky

Louisville: A pickup truck crashed into a building housing the city’s jail Tuesday, and the driver was detained, police said. The truck was painted with a popular rallying cry among demonstrators in Cuba, “Patria y vida,” which translates to “fatherland and life” in English. The truck rammed into the front of Louisville’s Metro Corrections building shortly after noon. The streets surrounding the jail were blocked off. The front side of the the jail, where administrative staff are located, was evacuated, said Steve Durham, assistant director of Louisville Metro Corrections. Inmates were informed of the crash. “Everybody is all right,” he said. “No one was hurt in this particular event. There is just some concern that inmates have, so we’re trying to answer those questions.” The bomb squad was deployed to the scene as a precaution, Louisville police spokesperson Elizabeth Ruoff said. In a tweet, Louisville Metro Police urged drivers to avoid the area around the building.

Louisiana

Arabi: A New Orleans-area film and TV studio plans to expand into a building that opened in 1923 as an assembly plant for Model T Fords. The Ranch Film Studios didn’t say what it paid for the 225,000-square-foot building in Arabi. But the company said it is looking for partners and plans to raise $35 million to complete the historic restoration and $35 million to create film stages and spaces for tech-, gaming- and film-related companies. Arabi is less than a 10-minute drive away from the studio in Chalmette, which CEO Jason Waggenspack and his partners created in 2014 from what was left of two big-box stores blighted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The 219,000-square-foot studio currently houses about 25% of all entertainment productions in Louisiana, according to the company. Productions filmed there have included “Terminator Genisys,” “Deepwater Horizon,” “Bill & Ted Face the Music,” the limited Showtime series “Your Honor,” the Disney+ series “Secrets of Sulphur Springs,” and the Netflix films “The Lovebirds” and “The Dirt,” a biopic about the band Motley Crue. The Ford building was designed by famed industrial architect Albert Kahn, who also designed Detroit’s Belle Isle Aquarium and Book Depository.

Maine

Bucksport: The Passamaquoddy Tribe held an educational session near a replica of a Christopher Columbus ship that was visiting for Maine’s bicentennial and had drawn condemnation from tribes. A language keeper for the tribe, Dwayne Tomah, spoke to a gathering of people Monday evening at the Bucksport waterfront near where the ship was anchored, the Portland Press Herald reports. The replica of the Nao Santa Maria was scheduled to tour multiple ports in the state to mark the bicentennial. Organizers canceled those events when tribal leaders said the touring ship was disrespectful to the tribes and ignored the history of atrocities Columbus committed against Native Americans. The town of Bucksport posted on Facebook that the purpose of the educational session was to “have a constructive dialog and provide historical information.” Maine’s bicentennial was last year, but events were moved to this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of people have taken tours of the ship since it anchored in Bucksport on Friday, the newspaper reports. The ship will leave Wednesday when its docking permit expires.

Maryland

Baltimore: A judge has blocked Gov. Larry Hogan’s plan to end pandemic-related federal enhanced unemployment benefits early. Circuit Court Judge Lawrence Fletcher-Hill issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday morning ordering the Hogan administration to keep paying the expanded benefits at least until two lawsuits brought by out-of-work Marylanders are resolved. The governor’s office said the state doesn’t plan to appeal, according to news outlets. Fletcher-Hill found that plaintiffs showed they would suffer “irreparable harm” if the preliminary injunction weren’t issued and noted that the plaintiff’s stories are reminders that while the impact of the pandemic has been universal, it has also been “cruelly uneven.” “As one who has enjoyed the privilege of continuous, secure employment, the Court is particularly struck by the plight of those who have had to struggle with irregular or no employment,” he wrote. The judge also ruled that the legal challenges would likely win at trial since Maryland law, strengthened by General Assembly Democrats this year, appears to require the state to accept all federal unemployment aid. Last month, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that the state would discontinue benefits July 3 ahead of their expiration in September.

Massachusetts

Boston: Actor Sacha Baron Cohen has sued a cannabis dispensary he says used an image of his character Borat on a billboard without his permission, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Boston. The billboard for Somerset-based Solar Therapeutics Inc. showed Baron Cohen posing as Borat with two thumbs up and the words “It’s nice!” – one of Borat’s catchphrases. “By use of the billboard, the defendants falsely have conveyed to the public that Mr. Baron Cohen has endorsed their products and is affiliated with their business,” according to the complaint filed Monday. “To the contrary, Mr. Baron Cohen never has used cannabis in his life. He never would participate in an advertising campaign for cannabis, for any amount of money.” The billboard along a Massachusetts interstate highway was taken down in April, three days after Baron Cohen’s attorneys sent a cease-and-desist order to the dispensary, according to the suit. “Mr. Baron Cohen is highly protective of his image and persona, and those of his characters. Mr. Baron Cohen is very careful with the manner in which he uses his persona and his characters to interact with his fans and the general public,” the complaint says.

Michigan

Traverse City: Wolf pups have been spotted again on Isle Royale, a hopeful sign in the effort to rebuild the predator species’ population at the U.S. national park, scientists said Monday. It’s unknown how many gray wolves roam the island chain in northwestern Lake Superior. The coronavirus pandemic forced cancellation of the census that Michigan Technological University experts had conducted each winter for 63 years. Remote cameras detected four pups on the park’s eastern end in January, the researchers said in a new report. The sightings, along with additional clues such as previously observed scats and tracks, suggest that two litters were born in the area last year and perhaps another on the western side. Park officials said last fall that at least two pups likely were born in 2019. The population was 12 to 14 during the last Michigan Tech survey in winter 2020. The latest births would indicate it is higher now, but some older wolves may have died. “It most likely will be winter of next year before we have firm information,” said Sarah Hoy, a research assistant professor and animal ecologist, adding that the presence of young wolves is reason for optimism. “Things are definitely looking up.”

Minnesota

Minneapolis: A St. Paul woman who says she was shot in the face with a projectile while protesting peacefully outside a Minneapolis police precinct after the killing of George Floyd has filed a federal lawsuit. Ana Marie Gelhaye says the shooting caused permanent injury to her eye. The suit alleges that police violated her constitutional rights, including First Amendment protections. “Making matters worse, no MPD officer rendered aid to Gelhaye after she was shot,” according to the suit. “Instead, several bystanders (who happened to be nurses/medical workers) provided immediate first aid on the street and then at Moon Palace Books, a store in the area, before rushing Gelhaye to Abbott Northwestern Emergency Department.” Medical professionals say in court documents that Gelhaye suffered iris and retinal trauma and other permanent damage, incurring expensive medical bills. Documents say she also experienced psychological damage, the Star Tribune reports. The Minneapolis city attorney declined to comment on the suit.

Mississippi

Jackson: The Mississippi State Department of Health is now blocking comments on its Facebook posts that relate to COVID-19 because of a “rise of misinformation” about the coronavirus and vaccinations, a health official said. “The comments section of our Facebook page has increasingly come to be dominated by misinformation about COVID-19,” state health department spokesperson Liz Sharlot said in a statement. She said allowing the comments that “mislead the public about the safety, importance and effectiveness of vaccination” is “directly contrary” to the state’s public health mission, which includes encouraging members of the public to be vaccinated against COVID-19, which has been recently making a resurgence in the state. Only about 31% of Mississippians have been fully inoculated, a statistic that has left it at or near the bottom of all U.S. states. The Department of Health posts multiple times each day on its Facebook page about COVID-19. Posts include information on numbers of new coronavirus cases, details on pop-up vaccination clinics and transportation services to vaccination clinics for homebound residents. Federal regulators have said the vaccines are safe and offer strong protection against contracting the potentially life-threatening disease.

Missouri

Jefferson City: Gov. Mike Parson has signed into law the state’s first gasoline tax increase in decades. Longtime transportation funding advocate Parson signed the bill late Monday, spokesperson Kelli Jones said. He held ceremonial bill signings near Kansas City’s John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil Memorial Bridge and at other infrastructure projects in the state Tuesday. The law will gradually raise the state’s 17-cent-a-gallon gas tax to 29.5 cents over five years, with the option for buyers to get a refund if they keep track of their receipts. The first 2.5-cent increase is slated to take effect in October, which will bring the gas tax to 19.5 cents. The money will be used for Missouri’s roads and bridges. “Whether rural, suburban, or urban, all Missourians benefit from better roadways,” Parson said in a statement. Once fully implemented, the gas tax hike could generate more than $500 million annually for state, county and city roads. But it’s unclear how much of that money governments will get to keep after some people request refunds. Dan Mehan, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s president and CEO, said bolstering infrastructure with money from the gas tax will help the state capitalize on its location to become a “logistics hub for the Midwest and North America.”

Montana

Billings: Federal officials will give the public more time to comment on a contentious proposal to expand bison grazing on public lands in north-central Montana, officials said. The move comes after Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte criticized the Bureau of Land Management for holding just one virtual meeting on the proposal, which covers about 108 square miles south of Malta. Ranchers in the area have been resistant to plans by Bozeman-based conservation group American Prairie Reserve to assemble a 5,000-square-mile expanse of public and private lands that would hold at least 10,000 bison. John Mehlhoff, area director for the Bureau of Land Management, said the open comment period would be extended through Sept. 28 because of heightened interest in the proposal. The agency did not agree to Gianforte’s request for at least five in-person meetings in surrounding counties. It gave its preliminary approval of the proposal earlier this month and found the plan would not have a significant economic or environmental impact. Massive herds of bison once migrated through the area but were hunted to near-extinction in the 19th century. The American Prairie Reserve has been buying up ranchland in Montana since 2004. It owns 165 square miles and holds leases on about 500 square miles of state and federal land.

Nebraska

McCook: An 80-year-old woman was sentenced Monday to eight to 10 years in prison for the shooting death of her husband, who she said had abused her for years. Lavetta Langdon was sentenced after pleading no contest June 1 to manslaughter, KNOP reports. Police found the body of her 79-year-old husband, Larry Langdon, at their McCook home in August 2020. Court documents said Lavetta Langdon told investigators her husband had abused her for 30 years. An affidavit said she warned her husband she would kill him if he hit her again. She said on the day he died, her husband hit her in the face. She said considered killing him for 30 minutes, then shot him in the chest while he was sleeping, according to the affidavit. Langdon then called police.

Nevada

Reno: Temperature records continue to tumble across all corners of the scorching state. Elko tied a record that stood for more than a century Monday when the 104 degrees Fahrenheit at Elko Airport equaled the old mark set in 1917. It was 104 in Tonopah, breaking the record of 102 set in 1990, and Reno tied the record of 104 set in 2005. Desert-Rock-Mercury north of Las Vegas set a new record Monday of 112, eclipsing the old mark of 111 set in 2003. The heat briefly gave way to thunderstorms late Monday and early Tuesday around Las Vegas, where the National Weather Service issued a flash-flood warning around Valley of Fire State Park and areas south toward Lake Mead. About 7,500 homes in North Las Vegas lost power due to damage from high winds.

New Hampshire

Concord: Auditors concluded that miscounts in an election were primarily caused by the way ballots were folded, according to a report released Tuesday. The Legislature mandated the audit, backed by lawmakers from both parties, after a losing Democratic candidate in a legislative race in the town of Windham requested a recount. That effort showed Republican candidates getting hundreds more votes than were originally counted. The discrepancy drew the attention of former President Donald Trump and his supporters in their effort to find evidence of his wider claim of election fraud from 2020. Critics of the audit said before the report was finalized that they felt it had not gone far enough to find the source of the miscount. A team of auditors, however, “found no basis to believe that the miscounts found in Windham indicate a pattern of partisan bias or a failed election.” The town used a machine to fold the absentee ballots before sending them to voters. After they were returned, the ballots were fed into a counting machine. Because the folds on some ballots went through a Democrats name, either the ballot was not counted, or a vote was wrongly given to the Democrat. Auditors said the problem was most likely limited to Windham, a claim echoed by Secretary of State Bill Gardner.

New Jersey

Avalon: The mayor has ordered the closure of the boardwalk and beaches overnight due to large crowds and what he called “unsafe and disruptive behavior.” Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi’s executive order Friday continues the pandemic-related state of emergency restrictions blocking access to the beach from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. and closing the boardwalk between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., the Cape May County borough said. Pagliughi said the order, which will remain in effect until further notice, is aimed at enabling local police “to disperse large groups of individuals who are congregating in unmanageable numbers on public property, which often results in unsafe and disruptive behavior.” “Recently, the beach and boardwalk have experienced vandalism to public property and excessive litter and debris created by large groups of individuals who congregate at night,” the mayor said. The mayor blamed what he called an “unfortunate measure” on state initiatives calling on authorities to issue warnings to juveniles and avoid jailing them except for serious offenses. Avalon Police Chief Jeffrey Christopher said the state directives bar police from doing anything other than issuing warnings for ordinance and disorderly persons offenses “even when alcohol or cannabis use or possession is involved.”

New Mexico

Santa Fe: A regulatory agency hopes to avoid a possible shortage by raising the number of marijuana plants that licensed producers could maintain. The Cannabis Control Division of the state Regulation and Licensing Department last week raised the previously planned per-grower limit of 4,500 plants to 8,000, and producers also would be able to apply for incremental increases of 500 with a total cap of 10,000, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. The change responds to concerns that the 4,500-plant limit would lead to a supply shortage, especially among patients in the state’s medical marijuana program. New Mexico’s legalization of possession and growth of small amounts of recreational marijuana took effect June 29, and the legal market for recreational marijuana is expected to launch in early 2022. The department has scheduled an Aug. 6 hearing on the program’s revised draft rules. The department has until Sept. 1 to finalize the rules for producers. Draft rules for manufacturing, testing and selling cannabis products have yet to be released.

New York

Albany: The federal government’s count of the COVID-19 death toll in the state has 11,000 more victims than the tally publicized by the administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which has stuck with a far more conservative approach to counting coronavirus deaths. The discrepancy in death counts continued to widen this year, according to an Associated Press review, even as the Democrat has come under fire over allegations that his office purposely obscured the number of deaths of nursing home residents to protect his reputation. New York state’s official death count, presented daily to the public, stood at roughly 43,000 this week. But the state has provided the federal government with data that shows roughly 54,000 people have died with COVID-19 as a cause or contributing factor listed on their death certificate. “It’s a little strange,” said Bob Anderson, chief of the Mortality Statistics Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. “They’re providing us with the death certificate information, so they have it. I don’t know why they wouldn’t use those numbers.” The Cuomo administration’s count excludes people who likely died of the virus but never got a positive test to confirm the diagnosis. The gap has widened even as testing has become more widely available.

North Carolina

Durham: A bug zapper that had the wrong kind of light bulb caused vision problems for five people at a veterans medical facility, a spokesperson said. Yves-Marie Daley from the Durham VA Health Care System said the bulb emitted light that was too strong, affecting the vision of three employees, a resident and a contractor who had a meeting near the device, The News & Observer reports. The people affected are healing, and their vision is improving, according to Daley. She didn’t specify the date of the incident or the severity of the vision loss. Bug zappers attract insects with ultraviolet light and then electrocute them, but the light usually isn’t intense enough to harm people. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says more powerful UV lamps – like those used as disinfectants against the coronavirus – can cause eye injuries and skin reactions similar to burns. The center opened an internal investigation and is evaluating other bug zappers for similar problems.

North Dakota

Bismarck: The state’s trust fund for oil taxes is realizing hefty earnings due to a rebounding economy and better-than-expected stock investments, officials said Tuesday. Revenue from the Legacy Fund for the two-year budget cycle that ended last month was about $872 million, up from the $736 million that budget writers and the Legislature had forecast. “The stock market has rebounded from the initial COVID drop, and it has bounced back tremendously,” state Treasurer Thomas Beadle said. State Office of Management and Budget Director Joe Morrisette said nearly half of the extra revenue – $65 million – will be used to reimburse a constitutional fund that benefits schools but had been shortchanged in error for about a decade. Money from the Common Schools Trust Fund is distributed to North Dakota’s public schools. Voters in 2010 endorsed a constitutional amendment that requires setting aside 30% of state tax revenues on oil and natural gas production in the Legacy Fund, which is valued at about $8.8 billion. The most recent deposit into the fund was $45.5 million in June.

Ohio

Columbus: The state’s elections chief on Monday referred for possible prosecution 117 apparent noncitizens who either registered to vote or cast a ballot last year – a tiny fraction of the state’s electorate and a significantly reduced number from two years ago despite record 2020 turnout. Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose said that of those, 13 cast ballots, and 104 registered but did not vote. They were identified as part of a routine review and referred to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. “The bottom line is this: Citizenship matters. It’s an important status that we should all treasure,” LaRose said at a Statehouse news conference. “With that comes the ability to be a voter. We want all Ohioans who are eligible to be able to cast a ballot, but certainly that means only citizens are able to do so.” Ohio has more than 8 million registered voters and does not allow noncitizens to register or vote. LaRose made a similar referral of 277 individuals to Yost after the 2018 election, including 77 who cast a ballot. Only a handful were ever prosecuted, according to data from the Franklin County prosecutor’s office. Ohio produced an extraordinary level of access in last year’s presidential election, setting records with nearly 6 million votes cast and a 74% turnout that tops the average of the past 20 years.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Byron Berline, a renowned fiddler who played with superstars like Elton John and the Rolling Stones and owned a popular Oklahoma instrument shop, has died. He was 77. Bette Berline, Byron’s wife, said he was hospitalized after suffering a stroke, and on Saturday his “lungs gave up, and so did his heart.” Bette recalled her husband as a fun and loving father and husband, who until soon before his death looked and acted like a man 20 years younger. “He was more than a musician, an incredibly gifted musician,” she said. “He was a good, good man.” A three-time National Fiddle Champion, Berline grew up in Grant County along the Oklahoma-Kansas state line and worked with music greats like John, Vince Gill and Bob Dylan. The Stones recruited Berline for “Country Honk,” a country version of their “Honky Tonk Women,” based on Gram Parsons’ recommendation. Berline moved to Guthrie in 1995 and opened the Double Stop Fiddle Shop & Music Hall, which was destroyed by a fire in 2019. He later opened a new shop across the street.

Oregon

Salem: After 16 months of being closed to the public as a COVID-19 safety measure, Oregon’s Capitol building reopened Monday. The building’s closure has been a point of tension between Democratic and Republican lawmakers, as Republicans argued throughout the pandemic that everyone should have access to the Capitol. “Last March, we consulted with infectious disease doctors and public health officials about what changes were needed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the Capitol,” House Speaker Tina Kotek and Senate President Peter Courtney said in a joint statement Monday that announced the Capitol’s reopening now that more than 70% of the state’s adult residents have been partially or fully vaccinated. “In the end, we made the very difficult decision to limit Capitol entry to legislators, essential staff, and members of the press.” Republican legislators opposed closure of the Capitol, saying it is “the people’s building” and should be open to the public. In protest of the closure, some Senate Republicans routinely voted “no” on matters unrelated to COVID-19. In the House, Republicans refused to suspend rules that require bills be read in their entirety on final passage, slowing the pace of the session. Tensions boiled over in the community as well.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: The centerpiece of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to fight climate change took another step Tuesday toward the final regulatory threshold to impose a price on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants in the state. The Environmental Quality Board, composed primarily of Wolf appointees, approved the plan 15-4 to send it on to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, which could take it up this fall. Wolf, a Democrat, wants to the plan to take effect next year as part of a multi-state consortium, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, that sets a price and declining limits on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. If Wolf is successful, Pennsylvania would become the first major fossil fuel state to adopt a carbon pricing policy. Heavily populated, fossil fuel-rich Pennsylvania has long been one of the nation’s biggest polluters and power producers. Opponents include coal- and natural gas-related interests, various business groups, and labor unions whose workers maintain power plants, build gas pipelines and mine coal. Wolf’s plan has drawn backing from environmental advocacy organizations and companies with solar, wind and nuclear power interests. Imposing a price on carbon emissions is projected to reduce air pollution and raise tens of millions of dollars annually for the state.

Rhode Island

Providence: The city on Tuesday joined a small but growing number of counterparts across the U.S. pledging to provide a guaranteed monthly income to a certain number of low-income residents. Under the Providence Guaranteed Income pilot program announced by Mayor Jorge Elorza and others, 110 city families living at or under 200% of the federal poverty level are eligible to apply for the opportunity to receive $500 a month for 12 months. The unconditional cash payments are intended to supplement, rather than replace, existing social safety net programs and can be used as the recipient sees fit, such as for unpredictable expenses, officials said. The $1.1 million to fund the program is coming from private and philanthropic sources, and no tax dollars will be used, Elorza said. “The global pandemic has highlighted the inequities of our social safety net and exacerbated the disparities of health and wealth that exist for Black, Indigenous, and communities of color,” Elorza said in a statement. “The best way to protect the longterm health and wellbeing of our communities is by providing direct financial assistance to our residents.” Similar programs in other cities have proven successful in improving the quality of life, health and education, said state Sen. Tiara Mack, D-Providence.

South Carolina

Columbia: The state now has the lowest rate of released inmates returning to prison within three years in the country thanks to an in-depth and expanding program of job and life skills, the state prison director said. Less than 22% of South Carolina inmates released in 2017 found themselves back in prison within three years, South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling said at a Tuesday ceremony at one of the state’s reentry programs. That rate was 33% just before Stirling took over the prison system in 2013. The director said he went to a nearby Greyhound bus stop right after he was hired and was discouraged by what he observed. “I saw people leaving in prison uniforms – all we did was take the stripe off. They were just given a bag, a little bit of money and said ‘good luck,’ ” Stirling said. During the next eight years, Stirling made one of his chief goals giving inmates as much support as his agency can to make sure they can make it their last term behind bars. Inmates can learn a wide range of job skills from plumbing to carpentry and cooking to running a backhoe.

South Dakota

Pierre: Family members of the man struck and killed by the state attorney general’s car are denying recent claims that Joseph Boever was suicidal. “I knew my cousin quite well, and he never mentioned suicide as any type of option to me,” said Victor Nemec, Boever’s cousin. On Friday, Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg’s defense attorney filed a motion to require the health care providers of Boever to release his psychiatric and psychological records and “information concerning his suicidal ideation,” according to the filing made with the Sixth Circuit Magistrate Court. The six-page document alleges a pattern of alcoholism and prescription drug use by Boever, who Ravnsborg struck the night of Sept. 12, 2020, while walking along South Dakota Highway 14 on the west outskirts of Highmore. That factored into a “broadening depressive streak” that led at least one family member to believe Boever died by suicide, the court documents said. But the victim’s cousin dismissed the allegation Monday afternoon. “If Ravnsborg is trying to claim that (it was suicide), that’s him and his defense grasping at straws,” Nemec said. All the physical evidence from the crash site and the report issued “prove” Ravnsborg was driving on the shoulder of the road at the time, Nemec said.

Tennessee

Nashville: The Tennessee Department of Health will halt all adolescent vaccine outreach – not just for COVID-19 but for all diseases – amid pressure from Republican lawmakers, according to an internal report and agency emails. If the health department must issue any information about vaccines, staff are instructed to strip the agency logo off the documents. The agency will also stop all COVID-19 vaccine events on school property, despite holding at least one such event this month. The decisions to end vaccine outreach and school events come directly from Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey, the internal report says. Additionally, the health department will take steps to ensure it no longer sends postcards or other notices reminding teenagers to get their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines. Postcards will still be sent to adults, but teens will be excluded from the mailing list so the postcards are not “potentially interpreted as solicitation to minors,” the report says. These changes to Tennessee’s vaccination strategy, detailed in a COVID-19 report distributed to health department staff Friday and reiterated in a mass email Monday, will take effect just as the coronavirus pandemic shows new signs of spread in Tennessee. The average number of new cases per day has more than doubled in the past two weeks.

Texas

Austin: Abortion providers filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday that seeks to block a new state law that would ban most abortions in Texas. Senate Bill 8, set to take effect Sept. 1, would prohibit abortions as early as the sixth week of pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant. Between 85% and 90% of abortions take place after the sixth week, the lawsuit said. “If permitted to take effect, SB 8 will create absolute chaos in Texas and irreparably harm Texans in need of abortion services,” the lawsuit argued. The suit also took aim at the “unprecedented” method used to enforce the law – civil lawsuits filed by “any person” against somebody who provides an illegal abortion or “aids and abets” an abortion after the six-week limit. “SB 8 places a bounty on people who provide or aid abortions, inviting random strangers to sue them,” the lawsuit said, adding that the law would encourage “vigilante” enforcement, particularly by abortion opponents who could file a nearly endless stream of harassing lawsuits that could bankrupt providers. When Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 8 into law May 19, abortion opponents hailed the measure as the nation’s most restrictive, serving as an example for other Republican-run states interested in testing the boundaries of Roe v. Wade.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Health officials announced Monday that the governor’s previous assertion that the state had reached its goal of vaccinating 70% of adults by the Fourth of July was false because of a data error. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox issued an apology to residents for the mistake Monday, about a week after he publicly celebrated Utah surpassing its goal of 70% of all adults getting at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The governor said the mistake was a result of “simple human error.” “We screwed up. And I sincerely apologize,” Cox wrote in an open letter. State health department statistics showed that 65.2% of adults had received one dose of the vaccine after the holiday weekend, but Cox wrote on Twitter that that did not include nearly 115,000 doses that had been given out by federal agencies, incorrectly bumping the percentage to 70.2%. Health officials said Monday that the department miscounted how the federally administered doses were categorized, which led to some single doses being counted multiple times. As of Monday, 67% of Utah adults had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. “While federal data sharing has been extremely difficult, this one is on us,” Cox said. “Our data team is devastated and embarrassed. And so am I.”

Vermont

Burlington: The city has launched a new workforce training program for future caregivers and nursing assistants to help fill a growing demand for those professions. Mayor Miro Weinberger said the pandemic showed the need for more caregivers and licensed nursing assistants, creating opportunities for many low-wage or unemployed workers looking for new skills. The “Moving On, Moving Up” workforce training initiative will offer 10 weeks of free, specialized training to 35 students. The program is a partnership among the city, the University of Vermont Medical Center, Cathedral Square and Ethan Allen Residence. “The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has made the essential nature of caregiving and health care services crystal clear,” Weinberger said last week when he announced the new program.

Virginia

Richmond: Business news network CNBC named Virginia this year’s “Top State for Business” on Tuesday, welcome news for Democrats who control state government and are defending their record during a critical election year. With previous wins in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2019, Virginia surpassed Texas for most years at the top of the ranking since CNBC debuted it in 2007, Gov. Ralph Northam’s office said in a news release. CNBC did not publish the rankings in 2020 because of the pandemic. “I could not be prouder of what this says about the inclusive, commonsense policies that we have put in place and how they encourage business investment,” Northam said, speaking at a news conference at the Port of Virginia with other Democratic elected officials. The network’s methodology scores the states in ten categories including infrastructure, workforce and education, “weighted based on how frequently the states cite them in their economic development marketing pitches.” In a new category called “Life, Health and Inclusion,” Virginia earned points for voting rights and anti-discrimination laws, areas that have seen sweeping change since Democrats took full control of state government in 2019.

Washington

Edmonds: New renovations will allow threatened salmon species to return to Lunds Gulch at Meadowdale Beach Park. After a decade of planning, construction has begun on renovations at the waterfront park to create a 1.3-acre pocket estuary that will bring back Chinook, chum and coho salmon, as well as cutthroat trout, the Everett Herald reports. The centerpiece of the renovations is a five-span railroad bridge that will create a 90-foot opening for the creek to flow through. It will replace a 6-foot culvert – a hobbit-sized tunnel to the beach for visitors who make the trek down the ravine trail. Though the acreage is small, the project was a complicated and expensive affair involving a collection of state and federal grants. It also required a unique partnership with BNSF Railway, representing new possibilities in how to approach important habitats that butt up against railroads. All told, the bill will likely exceed $15 million. Less than half of that is funded by grants, with the rest coming from Snohomish County. Strider Construction of Bellingham won the bid for the work. The county estimates construction will be done by next spring. In the meantime, the beach is closed to the public.

West Virginia

Charleston: The West Virginia Department of Education has a new program to encourage students, teachers and staff to get their COVID-19 vaccinations. The “I Got Vaxxed Competition” will award $5,000 each to a high school, a middle school and an elementary school for having the highest percentage of eligible people vaccinated, the department said in a news release Monday. The winners will be announced the week of Oct. 3. School participation is voluntary. “We know that students and staff lost so much more than instructional days during the pandemic, and this is just a way to try and restore some normalcy and recognize the importance of vaccinations,” state Superintendent of Schools W. Clayton Burch said. “Children need the benefits of a consistent school year to regain some of those lost experiences, which, in turn, support their social-emotional needs.” Students ages 12 and older and all teachers and staff are eligible for the vaccines.

Wisconsin

Madison: A survey conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison has found 92.5% of incoming dorm residents will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the start of classes this fall. Nearly 90% of UW-Madison’s dorm residents filled out the survey, providing a promising glimpse into how vaccination rates will look despite the University of Wisconsin System’s decision to strongly encourage, but not require, the shots. Another 3.2% of dorm residents said in the survey that they plan to get vaccinated once they arrive on campus. The university is still providing free, on-campus vaccination. “We’re pleased to see so many students choosing vaccination, which is the most effective way to prevent COVID-19,” said Jeff Novak, director of university housing. “Having a highly vaccinated community helps protect everyone, including those who cannot be vaccinated.” Dorm residents who chose not to get vaccinated will need to keep getting regularly tested for the coronavirus, first at move-in and then weekly for the rest of the semester. Testing is free for all UW-Madison students and employees. UW universities statewide have been leveraging the chance for students to get out of regular testing as one of several enticements to get as many students vaccinated as possible without a mandate.

Wyoming

Casper: A sheriff’s deputy helped rescue two women who were hanging onto tree branches after the inflatable raft they were in popped and sank in the North Platte River over the weekend. Five people were floating down the river Saturday when the raft was punctured, the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office said. None of them were wearing life vests. One person swam to shore, and two others made their way to an island. The other two grabbed tree branches near the island but could not pull themselves out of the water due to the swift current, steep bank and exhaustion, officials said. Deputy Dexter Bryant arrived first, followed by Sgt. Mark Bahr, who was downstream with a throw rope in case one of the women let go. One said she was running out of energy and would not be able to hold on much longer, the sheriff’s office said. Rather than waiting for a rescue boat, Bryant took off his vest, gun belt and boots and put on a life vest and swam out to the island, where he was able to pull the women out of the water. Fire personnel helped get everyone back on shore.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Underground proms, popcorn problems: News from around our 50 ...

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: Gov. Kay Ivey this week urged people to wear masks in public after a statewide mandate expires next month. Ivey has been adamant that she will not extend the mask mandate past April 9. On Monday, her office released designs for signs for businesses to use to request patrons to wear masks. The designs range from “Mask Preferred” to “Mask Required For Service.” Face coverings “remain one of the most successful tools we have to keep folks safe from COVID-19,” Ivey said in a statement. “Masks are soon to be a memory but until then, lets wear them out.” Alabama expanded eligibility Monday for COVID-19 vaccinations, adding more than 2 million people to the groups who can get a COVID-19 shot in Alabama and roughly doubling the number of residents now eligible. The additions include more front-line workers; people 55 and older; those with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and residents ages 16 to 64 with certain high-risk medical conditions. The qualifying medical conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, smoking, obesity, sickle cell disease and heart conditions. State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris on Friday said most adults will now be eligible for shots and urged people to be patient as they seek vaccination appointments.

Alaska

Juneau: People who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks at work in the city when they are in their own workspace away from the public and unvaccinated colleagues, under an updated emergency order that took effect Tuesday. Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson’s office, in a release, called the update an easing of an existing mask mandate “that balances vaccination progress in Anchorage with the importance of masks in reducing transmission of COVID-19.” Under the order, employers would have to verify an employee’s vaccination status, “in a manner consistent with workplace anti-discrimination laws.” Masks still are required in Anchorage in indoor public settings and communal spaces outside the home and at outdoor public gatherings. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers a person fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of a two-dose vaccine or two weeks after receiving a one-dose vaccine. In the Anchorage area, 27% of those 16 and older are considered fully vaccinated, information provided by the state health department shows.

Arizona

Phoenix: COVID-19 vaccine appointments opened Wednesday morning to all Arizonans 16 and older, and the rush to get them was huge. All available slots for state-operated COVID-19 vaccine sites were taken within 20 minutes, health officials said in a tweet, but more will be available at 11 a.m. Friday, when the state will release tens of thousands of new appointments for the following week. The five vaccine sites operated by the state are State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona State University’s Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Tempe, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, the University of Arizona in central Tucson and, as of this Friday, Yuma Civic Center in Yuma County. Vaccine appointments are also available at individual pharmacies, through their websites, and through some individual counties. To book and schedule vaccines, go to podvaccine.azdhs.gov. Those without computer access or needing extra help registering can call 844-542-8201 to be connected with someone who can assist in scheduling. People can contact the call center when it opens at 8 a.m., as it gets canceled appointments released to it daily.

Arkansas

Little Rock: Cities won’t be able to enforce their own mask mandates to curb the coronavirus when the state ends its requirement as soon as next week, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday. The Republican governor told reporters he expected Arkansas’ requirement to end March 31, saying the state has so far met the criteria for positive coronavirus tests and hospitalizations that he set for the mandate’s end when he lifted most of the state’s virus restrictions last month. Hutchinson said officials are still working on guidance for cities, employers and schools systems. He said school districts will likely have a local option, and businesses can have their own requirements, but cities couldn’t have that option. “We’re going to go on this together,” Hutchinson said at his weekly virus briefing. “One statewide standard is what I expect to announce next week.” Before Hutchinson signed the state’s mask mandate last year, he had allowed cities to enforce mask ordinances that did not include penalties for not complying.

California

Sacramento: With improving coronavirus numbers continuing to fall, much of the San Francisco Bay Area can reopen to a greater degree, and 94% of California’s population is out from under the most severe restrictions, officials said Tuesday. San Francisco, Marin and Santa Clara counties were among those moving to less restrictive tiers in the state’s four-level system. The three joined neighboring Santa Mateo County as the latest Bay Area counties to move into California’s “moderate” tier for coronavirus restrictions, meaning restaurants and other businesses can serve more customers. Higher-risk businesses including bowling alleys and outdoor bars that don’t serve food can reopen. San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax said the expanded activities could begin Wednesday. Breed credited swift vaccinations and ongoing safety precautions for the shift. “This year has been so tough on so many – from our kids and families, to our small businesses and their employees – and this move to the orange tier and reopening more activities and businesses than we have since last March gives us all more hope for the future,” Breed said in a statement.

Colorado

Fort Collins: About 1,000 front-line essential restaurant and food service workers received COVID-19 shots during a mass vaccination clinic Tuesday at The Ranch events complex. The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment received additional vaccines from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to administer to the workers who recently became eligible under the state’s Phase 1B.4 vaccine distribution plan. The industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, with the county reporting that restaurant workers have experienced the highest occupational unemployment rate at nearly 28%, and 30% of the county’s restaurant workers are people of color whose communities have experienced higher-than-average COVID-19 case rates. County restaurants have seen as much as a 50% decrease in revenue since March 2020. Carol and Tim Cochran, owners of the Horse & Dragon Brewing Company in Fort Collins, were among those vaccinated Tuesday, along with employees. “This is a start in the right direction,” Carol said as the couple waited in the observation line after receiving the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot. “Once we can get almost everyone vaccinated, we will be able to open with abandon and not be worried about being a vector for the disease.”

Connecticut

Norwich: The Senior Resources Agency on Aging’s Senior Nutrition Program has worked to meet increased need during the COVID-19 pandemic through revision of the Congregate Meals Program and expansion of the Home Delivered Meals Program. According to Kathy Chase, director of contracts at Senior Resources, more than 400,000 meals were provided to about 3,500 older adult residents of Eastern Connecticut in the past year. The Older Americans Act Nutrition Program began in 1972 to reduce hunger and food insecurity, promote socialization, encourage health and well-being, and delay adverse health conditions. Meals are prepared to meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, so they are appropriate for everyone including those with diabetes or other chronic health conditions. Older Americans Act programs including the Senior Nutrition Program are managed through Area Agencies on Aging. When possible, the Congregate Meals Program offers meals in a group setting such as a senior center so that participants can socialize and engage in additional activities. There are no income guidelines for this program; donations are requested but not required. Priority may be given to persons of greatest need. To apply, visit seniorresourcesec.org.

Delaware

Wilmington: A pilot of a walk-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic Wednesday was testing a process that could help inoculate people who’ve had difficulty registering for a shot. The event was limited to those who received a voucher from community groups in recent days. Being able to serve walk-ups without appointments at future vaccination events could help Delaware reach underserved communities and satisfy the state’s equity goal, state officials said. More than three months into the vaccine rollout, state data shows people in minority groups have received fewer vaccinations compared with white residents. Throughout the rollout, the state has asked those eligible for the vaccine – mostly older adults – to register online for an appointment waiting list and to monitor availability at pharmacies and other providers in the meantime. The system has led to frustration and confusion as demand continues to outpace supply. “We know that there is a disconnect at times with technology,” said AJ Schall, director of the Delaware Emergency Management Agency. State officials said walk-up events could be a solution for older residents who have had difficulty navigating the online system and could target areas where vaccination rates are low, though they are less efficient than large drive-thru events that require preregistration.

District of Columbia

Washington: Because of the pandemic, the National Park Service will limit access to the Tidal Basin during this year’s peak bloom of D.C.’s cherry blossoms, WUSA-TV reports. NPS spokesperson Mike Litterst said in a release Tuesday that the restrictions were in accordance with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and DC Health and were made in consultation with the National Park Service Office of Public Health. “The National Park Service will limit all vehicular and pedestrian access to the Tidal Basin, East Potomac Park and West Potomac Park during the peak bloom period of the cherry blossoms as a public health precaution to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” Litterst said in the release. This year, peak bloom is expected April 2-5, but the park service said restrictions are tentatively in place from March 26 through April 12. Updates or changes to the restriction dates will be posted on NPS’ social media. The National Park Service encourages those who want to take in the splendor of the cherry blossoms at peak bloom to do so virtually via its website.

Florida

Tallahassee: A state House committee approved a bill Wednesday to better prepare for public health emergencies, ranging from ensuring the state is well-stocked with personal protective equipment to allowing the governor more flexibility in spending to deal with a crisis. The bill approved by the House Pandemics & Public Emergencies Committee on a 14-4 vote also addresses how deaths are reported, would allow the Legislature to override a governor’s executive orders, and seeks to better inform the public on state spending on its response and emergency orders. The bill would require the state public health officer to develop a plan for every foreseeable public health emergency and update it every five years. It also spells out that health emergencies could include the release of toxic chemicals and nuclear agents, as well as biological toxins. But the four Democrats who opposed the bill took issue with provisions that limit emergency orders issued by local governments. “We should not be severely restricting the emergency powers of local governments. I think that makes us less safe, and I think that mayors shouldn’t have to ask permission from Tallahassee in order to be the mayors they were elected to be,” said Democratic Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith.

Georgia

Atlanta: All Georgians 16 and older will be eligible for COVID-19 shots beginning Thursday. Gov. Brian Kemp made the announcement Tuesday, saying supplies of the vaccines continue to rise, and he’s confident that enough older adults have been vaccinated to open up inoculation to the broadest possible population. Figures from the Georgia Department of Public Health show the state has administered 3.2 million doses overall, with nearly 2.1 million people getting at least one dose. The number of doses being administered has shown a clear upward trend in recent weeks, with a peak of more than 85,000 doses given March 15, the first day Kemp expanded eligibility to current levels. Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will get a boost in capacity starting Thursday when the Federal Emergency Management Agency adds doses to a site that had been run by Fulton County. Measures still show demand outstripping supply in metro Atlanta, while appointments are abundant in other areas. Kemp said the state directed 70% of this week’s 450,000 doses to metro Atlanta and areas north of the city “to put more supply where the demand is highest.” Georgia continues to lag most other states in vaccination, ranking second worst behind Alabama in the number of doses administered per 100,000 people 18 and older.

Hawaii

Honolulu: There was a drop in the number of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students who went to college last year after graduating from Hawaii’s public schools, which a group of educational leaders attributes to the pandemic. A report by the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education shows 35% of Native Hawaiians in the class of 2020 enrolled in college upon graduation, a decline from 44% for the class of 2019, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. Figures for Pacific Islander graduates fell to 29% from 35%. According to the report, Hawaii’s public high schools had a record graduation rate in 2020, but far fewer graduates enrolled in college: 50% of last year’s graduating class went straight to college, down from 55% the previous year. It was the steepest one-year dip ever recorded, the newspaper reports. “The negative effects of the pandemic on educational progress in general are not equal across socioeconomic and demographic groups,” said Stephen Schatz, executive director of Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education. “In particular, economically disadvantaged, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders saw some pretty precipitous declines.” Schatz said the education community needs to act on the premise that the pandemic had an effect on all students’ academic and mental health.

Idaho

Boise: Legislation extending the tax filing deadline from April 15 to May 17 will be among lawmakers’ top priorities when they return to work April 6, a high-ranking state senator said. Republican Senate President Pro-Tem Chuck Winder said this week that he expects the Senate and House to expedite legislation to delay Idaho’s tax deadline a month to match the federal tax deadline that has again been pushed back because of the pandemic. “I’m hopeful that we can get back and get it done as quickly as possible,” he said, adding that lawmakers have numerous tools such as suspending rules to speed bills through both the House and Senate. The Internal Revenue Service announced last week that it has delayed the traditional federal tax filing deadline until May 17, providing more breathing room for taxpayers and the IRS to cope with changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Legislation was introduced last week in the state House to make the change for Idaho taxpayers. But the Legislature shut down a day later, on Friday, after six of the 70 House members tested positive for the virus within a week. Shortly after the shutdown, the Idaho State Tax Commission issued a statement saying the state’s filing deadline is still April 15, and it will be up to the Legislature to change it when it reconvenes.

Illinois

Chicago: About 1,000 inmates scheduled for release in the next nine months could soon be set free as part of a settlement of a federal lawsuit filed last spring amid a growing COVID-19 health crisis in state lockups, a lawyer involved in the case said Tuesday. The settlement calls for the release of low- to medium-risk inmates who are within nine months of their release date and eligible for certain good-time credits, according to a court document filed Tuesday. The Illinois Department of Corrections agreed to “use its best efforts” to process the awards within the next month, the document says. Attorney Sheila Bedi said the settlement applies to about 1,000 inmates, and she believes thousands more should be released. “It remains a public health crisis,” Bedi, a professor at Northwestern University, told the Chicago Tribune. “It is still very much a real issue.” In a statement, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s press secretary, Jordan Abudayyeh, said the Department of Corrections has consistently reviewed prisoner records to find those eligible for 180 days or less of earned discretionary sentencing credit. A consortium of Chicago civil rights attorneys and community activists filed the lawsuit seeking the release of as many as 13,000 inmates, arguing that prisons “pose a particular risk of spreading the COVID-19.”

Indiana

Indianapolis: The governor announced Tuesday that he will lift the statewide mask mandate and remaining COVID-19 business restrictions in two weeks. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a speech from his Statehouse office that Indiana’s steep declines in coronavirus hospitalization and death rates along with the growing number of people fully vaccinated justify the steps starting April 6. Holcomb said he hoped the state was seeing the “tail end of this pandemic” that has killed nearly 13,000 people in the state over the past year. The date for ending the mask mandate was picked to coincide with the ending of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament now being held in Indianapolis and to allow more time for people with at-risk health conditions to get vaccine shots, Holcomb said. Local officials would still have the authority to impose tougher restrictions in response to COVID-19 cases in their communities, and face masks would still be required in K-12 schools for rest of this school year, he said. But some health experts worry it is premature to lift the statewide restrictions, pointing to the steep increase in hospitalizations and deaths Indiana saw beginning in September after the governor lifted most business restrictions before reinstating crowd limits after winning reelection in November.

Iowa

Des Moines: The state Department of Public Health has acknowledged it significantly overestimated how many of Iowa’s senior citizens have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The department said March 12 that 94.9% of Iowans 65 or older had received at least one dose of a vaccine. Gov. Kim Reynolds said at a news conference March 17 that 95.3% of Iowa seniors had received at least one dose, and she touted such statistics in explaining why the state could soon be able to offer vaccinations to all residents 16 or older. But the numbers didn’t square with much lower estimates reported by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Tuesday, health department spokesperson Sarah Ekstrand said in an email that the state estimates were wrong. She said agency staff mistakenly had counted some seniors twice because those people were included in listings of Iowans receiving an initial dose of the vaccine and in listings of those receiving a second dose. After realizing their mistake, staffers recalculated and determined that 421,553 of Iowa’s 513,872 senior citizens – or 82% – had received at least one dose of a vaccine by Tuesday, Ekstrand said. On Tuesday, the CDC was reporting just 76% of Iowa seniors had received at least one dose of a vaccine.

Kansas

Topeka: The only Asian American lawmaker serving in the Legislature says he was physically threatened in a western Kansas bar by an out-of-state patron, who questioned if he had been carrying COVID-19. In social media comments posted Friday, state Rep. Rui Xu, D-Westwood, said the man confronted him and, using an expletive, asked why he was wearing a face mask and whether he was carrying the coronavirus. “That’s a pretty specific dog whistle at Asian Americans from the last year,” said Xu, who is Chinese American. “Most of the anti-Asian American rhetoric that has happened has had some form of that message.” Moments after the confrontation, Xu said he heard the patron searching for him in the bar, yelling that he was going to “kick his ass.” Xu said he visited the Russell sports bar after featuring as a guest on a PBS television show based in nearby Bunker Hill. Xu said he was in the bar with the show’s host, who is white and also wore a mask but wasn’t targeted. “Everybody at the bar who’s actually from Russell was amazing and kind and I had a good time,” Xu said, adding that he doesn’t think where the incident happened is important.

Kentucky

Frankfort: The state’s COVID-19 vaccination program continues to ramp up, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday. Some 198,447 Kentuckians received a dose last week, breaking a previous weekly record of about 165,000 in early March. The Democratic governor noted that while demand continues to be high, some vaccine sites in western and eastern Kentucky have open appointments. He urged residents in those regions to sign up if they are eligible. Beshear also announced the opening of a vaccination site at the Kentucky Dam Village Convention Center in Gilbertsville. “This is a new site we stood up in western Kentucky to ensure the area was getting significant amounts of vaccine,” Beshear said. “As of today, they have more than 2,000 available appointments in this coming week. That means any Kentuckian, age 50 and up, if you’re in that area, we need you to sign up.” The Bluegrass State’s vaccination program is currently in phase 1C, which includes people 50 and older, anyone older than 16 with high-risk medical conditions, and anyone deemed an essential worker. Starting April 12, all residents 16 and older will be eligible for a shot.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: In response to updated federal guidance on social distancing in schools, officials have approved revisions to the state’s minimum COVID-19 health and safety standards for school facilities. Effective immediately, the revisions to the standards remove the specific physical distancing requirement of 6 feet and insert the provision that distancing requirements shall be in accordance with current Louisiana Department of Health guidelines, as informed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On March 19, the CDC updated its K-12 school guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms. The CDC now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings. “Louisiana’s education leaders are committed to ensuring a safe and productive learning environment as we move incrementally toward the restoration of normal classroom and school operations,” said Sandy Holloway, president of the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Holloway’s approval of the revisions, by emergency rule under interim authority, is scheduled to be ratified by the full board at its next regular meeting April 21.

Maine

Portland: The state’s lobster catch dipped slightly last year as fishermen dealt with the coronavirus pandemic, but the final totals were better than some feared. Fishermen caught more than 96 million pounds of lobsters in 2020, the Maine Department of Marine Resources said Wednesday. That total broke a string of nine consecutive years in which harvesters brought at least 100 million pounds of lobsters to land. Maine is by far the biggest lobster fishing state in the country, and the harvest is central to the state’s economy and heritage. Members of the industry feared at the outset of the pandemic that it would be difficult to equal previous years’ hauls because of the toll of the virus on the economy and the workforce. However, the 2020 catch would have been a state record as recently as 2010. Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, said prices were also competitive despite difficulty shipping and worldwide economic turmoil caused by the pandemic. The industry focused on opening up domestic retail sales, such as at supermarkets, to keep prices strong, McCarron said. The industry also pivoted to more online direct-to-consumer sales. Some lobstermen even took to selling lobsters from tanks in their own garages and homes.

Maryland

Annapolis: The U.S. Naval Academy has begun to ease restrictions that were put in place after an outbreak of COVID-19 cases. The Capital Gazette reports the academy in Annapolis is allowing food to be delivered again and midshipmen to perform outdoor meetings and formations. Student interaction is still limited to roommates with the exception of socially distanced formations outside. The school’s salon and barbershop, Midshipman store and other services will resume appropriate services. The academy had experienced an outbreak of the disease, and nearly 200 midshipmen were moved to local hotels in order to expand quarantine and isolation space. But there are still students in quarantine. And the number of cases isn’t decreasing fast enough to resume in-person classes, which will remain online through Friday.

Massachusetts

Boston: Nearly 60 school districts received permission from the state education commissioner to delay the resumption of full-time, in-person learning for elementary school-age children, which the state set for April 5, authorities say. The 58 districts that received a waiver include Brockton, Chelsea, Springfield and Somerville. Commissioner Jeffrey Riley is still weighing the requests of 10 other districts, including Boston and Worcester – the two largest in the state – The Boston Globe reports. Riley also denied requests from six districts, which the state would not identify. “We are pleased that 90% of districts will have their elementary schools back fully in-person by April 5, with all elementary schools in the Commonwealth fully in-person by May 3,” Riley said in a statement Tuesday. “Bringing all our kids back to school is crucial for their educational progress, emotional and social well-being, and we will continue to work with districts to bring students back ahead of their waiver-approved return dates.” The state has directed middle schools to fully reopen by April 28 and is still accepting waiver requests. A return date for high schools has not been scheduled.

Michigan

Detroit: A restaurant owner who likened the state’s coronavirus restrictions to her childhood in communist Eastern Europe was released Tuesday after four nights in jail for ignoring orders to shut down. Marlena Pavlos-Hackney paid a $15,000 fine and satisfied authorities that Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria in Holland finally would remain closed while it lacks a food license. Her supporters boarded up the doors but also turned the building into a symbol of defiance with signs such as “Stop the Injustice.” Some bars, restaurants, gyms and other businesses have been fined for violating Michigan’s restrictions during the pandemic. But Pavlos-Hackney’s arrest before dawn Friday broke new ground and angered her allies, especially Republican lawmakers. Pavlos-Hackney is “Michigan’s first political prisoner of the pandemic,” state Sen. Tom Barrett said on the Senate floor Tuesday, even offering to take her spot in jail. “Come in the broad daylight. I just need a minute to pack my toothbrush,” Barrett said, aiming his words at Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. State regulators yanked Pavlos-Hackney’s food license in January for serving indoor diners and breaking other rules related to preventing the spread of COVID-19. But the restaurant, 180 miles west of Detroit, stayed open – and customers flocked there.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Twin Cities commercial real estate managers are fearful Target Corp.’s decision to leave a main downtown Minneapolis location will become a trend that will continue to diminish office space needs. Target informed the City Center’s manager this month that it will no longer need the 985,000 square feet of office space it rents in the 51-story tower because it is permanently moving to a hybrid remote work model for 3,500 employees. Target’s lease expires in 2031. The company said many headquarters employees are currently working remotely. The COVID-19 pandemic has darkened many buildings in the downtown business district as employees adjust to working at home to avoid contracting the coronavirus. Building managers are bracing for additional fallout from the big retailer’s decision to leave the City Center, the Star Tribune reports. A recent Cushman & Wakefield national survey revealed that 81% of employers across 35 markets expect to switch to a work-from-home model post-COVID-19. According to C&W, about 22% of Minneapolis’ core business district’s 28.4 million square feet of office space is vacant.

Mississippi

Jackson: The Jackson Convention Complex will host a mixed martial arts competition Saturday, its first big live-audience event since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down venues where large gatherings were commonplace. Oak View Group Facilities, the group that manages and operates the Jackson Convention Complex, announced in a news release that the venue will host the ongoing fight series, Empire Fighting Championship. The Empire FC X is a mixed martial arts event that will have 17 fights at the convention center. “Our team has been working tirelessly with local officials to ensure proper safety protocols are in place to have spectators attend an event here in at the Jackson Center Complex,” Mark Arancibia, general manager for Oak View Group Facilities, said in the news release. The convention center will have a limited capacity of 1,000 people for the event and will have predetermined, socially distanced sitting areas, Arancibia said. He said the Jackson Convention Complex has hosted some high school volleyball matches with spectators, but Saturday’s competition will be the first professional sporting event. Fans will be required to wear masks inside the convention center. There will also be hand sanitizing stations throughout the space.

Missouri

St. Joseph: With COVID-19 cases on the decline and vaccinations on the rise, two mid-sized cities are easing restrictions. St. Joseph Mayor Bill McMurray on Monday ended the requirement to wear a mask, effective Wednesday, the St. Joseph News-Press reports. Meanwhile, in mid-Missouri, the health department for Columbia and Boone County is reducing restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses. McMurray initially opposed ending St. Joseph’s mandate but relented after the City Council voted 5-4 in support of doing away with it. The decision was ultimately McMurray’s because he had been given authority over the mandate earlier in the pandemic. Opponents of ending the mandate cited concerns about Buchanan County’s vaccination rate of 13%, one of the lowest in Missouri. “I hope everybody will exercise good judgment and wear their masks in situations that we are very close to people,” McMurray said. “We’re not out of the woods yet.” In Columbia, health director Stephanie Browning announced a new order that ends limits on the size of gatherings at bars, restaurants, entertainment venues and other businesses, the Columbia Daily Tribune reports. The order also eliminates limits on the number of spectators for sports and activities.

Montana

Helena: A sixth lawmaker has tested positive for the coronavirus during this year’s legislative session, COVID-19 panel chairman Sen. Jason Ellsworth said Tuesday. The identity of the lawmaker was not released. The legislator is quarantining away from the Capitol, according to a statement by Ellsworth. The legislator was last in the building “within the past few days” and tested positive “within the past day,” according to panel spokesperson Kyle Schmauch. More than a month has elapsed since legislative leaders last confirmed a positive test among lawmakers. Coronavirus testing for legislators and legislative staff is available inside the Capitol on a weekly basis. The Legislature’s COVID-19 panel, tasked with addressing coronavirus-related rules during the session, has not met in more than two months.

Nebraska

Lincoln: A scaled-down version of the Nebraska State Fair in 2020 finished with a nearly $1.8 million profit, a substantial improvement over a disastrous fair the previous year, according to an annual audit. An audit by BKD of Lincoln found last year’s fair had revenue of nearly $6.5 million, a drop of about 37% from 2019, The Lincoln Journal-Star reports. However, because fair officials chose not to have a carnival or paid entertainment in response to the coronavirus pandemic, expenses declined to $3.7 million, about $7 million less than in 2019. With other factors such as interest and depreciation, the fair ended with a net profit of about $1.8 million. The 2019 fair incurred a nearly $1.5 million loss after managers spent heavily on entertainment to celebrate the fair’s 150th anniversary before bad weather caused a sharp drop in attendance. Fair officials had to lay off nearly half the staff and take out $1.1 million in credit to cover bills. An audit taken after that fair said Patrick Kopke, the fair’s former chief of finance, paid nearly $150,000 to a company he created for services that weren’t performed. Kopke was charged with felony theft. He has pleaded not guilty.

Nevada

Carson City: In his first trip since being confirmed, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra visited the state Tuesday to talk up the Affordable Care Act and efforts underway to expand coverage and reduce the cost of health care. The secretary is one of several surrogates President Joe Biden dispatched to drum up support for his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, which includes funding for people who lost health care coverage amid the pandemic. “I hope Nevadans take full advantage of what it does to help middle class families on the edge” during the pandemic, Becerra said. At a Carson City health center, he announced an extension of the special enrollment period for the federal health insurance marketplace to Aug. 15. Former Gov. Brian Sandoval was one of the few Republican governors to create a state-based exchange and expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The law reduced the size of Nevada’s uninsured population drastically. Sandoval on Tuesday called the decision one of the most important he made as governor and said the politics “were not as complicated as one would think.” State lawmakers from both parties supported his approach due to Nevada’s high uninsured rate, he said. Amid the pandemic, Sandoval hopes state governments consider similar policies.

New Hampshire

Concord: The state will host its second mass vaccination site this weekend at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Vaccinations are by appointment only, and there were still slots for those eligible to schedule appointments at the state’s online site, VINI. The state hopes to vaccinate 8,000 people this weekend at the speedway. The site will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Pfizer vaccine will be the only option offered. About 12,000 people were vaccinated at the first mass vaccination clinic at the speedway March 6-8.

New Jersey

Trenton: Renters can now apply to receive up to a year’s worth of housing assistance after the state launched its online application for $353 million worth of grants for low- and moderate-income households behind on payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who have missed rental payments since March 13, 2020, can apply for assistance at the Department of Community Affairs website at njdca.onlinepha.com. The application site launched Monday at 9 a.m. and will remain open until the state receives enough applications to distribute all of the $353 million. More than 350,000 New Jersey households are behind on rent payments, according to U.S. census data from late February. Renters cannot be kicked out of their homes during New Jersey’s eviction moratorium, but landlords are still submitting tens of thousands of eviction filings in court for nonpayment of rent. Rental assistance payments could be distributed directly to landlords as early as May.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: The Legislature is asserting its budgetary authority over $1.6 billion in new federal aid that dwarfs year-to-year spending adjustments, setting an agenda for economic recovery that Gov. Lujan Grisham could challenge with her veto pen. Congress and President Joe Biden approved the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package this month that funnels billions of dollars directly to New Mexico’s state government, school districts and local governments. A state Senate finance committee quickly channeled about $1 billion of that economic relief to accounts and initiatives that avoid future payroll tax increases on businesses, underwrite college tuition for in-state students, and backfill lost income at state museums and more. A final budget bill approved by the Legislature devotes federal relief of $600 million to replenishing the state’s unemployment trust fund. The fund began borrowing from the federal government last year to fulfill unprecedented unemployment claims. Lawmakers earmarked another $6 million for the state fair in Albuquerque, along with $14.5 million to bolster spending at state parks, historic sites and New Mexico’s world-renowned public museum system. Those facilities were closed down for much of the past year as a health precaution against the pandemic.

New York

Albany: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie was one of two lawmakers who said they tested positive for the coronavirus Tuesday, though both Democrats said they were experiencing only mild symptoms. Assembly member Ron Kim of Queens announced his positive test on Twitter, saying he was in isolation. Kim has been one of the loudest voices calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to be impeached as the governor faces scandals revolving around the classification of nursing home deaths and allegations of sexual harassment. Kim said Cuomo had vowed to “destroy” him during a private phone call for nursing home criticism he felt was unfair. Cuomo has denied the allegation. Heastie, who represents the Bronx, said he would be working from his Albany residence as he and other leaders of the Legislature try to reach a state budget deal with Cuomo by the April 1 deadline. Heastie tested positive despite receiving the first of two vaccine doses March 6. It generally takes two weeks after a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for a person to build full protection. “I am in frequent contact with my physician and look forward to a full recovery,” Heastie said in a statement. The Assembly began meeting virtually when the pandemic struck last year to limit the spread of the virus among lawmakers and staff.

North Carolina

Raleigh: Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday eased several restrictions that will soon allow businesses to open at greater capacity and more people to assemble indoors and outdoors. Starting Friday, bars and sports and entertainment venues can open at 50% capacity indoors or outdoors, with the 11 p.m. cutoff for on-site alcohol consumption fully lifted. Restaurants, breweries, wineries, amusement parks, gyms and bowling alleys can fully reopen outdoors and at 75% capacity indoors. Museums, aquariums, retail businesses and shops, hair salons and personal care businesses can operate at 100% capacity indoors and outdoors. Gatherings not otherwise included in the updated executive order set to expire April 30 will increase to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. The statewide mask mandate will remain in place, and the required 6 feet of physical distancing may not allow businesses to reopen at the capacity caps outlined. “These are significant changes, but they can be done safely,” Cooper said at an afternoon news conference. The announcement comes as a handful of North Carolina counties have expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all adults, regardless of age, health condition or job type, due to limited demand in their areas.

North Dakota

Bismarck: A popcorn machine has been removed from the North Dakota Capitol after it twice triggered fire alarms that brought firefighters to the building this week and caused legislators to evacuate. Rep. Mary Johnson was on her third batch of popcorn Monday afternoon when the machine triggered the alarms for the second time that day. Johnson said she wasn’t aware of a policy that bans popcorn poppers, toasters and other food appliances from the building, with the exception of the Capitol Cafe. House Majority Leader Chet Pollert said the popcorn helped bring together House Republicans, whose caucus has been “a little strained” due to the coronavirus pandemic and the House expulsion of former Rep. Luke Simons, the Bismarck Tribune reports. “Popcorn cheers people up for a reason,” Pollert said. “And now it’s gone, and that’s the way it goes.” Facility Management Director John Boyle said the policy was established to prevent the activation of fire alarms.

Ohio

Columbus: Multiple local health departments are sounding the alarm about legislation restricting their ability to respond to emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic. The agency heads laid out their concerns in letters to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday, documenting how the bill would slow down or block local officials from ordering businesses to close or requiring residents to quarantine or isolate without a medical diagnosis. “Board of health orders are crucial tools to mitigate a situation, allowing time for a full investigation of a situation before it becomes urgent or worsens,” Franklin County health officials wrote. “Orders like these are utilized sparingly and almost always involve guidance and expertise from the CDC or the Ohio Department of Health.” The department and several other public health agencies opposed Wednesday’s steps by House and Senate Republicans to override DeWine’s veto of the bill. But GOP legislators made good on their promise to check the authority of their fellow Republican by issuing the first override of his term after a yearlong battle over how the state should respond during a health emergency.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: A state Senate panel voted Monday to endorse the confirmation of Dr. Lance Frye as commissioner of the Oklahoma State Department of Health. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee’s vote on Gov. Kevin Stitt’s nominee sent the pick to the full Senate for a vote. A member of the Oklahoma National Guard, Frye previously served as residency program director and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Oklahoma State University’s Center for Health Sciences. “His extensive medical and military experience is a reflection of his longstanding commitment to serving others in times of crisis and uncertainty,” Stitt said in a statement. “He was the right man for the job at the height of the pandemic, and I’m confident his leadership will continue to benefit the health and lives of Oklahomans.” Stitt’s last pick to lead the health department, Gary Cox, was forced to resign after the same Senate committee refused to take up his nomination last year. Meanwhile, newly reported coronavirus cases in Oklahoma continued to decline Wednesday, and the number of people receiving COVID-19 vaccines was rising. The seven-day rolling average of new cases in Oklahoma dropped by 41.1% during the past two weeks, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Oregon

Portland: Three students have filed class-action lawsuits against the state’s two largest colleges saying they were charged full price for online classes of poorer quality than in-person classes. When the University of Oregon and Oregon State University closed their campuses because of the coronavirus pandemic, they didn’t offer to refund students’ tuition bills, The Oregonian/OregonLive reports. The University of Oregon says on its website that in order to provide quality education now and in the future, it cannot discount tuition. The universities did agree to refund portions of their room and board. “The University of Oregon, we believe, has unfairly continued to charge tuition payers for all of the things they were not allowed to experience and use during the COVID-19 campus closure and switch to online classes,” said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman and attorney for students in the class action. Caine Smith filed the suit against Oregon. Danielle Pranger and Garrett Harris filed the complaint against Oregon State. The suits, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court earlier this month, did not specify how much they are seeking in damages.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: As life languished in the early days of the pandemic and most people stayed home, vandals left their mark in Philadelphia. The graffiti in March 2020 included multiple swastikas and other symbols of hate, including the white supremacist symbol “1488” that partially pledges allegiance to Hitler. And a disturbing message was found inside a public restroom in the city, which had a powerful Black voting bloc capable of determining the outcome of an election: “We need to re-implement Jim Crow.” Hate symbols found that day were among 330 incidents reported last year in Pennsylvania by the Anti-Defamation League – a record high since the ADL started tracking cases in the state five years ago. Most of the incidents involved white supremacist propaganda, while 96 were anti-Semitic incidents, and eight were white supremacist events. The findings line up with those noted by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the top civil rights agency in the state, and numerous personal experiences shared on social media. The accounts from individuals and agencies all illustrate an important point: As life slowed down during the pandemic, hate did not, experts said.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state’s two largest hospital groups did not violate laws or break state policies when they offered COVID-19 vaccinations to their board members before they were eligible, but they did erode public confidence in the fairness of the vaccination process, state Attorney General Peter Neronha said Tuesday. Front-line health care workers were among the first people in Rhode Island to be eligible for a shot, but Lifespan and Care New England, after vaccinating workers at high risk of exposure, offered vaccinations to board members and some other employees, no matter their age or risk level. The move drew criticism from people who said many high-risk residents were being denied vaccinations and prompted the attorney general’s investigation. “The appearance or perception that certain connected or wealthy individuals were, by virtue of their seat on a hospital board of directors, being given an opportunity to ‘jump the line’ months in advance was upsetting to many and fueled anxiety among everyday Rhode Islanders who were dutifully waiting their turn,” the attorney general wrote in a letter to management at both organizations and the state Department of Health. However, the state gave the hospital groups wide discretion on whom they should vaccinate, the letter said.

South Carolina

Columbia: The South Carolina House gave key approval Tuesday to the state’s $9.8 billion budget, which provides small raises for most teachers and some law enforcement officers but not for other state employees. Republican leaders promised either a bonus or a raise for most lower-paid state employees if somewhat rosier predictions about the state’s economy recovering from the COVID-19 downturn come true after taxes are collected this spring. “To make sure we thank state employees and we recognize their hard work and their sacrifice – we need to do that with an increase in their pay,” said Rep. Murrell Smith, the Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which writes the budget. Smith said if for some reason tax collection isn’t enough to ensure revenue every year for a raise, he will push for a bonus. Smith was responding to Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, who made her annual trip to the front of the House to ask for the raises. “State employees are pretty fed up with being told to wait until next year,” the Democrat from Orangeburg said. State employees appreciated the praise for working through the pandemic. But “there’s no paper that goes along with that praise,” Cobb-Hunter said. She promised she would ask for a 5% raise later this year.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: Students will again miss out on school-sanctioned prom this year because of COVID-19 precautions but can instead celebrate with a “grand march” at their school. Still, that’s not stopping parents and students from hosting off-site, unsanctioned prom events. Carly Uthe, a spokesperson for the Sioux Falls School District, said in an email Monday that the district began discussing prom in January, and district leaders and high school principals decided by February that the grand march opportunity would still “provide seniors with a memorable experience with their classmates.” The sheer number of seniors at each school and the need for social distancing and mask-wearing led officials to determine a dance would not comply with health and safety protocols, Uthe said. But that’s not enough for some. To make the end of high school memorable for their seniors, parents at Sioux Falls’ high schools are hosting proms on their own dime. Lincoln High School parents plan an “Underground Prom” at The Social, a local event venue. Washington High School’s unsanctioned prom will be held at the Convention Center. Roosevelt High School is combining a prom and senior party into one event at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance. Parents with all three said masks will be required at their proms.

Tennessee

Memphis: Citing demand slack for COVID-19 vaccinations, the city of Memphis and Shelby County announced Monday that COVID-19 vaccine eligibility would expand to everyone 16 and up, with appointments opening Friday for vaccinations next week. The move is a long-awaited one for thousands of people who haven‘t been eligible for a vaccine because they weren’t old enough or didn’t have preexisting conditions. It also marks the start of the final push toward herd immunity from COVID-19 and an attempt to return to some sort of normalcy. “Our aim is to get as many shots into as many arms as fast as we possibly can. And the phenomenon that we were seeing was not only were we not having all of our appointments filled, but we were having people double-book and triple-book appointments and then being no-shows,” said Doug McGowen, the city’s chief operating officer and leader of vaccine efforts for Shelby County. The move toward eligibility for nearly everyone could lead to demand outstripping supply again, something that hasn’t been the case over the past few weeks, as the city and county have had to put out repeated calls for appointments to be filled. McGowen said Tuesday that the public may need to be patient when appointments open to everyone Friday.

Texas

Austin: Launching a legal fight against a fellow Republican, state Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has sued Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick – as well as the entire Texas Senate – in a bid to strike down a rule requiring visitors to the chamber to take a coronavirus test. Senate rules require a negative test, conducted in a tent outside the Capitol’s north entrance, before anybody can walk onto the Senate floor, sit in the overhead gallery or enter a Senate committee room for a hearing. Joined by conservative GOP activist Steven Hotze of Houston, Miller’s lawsuit seeks a court order striking down the testing requirement as a violation of free speech and the right to petition the government as protected by the Texas Constitution. “Government power cannot be exercised in conflict with the constitution, even in a pandemic,” said the lawsuit, filed in state District Court in Travis County. “Texas law does not and cannot empower Patrick or the Texas Senate to impose a medical test before one is able to participate in their government.” Patrick, who presides over the Senate, praised the rule shortly after it was unanimously adopted by senators in January at the start of the legislative session, saying it would protect senators, staff and visitors alike.

Utah

St. George: All Utah adults can now begin signing up for a COVID-19 vaccine, with the state having accelerated its timetable for opening the shots up to younger age groups. Previously, vaccines were only available to people 50 or older, along with health care workers, teachers, care facility staff and select other groups. Gov. Spencer Cox announced last week that the vaccines would be available to younger people sooner because as much as 15% of the state’s supply wasn’t being claimed by those in the eligible age groups. State health officials say nearly 1.2 million vaccines have been administered statewide, with about 25,000 per day reported over the past week. Some teenagers 16 and older were also eligible under the new rules. Cox urged people to try to sign up quickly, saying the sudden change in eligibility rules would likely mean there won’t be enough vaccines for all of those interested. But the goal was to use every vaccine available without letting any go to waste, Cox said. “We always want to keep demand above availability,” the Republican governor said during a televised news conference on PBS-Utah.

Vermont

Montpelier: Amtrak passenger rail service could be back on track in the state within the next few months, officials said. Service on the two trains that serve Vermont – The Vermonter, which runs from Washington, D.C., up the eastern side of Vermont before crossing the state and then ending in St. Albans, and the Ethan Allen Express, which travels between Rutland and New York City – was suspended last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. “We’ve had some preliminary discussions with Amtrak on this, and we had said that we’re looking forward to them coming back and being fully operational,” Scott said Tuesday during his COVID-19 briefing. “We just don’t know exactly when it’s going to be.” Amy Tatko, a spokeswoman for the Vermont Agency of Transportation, told the St. Albans Messenger that restart talks are underway. “We hope to make an announcement within the next several weeks as to what that timeline will look like,” she said. Despite the suspension of service, Amtrak trains have been operating on the Vermont lines to train staff.

Virginia

Richmond: Gov. Ralph Northam said Tuesday that the state will soon relax some coronavirus-related restrictions for social gatherings and entertainment venues. Starting April 1, Northam said, social gatherings such as weddings may have up to 50 people indoors. Outdoor gatherings can have up to 100 people. Indoor entertainment venues will be able to operate at 30% capacity or with up to 500 people. Outdoor venues can operate at a 30% capacity with no limits on the actual number of people. For example, a baseball stadium that holds 9,500 fans will be able to host a crowd of roughly 3,000. That will give people room to socially distance, Northam said. Indoor recreational sporting events will be able to have 100 people per field or 30% capacity. Outdoor events will be able to accommodate 500 people per field or 30% capacity. “These are measured changes,” the Democratic governor said at a news conference. “We still have a strict gathering limit and a universal mask mandate and capacity restrictions both indoors and outdoors.” Social gatherings in the state are currently limited to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors. Some in the wedding business say relaxing the limits to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors may still be too restrictive.

Washington

Woodland: The state Department of Labor and Industries has fined this southwest Washington city for potentially exposing staff to COVID-19 when councilmembers went without face masks during meetings. According to the citation received Friday, Woodland did not comply with the governor’s COVID-19 emergency proclamation banning businesses from operating unless all customers inside the building are wearing facial coverings, The Daily News of Longview reports. “Despite councilmembers choosing not to wear facial coverings at all times, the city continued to facilitate these meetings and expose their employees to the potential spread of COVID-19,” the citation said. “Continued operations in contravention of the orders of the governor unnecessarily endangers employees and creates a substantial probability that death or serious harm could result.” The violation was corrected during the L&I inspection, according to the citation. Woodland Mayor Will Finn could not be reached for comment Monday. Last year, the state received complaints from citizens and staff about people not wearing masks during council meetings. The council has held mostly in-person meetings since June 1, after voting unanimously May 20 to do so “regardless of Gov. (Jay) Inslee’s stay-at-home order.”

West Virginia

Charleston: The state’s vaccination campaign will turn to young people to stem transmission rates after giving shots to most senior citizens. The new strategy to focus on shots for residents ages 16 to 29 comes after officials said they are seeing an increase in doses delivered. “When you have the resources available, you open up multiple fronts against the enemy to deplete their capability,” James Hoyer, a retired major general leading the state’s coronavirus task force, said Wednesday. “In this case the virus is the enemy.” Republican Gov. Jim Justice said more than 70% of residents 65 and over are at least partially vaccinated, but he set a new goal of covering 85% of that population. But he said the state’s focus could now begin shifting to high school and college students and other young adults. “We’re seeing significant transmission occurring with our younger people,” Justice said. He opened up vaccinations to all West Virginians 16 and up Monday. Dr. Clay Marsh, the state’s coronavirus czar, said younger and older people are turning up sicker at hospitals, which he attributed to variants of the coronavirus circulating. The number of coronavirus patients has increased 40% in under two weeks to 212 people.

Wisconsin

Madison: Assembly Speaker Robin Vos called on the state’s business community to “step up” and return workers to offices around the Fourth of July, joining Wednesday with the state Senate’s top Republican in praising Wisconsin’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu offered rare praise for Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration, giving it credit for increasing vaccinations. During the virtual event hosted by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest business lobbying group, they also pushed for a return to pre-pandemic work routines. “We don’t keep people going through all this rigmarole, which was necessary for a certain amount of time, but we’re now moving beyond it,” Vos said. “It’s up to the business community to step up with government to show the world that we can safely reopen and not have this pandemic hangover really impact our economy going forward in way that none of us want.” Vos’ call for people to return to offices echoes President Joe Biden earlier this month raising the possibility of beginning to “mark our independence from this virus” by the Fourth of July. “That’s the date that I’m looking at,” Vos said. “Kind of that, really, kick start of summer where the vast majority of people want to be outside.”

Wyoming

Cheyenne: State lawmakers are working on competing proposals to address a projected $300 million shortfall in K-12 education funding over the next two years and are looking to solutions for a longer-term deficit in school funding. The state’s rainy day fund of about $1.3 billion is available to cover the short-term shortfall. But House legislators are working on a bill that would phase in cuts of about $68 million over the next three years, and a Senate proposal would cut $130 million from the school finance model, The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports. Lawmakers are working on a solution with two weeks left in the legislative session. House lawmakers also are discussing a proposal to raise the state sales tax from 4% to 5% once the state’s primary savings account falls below $650 million. The rainy-day fund could reach that threshold as soon as the 2023-24 biennium, legislative staff estimate. Many senators want to explore other possible cuts before supporting tax increases. One proposal includes increasing class sizes. The House bill is set for a final reading this week, with several amendments possible. Lawmakers will likely use that legislation to bridge the difference between the two chambers, according to Senate Education Committee chair Charles Scott of Casper.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports