The British royal family line of succession explained | CNN

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Charles has become Britain’s new King following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at the age of 96.

The Queen became the sixth female to ascend to the British throne in February 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI. She was the longest-reigning monarch in British history, serving for more than 70 years.

Charles, the Queen’s eldest son, immediately ascended to the throne as King, putting his elder son, William, first in line for the throne.

Here’s what we know about the British royal family’s line of succession.

King Charles III

Charles, the Prince of Wales, poses for an official portrait in November 2008. He became King after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Hugo Burnand/Anwar Hussein Collection/WireImage/Getty Images Charles was born at Buckingham Palace in London on November 14, 1948. His mother was Princess Elizabeth at the time. Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, sit on a lawn with their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne in August 1951. Eddie Worth/AP Charles attends his mother's coronation in 1953 with his grandmother, left, and his aunt Margaret. Hulton Deutsch/Corbis Historical/Getty Images Charles, right, shakes hands with Sir Gerald Creasy, the governor of Malta, as he and the rest of the royal family visit Malta in May 1954. Paul Popper/Getty Images Charles rides with his mother and grandmother as they travel to Westminster Abbey for the wedding of Princess Margaret in May 1960. Keystone-France//Getty Images Charles prepares for takeoff during a flying lesson in 1968. In 1971, he earned his wings as a jet pilot and joined the Royal Navy. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II presents Charles to the people of Wales after his investiture as the Prince of Wales in July 1969. Popperfoto/Getty Images Charles walks at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1970. He was the first royal heir to earn a university degree. Hulton Deutsch/Getty Images Charles, left, rides go-carts with his brother Prince Edward and his sister, Princess Anne, circa 1969. Keystone-France\Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images Charles meets US President Richard Nixon during a private visit to Washington in July 1970. Popperfoto/Getty Images Charles attends a conference with his father in November 1970. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Charles goes on a safari in Kenya in February 1971. William Lovelace/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Charles prepares to fire a bazooka while visiting military barracks in West Berlin in October 1972. Popperfoto/Getty Images Charles fishes with a wooden spear circa 1975. Serge Lemoine/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images Charles poses for sculptor David McFall in December 1975. Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images Charles smokes a peace pipe during a visit to Canada in July 1977. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images Charles rides a horse during an equestrian event in Cirencester, England, in April 1978. Tim Graham/Getty Images Charles, as colonel-in-chief, visits the Cheshire Regiment in Canterbury, England, in November 1978. He served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976, and in 2012 his mother appointed him honorary five-star ranks in the navy, army and air force. Tim Graham/Getty Images Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles are seen together circa 1979. They dated in the 70s and would eventually marry in 2005. It was the second marriage for both. Their first marriages ended in divorce. Tim Graham/Getty Images Charles poses outside the Taj Mahal in India in 1980. Anwar Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images Charles kisses his first wife, Lady Diana Spencer, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in July 1981. Their wedding ceremony was televised. Bettmann Archive/Getty images Charles and Princess Diana leave a London hospital with their first child, William, in July 1982. Anwar Hussein/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Charles and Diana dance together at a formal event. Tim Graham/Corbis Historical/Getty Images Charles shares a playful pie in the face while visiting a community center in Manchester, England, in December 1983. David Levenson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Charles walks with natives on a visit to Papua New Guinea in 1984. Anwar Hussein/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Charles and Diana sit together in Toronto during a royal tour in October 1991. A year later, they were separated. Charles' affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles became public in 1993. Tim Graham/Getty Images Charles, Diana and their two sons, William and Harry, gather for V-J Day commemorations in London in August 1995. The couple divorced one year later. Johnny Eggitt/AFP/Getty Images Charles visits a mosque in London in March 1996. Tim Graham/Getty Images South African President Nelson Mandela talks with Prince Charles in London in July 1996. David Thomson/AFP/Getty Images Charles poses with the Spice Girls in 1997. Tim Graham/Corbis Historical/Corbis/Getty Images Charles and his sons spend time together at the Balmoral Castle estate in Balmoral, Scotland, in August 1997. Tim Graham/Getty Images Charles, second from right, and Princess Diana's two sisters meet in Paris after Diana was killed in a car crash there in August 1997. She was 36 years old. Jayne Fincher/Getty Images Charles and his sons follow Diana's hearse in London in September 1997. Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images Charles stands beside his grandmother's coffin while it lies in state at Westminster Hall in London in April 2002. Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images Charles carries a specially painted football through the streets of Ashbourne, England, in March 2003. Tim Graham/Getty Images Charles watches a parachute regiment during a D-Day re-enactment in Ranville, France, in June 2004. Chris Ison/AFP/Getty Images Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles in April 2005. Hugo Burnand/Pool/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II presents Charles with the Royal Horticultural Society's Victoria Medal of Honor during a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show in London in May 2009. WPA Pool/Getty Images Charles and Camilla were on their way to a performance at the London Palladium when their car was attacked by angry student protesters in December 2010. The students were protesting a hike in tuition fees. Matt Dunham/AP Charles and Queen Elizabeth II were among those on the Buckingham Palace balcony after Prince William wed Kate Middleton in April 2011. James Devaney/FilmMagic/Getty Images Charles reads the weather while touring BBC Scotland's headquarters in May 2012. Andrew Milligan/AP Charles meets with US President Barack Obama in the White House Oval Office in March 2015. Chris Radburn-Pool/Getty Images Charles and Camilla react as Zephyr, the bald-eagle mascot of the Army Air Corps, flaps his wings at the Sandringham Flower Show in July 2015. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Members of the royal family pose for a photo at Buckingham Palace in December 2016. From left are Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall; Prince Charles; Queen Elizabeth II; Prince Philip; Prince William; and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Dominic Lipinski/WPA Pool/Getty Images Charles visits the Italian town of Amatrice in April 2017, after an earthquake had hit. Alessandro Bianchi/AFP/Getty Images Charles and Camilla ride on a raft while visiting the island of Borneo in November 2017. Mohd Rasfana/AFP/Getty Images Charles leads three cheers for his mother as the Queen celebrated her 92nd birthday at a London concert in April 2018. Andrew Parsons/AFP/Getty Images From left, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Duchess Camilla and Queen Elizabeth II watch a Royal Air Force flyover in July 2018. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Charles accompanies his future daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle, as she is married to Prince Harry in May 2018. Jonathan Brady/AP Charles lays a wreath at the Cenotaph in London to commemorate Remembrance Day in November 2018. It was also the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Charles poses with family members for an official portrait to mark his 70th birthday. He's holding his grandson Prince George as Camilla sits next to his granddaughter, Princess Charlotte. In the back row, from left, are his grandson Prince Louis; his daughter-in-law Catherine; his son Prince William; his son Prince Harry; and his daughter-in-law Meghan. Chris Jackson/PoolAP Charles speaks at an event in London in March 2020. Later that month, it was announced that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images In pictures: Britain's King Charles III Prev Next

Born: November 14, 1948

What to know: Charles was the longest serving British monarch-in-waiting; he was the heir apparent since the age of three.

President of The Prince’s Trust and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and president or patron of more than 400 charitable organizations, Charles was the first royal heir to earn a university degree.

More key relatives: Diana, Princess of Wales, to whom he was married from 1981 to 1996. They had two children together: Princes William and Harry.

Princess Diana remains a beloved figure more than 20 years after her untimely death. See more photos of the British icon and the legacy she left behind. Terence Donovan/Camera Press/Redux Diana, seen here on her first birthday, was born Diana Frances Spencer on July 1, 1961. She was born into a noble family in Sandringham, England. Her father, John, was Viscount Althorp before becoming the 8th Earl Spencer in 1975. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Diana circa 1965. Growing up, she attended private schools in England and Switzerland. Central Press/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images Diana poses with her brother, Charles, in 1968. She also had two sisters, Sarah and Jane. Anonymous/AP Diana, far right, is photographed with her father, John, and her three siblings circa 1970. Sarah is on the far left and Jane is next to Diana. When Diana was 7 years old, her parents divorced and her father was given custody of the children. Keystone/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images A teenage Diana receives a "kiss" from her pony, Scuffle, in 1974. A year later, she became Lady Diana after her grandfather died and her father became the 8th Earl Spencer. Hulton Archive/Getty Images After finishing school, Diana worked various jobs, including cook, nanny and kindergarten teacher. Here she is in 1980 with two children she looked after as a nanny. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Diana and Camilla Parker-Bowles visit the Ludlow racecourse in October 1980, where Prince Charles was competing as a jockey. Diana and Charles would be engaged just a few months later. Prince Charles admitted in 1994 to a relationship with Parker-Bowles while still married to Diana; Charles and Camilla wed in 2005. Express Newspapers/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Diana looks startled after stalling her new car outside her London apartment in November 1980. Tom Stoddart Archive/Premium Archive/Getty Images Diana is surrounded by photographers shortly before it was announced that she was engaged to Prince Charles. Ian Tyas/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images Diana and Charles pose at Buckingham Palace after the announcement of their engagement on February 24, 1981. Hulton Deutsch/Corbis Historical/Getty Images Diana and Charles arrive at Goldsmith Hall in London for a charity recital in March 1981. PA/AP The couple poses with Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in March 1981. Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images The royal wedding was held July 29, 1981, at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. It was estimated that more than 700 million people watched the ceremony on television. Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images Charles and Diana kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony after being married. Tim Graham/Getty Images During their honeymoon, Charles and Diana leave Gibraltar on the royal yacht Britannia. Tim Graham/Getty Images The couple spends part of their honeymoon in Scotland. Serge Lemoine/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images Charles and Diana attend the Grand National horse race in April 1982. Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images In June 1982, Diana gave birth to her first child, William. Tim Graham/Getty Images Diana greets a child while visiting Wrexham, Wales, in November 1982. David Levenson/Corbis Historical/Getty Images Charles, William and Diana pose for a photo at Kensington Palace in February 1983. Tim Graham/Tim Graham Photo Library/Tim Graham/Getty Images Diana gave birth to a second son, Harry, in September 1984. David Levenson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Charles kisses his wife after a polo match in Cirencester, England, in June 1985. Tim Graham/Getty Images Diana watches her boys play at the piano in Kensington Palace in October 1985. Tim Graham/Tim Graham Photo Library/Tim Graham/Getty Images Diana helps William with a puzzle in October 1985. Tim Graham/Getty Images Diana attends a polo match that her husband played in Palm Beach, Florida, in November 1985. Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images Diana dances with actor John Travolta at the White House in November 1985. Dancing behind Travolta are US President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan. A few years ago, Diana's blue velvet dress -- nicknamed the "Travolta dress" -- was auctioned for 240,000 British pounds ($362,424 US). Anwar Hussein/WireImage/WireImage Diana holds up Harry in the garden of Highgrove House, a royal residence in Gloucestershire, England, in July 1986. Tim Graham/Getty Images William rides a miniature pony at Highgrove House. Tim Graham/Getty Images Prince Harry shows a bit of his personality on the Buckingham Palace balcony in June 1988. Steve Holland/AP Diana and her two boys walk outside the Wetherby School in London in April 1990. Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images Diana and her sons go skiing in Lech, Austria, in April 1991. Tim Graham/Getty Images Diana and Charles sit together during a royal tour of Toronto in October 1991. Tim Graham/Getty Images Diana visits Egypt in May 1992. Tim Graham/Getty Images Charles and Diana attend a memorial service during a tour of South Korea in November 1992. A month later, it was announced that they had formally separated. PA/AP Diana and her sons visit Thorpe Park, a theme park in Surrey, England, in April 1993. Julian Parker/UK Press/Getty Images Diana arrives at the Serpentine Gallery in London in June 1994. Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images A police officer holds back a photographer as Diana walks by in July 1996. It had just been announced that Diana and Charles had divorced. Martin Godwin/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Diana talks to amputees in Angola, where she traveled in January 1997 to bring attention to the anti-land mine campaign of the International Red Cross. Sitting on her lap is Sandra Thijica, a 13-year-old who lost her left leg to a land mine. JOAO SILVA/ASSOCIATED PRESS Diana wears protective gear as she visits minefields in Angola in January 1997. Antonio Cotrim/EPA/Redux Diana visits Cape Town, South Africa, and meets with South African President Nelson Mandela in March 1997. Premium Archive/Gallo Images/Getty Images Diana holds hands with Mother Teresa after they met in New York in June 1997. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images This photo, taken from surveillance video, shows Diana arriving at the Ritz Hotel in Paris on August 30, 1997. It is one of the last photos of her alive. Handout/PA Wire/PA Photos/AP Diana is seen in a Ritz Hotel elevator with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed. After leaving the hotel, the couple was killed in a high-speed car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris. PA Wire/PA Photos/AP Wreckage is lifted away after the car Diana was in crashed into a pillar on August 31, 1997. Fayed and driver Henri Paul died at the scene. Diana died at a Paris hospital a few hours later. A French investigation concluded that Paul was legally drunk at the time and responsible for the accident. In 2008, a British coroner's jury found that Diana and Fayed were unlawfully killed because of the actions of Paul and pursuing paparazzi. PIERRE BOUSSEL/AFP/Getty Images On the eve of Diana's funeral, the Queen and Prince Philip look at floral tributes left outside Buckingham Palace. More than 1 million bouquets of flowers were left at Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace in the wake of Diana's death. Rex Features/Shutterstock Diana's coffin is carried into London's Westminster Cathedral in September 1997. Watching at the bottom, from left, is Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Charles Spencer, Prince William and Prince Philip. JOHN GAPS III/AP POOL/ASSOCIATED PRESS Princess Diana: Her life and legacy Prev Next

Diana died in 1997 following a car accident in Paris, along with boyfriend Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul.

In 2005, Charles married Camilla, the Queen Consort.

Prince William, Prince of Wales

As the first-born child to Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, Prince William has never been far from the public eye. Richard Stonehouse/Getty Images Prince Charles and Princess Diana leave the hospital with newborn William on June 22, 1982. Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images Prince William is watched by his parents as he takes his first steps in public at Kensington Palace in 1983. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images William is accompanied by nanny Barbara Barnes as he leaves St. Mary's Hospital in London in 1984. He was visiting his mother and his newborn brother, Prince Harry. PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo From the balcony of Buckingham Palace, a young Prince William watches the Trooping of the Colour in 1985. He is joined by Lady Gabriella Windsor, left, and Lady Zara Phillips. PA Photos/Landov Prince William waves from a carriage en route to the wedding of his uncle Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986. Sahm Doherty/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images William attends his first day at Wetherby School in 1987. Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images Charles and his family visit Spain in 1988. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images William and Harry ride bicycles with their parents while on vacation in the Isles of Scilly in 1989. PA Images/Getty Images William shovels sand onto his mother while playing on a beach in 1990. Rob Taggart/Reuters/Alamy William and Harry wave from the deck of the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1991. Anwar Hussein/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Princess Diana and Prince William wait for Prince Harry after attending an Easter Sunday church service at Windsor Castle in 1992. Dylan Martinez/Reuters Prince William grimaces after riding Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World in Florida in 1993. He was with friends of the royal family on a three-day vacation. Bob Pearson/AFP/Getty Images Prince William accompanies his mother to a tennis match at Wimbledon in 1994. Adam Butler/PA Images/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Prince Charles attend a service commemorating V-J Day outside Buckingham Palace in 1995. Andrew Winning/AFP/Getty Images Prince Charles and Prince Harry, at left, stand for anthems as Prince William, right, looks around during the Five Nations rugby championship in 1996. Ben Radford/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Prince William and his brother bow their heads after their mother's funeral at Westminster Abbey in 1997. Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris. William was 15 at the time, and Harry was 12. Adam Butler/AFP/Getty Images Prince William receives flowers from an adoring crowd in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1998. He was on a weeklong vacation with his father and brother, though they also made time for official engagements. Kim Stalknecht/AFP/Getty Images Britain's Queen Mother joins Prince Charles and his sons during an occasion marking her 99th birthday in 1999. Ken Goff/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images Prince William hammers a log while helping construct walkways in a remote village in Chile in 2000. Toby Melville/AFP/Getty Images William, left, and Harry take part in an exhibition polo match in Gloucestershire, England, in 2001. Anthony Harvey/Getty Images Members of the royal family stand vigil besides the Queen Mother's coffin in 2002. Prince William, right, stands alongside Prince Harry, Princess Anne and Sophie of Wessex. Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images A London office worker licks a first-class stamp that was issued to mark Prince William's 21st birthday in 2003. Commemorative coins were also minted for the occasion. Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images Prince William makes his water polo debut for the Scottish national universities squad during the annual Celtic Nations tournament in April 2004. William was attending the University of St. Andrews. Barry Batchel/AFP/Getty Images Prince William celebrates his 30th birthday in June 2004. AFP/Getty Images William graduates from St. Andrews University in 2005. He earned a degree in geography. Bruno Vincent/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II glances up at William, right, as she inspects the parade at the Royal Military Academy in 2006. William graduated as an Army officer and later went on to receive his Royal Air Force pilot's wings. Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images Prince William and Prince Harry speak on stage with Elton John, far left, during a concert they put on to celebrate Princess Diana in 2007. The event fell on what would have been their mother's 46th birthday. Getty Images Prince William sports a beard for the first time in public at a Christmas Day church service in 2008. He was clean-shaven by early January. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Prince William walks with a group of homeless people during a 2009 hike with Centrepoint, the United Kingdom's largest youth charity for the homeless. William became the patron of the organization in 2005. ohn Giles/WPA Pool/Getty Images During an official overseas visit in 2010, Prince William is welcomed to Sydney with a traditional smoke ceremony. Eddie Mulholland/Pool/Getty Images Prince William kisses his wife, Catherine, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding on April 29, 2011. The two met while attending the University of St. Andrews. Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images William and Catherine meet with US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama while the Obamas visited Buckingham Palace in May 2011. Charles Dharapak/Pool/AP William throws a foam javelin during a visit to Nottingham, England, in 2012. He and his wife were in the city as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee tour, marking the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne. Phil Noble/AFP/Getty Images William and Catherine depart St. Mary's Hospital in London with their newborn son, George, in July 2013. Scott Heavey/Getty Images William and Catherine sit in front of the Taj Mahal while on a royal tour of India in April 2016. Ian Vogler/Pool/Getty Images Prince William and Prince Harry try out "Star Wars" lightsabers during a tour of the movie sets in Iver Heath, England, in April 2016. Adrian Dennis/WPA Pool/Getty Images William and Catherine join from left, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall; Prince Charles; Queen Elizabeth II; and Prince Philip at a Buckingham Palace reception in December 2016. Dominic Lipinski/WPA Pool/Getty Images William and Harry are joined by Peter Phillips, left, during a ceremonial procession at the funeral of Prince Philip in April 2021. Alastair Grant/Pool/AP William and Harry unveil a statue they commissioned of their mother on what would have been her 60th birthday in July 2021. Dominic Lipinski/WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince William sits by the Imperial State Crown during the opening of Parliament in May 2022. Ben Stansall/Pool/AFP/Getty Images William and Catherine stand with their children -- from left, Louis, Charlotte and George -- on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Trooping the Colour parade in June 2022. Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty Images This photo of Prince William and his children in Jordan was released by Kensington Palace in June 2022. Kensington Palace/Getty Images William is seen driving Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, as they arrive at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on the day Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images The heir apparent: Britain's Prince William Prev Next

Born: June 21, 1982

What to know: William, Prince of Wales is first in line to the throne. He has achieved the highest educational degree – Master of Arts – of any member of the royal family. He served in the military from 2006 to 2013, participating in more than 150 helicopter search and rescue operations.

More key relatives: Catherine, Princess of Wales, whom he married in 2011. The couple have three children together: Prince George, 9; Princess Charlotte, 7; and Prince Louis, 4.

Britain's Prince William and his wife, Catherine, walk with their three children -- from left, George, Charlotte and Louis -- in Norfolk, England. The photo was featured on the family Christmas card in December 2022. Matt Porteous/WPA Pool/Shutterstock Prince Louis is pushed in a wheelbarrow by his mother in Windsor, England, in April 2023. The photo was released by Kensington Palace to mark Louis' fifth birthday. Millie Pilkington/The Prince and Princess of Wales/AP William and Catherine meet a boy dressed as a royal guard while visiting Boston in December 2022. The royal couple was in Boston to attend the Earthshot Prize Awards that William founded two years prior. Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images William and Catherine walk with Prince George and Princess Charlotte at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. WPA Pool/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images William and Catherine arrive with George, Louis and Charlotte at a school in Bracknell, England, in September 2022. Jonathan Brady/Pool/Getty Images Prince Louis holds his hands over his ears as jets roar over Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour parade in London in June 2022. From left are Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall; Prince Charles; Queen Elizabeth II; Louis; Catherine; Charlotte; George; and William. Chris Jackson/Getty Images This photo of Prince William and his children in Jordan was released by Kensington Palace to celebrate Father's Day in June 2022. Handout/Kensington Palace/Getty Images William and Catherine play drums while visiting the Trench Town Culture Yard Museum in Kingston, Jamaica, in March 2022. They were on a royal tour of the Caribbean. Chris Jackson/Getty Images This image provided by Kensington Palace made the family's Christmas card in 2020. Matt Porteous/The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge/Kensington Palace/Getty Images William and Catherine visit an air squadron in London in April 2021. During the visit, the squadron paid tribute to William's late grandfather, Prince Philip , who served as Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Air Training Corps for 63 years. Ian Vogler/WPA Pool/Getty Images William and Catherine attend the funeral service of Prince Philip in April 2021. Yui Mok/WPA Pool/Getty Images William and Catherine visit Westminster Abbey, where a Covid-19 vaccination center had been set up in London in March 2021. Aaron Chown/WPA Pool/Getty Images William, Catherine and their children arrive for a pantomime performance at the London Palladium Theatre in December 2020. They were there to thank key workers and their families for their efforts throughout the pandemic. Aaron Chown/Pool/AFP/Getty Images William watches Catherine pour a tray of bagel dough into a container during a visit to a London bakery in September 2020. Justin Tallis/Pool/AFP/Getty Images The royal family meets with naturalist David Attenborough at Kensington Palace in September 2020. This was after a private screening of Attenborough's latest environmental documentary, "A Life On Our Planet," which focuses on the harm that has been done to the natural world in recent decades. Twitter/KensingtonRoyal Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, follow William and Catherine after attending the annual Commonwealth Service in London in March 2020. Phil Harris/Pool/AFP/Getty Images William and Catherine visit a settlement of the Kalash people in Chitral, Pakistan, in October 2019. Samir Hussein/Pool/Getty Images William and Catherine escort Princess Charlotte -- accompanied by her brother, Prince George -- as Charlotte arrives for her first day of school in September 2019. Aaron Chown/Pool/AFP/Getty Images The family is photographed during Trooping the Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, in June 2019. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Catherine shows William and Queen Elizabeth II around the "Back to Nature Garden" that she helped designed as they visit the Chelsea Flower Show in London in May 2019. Geoff Pugh/AFP/Getty Images Prince William kisses his son Louis as they pose for a photo in Norfolk that was taken by Catherine in 2019. The Duchess of Cambridge/Kensington Palace/Getty Images From left, William, Catherine, Meghan and Harry arrive for a Christmas Day church service in 2018. Stephen Pond/Getty Images Catherine holds Prince Louis after arriving for his christening service in London in July 2018. Dominic Lipinski/Pool/AFP/Getty Images Catherine holds their newborn baby son Louis outside a London hospital on April 23, 2018. Tim Ireland/AP Prince William holds the hands of George and Charlotte as they visit the hospital to meet their new brother. DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images Harry, Meghan, Catherine and William attend the Royal Foundation Forum in London in February 2018. Chris Jackson/Getty Images William and Catherine attend the BAFTA Awards in London in February 2018. Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images Catherine is escorted to dinner by Norwegian King Harald V during a visit to Norway in February 2018. William is escorted by Norway's Queen Sonja. Chris Jackson/Getty Images This image of William, Catherine, George and Charlotte was used for the family's 2017 Christmas card. Chris Jackson/Kensington Palace/Getty Images Paddington Bear dances with Catherine during a charity event in London in October 2017. Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images The royal family arrives at the airport in Berlin for a three-day visit in Germany in July 2017. Steffi Loos/AFP/Getty Images This photo of Charlotte was taken in April 2017 by her mother. HRH The Duchess of Cambridge via Getty Images Charlotte is held by her mother as her family ends an eight-day tour of Canada in October 2016. At left is her brother George and her father. Mark Large/Getty Images William and Catherine released new photos of Prince George to mark his third birthday in July 2016. Here he plays with the family's pet dog, Lupo. Matt Porteous/Kensington Palace Members of the royal family gather on a balcony in June 2016 during celebrations marking the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. Catherine is holding Charlotte. Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images Kensington Palace released four photos of Princess Charlotte ahead of her first birthday in May 2016. Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge/AP US President Barack Obama talks with Prince William as Catherine plays with Prince George in April 2016. The President and first lady Michelle Obama were visiting Kensington Palace. Pete Souza/Kensington Palace/Ap Prince George gets a boost from some foam blocks for a special family photo in April 2016. The portrait, featuring the four generations of the House of Windsor, was commissioned by the Royal Mail and would be featured on a series of stamps to commemorate the Queen's 90th birthday. Ranald Mackechnie/Royal Mail via AP William and Catherine pose with their children during a trip to the French Alps in March 2016. John Stillwell/Pool via AP The family poses for a Christmas photo in December 2015. Chris Jelf/PA/PA Princess Charlotte plays with a stuffed dog in this photo taken by her mother in November 2015. HRH DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE/Getty Images William and Catherine pose with their children at Charlotte's christening in July 2015. Mario Testino/Art Partner/Getty Images Princess Charlotte is seen with her big brother for the first time in this photo released by Kensington Palace in June 2015. HRH The Duchess of Cambridge William and Catherine present their newborn daughter as they leave a London hospital in May 2015. LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images The royal family celebrates Prince George's first birthday with a trip to the Natural History Museum in July 2014. John Stillwell/AFP/Getty Images The royal family waves to a crowd before boarding a plane in Wellington, New Zealand, in April 2014. They went on a three-week tour of Australia and New Zealand. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images The royal couple attends the Tusk Conservation Awards at the Royal Society in London in September 2013. Danny E. Martindale/Getty Images William and Catherine start an ultra-marathon in Holyhead, Wales, in August 2013. It was Catherine's first public appearance since the birth of Prince George. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images The couple are pictured with their newborn boy, Prince George, in 2013. The new parents released two family photographs taken by Michael Middleton, Catherine's father. MICHAEL MIDDLETON via AFP/Getty Images William, Catherine and their newborn son depart St. Mary's Hospital in London in July 2013. John Stillwell/WPA-Pool/Getty Images In April 2013, Harry, Catherine and William visit the set used to depict Diagon Alley in the "Harry Potter" films. Paul Rogers - WPA Pool/Getty Imagesa William and Catherine attend a St. Patrick's Day parade as they visit Aldershot, England, in March 2013. Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images In September 2012, the couple drank coconut milk from a tree that Queen Elizabeth II planted decades ago in the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu. Arthur Edwards - Pool/Getty Images Catherine and William celebrate during cycling events at the Olympic Games in London in August 2012. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II, William and Catherine stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June 2012. Stefan Wermuth - WPA Pool/Getty Images As part of their charity work, the couple attended a "healthy living cookery session" in London in December 2011. Ben Stansall-WPA Pool/Getty Images The newly married royal couple watches a rodeo demonstration at a government reception in Calgary, Alberta, in July 2011. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Catherine shovels soil during a tree-planting ceremony in Ottawa in July 2011. Lionel Hahn - Pool/Getty Images William and Catherine attend a Snowbirds air show during Canada Day celebrations in July 2011. Chris Jackson/Getty Images The Obamas meet with the royal couple at Buckingham Palace in May 2011. Charles Dharapak - WPA Pool/Getty Images The newlyweds walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace the day after their wedding in April 2011. John Stillwell - WPA Pool/Getty Images After their wedding on April 29, 2011, the couple drove from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House in a vintage Aston Martin. Chris Radburn - WPA Pool/Getty Images William and Catherine kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding ceremony in London. John Stillwell-WPA Pool/Getty Images The pair returned to their alma mater in St. Andrews, Scotland, in February 2011. They launched a fundraising campaign for a new scholarship. Andrew Milligan -WPA Pool/Getty Image The couple poses for photographers to mark their engagement in November 2010. Catherine received the engagement ring that belonged to William's late mother, Diana. BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images The couple cheers on the English rugby team during the Six Nations Championship match in London in February 2007. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images The couple takes a photo after graduating from the University of St. Andrews in June 2005. They met at school and even shared a house with others while students. Middleton Family/Clarence House/Getty Will and Kate's royal family Prev Next

The family live in Adelaide Cottage, a four-bedroom property on the grounds of Windsor Castle, Berkshire, about 25 miles from London. Their London residence, Kensington Palace, will remain the family’s principal residence, however, a royal source told CNN in August.

Prince George

Prince George attends the memorial service for the Duke Of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey on March 29, 2022. Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

Born: July 22, 2013

What to know: If all goes as planned and he becomes King after the reigns of his grandfather Prince Charles and his father Prince William, George – now second in line – will be the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror.

But for now, he’s still brushing up on his education: George currently attends Lambrook School near Windsor along with his younger sister, Princess Charlotte and his younger brother, Prince Louis.

Princess Charlotte

Princess Charlotte, in a photo taken by her mother, appears before her seventh birthday on May 2, 2022. The Duchess of Cambridge/Handout/Getty Images

Born: May 2, 2015

What to know: Third in line to the throne, Princess Charlotte was born into a more equitable era: In 2011, the British monarchy abolished a rule that gave preference to male heirs over their sisters in the line of succession.

Prince Louis

Prince Louis ahead of his fourth birthday on April 23, 2022. The photograph was taken earlier in April in Norfolk by his mother. The Duchess of Cambridge/Getty Images

Born: April 23, 2018

What to know: Prince Louis, fourth in line to the throne, arrived during a busy season for the royal family; he was born just weeks before the 2018 wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

As is tradition, a golden easel bearing a framed notice announcing the birth was placed on display in front of Buckingham Palace that afternoon. The practice of posting a bulletin on the occasion of a royal birth goes back to at least 1837, when Buckingham Palace became the British monarch’s official residence.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

"Every picture has a back story," says Jackson. This one was shot in Nepal in 2016. "We were spending a night in a village up in the foothills and watching the sunrise. That was an amazing moment for me, and I'm sure it was for Prince Harry as well... A lot of the pictures are quite energetic and that's great, but this is more of a rarity and quite pensive." Leorani, Nepal, March 2016. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Meghan first appeared alongside Harry at the Invictus Games in Canada in September last year. "No one knew that was going to happen," Jackson says. "It was a nice surprise for everyone." Toronto, Canada, September 2017. Chris Jackson/Getty Images "Things happen quite quickly with Harry," says Jackson. After presenting a Norwegian wheelchair rugby player with a gold medal at last year's Invictus Games, Harry spontaneously kissed him on the head. "That was a great moment -- and it makes a great picture," says Jackson. Toronto, Canada, September 2017. Chris Jackson/Getty Images "I always love going on a Prince Harry tour," says Jackson. "There are elements of formality as well as more relaxed moments." Surama, Guyana, December 2016. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Harry meets medical alert dog Jasmine as he visits venues ahead of the opening of the 2016 Invictus Games. Orlando, US, May 2016. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Harry posed with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a trip to Toronto in 2016. "Formality and ceremony are very much part of your job as a royal. It's not always relaxed," says Jackson. "(Harry) seems to have a strong bond with Trudeau. It was nice to photograph these two together." Toronto, Canada, May 2016. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Harry (back right) watches the annual "Trooping the Colour" parade with other members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. "That's one of few times we see the whole royal family out on the balcony," says Jackson. "It's great to capture these relaxed moments." London, UK, June 2015. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Harry performs a "hongi" (traditional Maori greeting) while on a trip to New Zealand. Wanganui, New Zealand, May 2015. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Harry plays touch rugby with schoolchildren during a trip to New Zealand. Palmerston North, New Zealand, May 2015. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Harry "connects with (kids) in a very unique way," says Jackson. "He gets stuck in with whatever they're doing." On this occasion, the prince was visiting the Thuso Centre in Lesotho for children living with multiple disabilities. Butha-Buthe, Lesotho, December 2014. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Harry was visiting Oman in 2014 when Jackson took this picture. "The chap was showing him a sword dance and offered him a sword and shield," he says. "He's got a real sense of humor and he's not just going to stand there. It makes a great picture and makes my job a lot easier." Muscat, Oman, November 2014. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Harry and his older brother William share a joke with their father Charles during the Invictus Games in 2014. London, UK, September 2014. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Alongside the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry watches for the riders at the finish of the first stage of the 2014 Tour de France. The three young royals "seem to get on very well," says Jackson. Harrogate, UK, July 2014. Chris Jackson/Getty Images There's a "huge amount of respect" between Harry and his older brother William, says Jackson. "From what I've seen, they work very closely." Cirencester, UK, July 2013. Chris Jackson/Getty Images During a visit to Jamaica, Prince Harry challenged world-class sprinter Usain Bolt to a race. "I remember it so clearly," says Jackson. "Prince Harry sprinted off leaving Bolt trailing in his wake. That caught me by surprise... That's the kind of thing that happens with Harry. You've got to learn to always be ready." Kingston, Jamaica, March 2012. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Harry has been a keen polo player for many years. This shot, one of Jackson's earliest as royal photographer for Getty Images, was taken during a match against Virginia State polo in 2005. Cirencester, UK, July 2005. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Prince Harry through the lens of Getty royal photographer Chris Jackson Prev Next

Born: September 15, 1984

What to know: Fifth in line to the throne, Prince Harry also trained in the military. In 2008, the British Ministry of Defense announced that Harry had secretly been serving in Afghanistan with his Army unit on a four-month mission since December 2007.

He was quickly withdrawn for security reasons, but later returned as an Apache helicopter pilot in 2012. In 2015, after nearly a decade of service, he announced he was leaving the armed forces.

The Duke of Sussex is also the founder of the Invictus Games, an international sporting competition for injured servicemen and women. The first games were held in London in 2014.

More key relatives: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, whom he married in 2018. The couple welcomed their first child, son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, in May 2019. Their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born in June 2021.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor

In early 2020, the pair announced that they were stepping back from their roles as senior members of the British royal family. They now live in the US.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex tend to Archie Mountbatten-Windsoron September 25, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Toby Melville - Pool/Getty Images) Toby Melville/Pool/Getty Images

Born: May 6, 2019

What to know: In a significant milestone across the Commonwealth and within British society, baby Archie made history by becoming the first biracial British child in the royal family.

When he was born – at which point he became seventh in line – he didn’t immediately qualify for the title of prince, and Buckingham Palace told CNN at the time that his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, had chosen not to use any title at all for their son.

Now that Charles has become King, Prince Harry’s son – who is now sixth in line – will be eligible to become His Royal Highness Prince Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor

Born: June 4, 2021

What to know: Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born in Santa Barbara, California, in June 2021 following the decision of her parents, Harry and Meghan, to step back from royal life in the UK and move to the US.

Her unusual name is a tribute to her great-grandmother, the Queen – Lilibet was her childhood nickname. Baby Lili’s middle name, Diana, “was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced in a statement.

Seventh in line to the throne, the Queen’s 11th great-grandchild is the most senior royal in the line of succession to have been born overseas.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York

Prince Andrew is seen in August 2017. Julian Finney/British Athletics/Getty Images Prince Andrew was born February 19, 1960, as the second son to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. -/AFP via Getty Images Prince Andrew sits on his father's lap during a holiday in Scotland in September 1960. At left is his sister, Princess Anne. At right, next to the Queen, is his brother Prince Charles. Associated Press The royal family poses for photos in 1968. Prince Andrew is at bottom right. He is joined by his parents and his three siblings, including his younger brother, Prince Edward. Associated Press The Queen looks at a photo album with Andrew, left, and Edward in 1971. Hulton Archive/Getty Images From left, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew attend an equestrian event in 1972. Dieter Klar/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images Prince Andrew is photographed on his 18th birthday in 1978. Associated Press Prince Andrew receives a Green Beret award at an event in 1980. He served in the British Royal Navy for 22 years and was a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War. Associated Press Prince Andrew is second from right in this photo taken at the 1981 wedding of his brother Prince Charles. BIPNA/Associated Press Prince Andrew poses next to a helicopter in 1982. Keystone/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images Girls line up to give flowers to Prince Andrew as he arrives in Portsmouth, England, for an event in 1983. Press Association/AP The prince is face to face with a cow during a royal tour of Canada in 1985. James Gray/Daily Mail/Shutterstock In July 1986, Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson. They were the ultimate "It" couple of the late 1980s. Their wedding drew a TV audience of hundreds of millions. Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images Prince Andrew and his wife, Sarah, visit Canada in 1987. Ferguson, a commoner, was said to bring a breath of fresh air to the royal family. John Shelley Collection/Avalon/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of York pose during their Canadian holiday in 1987. Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images The couple holds their first child, Beatrice, in 1988. They had two children together before their high-profile divorce in 1996. Associated Press Prince Andrew holds hands with his two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, after arriving for a dinner in London in 1997. Dave Caulkin/Associated Press The prince lines up a putt during a celebrity golf tournament in 1998. Tim Ockenden/PA Images/Getty Images Prince Andrew attends a party with girlfriend Aurelia Cecil in 1999. Richard Young/Shutterstock Prince Andrew poses with Donald Trump and Trump's future wife, Melania, at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2000. Davidoff Studios Photography/Archive Photos/Getty Images The prince attends a Formula 1 party in London in 2000. Richard Young/Shutterstock Prince Andrew visits the Royal Hospital School in Holbrook, England, in 2006. Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty Images Prince Andrew, back left, poses with his parents and his siblings for a family photo in 2007. Anwar Hussein Collection/ROTA/Getty Images Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein walk through New York's Central Park in 2011. The Sun/MEGA The prince was installed as chancellor of the University of Huddersfield in 2015. Lynne Cameron/PA Wire/Press Association Images/AP Prince Andrew and his parents watch horse racing in Epsom, England, in 2016. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Princess Eugenie is accompanied by her father during her wedding in 2018. Yui Mok/AFP/Getty Images Prince Andrew talks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, which took place in London in November 2019. Chris Jackson/AP In pictures: Britain's Prince Andrew Prev Next

Born: February 19, 1960

What to know: Prince Andrew is the third of the Queen’s four children, and eighth in line to the British throne. He served in the British Royal Navy for 22 years and was a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War.

In 2019, the prince announced that he was going to step back from public duties after a controversial interview in which he denied allegations that he had sex with an underaged woman who said she had been trafficked by sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew, who has been under intense scrutiny for his decades-long friendship with Epstein, said in a statement announcing his decision that the association became “a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organizations and charities that I am proud to support.”

While he’s still a prince, Andrew no longer has an official role.

More key relatives: Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, whom Andrew married in 1986.

Sarah and Andrew had two children together – Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie – before a high-profile divorce in 1996.

Princess Beatrice

Princess Beatrice arrives for the wedding of Princess Eugenie on October 12, 2018. (Steve Parsons/Pool via Reuters) Steve Parsons/Pool via Reuters

Born: August 8, 1988

What to know: Princess Beatrice, ninth in the line of succession to the British throne, married real estate specialist Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a private ceremony in July 2020. The wedding was a significantly pared-back event attended by the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and close family to ensure compliance with Covid-19 guidelines at the time.

In September 2021, she gave birth to daughter Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, who became the 10th in line to the throne.

Beatrice, 34, has a royal title but works a regular, full-time day job as vice president of partnerships and strategy at tech company Afiniti.

Princess Eugenie

Britain's Princess Eugenie of York and her husband Jack Brooksbank emerge from St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on Friday, October 12 after their wedding ceremony. STEVE PARSONS/AFP/Getty Images Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank travel in the Scottish State Coach at the start of their carriage procession following their wedding at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank wave at the start of their carriage procession. DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank leave St. George's Chapel after their wedding. TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice and the bridesmaids and page boys, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte, wave as the bride and groom depart from the chapel. TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank kiss on the steps of St. George's Chapel. TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip wait for the arrival by open carriage of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank following their wedding. Alastair Grant/Pool via REUTERS British model Cara Delevingne leaves after the ceremony. MATT CROSSICK/AFP/Getty Images Sophie, Countess of Wessex, left, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William leave after the wedding. Gareth Fuller/AP The newlyweds walk down the aisle. JONATHAN BRADY/AFP/Getty Images Dean of Windsor David Conner presides over the wedding ceremony. JONATHAN BRADY/AFP/Getty Images Britain's royal family is seen attending the ceremony. OWEN HUMPHREYS/AFP/Getty Images Nicola and George Brooksbank are seen before the start of the wedding ceremony. Jonathan Brady/AP Princess Eugenie walks down the aisle with her father, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. POOL/X80003/REUTERS Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the wedding. OWEN HUMPHREYS/AFP/Getty Images Prince Andrew walks his daughter Princess Eugenie of York down the aisle. Danny Lawson/WPA Pool/Getty Images The bridesmaids and page boys, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte, arrive for the wedding. Yui Mok/Pool via REUTERS Princess Eugenie and her father Prince Andrew make their way up the steps at St. George's Chapel. Toby Melville/Reuters Princess Eugenie pauses on her way into the chapel. NEIL HALL/EPA/EPA-EFE Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, wait for the ceremony to begin. Danny Lawson/AP Princess Charlotte of Cambridge is serving as a bridesmaid. Toby Melville/Reuters Princess Eugenie arrives by car. DARREN STAPLES/X90183/REUTERS The bride's mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, and Princess Beatrice of York wave from outside St. George's Chapel. STEVE PARSONS/AFP/Getty Images Ricky Martin arrives. Will Oliver/EPA/Rex/Shutterstock Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, head into the chapel. Adrian Dennis/Pool via Reuters Naomi Campbell arrives. Gareth Fuller/WPA Rota/REUTERS Singer Robbie Williams and film and television star Ayda Field, his wife, arrive ahead of the wedding. Gareth Fuller/Pool via AP Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, arrives for the royal wedding. TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS Eric Buterbaugh and Demi Moore make their way to the ceremony. Gareth Fuller/WPA Pool/Getty Images Stephen Fry and his husband Elliott Spencer walk toward the chapel.. Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images Guests assemble at Windsor Castle. Adrian Dennis/AP Chelsy Davy, left, arrives. Matt Crossick/AP Musician George Barnett and model Pixie Geldof outside Windsor Castle. Gareth Fuller/AP A fan of the royal family takes up a position outside Windsor Castle. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Royal supporters get into position holding the Union Jack outside the castle. Leon Neal/Getty Images In photos: Princess Eugenie's royal wedding Prev Next

Born: March 23, 1990

What to know: The younger York sister is 11th in the line of succession, and, after her cousin Prince Harry, was the second royal to throw a massive wedding in 2018.

She wed Jack Brooksbank, a brand ambassador for Casamigos tequila, which was founded by George Clooney and Rande Gerber, husband of supermodel Cindy Crawford. Like her sister, Princess Eugenie has a fairly everyday job: she works as the director of the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in London.

In February 2021, she gave birth to her son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, who is the 12th in line to the throne.

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, meets young recipients of the award during the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award presentations at Buckingham Palace on May 22, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images) WPA Pool/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Born: March 10, 1964

What to know: The youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Prince Edward is 13th in line to the British throne. He’s currently a full-time working member of the royal family. Prince Edward previously trained as a cadet in the Royal Marines and worked as a theater and TV producer.

More key relatives: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, whom Prince Edward married in 1999. The couple have two children together, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.

James, Viscount Severn

James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor during Trooping The Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, on June 8, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson Collection/Getty Images

Born: December 17, 2007

What to know: Despite being younger than his sister Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, the Viscount Severn is ahead of her in the line of succession because of the previous rule that saw the British monarchy favor male heirs over their sisters. He is 14th in line to the throne.

Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor

Lady Louise Windsor during Trooping The Colour on the Mall on June 9, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson Collection/Getty Images

Born: November 8, 2003

What to know: The oldest child of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor is now 15th in line to the throne. Her parents chose more subdued royal titles and, with the permission of the Queen, gave their children titles in the style of an earl rather than prince and princess.

Anne, the Princess Royal

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal attends the Commissioning Ceremony of HMS Queen Elizabeth at HM Naval Base on December 7, 2017 in Portsmouth, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Born: August 15, 1950

What to know: The second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Anne was third in the line of succession at birth – but today she’s No. 16, behind her brothers and their children and grandchildren.

Picture taken on February 26, 1970 showing Prince Charles and Princess Anne of the royal family. (Photo by CENTRAL PRESS PHOTO LTD /AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images

Widely known as an expert horsewoman, the Princess Royal competed as an equestrian in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal – just two years after surviving a kidnapping attempt. Today she’s part of the International Olympic Committee in addition to serving various charitable organizations.

More key relatives: Capt. Mark Phillips, the Princess Royal’s first husband, with whom she has two children: Peter and Zara. Phillips, an army officer, was a commoner who declined to receive a royal title; Anne also declined her mother’s offer to give titles to Peter and Zara.

Olympic mission — Having given birth to her first child in January, Zara Phillips has since returned to competition and helped Great Britain qualify for the 2016 Olympics with her performance at August's FEI World Equestrian Games. Alex Livesey/Getty Images Mother and daughter — Queen Elizabeth II's eldest granddaughter gave birth to Mia Grace Tindall on January 17, 2014. Mia is 16th in line for the British throne. Matthew Horwood/Getty Images Sporting couple — Mia's father is rugby star Mike Tindall, who married Phillips on July 30, 2011. Dylan Martinez/AFP/Getty Images Family ties — In September 2014, Phillips and her husband took part in a wheelchair rugby exhibition match during the Invictus Games for war veterans organized by her cousin Prince Harry (pictured behind). Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images for Invictus Games/file London success — After missing out in 2004 and 2008 due to her horse Toytown sustaining injuries, Phillips had to wait until 2012 before she participated in her first Olympics, in which she won a silver medal in the team equestrian event. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images In the family — She was presented her medal by her mother, Princess Anne, who participated in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal as a member of Britain's equestrian team. Alex Livesey/Getty Images Golden heritage — Her father Mark Phillips, left, was part of Britain's gold-medal-winning eventing team at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and he also won silver at Seoul '88. McCabe/Express/Getty Images/file Champion of the world — The 33-year-old Zara is a former world champion, taking gold in 2006, and won European titles in 2005 and 2007. JOCHEN LUEBKE/AFP/Getty Images Zara Phillips eyes Olympic gold Prev Next

Anne and Phillips divorced in 1992, and the Princess Royal went on to marry Royal Navy officer and equerry to the Queen, Timothy Laurence, that same year.

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Britain's new prime minister: Rishi Sunak, rich ex-banker who will be ...

London CNN —

Just seven short weeks ago, it looked as if it might be all over for Rishi Sunak.

The former chancellor of the exchequer – the UK’s title for its chief finance minister – made a high-stakes gamble. He launched an attack that helped to end Boris Johnson’s premiership, put himself forward as his replacement, but ultimately lost to Liz Truss. Admitting defeat, he retreated to the parliamentary back benches.

But in a sign of just how unpredictable British politics has become, Sunak has returned triumphant from the political wilderness to replace Truss, whose premiership imploded last week.

Sunak was the only leadership hopeful to secure the support of 100 Conservative members of parliament, the necessary threshold set by party officials for potential candidates. He will become the first person of color to be British prime minister – and at the age of 42, he is also the youngest person to take the office in more than 200 years.

He was the last person standing after his rivals – Johnson and the Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt – fell by the wayside.

Speaking after being declared the new Conservative leader, Sunak said he was “honored and humbled” to become the next prime minister.

“It is the greatest privilege of my life to be able to serve the party I love, and to be able to give back to the country i owe so much to,” Sunak said.

“The United Kingdom is a great country, but there is no doubt we face a profound economic challenge,” he added. “We need stability and unity, and I will make it my utmost priority to bring our party and our country together.”

Sunak first publicly declared on Sunday morning that he would be standing in the contest. Other than that brief statement, he made no big pitch for the leadership this time round.

In the last contest, over the summer, he was widely seen as the more moderate of the two candidates. Compared to Truss, he took a less ideological line on matters like Brexit and the economy. (Unlike Truss, a remainer-turned hardline Brexiteer, Sunak voted for the UK to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum.)

Like Truss, Sunak promised a tough approach to illegal immigration and vowed to expand the government’s controversial Rwanda immigration policy.

Sunak, whose parents came to the UK from East Africa in the 1960s, is of Indian descent. His father was a local doctor while his mother ran a pharmacy in southern England, something Sunak says gave him his desire to serve the public.

“British Indian is what I tick on the census, we have a category for it. I am thoroughly British, this is my home and my country, but my religious and cultural heritage is Indian, my wife is Indian. I am open about being a Hindu,” Sunak said in an interview with Business Standard in 2015.

He will be the first Hindu to become British prime minister, securing the position on Diwali, the festival of lights that marks one of the most important days of the Hindu calendar. Sunak himself made history in 2020 when he lit Diwali candles outside 11 Downing Street, the official residence of the UK chancellor.

He has faced challenges over his elite background, having studied at the exclusive Winchester College, Oxford and Stanford universities. He is known for his expensive taste in fashion and has worked for banks and hedge funds, including Goldman Sachs.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement outside No. 10 Downing Street after taking office on Tuesday, October 25. Leon Neal/Getty Images Sunak and Boris Johnson watch as a sheep is sheared during a visit to a farm in North Yorkshire, England, in July 2019. At the time Johnson was running to lead Britain's Conservative Party and Sunak was a member of Parliament. Oli Scarff/Pool/Reuters Johnson, as Prime Minister, holds his first Cabinet meeting in London in July 2019. Johnson appointed Sunak, seen on the right, as chief secretary to the Treasury. Aaron Chown/Pool/AFP/Getty Images Sunak speaks in front of the words "Get Brexit Done" at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, England, in September 2019. He voted for the UK to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum. Danny Lawson/PA Images/Getty Images Sunak speaks during a general election debate in Cardiff, Wales, in November 2019. Hannah McKay/Pool/Getty Images Sunak poses for a picture at the Treasury Office in London in March 2020. Johnson promoted Sunak to chancellor in 2020. Paul Grover/Shutterstock Sunak is seen outside 11 Downing Street in London before heading to the House of Commons to deliver his budget in March 2020. Victoria Jones/PA ImagesGetty Images From left, Sunak, Johnson and Dr. Jenny Harries speak about the coronavirus pandemic at a media briefing in London in March 2020. Sunak won popularity during the early weeks of the pandemic when he unveiled an extensive support plan for those unable to work during lockdown. Julian Simmonds/Daily Telegraph/PA/AP Johnson and Sunak visit a London pizza restaurant as it prepared to reopen in July 2020 when lockdown rules were eased. Heathcliff O'Malley/Pool/AFP/Getty Images Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, meets with Sunak at Wemyss Bay on the west coast of Scotland in August 2020. Andy Buchanan/AFP/Getty Images Sunak meets with local businesses during a visit to the Isle of Bute in Scotland in August 2020. Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images Sunak learns the art of handling clay to make plates during a visit to a pottery business in Stoke-on-Trent, England, in September 2020. Employees were returning to work after being furloughed. Andrew Fox/Pool/Getty Images Sunak is seen on Downing Street ahead of a Cabinet meeting in September 2020. Stefan Rousseau/PA Images/Getty Images In October 2020, customers at the Tib Street Tavern in Manchester watch Sunak announce that the government will pay two-thirds of staff wages in pubs, restaurants and other businesses if they are forced to close under new coronavirus restrictions. Danny Lawson/PA/Getty Images Sunak delivers a speech during the annual Conservative Party Conference in Manchester in October 2021. Toby Melville/Reuters Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, speak to Prince Charles during a reception at the British Museum in London in February 2022. Murty is the daughter of an Indian billionaire. Earlier this year, Sunak and Murty appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List of the UK's 250 wealthiest people . The newspaper estimated their joint net worth at £730 million ($826 million). Tristan Fewings/Getty Images Sunak launches his bid to become leader of the Conservative Party in July 2022. Hollie Adams/Bloomberg/Getty Images Sunak and Murty are seen with their daughters, Krishna and Anoushka, while campaigning in Grantham, England, in July 2022. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images In August 2022, Sunak visits his family's old business, Bassett Pharmacy, in Southampton, England. His parents came to the UK from East Africa in the 1960s. His father was a local doctor while his mother ran a pharmacy in southern England, something Sunak says gave him his desire to serve the public. Stefan Rousseau/Pool/Reuters Sunak and Liz Truss stand together on stage during the final Conservative Party Hustings event in London in August 2022. At the time, they were the final two contenders to become the country's next Prime Minister. Truss defeated Sunak with 81,326 votes to 60,399 among party members. When she announced her resignation weeks later, he became the frontrunner to replace her. Susannah Ireland/AFP/Getty Images Graham Brady — chairman of the 1922 Committee — announces October 24 that Sunak will become the new leader of the Conservative Party. Stefan Rousseau/PA/Getty Images Sunak waves in London after winning the Conservative Party leadership contest on October 24. David Cliff/AP King Charles III welcomes Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become prime minister on October 25. Aaron Chown/AP In pictures: UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Prev Next

Sunak has also been scrutinized over the tax arrangements of his wife Akshata Murty, the daughter of an Indian billionaire.

Earlier this year, Sunak and Murty appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List of the UK’s 250 wealthiest people – the newspaper estimated their joint net worth at £730 million ($826 million).

Sunak’s election on Monday marks the pinnacle of what has been a speedy rise to power. He was first elected as an MP in 2015 and spent two years on the back benches before becoming a junior minister in Theresa May’s government. Johnson gave Sunak his first major government role, appointing him as chief secretary to the Treasury in 2019 and promoting him to chancellor in 2020.

Sunak has experience of economic crisis-fighting, having guided the UK through the Covid-19 pandemic, and positioned himself as the “sound finance” candidate.

During the pandemic, Sunak put in place measures worth £400 billion ($452 billion) aimed at boosting the economy, including a generous furlough scheme, business loans and discounts on eating in restaurants. But that stimulus came at a huge cost and left the government scrambling to find savings.

Sunak was an early critic of Truss’ economic plan, which was panned by investors, the International Monetary Fund and credit ratings agencies. While he also advocated for lower taxes, he said tax could only be cut once inflation is brought under control, which could take several years.

His warning over the summer that Truss’ unfunded tax cuts could spark panic in the financial markets turned out to be true. The British pound crashed to a record low against the US dollar when Truss and her Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng unveiled their plan. Prices of UK government bonds rose at the fastest pace ever, sending borrowing costs skyrocketing.

He also secured the most votes from MPs in the last leadership election – comfortably clearing the new threshold with 137 endorsements. Although Truss eventually won the decisive vote among grassroots members, Sunak was not far behind, gaining 43% of the vote.

Second chance

Johnson has made no secret of the fact that he believes Sunak betrayed him by resigning from his government, triggering his resignation on July 7 after a string of scandals made his position untenable.

Johnson’s downfall followed months of revelations of parties held in 10 Downing Street while the rest of the country was under Covid lockdown restrictions. Johnson himself was fined by the police, making him the first prime minister in history found to have broken the law in office.

For a long time, Sunak stood by Johnson – especially since he too was fined in the so-called Partygate scandal.

But he turned against him after Johnson was slow to act when his deputy chief whip responsible for party discipline, Chris Pincher, was accused of sexually assaulting two men at a party in early July. (Pincher later said he had “drunk far too much,” although has not directly addressed the allegations.)

Sunak’s shock resignation from Johnson’s cabinet over the Pincher scandal set into motion a series of high-profile resignations that led to Johnson’s demise – and ultimately, to his own rise to the Downing Street.

Sunak faces an enormous task. The UK is in the midst of a deep cost-of-living crisis and soaring inequality. Financial markets are still spooked after Truss’ disastrous economic policy missteps.

The Conservative party, already unpopular after 12 years in power, has plunged itself into a state of utter chaos over the past four months and is now well behind the opposition Labour party in opinion polls. The only comfort for Sunak is that he doesn’t have to call an election until January 2025.

Ivana Kottasová Luke Mcgee
Ivana Kottasová
Luke Mcgee

'Lucky Us,' for getting a new Amy Bloom novel

Kevin Nance

Special for USA TODAY

The heroines of Lucky Us, Amy Bloom's funny, slight, delightfully blithe new novel about two sisters stumbling their way through the 1940s, aren't the type to complain. They take what life gives them, for good or ill (and it's mostly ill), then get on with it. If it ever occurred to either of them to ask "Why me?"— though it never does — the answer would come immediately in the form of another question: "Why not me?"

In their matter-of-fact way, Eva and Iris — young Ohioans who flee their feckless parents in search of adventure in Hollywood and, later, New York — embody their can-do generation by repeatedly rolling with the punches that the world throws at them. We're less than seven pages into Lucky Us before 12-year-old Eva is dumped on her absentee father's doorstep and introduced to her older half-sister, Iris, 16, for the first time.

No biggie. Half a dozen pages later, the girls are on a bus to Los Angeles, where Iris, who's got looks to spare and a yen for showbiz, hopes to make it in the pictures.

Just when that plan shows signs of coming together, it's derailed by Hedda Hopper, the real-life gossip columnist and right-wing moral enforcer into whose clutches have fallen salacious photos of Iris making merry at a lesbian sex party. Literally before she knows it, Iris is a Hollywood pariah.

Again, no real problem: Soon she and Eva are heading back East, this time in the company of their friend Francisco, a sexually ambiguous makeup man, and the girls' surprising father, who chucks academia in favor of posing as an English butler for a nouveau riche family on Long Island.

From there the breezy, vaguely Dickensian plot gets a bit darker and even more complicated — Iris falls in love with the cook, Eva develops an itch for the cook's auto-mechanic husband, and their father begins keeping company with an African-American nightclub singer — but, well, stuff happens, right? To use a phrase that didn't gain favor until decades later but sums up Lucky Us: It is what it is.

Accordingly, perhaps, there doesn't seem to be a vast or complicated design to all this — Lucky Us feels as if it were written as an extended improvisation, without much worry about how the pieces fit together. We know early on, from letters written by Iris from London, where she's appearing in a West End revue some years after the book's primary timeline, that the sisters have fallen out, the product of some betrayal. But when that development is finally explained, it doesn't amount to much; this novel is about the journey, not the destination, whatever that might turn out to be.

Even more than that, Lucky Us is about Bloom's uncanny ability to conjure the tone of the war years — broken hearts held together by lipstick, wisecracks and the enduring love of sisters, come what may. And if this novel feels like a bit of a detour in the career of an author known for more tightly strung, finely wrought fictions (Away, Come to Me), Lucky Us remains a tasty summer read that will leave you smiling.

Lucky Us

By Amy Bloom

Random House, 240 pp.

3 stars out of four

History: The world's most important event every year since 1920

Angelo Young and John Harrington

24/7 Wall Street

Over the past 100 years, we’ve witnessed some of the most profound changes in human history.

Between a pandemic, wars, technological developments, progress in civil rights, and breakthroughs in science and medicine, the old order has been swept away, sometimes giving way to freer forms of governing and sometimes not.

Centuries-old empires crumbled as new ideologies – from communism to fascism – took root in many parts of the world. Wars in the early part of the 20th century led to the end of the colonial world and gave birth to new nations. These wars also cost millions of lives and trillions of dollars. These are the most expensive wars in U.S. history.

Throughout the past century, technological innovations transformed our lives in ways we never dreamed. Progressive ideas also emerged and changed the world as women, African Americans, and the LGBTQ community demanded, and often won, equal rights – from the ratification of the 19th Amendment in the United States to the legalization of same-sex marriage in many countries around the world. Even so, recent civil rights protests tell us the fight for equality is not over.

Dunkin' or Starbucks:Among America's favorite brew-at-home coffee brands, which comes out ahead?

Planes, phones and automobiles:These are the top-selling products from each state in the US

The COVID-19 pandemic that is ravaging the world in 2020 reminds us that for all of our scientific breakthroughs, we’re still vulnerable to deadly viruses that can shut down economies and disrupt society. People are hoping science can save Earth from the devastating changes to the climate that continue to imperil the ecosystems of our planet. In the coming years, natural disasters may have an increasingly impactful role on the course of history. Here are 26 disaster scenarios caused by climate change.

To determine the most important event the year you were born, 24/7 Tempo drew on research materials and media sources to compile its list. Deciding the most important event in a given year is by its nature a subjective exercise. In reaching our decisions, we chose the event that had the most far-reaching impact, even if it was not necessarily the most famous event in a given year.

The world's most important event every year since 1920

1920: Women's Suffrage

• Date: Aug. 26

• Location: Washington D.C.

Though the United States was founded under democratic principles, only a minority of its population – in the beginning only white landowning males over the age of 21 – could actually vote. But after the 19th Amendment of the Constitution was passed, women finally gain a voice and the right to cast their ballots, though the voting rights fight was far from over for many African American women, especially in the South.

1921: Chinese Communists Rise

• Date: July 1

• Location: Beijing

In a prequel to the rise of Mao Zedong and Red China, the Chinese Communist Party is founded and three weeks later it convenes its first National Congress that is attended by Mao. It would take another 28 years before the Republic of China becomes the People's Republic of China.

1922: British Empire Shrinks

• Date: Feb. 28

• Location: London

The British Empire was at its peak toward the end of World War I, commanding a global population estimated to be as many as 570 million people, or about a fourth of the world's population at the time. The empire's size began to shrink in 1920, when Britain declared limited independence for Egypt, which leads to full independence two years later.

1923: Great Kanto Earthquake

• Date: Sept. 1

• Location: Tokyo, Yokohama, Japan

The Great Kanto earthquake, also known as the Tokyo-Yokohama earthquake, strikes the Japanese mainland at noon on Sept. 1, 1923, with a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale. The death toll is estimated at 140,000 people. The force of the temblor destroys hundreds of thousands of homes that either collapse or are engulfed in fire. The quake sets off a tsunami that reaches a height of almost 40 feet at Atami in the Sagami Gulf, killing 60 people there. The most significant outcome of the catastrophe is the rebuilt Tokyo would become a modern metropolis.

1924: From Lenin to Stalin

• Date: Jan. 21

• Location: Moscow

Following the death of Vladimir Lenin on Jan. 21, the new leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, immediately begins a purge of political rivals. Some are simply moved to different positions, while others, like Leon Trotsky, the presumed successor to Lenin, are exiled. Stalin's paranoia grows as he takes control of the nation, and with it the level of violence and killing of anyone perceived to be a threat to his power and control.

1925: Scopes Monkey Trial

• Date: July 10

• Location: Dayton, Tennessee

After teaching the theory of evolution in a Tennessee high school, the state prosecutes science teacher John Thomas Scopes because state law prohibits such teaching as it runs counter to biblical beliefs. The trial pits well-known Christian fundamentalist and former presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan against renowned attorney Clarence Darrow. The jury rules against Scopes, forcing him to pay a fine of $100 (about $1,498 in 2020 dollars). It would take another 43 years before the U.S. Supreme Court would rule that laws punishing people for teaching evolution violate the First Amendment.

1926: U.S. Starts Numbered Highway System

• Date: Nov. 11

• Location: U.S.

In a precursor to the modern interstate highway system, the federal government introduces a national highway numbering system in an effort to standardize roadways, especially local roads and trails with names unfamiliar to outsiders. The U.S. Numbered Highway System makes it easier for the growing number of car owners to figure out how to get from one city or town to the next and opens the way for the great American road-trip tradition.

1927: Lindbergh Nonstop to Paris

• Date: May 21

• Location: New York to Paris

When the monoplane The Spirit of St. Louis touches down at Le Bourget Field in Paris on the evening of May 21, Charles Lindbergh becomes the first person to fly over the Atlantic Ocean nonstop, making him one of the heroes of the age. His feat fires the imagination of aspiring aviators about the commercial possibilities of flight. Lindbergh would stay in the news, but for regrettable reasons. A strong advocate for American isolationism in the 1930s, he is criticized for his admiration of Nazi Germany’s aircraft industry. Also, his infant son would be killed during a bungled kidnapping attempt in 1932.

1928: Earhart Crosses Atlantic

• Date: June 17-18

• Location: Wales

Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to pilot a plane across the Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Wales, making her an American national heroine and feminist icon who would go on to set numerous aviation records. She would later set another record as the first person – man or woman – to fly solo from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland. Earhart and her co-pilot Fred Noonan would vanish over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 during Earhart's attempt to circumnavigate the globe. Recent evidence has emerged indicating Earhart may have sent distress signals after surviving a crash, possibly on the remote Gardner Island in the western Pacific Ocean.

1929: Wall Street Crashes

• Date: Oct. 24-29

• Location: New York City

The "Roaring Twenties" come to a halt on Black Tuesday in October 1929, when stocks take a nosedive, contributing to the Great Depression. Reasons for the worst economic downturn in American history include over-lending by weakly regulated banks, excessive stock price valuation, too many stocks purchased on margin, unrestrained exuberance that sends millions of people to convert their savings into stocks, tightening of the credit by the Federal Reserve, and an agricultural drought.

1930: Ho Chi Minh Rises in Vietnam

• Date: Feb. 2

• Location: Hanoi

In an event that would have repercussions for U.S. foreign policy decades later, Vietnamese independence fighter Ho Chi Minh founds the Communist Party of Vietnam as part of his effort to oust French colonial occupiers. "Uncle Ho," as he was known to his many supporters, was inspired by the Russian Bolsheviks, who oppose the Tsarist autocracy, seeing parallels between that struggle and the fight against the foreign occupiers of his country.

1931: Empire State Building Completed

• Date: May 1

• Location: New York City

U.S. President Herbert Hoover inaugurates the completion of the Empire State Building on May Day. It becomes the tallest building of the iconic Manhattan skyline until the construction of the World Trade Center Towers are completed in 1973. Incredibly, the 86-story office building took only 13 months to build, with construction starting in March of the previous year.

1932: Hitler Becomes German

• Date: Feb. 25

• Location: Germany

Seven years after Adolf Hitler renounces his Austrian citizenship, a fellow member of the Nazi Party gets him a low-level government job, which comes with automatic citizenship. This opens the way for him to run for office. Already a well-known party activist, it takes Hitler only two years from receiving his citizenship status to becoming the leader of Germany.

1933: FDR Elected

• Date: March 12

• Location: Washington D.C.

With the Great Depression sending millions of Americans to soup kitchens and chasing whatever work they can find, newly elected President Franklin Delano Roosevelt begins his weekly "Fireside Chats" as Americans are eager for guidance and solace during those dark times. FDR's first radio talk explains to Americans in plain language why he ordered that banks would close temporarily at different time in different parts of the country. The purpose, he explains, is to curb panic rushes of withdrawals, which has been hurting efforts to stabilize the banking system.

1934: Hitler Consolidates Power

• Date: June 30

• Location: Berlin

Germans, who had been suffering from a disastrous economic depression in 1929-30, begin to embrace the ideas of the Nationalist Socialist Workers Party – the Nazi Party. It becomes the largest party after the 1932 elections. In 1933, Adolf Hitler is appointed chancellor of Germany. After President Paul von Hindenburg dies in 1934, Hitler then purges members of his own party – the bloody Night of the Long Knives – with the help of Nazi storm troopers and becomes the unquestioned leader of Germany.

1935: FDR Launches New Deal

• Date: Aug. 14

• Location: Washington D.C.

President Roosevelt, grappling with the Great Depression, signs into law his signature Social Security Act, a law that creates the country's first retirement security system. Earlier that year, as part of his "New Deal" policy, the president established the Works Progress Administration, a massive economic stimulus program, putting millions of Americans to work building the country's public infrastructure.

1936: Owens Flouts Nazis

• Date: Aug. 3

• Location: Berlin

As the concept of racial purity and superiority dominates Germany in the 1930s, African-American sprinter Jesse Owens of Oakville, Alabama, shows them who is the master racer. During the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, and under the gaze of Adolf Hitler, Owens wins four Olympic gold medals for the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints, the long jump, and the 400-meter relay.

1937: UAW Changes Car Industry

• Date: Feb. 11

• Location: Flint, Michigan

Nearly two years after the establishment of the United Automobile Workers (UAW), the union scores a major victory in Flint, Michigan. Workers at the General Motors Fisher Body Plant Number One lay down their tools and occupy the factory, demanding union representation, a fair minimum wage, safer working conditions, and not to outsource labor to non-union plants. Despite efforts by GM and local police to extricate them from the plant, including shutting off the heat, cutting off food supply, and attacks that leave 16 workers and 11 police officers injured, the strike lasts 44 days. The strike leads to an agreement between GM and the UAW, which includes a 5% pay raise and permission to talk in the lunchroom.

1938: Anti-Semitism Surges

• Date: Nov. 9

• Location: Germany, Austria, Sudetenland

Growing anti-Semitic scapegoating amid Germany's crippling economic conditions culminates in the Kristallnacht, or "Night of Broken Glass," a pogrom sparked by a speech from German propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. Storm troopers and other Nazi groups are ordered to attack and destroy Jewish businesses, homes, and houses of worship. In one night of attacks in Germany, Austria, and the German-speaking area of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, dozens of Jews are killed and tens of thousands are rounded up and sent to concentration camps.

1939: World War II Starts

• Date: Sept. 1

• Location: Westerplatte, Poland

Under the cover of predawn darkness, a German battleship floats quietly into the center of Danzig Harbor and opens fire on a Polish stronghold in Westerplatte, the first shots of World War II. In the following weeks, Nazi forces, including 2,000 tanks and 1,000 aircraft, would shatter Polish defenses and surround Warsaw, which surrenders 26 days after the Danzig Harbor attack.

1940: McDonald's Founded

• Date: May 15

• Location: San Bernardino, California

Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald open McDonald’s Barbecue Restaurant, offering BBQ ribs, pork sandwiches, and 23 other menu items. Eight years later, they would restructure their popular local business to focus on hamburgers, milkshakes, and fountain sodas, emphasizing speed, a simple menu, and low prices. In the 1950s, businessman Ray Kroc would buy out the brothers and grow McDonald’s into one of the world’s largest restaurant chains.

1941: Pearl Harbor

• Date: Dec. 7

• Location: Oahu, Hawaii

Knowing the U.S. is gearing up to engage them in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II, Japan deploys a massive air attack on U.S. Navy ships parked at Pearl Harbor. The surprise assault by 353 Japanese aircraft leads to the deaths of 2,403 people, including 1,177 sailors aboard the ill-fated USS Arizona, one of 19 vessels that were damaged or destroyed in the attack. Nearly 330 aircraft were also damaged or destroyed. The United States declares war on Japan the next day and three days later against Germany and Italy.

1942: GIs Arrive in Europe

• Date: Jan. 26

• Location: Northern Ireland

The first U.S. troops destined to fight in Europe in the world's greatest war arrive in Northern Ireland. It is the beginning of a military buildup that would culminate in the invasion of France more than two years later. Before then, the United States was providing only material support to its ally across the Atlantic, while building up what President Roosevelt called the "Arsenal of Democracy" in anticipation for the inevitable entry of the United States into the war in Europe.

1943: Invention of LSD

• Date: April 19

• Location: Basel, Switzerland

Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman had been studying the potential medicinal value of lysergic compounds when he accidentally exposed himself to LSD-25, which he had created years earlier in his lab. This was the first LSD trip, a quarter-century before the counterculture endorses the hallucinogenic compound. Hoffman describes the "not unpleasant" experience as "uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors." Hoffman takes a second dose and writes a paper about his discovery. The U.S. Army tests the drug on soldiers numerous times from 1955 to 1967, briefly toying with the idea of using LSD as a weapon to disorient enemy soldiers during combat.

1944: D-Day

• Date: June 6

• Location: Normandy France

The plan for the biggest one-day military campaign in history, the invasion of Normandy by Allied forces to push the Nazis out of France, is hatched in extreme secrecy a year earlier. The plan is conceived during the Quebec Conference by Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt. The invasion starts at 6:30 a.m. on five beaches, and over the next 24 hours about 4,900 Allied soldiers are killed, many of them the instant the doors of their Higgins transport boats opened directly into German machine gun fire.

1945: World War II Ends

• Date: Sept. 2

• Location: Multiple

The surrender of Japan marks the end of World War II amid one of the most tumultuous years of the 20th century. Earlier in the year, leaders of three nations – Benito Mussolini, Franklin Roosevelt, and Adolf Hitler – die and Nazi Germany surrenders. Though the surrender of Japan was inevitable, the prospect of a horrific Allied assault on the Japanese mainland convinces the United States to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The atomic bomb attacks, along with the entry of the Soviet Union in the war against Japan, compel the Japanese to surrender.

1946: Baby Boom Starts

• Date: Jan. 1

• Location: U.S.

More American babies are born – 3.4 million – in 1946 than in any year in U.S. history up to then. The number of births grows to 4 million per year from 1954 to 1964, the last year of the baby boomer generation, the biggest generation at that point in history.

1947: India Gains Independence

• Date: Aug. 15

• Location: Washington D.C

The sun sets on the British Empire in India in 1947, as the Asian nation becomes the world's largest democracy. Independence is the culmination of decades of work by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Indian nationalists committed to throwing off the yoke of British colonialism. The transition to independence comes at a price. The subcontinent is partitioned into two nations, Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. Violence erupts between Hindus and Muslims as Hindus migrate to India and Muslims shift to Pakistan. It is estimated that 1 million people die during the migration.

1948: Birth of Israel

• Date: May 15

• Location: Middle East

After Israel declares its independence following a UN resolution, neighboring Arab states with troops from Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Transjordan (now Jordan), Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia attack the former British-controlled Palestinian mandate. The Arab-Israeli War ended with an armistice that leaves Israel with some territories as Egypt and Jordan retains control over the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, respectively.

1949: NATO Founded

• Date: April 4

• Location: Washington D.C.

With the Cold War worsening, the Soviet Union detonates its first nuclear bomb and quickly exerts its influence over Eastern Europe. It attempts to do the same in Western Europe, which is still recovering from the massive destruction of World War II. To respond to the Soviet threat, U.S. and Western European allies form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Fundamentally, NATO simply states that an attack on any NATO member would be considered an attack on all NATO members. Cold War tensions ratchet up later that year when the communists take over China, the world’s most populous nation.

1950: Korean War Starts

• Date: June 25

• Location: Korea

The North Korean People's Army crosses the 38th parallel into South Korea, eliciting almost an immediate response from U.S. President Truman, and starting the Korean War – a proxy battle between the United States and the People's Republic of China. Three years later, a ceasefire would halt the war. The uneasy relations between North Korea and South Korea last to this day.

1951: Rosenbergs Sentenced

• Date: March 29

• Location: New York City

Husband and wife Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are convicted of espionage for their part in passing along atomic secrets to the Soviet Union during and after World War II. They are executed two years later. Not everyone is convinced of their involvement in the scheme. Supporters claim they are scapegoats swept up in the Cold War hysteria of the time. Documents revealed decades later would show the detailed extent of Julius Rosenberg's involvement in the spy ring, though Ethel's participation in the scheme remains inconclusive.

1952: First Hydrogen Bomb Test

• Date: Nov. 1

• Location: Marshall Islands

The United States successfully detonates its first hydrogen bomb, a second generation thermonuclear device, in the Marshall Islands as part of Operation Ivy, one of a series of nuclear bomb tests. From 1946 to 1958, the United States used the remote Pacific Marshall Islands as its nuclear weapons testing site, detonating a total of 67 nuclear tests.

1953: The Dawn of DNA

• Date: Feb. 28

• Location: Cambridge, England, U.K.

Cambridge University scientists James Watson and Francis Crick announce they have discovered the fundamental behavior and double-helix structure of DNA. Though scientists had been aware of DNA since the 1860s and its role in genetic inheritance since 1943, Watson and Crick were the first to explain how DNA works to replicate itself and pass on genes from one generation to the next.

1954: Brown vs. Board of Education

• Date: May 17

• Location: Washington D.C.

In a landmark case involving Linda Brown of Topeka, Kansas, who had to cross a railroad track to reach an all-black elementary school even though an all-white school was closer, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the segregated school system was unconstitutional on the basis of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The clause would be used again by the courts to reverse state-level racial segregation practices and ordinances.

1955: Parks Starts a Movement

• Date: Dec. 1

• Location: Montgomery, Alabama

Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery bus. The arrest of Parks for insisting to remain seated leads to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the ascent of a young pastor named Martin Luther King, Jr., as a local activist leader to advance the civil rights cause. A successful federal lawsuit by the NAACP against the city leads to the desegregation of the Montgomery bus system on Dec. 21 of the following year.

1956: Hungary Suppressed

• Date: Nov. 4

• Location: Budapest

Cold War tensions escalate when Hungarians take to the streets, demanding democratic reforms. Three days later, Red Army troops invade Hungary, killing thousands. Nine days after the incursion, Budapest is occupied by the Soviet troops in one of the largest and most aggressive actions taken by the Soviet Union since the end of World War II.

1957: The Little Rock Nine

• Date: Sept 24

• Location: Little Rock, Arkansas

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower orders federal troops to protect nine African American high school students as they start classes at the all-white Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. This would become one of the first high-profile actions by the federal government against state-level racial segregation.

1958: US Launches First Satellite

• Date: Jan. 31

• Location: Cape Canaveral, Florida

The United States successfully launches Explorer 1, three months after the Soviet Union sent its first satellite, Sputnik, into orbit. The two superpowers would go on to send more satellites into space, creating a Cold War space race to build ever more sophisticated orbital communications devices.

1959: Castro Takes Over Cuba

• Date: Jan. 1

• Location: Havana

U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista flees Havana as Fidel Castro's forces advance on the Cuban capital. Days later, rebels led by Ché Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos enter the city, followed two days later by Castro's forces, who quickly consolidate power in Cuba, establishing a communist government in the Caribbean's largest country.

1960: Lunch Counter Sit-in

• Date: Feb. 1

• Location: Greensboro, North Carolina

When four African American college students – Ezell A. Blair, Franklin E. McCain, Joseph A. McNeil and David L. Richmond – sit down at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and ask for service, they are denied. The young men refuse to leave, leading to a larger six-month protest that results in the desegregation of the lunch counter by that summer. The Greensboro Woolworth’s would close in 1993, and a section of the lunch counter be donated to the Smithsonian.

1961: Berlin Wall Built

• Date: Aug. 13

• Location: Berlin, East and West Germany

By the late summer of 1961, the loss of skilled workers such as teachers, engineers, and doctors to the West reaches crisis levels in East Germany. On Aug. 12, 2,400 East Germans cross into West Berlin, the most in a single day. The next day, with the approval of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, East Germany builds a wall that would extend 27 miles through Berlin, dividing families and friends for the next 28 years. The wall would serve as an enduring symbol of the Cold War, used by presidents John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan to inspire a divided city.

1962: Cuban Missile Crisis

• Date: Oct.16-28

• Location: Multiple

When the United States learns that the Soviet Union is building nuclear missile installations 90 miles south of Miami in communist Cuba, the Kennedy administration starts a naval blockade around the island, which is at times tested, and Kennedy demands the removal of the missiles.The standoff is widely considered to be the closest the two nuclear superpowers come to direct military confrontation. Cooler heads prevail. The Soviet Union offers to remove the missiles in exchange for a guarantee that the United States will not invade Cuba. In secret, the administration also agrees to withdraw U.S. missiles from Turkey.

1963: JFK Assassinated

• Date: Nov. 22

• Location: Dallas

As President John F. Kennedy prepares for his re-election bid, he embarks on a multi-state tour starting in September 1963. He is murdered by a sharpshooter’s bullet fired by Lee Harvey Oswald at about 12:30 p.m. as his motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza in Dallas. Oswald himself is murdered two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby.

1964: LBJ's "War on Poverty"

• Date: Jan. 8

• Location: Washington D.C.

Bogged down by the Vietnam War, President Lyndon B. Johnson struggles constantly to pivot away from the war to focus on his stated goals of reducing poverty, ending segregation, and establishing the social programs many Americans rely on to this day, including the immensely popular Medicare program. During his “War on Poverty” State of the Union Address of Jan. 8, 1964, LBJ outlines the need for the country to reduce poverty, end racial discrimination, attend to the health needs of the elderly, and other progressive goals. Later achievements during LBJ’s administration are the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Social Security Amendments of 1965.

1965: Civil Rights Turns Violent

• Date: March 7

• Location: Selma, Alabama

The fatal shooting of protester Jimmy Lee Jackson by an Alabama state trooper sparks a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Hundreds of civil rights activists march in what becomes known as “Bloody Sunday.” Police would confront the marchers, led by John Lewis (who would serve as a House Democrat from Georgia) and others. As the activists cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge, police attack the protesters with tear gas and billy clubs, hospitalizing 50. Lewis would pass away in July 2020, his body crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the last time in a horse-drawn carriage.

1966: Mao Purges Rivals

• Date: Aug. 13

• Location: Beijing

At the end of a weeklong session of the Communist Party Central Committee of the People's Republic of China, Chairman Mao Zedong condemns the political elites, calling on China's youth to rebel against the entrenched political hierarchy. It is the beginning of the decade-long Cultural Revolution that fundamentally transforms Chinese society. Intellectuals, members of the former Nationalist government, and people with ties to Western powers are persecuted, sent to re-education labor camps, or killed by the factions of Red Guards formed in the wake of Mao's call to action.

1967: Six-Day War

• Date: June 5

• Location: Middle East

Amid escalating tensions with its neighbors, Israel launches a pre-emptive strike that destroys most of Egypt's air force. Syria, Jordan, and Iraq also attack Israel. As the war continues, Israel takes the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, captures East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan, and in heavy fighting seizes the Golan Heights from Syria. A ceasefire went into effect on June 10.

1968: King Assassinated

• Date: April 4

• Location: Memphis, Tennessee

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is fatally shot by James Earl Ray as the civil rights icon stands on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, a tragedy that sparks race riots nationwide. King's influence in words and actions touch and move not only the nation, but the world, and resonate to this day. Two months later, on June 4, Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy and brother of John F. Kennedy, is fatally shot by Sirhan Sirhan, an Arab Christian from Jerusalem, who believes Kennedy is "instrumental" in oppressing Palestinians.

1969: Landing on the Moon

• Date: July 20

• Location: Moon

President Kennedy’s goal of a manned lunar landing before 1970 is realized six years after his assassination. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins blast off from the Kennedy Space Center at 9:32 a.m. aboard the Saturn V rocket. After three days of travel, Armstrong and Aldrin land the Eagle module on the lunar surface as Collins remains in lunar orbit to pilot the module. Upon their return to Earth, the three astronauts are put in 21-day quarantine to ensure they do not bring back any lunar contagions.

1970: War In Asia Widens

• Date: April 29

• Location: Eastern Cambodia

Although the United States should be scaling back U.S. troop presence in Vietnam, President Richard Nixon approves an operation with the South Vietnamese to invade Cambodia to oust Northern Vietnamese forces there. The Cambodian incursion inflames anti-war protests in the United States as it is perceived to be an escalation of U.S. military involvement in Southeast Asia.

1971: Pentagon Papers

• Date: Feb. 8

• Location: Laos

The Pentagon Papers, a study by the U.S. Department of Defense about the country's involvement in the Vietnam war, are released and published first in The New York Times, then other newspapers. The documents expose several missteps and how several administrations have misled the American public regarding the war in Vietnam. They also reveal an expanded campaign in Cambodia and Laos, especially clandestine bombing in Laos, which today is considered the heaviest bombardment in history.

1972: Nixon Goes To China

• Date: Feb. 21

• Location: Beijing

President Richard Nixon, a virulent anti-communist earlier in his political career, surprises the American public by traveling to Beijing, China, for a week of talks in a historic first step toward normalizing relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Until this trip, the United States and communist China were de facto enemies, fighting proxy wars in the Korean Peninsula in the 1950s and South Vietnam at the time of Nixon’s visit.

1973: Roe v. Wade

• Date: Jan. 22

• Location: Washington D.C.

In a landmark 7-2 decision that will be known as Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court rules that under the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment, states cannot completely bar a woman's decision to terminate her pregnancy. However, the court adds that as the pregnancy develops, the state can balance a woman's right to privacy with its interest in preserving the "potentiality of human life." As a result, states can ban abortion in the third trimester except in cases where a pregnancy affects a woman's health.

1974: Nixon Resigns Out

• Date: Aug. 8

• Location: Washington D.C.

President Richard Nixon announces his resignation amid impeachment proceedings stemming from the Watergate scandal and his administration's attempt resist a congressional investigation. The scandal exposes abuses of power by the White House after five burglars were busted breaking in to the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. Nixon becomes the only president in U.S. history to resign.

1975: Saigon Falls

• Date: April 30

• Location: South Vietnam

Two years after the last American troops leave Vietnam, communist troops from North Vietnam capture Saigon, ending nearly two decades of relentless war in the rice paddies and jungles of that Southeast Asian nation. The final tally of war dead for the United States is 58,202.

1976: The Concorde Changes Air Travel

• Date: Jan. 21

• Location: London and Paris

Two supersonic Concorde jets take off simultaneously – one from London to Bahrain, operated by British Airways, and the other from Paris to Rio de Janeiro via Dakar in Senegal, operated by Air France – marking the first time paying passengers enjoy commercial travel at faster than the speed of sound. Though travel by one of the 16 Concordes ever put into service could slash travel time from New York to London in half, the high cost of maintenance, soaring ticket prices, as well as a fatal accident in 2000, sealed the fate of the narrow, slope-nosed aircraft.

1977: Rise of the PC

• Date: January

• Location: Chicago

Personal home computers began to emerge in the 1970s, but many of the earliest versions resembled calculators that would plug into televisions sets. By 1977, however, the desktop home computer begins to resemble their more modern versions – with an accompanying attached or separate computer screen and a magnetic tape or floppy disk storage device. The Commodore PET is unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago that year, while the first Apple II and Radio Shack's TRS-80 go on sale.

1978: Cult's Mass Suicide

• Date: Nov. 18

• Location: Jonestown, Guyana

More than 900 people die in one of worst recorded acts of cult-related mass murder-suicide after most of the victims and perpetrators drink a powdered drink mix dosed with cyanide. Most of the victims are Americans, devotees of Peoples Temple cult leader Jim Jones, a former Methodist-trained preacher who built a following and led the flock to Guyana. Among the dead are 276 children who drink the poison. A small number of cult defectors are killed by Peoples Temple gunmen who also slay California congressman Leo Ryan, who had gone to Guyana to investigate Jonestown.

1979: Islamic Republic Born in Iran

• Date: Feb. 11

• Location: Tehran

Worsening economic conditions, increasing discontent with the government, and wide support for religious leader in exile Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini end the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. The shah and his family flee Iran in January 1979. On Feb 11, the monarchy is dissolved, and on April 1, Khomeini declares Iran an Islamic republic. With support among the nation's clergy and their many followers, he begins rebuilding Iranian society based on conservative Shiite religious principles.

1980: Reagan Elected

• Date: Nov. 4

• Location: Washington, D.C.

With the United States in an economic malaise and the Iranian hostage crisis hobbling the presidency of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan is elected the 40th president in a landslide. Reagan, who would serve two terms, was the oldest man elected president at the time. Reagan's election changes the trajectory of American politics, ushering in an era of conservative leadership. During his tenure, he takes a more aggressive approach to the Soviet Union and increases defense spending. Reagan convinces Congress to cut taxes, a move that many economists credit with triggering an economic boom in the 1980s.

1981: AIDS Impacts America

• Date: June 5

• Location: Los Angeles

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes a report about five gay men who had been diagnosed by local physicians with a rare form of pneumonia – the first reported U.S. cases of what would later become known as HIV/AIDS. The autoimmune disease spread so fast that by the end of 1982, 500 Americans had died from what now the CDC called acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. An estimated 35 million people worldwide would die from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic.

1982: Mexico Triggers Regional Debt Crisis

• Date: Aug 12

• Location: Mexico City

Global economic stagnation in the 1970s and early 1980s, and excessive borrowing among Latin America's biggest economies, boils over when Mexico's Finance Minister Jesús Silva-Herzog tells the U.S. Federal Reserve his country can no longer service its debt to $80 billion. After the announcement, lenders realize virtually every country in Latin America, led by Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, are not able to pay back loans. The crisis would lead to years of eroding wages, weak-to-negative economic growth, sky-high unemployment, severe austerity measures, and political instability – known as the "lost decade" in Latin America.

1983: The Internet is Born

• Date: Jan. 1

• Location: Multiple

The internet as we know it today – a seemingly endless collection of websites hosted on servers scattered across the globe – is still more than a decade away. But at the beginning of 1983, the the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) – a small network for academics and researchers – transitions to the standard TCP/IP protocol of the World Wide Web. The protocol would become the internet's cornerstone and technical foundation as it allows expanded available address space and decentralizes the network, thus also expanding accessibility.

1984: Chemicals Kill Thousands in India

• Date: Dec. 2

• Location: Bhopal, India

The chemical disaster in Bhopal is still considered history's worst industrial disaster. About 30 tons of methyl isocyanate, an industrial gas used to make pesticide, are released at a Union Carbide Corp. plant. About 600,000 poor residents of nearby shanty towns are exposed to a highly toxic compound that kills about 15,000 people and countless farm animals, according to Indian government estimates. The calamity leads to a generation of birth defects. To this day, locals claim the now-abandoned site is riddled with toxic materials left behind by Union Carbide, which was acquired by Dow Chemical in 2001.

1985: Reagan, Gorbachev Meet

• Date: Nov. 19

• Location: Geneva

Despite his often bellicose criticisms of the Soviet Union, President Ronald Reagan agrees to meet with his counterpart, Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, in Geneva in the first meeting between leaders of the two Cold War foes in nearly a decade. Though the meeting yields little of substance, it starts a closer relationship between the two men who both seem committed to scaling back the nuclear arms race between the two nuclear superpowers.

1986: Shuttle Tragedy

• Date: Jan. 28

• Location: Off the coast of Florida

The 25th mission of the U.S. space shuttle program ends with the tragic loss of seven astronauts as space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after takeoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Among those killed are Christa McAuliffe, who would have been the first teacher in space. The failure is later identified as a problem with the so-called O-rings used to form a seal in the seams of the shuttle's external fuel tanks.

1987: Stock Market Tanks

• Date: Oct. 19

• Location: Worldwide

Oct. 19, 1987 is called Black Monday because on that day the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunges 508 points, or more than 22%. The drop is worse than the crash in 1929. It is also worse than the market plunge after the 9-11 terrorist attacks and the 2008 financial crisis. Among the reasons cited for the drop are rising tensions in the Persian Gulf, concern over higher interest rates, and the belief that the bull market is ending. Computerized trading, relatively new at the time, accelerates trade orders, which speeds up the market drop. As a result of the collapse, exchanges put in place so-called circuit breakers intended to halt trading when stocks fall too fast. This measure is designed to provide investors a cooling off period and avoid a panic.

1988: When the U.S. Armed Iran

• Date: March 16

• Location: Washington D.C.

Lt. Col. Oliver North and Vice Adm. John Poindexter are indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States for their involvement in the so-called Iran-Contra affair. The scandal involved members of the Reagan administration who illegally sold arms to Iran to help facilitate the release of American hostages, and then transfer the proceeds of the sale to fund the Nicaraguan contras, a loose affiliation of right-wing militias. North is convicted, but his conviction is vacated and reversed, while Poindexter's convictions are also reversed on appeal.

1989: The Berlin Wall Falls

• Date: Nov. 9

• Location: Berlin, East and West Germany

Cracks in the monolithic Soviet bloc are starting to appear in the 1980s, and the very symbol of communist repression comes crashing down in November, when the Berlin Wall is breached, ending a 28-year division of the city. During the day on Nov. 9, a spokesman for East Berlin's Communist Party says starting at midnight that day, citizens of East Germany are free to cross the country's borders. Almost immediately Berliners start slamming the wall with axes and sledgehammers. By nightfall, the celebration turns into what one observer calls "the greatest street party in the history of the world" and the city is reunited. East and West Germany would reunite one year later.

1990: Democracy in Poland

• Date: Jan. 28

• Location: Poland

With the hold of the Soviet Union and communism on East Europe loosening, Poland's ruling communist party votes to dissolve and become more moderate. In the following elections, Lech Wałęsa, leader of the Solidarity Movement and the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, wins the election and becomes president.

1991: American Goes to War in Middle East

• Date: Jan. 17

• Location: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait

After Saddam Hussein's Iraq invades and occupies Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, the United States sends forces to defend neighboring Saudi Arabia from being overrun and to protect its vital oil assets in Operation Desert Shield. With Saudi Arabia secured, U.S. implements Operation Desert Storm to push Iraqi forces back across the border with Kuwait in a military operation that lasts until a ceasefire takes effect in April.

1992: Cold War Ends

• Date: Feb. 1

• Location: Camp David, Maryland

Just weeks after the dissolution of the Soviet Union on Dec. 26, 1991, U.S. President George H.W. Bush and his Russian counterpart, Boris Yeltsin, meet at Camp David to formally declare the end of the Cold War that began shortly after the end of World War II. The meeting comes days after both countries announce they would stop aiming nuclear missiles at each other. Russia declares its 11 former communist satellite republics – from Armenia to Uzbekistan – independent.

1993: The EU Becomes Reality

• Date: Nov. 1

• Location: Brussels

The Treaty of the European Union, also known as the Maastricht Treaty, goes into effect in November, after a rough series of political wrangling that, among other concessions, allows the U.K. and Denmark to opt out of the common euro currency. The treaty opens the way to removing border controls among member states and invites new members to join the union.

1994: Amazon.com is Born

• Date: July 5

• Location: Seattle

With an initial aim of becoming an online bookstore, Jeff Bezos and a handful of angel investors launch Amazon.com, just as e-commerce is about to take off. In 2020, after expanding from books to the so-called “Everything Store” and growing a business selling cloud services to companies like Netflix and Instagram, Bezos would be the world’s richest man.

1995: Domestic Terror Strikes Oklahoma

• Date: April 19

• Location: Oklahoma City

In the deadliest domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history, anti-government radicals Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols bomb the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. They time the truck-bomb attack for a weekday morning in order to maximize casualties. For the murder of at least 168 people, including 19 children who were in a childcare center in the building, and the injury of hundreds of others, an unremorseful McVeigh is executed by lethal injection on June 11, 2001. Nichols is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

1996: The Dawn of Cloning

• Date: July 5

• Location: Midlothian, Scotland, U.K.

Dolly the Sheep enters the annals of bioengineering when scientists at Scotland's Roslin Institute become the first to not only successfully clone a mammal, but also the first to do so using an adult cell rather than an embryonic one. After 277 so-called cell fusions that created 29 embryos, the teams managed to turn an udder cell into a nearly complete biological carbon copy of the sheep from which it came.

1997: Machine Tops Chess Champ

• Date: May 11

• Location: New York City

Artificial intelligence and machine learning have been serious areas of study (and hype) for over 60 years. In 1997, one of the most significant victories for silicon logic came when IBM's Deep Blue became the first machine to beat a world chess champion. The the refrigerator-sized computer beat Garry Kasparov twice and tied him three times in a six-game match.

1998: The Age of Google Begins

• Date: Sept. 4

• Location: Menlo Park, California

With seed money from Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, among others, Stanford University Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin launch the search engine Google. The digital advertising behemoth Google Inc., now Alphabet Inc., is a $1.104 trillion company with several subsidiaries, including video-sharing platform YouTube; autonomous-car development company Waymo; and X, the company’s research and development division.

1999: NATO's First Independent Strike

• Date: March 24

• Location: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

In order to expel Serbian forces from Kosovo during the Kosovo War, NATO forces initiate their first-ever military campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now Montenegro and Serbia) without U.N. Security Council authorization as Russia and China oppose the attack. The NATO air strikes are aimed at stopping an onslaught against ethnic Albanians by the government of Slobodan Milošević. The NATO attacks last nearly three months, culminating in the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo.

2000: International Space Station Opens

• Date: Nov. 2

• Location: Low earth orbit

Commanders Bill Shepherd from the United States and Yuri Gidzenko of Russia, along with Russian flight engineer Sergei Krikalev become the first temporary residents of the International Space Station two years after the first component of the research center was put into low-Earth orbit about 250 miles above sea level. Since that first crew, there have been 229 other visitors to the ISS, some of them multiple times, led by 146 from the United States and 47 from Russia.

2001: 9/11

• Date: Sept. 11

• Location: Multiple

In the worst attack on U.S. soil since the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, 19 hijackers inspired by Islamist extremism kill nearly 3,000 people after crashing three passenger-laden commercial aircraft into the World Trade Center towers in lower Manhattan and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth plane, United Airlines 93, crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew attempt to regain control of the plane headed Washington D.C.

2002: Homeland Security

• Date: Nov. 25

• Location: Washington D.C.

Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the U.S. Congress and President George W. Bush enact the Homeland Security Act, the biggest government reorganization of national security efforts since the Department of Defense was created in 1947. The sweeping legislation creates the massive Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for everything from protecting infrastructure from cyber-attacks to managing the new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.

2003: US Crushes Iraq

• Date: March 19

• Location: Iraq

With the help of British and other allied forces, the United States begins its invasion of Iraq with a rapid bombing "Shock and Awe" campaign with the intention of destroying Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction; the weapons are never found. Coalition forces manage to quickly topple the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein, but have to fight insurgent forces for years afterward.

2004: Facebook Founded

• Date: Feb. 4

• Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Mark Zuckerberg, a 23-year-old Harvard University student, creates “The facebook,” a local social networking site named after the orientation materials that profiles students and faculty and given to incoming college freshmen. Sixteen years later, Facebook has become an $843.6 billion digital advertising behemoth so integral to many people’s lives that it has been criticized for helping foreign powers and propagandists influence the U.S. political system.

2005: Katrina Overwhelms New Orleans

• Date: Aug. 29

• Location: U.S. Gulf Coast

After spending four days in the Gulf of Mexico bulking up to a category 5 hurricane, Katrina slams into New Orleans, inundating the city and creating a humanitarian crisis that lasts for weeks. The catastrophe underscores the precarious situation not only in the Big Easy, but also the surrounding area of the Gulf Coast. At least 1,833 people in the storm's path are killed, and the storm inflicts $161 billion in damages to the region, the costliest storm in U.S. history.

2006: Hussein Executed

• Date: Dec. 30

• Location: Baghdad

Three years after U.S. soldiers pulled him from a hole in the ground where he had been hiding, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is hanged after he was convicted for crimes against humanity, specifically for ordering the massacre of 148 Shiites in 1982 following a failed assassination attempt against him.

2007: The iPhone

• Date: Jan. 9

• Location: San Francisco

Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who died in October 2011, first shows the world one of the most popular branded consumer electronic devices in history, the iPhone. Since the first generation phone that Jobs introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show that year, there have been 18 versions of the mobile device, and more than 1.2 billion units have been sold globally through 2017. Only Samsung's Galaxy smartphone comes close to that volume.

2008: Dow Plunges

• Date: Sept. 29

• Location: New York City

The Dow Jones Industrial Average records an intraday drop of 777.68 points after Congress rejects a massive $700 billion bailout of U.S. banks. The bill would pass days later. The market reacts also to months of global market turmoil amid the 2008 global financial crisis spurred by the U.S. subprime mortgage market crash. The Dow fell by more than half during the 2007-09 Great Recession, tumbling from 14,164 on Oct. 9, 2007 to 6,594 on March 5, 2009.

2009: America’s First African American President

• Date: Jan. 20

• Location: Washington D.C.

After defeating Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona by amassing 365 electoral votes and 53% of the popular vote, Barack Obama is sworn in as the first African American president of the United States. Obama inherits the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, but with his party holding majorities in both houses of Congress at the time, the president is able to pass a stimulus package and his signature Affordable Care Act in March 2010.

2010: Catastrophic Oil Spill

• Date: April 20

• Location: Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana

Eleven workers die and 17 are injured after an explosion and fire erupts on the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig 40 miles from the Louisiana coast. The explosion causes the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history, spewing 3 million barrels of crude over the three months it takes to stop the leak. British oil company BP says costs climbed to $65 billion in claims for the accident, including a $1.7 billion charge it took as recently as the fourth quarter of 2017.

2011: Bin Laden Killed

• Date: May 2

• Location: Abbottabad, Pakistan

In an intense 40-minute nighttime firefight, 25 U.S. Navy SEALs hunt down and kill al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Within hours, bin Laden’s body is identified using DNA and then buried at sea.

2012: The "God Particle" Is (Probably) Discovered

• Date: July 4

• Location: Near Geneva

Nearly 600 feet below the France-Switzerland border at CERN's Large Hadron Collider Facility, an international team of scientists discovers a new particle widely believed to be the elusive Higgs boson, known as the "God Particle," which is thought to be a fundamental component of the universe. Higgs boson has been an important element of particle physics theory for decades, but until 2012 there had been no physical evidence to support its existence.

2013: Snowden Reveals Secrets

• Date: June 6

• Location: Hong Kong

After surreptitiously leaving his job at U.S. National Security Agency contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, computer security consultant Edward Snowden meets secretly in Hong Kong with journalists Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras. He reveals the first of a series of secrets about numerous U.S. and European government surveillance operations. Hailed as a courageous whistleblower and privacy champion by some, and a traitor that compromised counterterrorism efforts by others, the American now resides in exile in Moscow.

2014: Russian Bear Bites Ukraine

• Date: March 16

• Location: Crimea

Exploiting political unrest in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin orchestrates the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. The action incites peals of condemnation from world leaders and a raft of economic sanctions against Moscow. This strategically important and predominantly Russian-speaking region on the Black Sea has been coveted by the Russians as part of their strategic efforts to check NATO expansion along Russia's western border.

2015: NASA Flies by Pluto

• Date: July 14

• Location: 3 billion miles from Earth

NASA spacecraft New Horizons becomes the first human-made object to fly past and observe the dwarf planet Pluto. New Horizons sends back stunning photographs of this enigmatic and distant member of the solar system, including images of a mountain range and massive icebergs floating in frozen nitrogen. New Horizons is now en route to the Kuiper Belt, a massive asteroid belt at the far reaches of the solar system.

2016: Trump Elected

• Date: Nov. 8

• Location: U.S.

Running on a populist agenda, Donald Trump is elected the 45th president of the United States and the fifth president in U.S. history (the second since the 2000) to win despite losing the popular vote. The real estate developer and television personality ran on a platform of putting "America First" in global trade and foreign policy negotiations and cracking down on undocumented immigrants.

2017: Hurricane Triple Whammy

• Date: August-September

• Location: Multiple

Within just four weeks, three massive hurricanes – Harvey, Irma, and Maria – strike Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean, killing 228 people, inflicting a combined $265 billion in damages, and displacing millions of homeowners. Hurricane Maria inflicts immense damage to the U.S. commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which was already struggling from economic insolvency.

2018: Wildfires

• Date: November

• Location: Northern California

Wildfires engulfed northern California in November, the deadliest in that state’s history. The catastrophe cost the lives of 88 people and fire consumed 18,500 homes and businesses. State and federal officials estimated that it would cost $3 billion to clean up debris. Climate change activists said the conflagrations were evidence that global warming is no longer a distant concern and that it is occurring now.

2019:Hong Kong Protests

• Date: Beginning in March

• Location: Hong Kong

Residents of the small economic powerhouse of Hong Kong, which was given special administrative region status as a condition to its handover to China from Great Britain, protested a proposed extradition bill in March. That led to other mass demonstrations in Hong Kong throughout the year over concerns China was trying to erode Hong Kong’s autonomy.

People power manifested itself in protests in other nations as well in 2019, with demonstrations leading to the ouster of presidents in Algeria and Sudan.

2020: COVID-19

• Date: March

• Location: Worldwide

A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, that causes the disease COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. The virus spread to Europe and the United States in early 2020 and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11. The outbreak reached virtually every nation on Earth, leading to countrywide lockdowns, massive layoffs, business closures, and school shutdowns. As of Aug. 26, the pandemic claimed more than 820,000 lives worldwide, including about 179,000 people in the U.S. COVID-19 has become the worst pandemic since the Spanish flu in 1918.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Graceland: The history of Elvis' home in Memphis. Here are 40 facts

Graceland opened to the public on June 7, 1982.

That was 40 years ago.

Forty!

Seems like a significant number.

When Elvis died on Aug. 16, 1977, he was only 42.

He had lived at Graceland for 20 years. So, the house, in a way, has been home to Elvis' legacy for twice as long as it was home to Elvis.

How to tell the story of Graceland? Here's one way: 40 facts to mark that 40th anniversary.

Actually, you'll find many more than 40 facts below. But the list is numbered 1 through 40, for the sake of symmetry and convenience. (In any case, math never was my strong suit; neither, according to his 6th-grade report card, was it Elvis'.)

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40 facts about Graceland

1. The Graceland name predates the mansion. Owner Stephen C. Toof, a Memphis commercial printer, named his "Graceland Farms" property for his daughter, Grace, who inherited the land when her father died in 1894.

2. Grace's niece, Ruth Moore, referred to in newspaper reports as a "socialite" and "musical prodigy," and her husband, Thomas Moore, a doctor, built the Colonial Revival (sometimes called "Classical Revival") mansion in 1939. Before Elvis expanded it, the house contained 10,266 square feet.

3. Elvis purchased Graceland — the house, the barn and the 13.8 acres of land — on March 19, 1957, for $102,500. The home's Whitehaven location was relatively isolated and rural, unlike Elvis' previous address at 1034 Audubon Drive in East Memphis. Elvis immediately began adding to the mansion, expanding the house to 17,552 square feet and 23 rooms. The mansion would be his Memphis home for 20 years.

4. Lisa Marie Presley is the sole owner of the Graceland mansion and its original grounds. Under the terms of Elvis' will, she inherited the property in 1993, when she turned 25. (Meanwhile, Elvis Presley Enterprises, a corporate entity of the Elvis Presley Trust, manages Graceland's operations as well as most other business dealings related to Elvis, his legacy and his likeness.)

5. Graceland was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Nov. 7, 1991. It was the first rock-and-roll-related site to be so honored.

6. Graceland was declared a National Historic Landmark on March 27, 2006. Again, it was the first rock-and-roll-related site to be so honored.

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7. The Historic Landmark documentation provides a detailed, even literary description of Graceland: "The house was constructed at the top of a hill, almost at the center of the property in a grove of oaks, with rolling pastures in front and behind it, and a western exposure towards the Mississippi River. A curving driveway, bordered by a six-inch concrete curb lined with small electric lights along the outside edge, approaches from the state highway at the foot of the hill and forms a large loop that passes in front of the house and returns back down the hill."

8. The document continues: "The house is a two-story, five bay residence in the Classical Revival style with a side-facing gabled roof covered in asphalt shingles, a central two-story projecting pedimented portico, and one-story wings on its north and south sides. The front and side facades of the central block are veneered with Tishomingo limestone from Mississippi..."

9. The familiar pink Alabama fieldstone wall that fronts the property was erected in 1957, to protect Presley's privacy and discourage trespassing fans. (It has not been entirely successful; see fact No. 15.) Since Elvis' death, the wall has served as a graffiti magnet and message board, with fans scrawling sometimes very personal sentiments or adding artwork tributes to the King to almost every available space on the rough but conveniently pale stone.

10. Built and erected by the Tennessee Fabricating Co. and Memphis' Dillard Door Co. at a total cost of about $2,700, the famous custom-built gates of Graceland — a "special double drive way gate," to quote the work order — were installed on April 22, 1957. With their stylized representations of a guitar-strumming Elvis set against a pattern of musical staffs and notes, the gates suggest the entryway to a musical heaven. The gates were restored in 1990 by the National Ornamental Metal Museum.

11. In a testimony to Elvis' influence, the City Council on June 29, 1971, unanimously approved a proposal to change the name of the five-mile stretch of South Bellevue between South Parkway and the Mississippi state line to "Elvis Presley Boulevard"; the street address of Graceland thus became 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard. The first sign was put in place during a January 1972 ceremony that was attended by Mayor Wyeth Chandler and Elvis' father, Vernon Presley.

12. A highlight of any Graceland tour, the ornamental stained-glass peacocks that flank the open doorway between the living room and the music room were added by the Laukhuff Stained Glass Company of Memphis in 1974.

13. Also in 1974, Elvis remodeled two basement hang-out rooms. Painted and decorated in yellow and black, the "TV Room" is notable for the three television sets built into the south wall, so Elvis could watch all three commercial networks at once (presumably, he wasn't much of a PBS fan), and for the spooky white monkey statuette on its center table. (The figure inspired "Porcelain Monkey," an Elvis lament by singer Warren Zevon: "Hip-shakin', shoutin' in gold lamé/ That's how he earned his regal sobriquet/ Then he threw it all away/ For a porcelain monkey.") Even more challenging to the eyeballs is the "Pool Room," its claustrophobic interior dominated by a central pool table and its walls and low ceiling covered in close to 400 yards of vividly multi-colored pleated fabric.

14. On Nov. 24, 1976, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis' contemporary and onetime rock-and-roll rival, was arrested at about 3 a.m. outside Graceland, after he drove up to the gates in his Lincoln Continental Mark IV and demanded to see Elvis, while "screaming and yelling and waving a Derringer in the air" (according to the testimony of a guard at the gates, as quoted in The Commercial Appeal). Police confirmed that the Killer's "two-shot .38 caliber Derringer" was loaded (as, apparently, was Lewis).

15. A less troublesome trespasser was Bruce Springsteen, who, on April 29, 1976, after making his Memphis concert debut at the old Ellis Auditorium, took a taxi to Graceland, accompanied by E Street Band guitar player "Miami" Steve Van Zandt. According to an oft-repeated story, when the Boss saw a light on inside the mansion, he had an urge to meet the King. As Springsteen told a concert crowd in 1985, when introducing a cover of Elvis' "Follow That Dream": "I said, 'Steve, man, I gotta go check it out.' And I jumped up over the wall and I started runnin' up the driveway, which when I look back on it now was kind of a stupid thing to do because I hate it when people do it at my house... Guards came out of the woods and they asked me what I wanted. And I said, 'Is Elvis home?' Then they said, 'No, no, Elvis isn't home, he's in Lake Tahoe'. [Which was true.] So, I started to tell 'em that I was a guitar player and that I had my own band, and that we played in town that night, and that I made some records. And I even told 'em I had my picture on the cover of Time and Newsweek. I had to pull out all the stops to try to make an impression, you know. I don't think he believed me, though, 'cause he just kinda stood there noddin' and then he took me by the arm and put me back out on the street with Steve."

16. In addition to rock-and-rollers, Graceland attracted many animals. Pets owned by Elvis included Scatter, a chimpanzee, and Bambi, a squirrel monkey. Some exotic animal gifts were donated to the Memphis Zoo, including two wallabies, sent by Australian fans.

17. The animals with the longest history at Graceland were horses. Elvis' reputed favorite was Rising Sun, a golden palomino. Mare Ingram was a mare, named after Memphis Mayor William B. Ingram. Some other horses owned by Elvis and housed in Graceland's air-conditioned barn included Flaming Star, Thundercloud, Star Trek and a Tennessee Walking Horse named Ebony's Double, which was the last horse Elvis bought.

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18. After rigging the Jungle Room into a home studio, Elvis made his final recordings inside Graceland, in February and October 1976. Featuring members of his touring band, including such legends as guitarist James Burton and drummer Ronnie Tutt, the sessions provided the foundation for the singer's last two studio albums, "From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee" and "Moody Blue" (which was released less than a month before the singer's death), and yielded the last three Top 40 pop chart singles of his lifetime: "Hurt," "Moody Blue" and "Way Down."

19. Built in 1975, the two-story racquetball building behind the mansion contained an upright piano. Elvis sat at that piano not long before he died on Aug. 16, 1977, performing "Unchained Melody" and "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain." Later, upstairs at Graceland, Elvis' girlfriend, Ginger Alden, discovered Presley on his bathroom floor. He was taken to Baptist Hospital on Union Avenue and pronounced dead.

20. Elvis' funeral was held on Aug. 18, 1977, at Graceland. The eulogy was delivered by Jackie Kahane, a standup comic who opened many Presley concerts in the 1970s. At Vernon Presley's request, a public viewing of the body was held in the foyer of the mansion the day before, attracting 10,000 to 25,000 mourners. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of other fans congregated during the week along Elvis Presley Boulevard.

21. Originally interred about four miles north of Graceland inside the Forest Hill Cemetery Midtown mausoleum on Elvis Presley Boulevard, the bodies of Elvis and his mother, Gladys Presley, were moved to the Meditation Garden at Graceland on Oct. 2, 1977. The move came after the Aug. 29 arrest of three men in a plot to steal Elvis' body from Forest Hill and hold it for ransom. With its circular pool, fountains, stained-glass panels and Ancient World-looking columns, the Meditation Garden had been constructed in 1964 and '65.

22. Five people are buried in the Meditation Garden. Using the spellings that appear on the grave markers, these people include Elvis Aaron Presley ("Aron" is the way the name appears on Elvis' birth certificate, marriage certificate and driver's licenses); Elvis' father, Vernon Elvis Presley; his mother, Gladys Love Smith Presley; his grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley; and the grandson he never met, Benjamin Storm Presley Keough, the son of Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. The Garden also contains a marker for Elvis' stillborn twin, Jessie Garon Presley, who was buried in an unmarked grave in Tupelo. ("Jessie" is spelled "Jesse" in most other sources.)

23. The gravesite is the focus of the annual Candlelight Vigil that draws thousands of fans to Graceland every year, to promenade to the Meditation Garden on the anniversary of Elvis' death. The vigil originally was a fan-generated event, but it soon was embraced by Elvis Presley Enterprises and made the centerpiece of Graceland's annual "Elvis Week" August activities. The first vigil was held in 1978, when fans from the Austin, Texas-based Elvis Country Fan Club traveled to Graceland to pay their respects to the King by lighting candles outside the gates.

24. Family members continued to live at Graceland after Elvis' death, including Vernon Presley, who died in 1979, and Minnie Mae Presley, who died in 1980. But the hardiest post-Elvis Graceland resident was Delta Mae Presley Biggs, known to family and fans alike as "Aunt Delta." The sister of Vernon Presley, Aunt Delta moved to Graceland in 1966, after the death of her husband, and continued to live in the mansion even after it was opened to the public, until her death on July 29, 1993, at 74. During this time, the Graceland kitchen and bedroom frequented by Delta remained off-limits to tourists; they were added to the tour after her death.

25. Graceland was opened to the public on June 7, 1982. Admission was $5. Attendance through the end of that year exceeded 330,000 — well above projections. Now, the cheapest available Graceland ticket that includes the mansion tour is $77 (or $44 for a kid, 5-10); yearly attendance is about 500,000.

26. On Feb. 22, 1984, Elvis’ two private jets — the Lisa Marie and the Hound Dog II — arrived in Memphis and were transported down Elvis Presley Boulevard to their present location, across the street from the mansion. The Lisa Marie is a Convair 880 with a cruising speed of about 615 mph that seats about 28 people; Elvis bought it from Delta Airlines in 1975 for $250,000 and fitted it with a private bedroom with a queen-size bed; four televisions; and a 52-speaker stereo system. The Hound Dog II, which can host only about 10 passengers, is a Lockheed JetStar.

27. In 1994, the live tour guides that had been a fixture at Graceland were replaced by "audio guides" — audiotapes with headphones that visitors wear as they tour the mansion. The audio guides are available in nine languages: English, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and French.

28. On May 30, 2016, Graceland welcomed its 20 millionth visitor since its conversion to a tourist attraction. Accompanied by husband Robert Greenoak, Tiffany Greenoak, 31, of London, England, was designated lucky No. 20,000,000. “We played Elvis music at our wedding, so for us as a couple, this trip to Memphis has tremendous meaning," said Mrs. Greenoak. The couple was given a private tour and received a congratulatory phone call from Priscilla Presley, who was married to Elvis from 1967 to 1973. (Priscilla's wedding took place not at Graceland but at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas.)

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29. On June 30, 2006, President George W. Bush became the first sitting U.S. President to visit Graceland when he, first lady Laura Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi took a private tour of the mansion, led by Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie. The reason: Koizumi — who shares Elvis' Jan. 8 birthday — is a Presley superfan. According to press reports, he said visiting Graceland was like a "dream," and serenaded the Bushes and Presleys during the tour with song snippets, crooning, "Hold me close, hold me tight," and "Love me tender."

30. As chronicled on the "Celebrity Visitors to Graceland" snapshot gallery on the Elvis website, other notables who have visited Graceland in recent years include — to name just a few — Dua Lipa, Vanilla Ice, Tom Brokaw, Gilbert Gottfried, Dolph Lundgren, Chris Tucker, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Bill Nye (the Science Guy), demonic Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, the Foo Fighters and the pre-divorce duo of Russell Brand and Katy Perry. (Not pictured: Prince William and Prince Harry, who visited Graceland in 2014.)

31. Paul McCartney visited Graceland on May 26, 2013, and tweeted a picture of himself leaving a guitar pick on Elvis' grave. He reportedly told onlookers the gesture was "so Elvis can play in heaven."

32. The 450-room Guest House at Graceland opened on Oct. 27, 2016, north of the mansion on Elvis Presley Boulevard. The hotel space includes a 464-seat theater and four bars and restaurants. It effectively replaced the 128-room Heartbreak Hotel, a remodeled 1986 Wilson World lodge that Graceland remodeled and reopened in 1999.

33. A casualty of Graceland expansion was the so-called Graceland Crossing shopping plaza, an L-shaped strip mall of independent Elvis souvenir shops located across the street and to the north of the mansion. A popular Elvis Week hangout for fans, who gathered in a tent in the plaza parking lot to listen to performances by tribute artists (this reporter once ran into Jackson Browne there), the space was bought by Graceland and closed in 2017.

34. Located in a secluded space between the Guest House and the mansion, the Graceland Chapel in the Woods lived up to its "Love Me Tender" mission on Aug. 13, 2018, when Memphis-based Elvis fans Julie Guardado and Marc Caudel — who had met during Elvis Week 2015 — became the first couple to be married in the then-new chapel.

35. Also among the structures now on the grounds of Graceland is the Elvis Presley archive: a climate-controlled cinderblock building that houses much of the estate's estimated 1.5 million documents, photographs, wardrobe items, musical instruments and other Elvis-connected objects.

36. The ambitious centerpiece of an attempt to expand the Elvis experience beyond the mansion, Elvis Presley’s Memphis opened on March 2, 2017. Located on the Graceland campus across the street from the house, the $45 million, 40-acre complex includes restaurants, shops, exhibit space and The Soundstage at Graceland, which has become one of the city's busiest venues, hosting concerts by such artists as Tanya Tucker, X, the Monkees (with Michael Nesmith, just two months before his death) and the other Elvis, Costello.

37. Graceland is closed to visitors only on Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, on March 20, 2020, Graceland closed — like many public places in Shelby County — due to Health Department mandates related to the coronavirus pandemic. It reopened May 21, with a number of whimsical Elvis-themed cautions in place. "Don't Forget to Social Distance" counseled the campus' illustrated signs, which represented the recommended six-feet-of-separation as a measurement equal to "6 teddy bears," "3 hound dogs," "2 guitars" or "1 Elvis."

38. Excluding the Guest House, Graceland has 231 employees — 160 of whom work fulltime.

39. In 2018, the Hallmark Channel holiday movie "Christmas at Graceland," starring American Idol contestant turned country music hit-maker Kellie Pickler, became the first fiction film to be shot on the grounds of the Elvis Presley estate. A ratings smash for the channel, it inspired two HCU (Hallmark Cinematic Universe) follow-ups, "Wedding at Graceland" and "Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays."

40. From its 1982 public opening through May 2022, Graceland has attracted just under 23 million visitors, according to figures supplied by Graceland. With some 600,000 "guests" per year, the Elvis estate is the second most-visited "house museum" in the United States, according to Forbes. The first is the White House.

50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery:Court Square was packed Sunday for the unveiling of a new statue of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. At least 400 people showed up for the unveiling of the statue at the downtown site where Parks got on the bus the day she was arrested, a key moment in the civil rights movement. The unveiling was part of several tributes to the day Parks was arrested for refusing to give her seat to a white man on a city bus on Dec. 1, 1955. Her arrest was one of the events that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott that challenged segregation on public buses. Along with the Parks memorial, the city presented two historic markers for the plaintiffs of Browder v. Gayle – the landmark case that ruled segregation on Montgomery buses was unconstitutional. Fred Gray, the attorney who defended Parks and many other civil rights heroes, sat in the second row for the unveiling. The civil rights memorials are a partnership between the city of Montgomery, Montgomery County, the Alabama Department of Tourism and the Montgomery Area Business Committee for the Arts. Clydetta Fulmer was the artist commissioned to complete the statue of Parks.

Alaska

Anchorage: The Anchorage Assembly approved funds to study how the city would build a waste-to-energy incineration plant to contend with its landfill limits, officials said. The assembly approved $100,000 from its Solid Waste Services budget Tuesday to fund a plan to be completed in 90 days, The Anchorage Daily News reported Thursday. The $300 million to $400 million plant would require seven to 10 years of work before opening, officials said. The landfill in Eagle River has an estimated 42 operational years left, and an incineration plant would increase that lifespan to 177 years, Anchorage Solid Waste Services Manager Mark Spafford said. Other options include sending trash north to the Matanuska-Susitna Valley or removing it by water using a barge, although neither are economically viable, Spafford said. The study does not commit the city to build the plant, but would give officials a better idea of costs, time needed and benefits, Spafford said. While burning the city’s garbage, the plant would produce 20 to 30 megawatts of power at peak capacity. Anchorage now produces 7.2 megawatts from methane captured at the landfill, officials said. The plant could also burn sludge from Anchorage Water & Wastewater Utility, eliminating the need for a new $100 million incinerator for the utility, Spafford said.

Arizona

Phoenix:Three tornadoes touched down in the metro Phoenix area early Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service. “I can tell you that even getting one (in Phoenix) is pretty rare and getting one from this type of weather system is not too common,” said Andrew Deemer, a meteorologist with the weather service. The first confirmed tornado occurred about 4 a.m. in the Gilbert area of Williams Field Road and the Loop 202, the agency tweeted about 7 p.m. Friday. The second tornado occurred about the same time in the Queen Creek-area while the third occurred in the Paradise Valley-area, it added. Although they were estimated to be weak tornadoes, the agency said each caused damage ranging from downed trees and power poles to damaged roofs. Two tornado warnings were briefly in effect early Friday morning when the rain hit the Valley and snow caused freeway closures and power outages in the high country. The agency tweeted that on May 4, 1976, and Feb. 13, 1992, three tornadoes touched down in Maricopa County each day. Deemer said in 2010, the Flagstaff/Bellemont area had three strong tornadoes around the same time. The Valley last had a tornado in September when one touched down around New River.

Arkansas

Mountain Home:Sgt. Ken Grayham of the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office rescued an adult barred owl that had been hit by a vehicle on state highway 5 a few miles north of Midway. Grayham responded to the call because there were no Game & Fish Commission officers nearby. Taking a dispatcher’s recommendation, Grayham dropped his raincoat over the bird and after a brief struggle, was able to get the owl into his patrol car. He took the owl to All Creatures Veterinary Hospital in Mountain Home. Dr. Darcy Stephenson, he hospital’s avian expert, said the owl will lose sight in its eye and that the incident caused its brain to swell. That’s the primary concern now for the bird’s health. “We’ll keep an eye on him pretty closely today to monitor the swelling,” Stephenson said. “But he’s already flying around in his cage in the isolation room so that’s a good sign.” Once the bird heals from its injuries, it will be released back into the wild, despite losing sight in its eye. “Owls don’t hunt by sight,” Stephenson said. “They hunt by sound and by smell so the loss of the eye will not impact his ability to feed himself.”

California

Oxnard: Authorities said a garage fire has displaced three people and a large number of reptiles. The Ventura County Star reported Sunday that firefighters found a dozen or two dozen reptiles after battling an electric fire in a detached garage on Saturday. Oxnard Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve McNaughten said the animals included a boa constrictor and a 6-foot-long lizard. He said several animals died in the blaze in the city about 60 miles west of Los Angeles. McNaughten said the Red Cross typically helps with displaced house pets but additional help was sought because of the large number of reptiles.

Colorado

Fort Collins:Housing Catalyst, an agency that helps provide affordable housing, will be able to provide housing for 34 more nonelderly residents with disabilities through a $300,000 grant from U.S. Housing and Urban Development. Housing Catalyst is one of seven public housing agencies in Colorado and 325 across the country to share in a $131.3 million grant. The grant is part of HUD’s Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program that provides funding to agencies to help people with disabilities, particularly those who are homeless, previously homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, transitioning out of institutional or other separated settings, or at serious risk of institutionalization, according to a press release from HUD announcing the grant. Housing Catalyst had to get other partner agencies to commit to providing things like home modifications, housing search assistance and tenancy support to win the grant, said Michele Christensen, chief operating officer of Housing Catalyst. The agency is still evaluating the best way to notify those who meet the eligibility criteria and create an application process, Christensen said. HUD has not released the funds yet, so it is unlikely the vouchers would be given out before the new year.

Connecticut

Hartford: It’s unknown whether efforts next year to make the seasonal flu vaccine more accessible to children will get any traction. Given the anticipated debate about whether to end Connecticut’s religious exemption from certain childhood vaccinations, the CEO of the Connecticut Pharmacists Association said his group doesn’t plan to push for a bill in the next regular legislative session that would allow young people to get a flu shot from a pharmacist. Nathan Tinker said concerns raised by parents skeptical about the safety of vaccines could impede efforts to make the flu vaccine more accessible. Groton Sen. Heather Somers, a Republican, said she still plans to resurrect the bill when lawmakers return in February. She said the legislation will save lives. Currently, pharmacists can only administer flu shots to adults.

Delaware

New Castle:Firefighters worked Thursday afternoon to control a blaze that tore through a home near New Castle. Multiple fire companies responded to the incident at a one-story house on the 20 block of Jay Drive. Smoke poured out of a broken front windows and crews were seen tearing through the roof and garage walls. At about 4:30 p.m., the fire was under control, a dispatcher said. He could not provide information about the extent of the damage or if anyone was injured. Neighbors who were gathered around the scene said residents of the house did not appear to be home on the holiday. Andrea Flores, who lives around the corner, said she and other neighbors called the fire department when they saw smoke at about 3:30 p.m. There were no cars in the driveway.

District of Columbia

Washington:An annual event that features some of the district’s top chefs is back to help support a local foundation's commitment to empowering communities in rural India, WUSA-TV reported. The Vicente Ferrer Foundation USA is holding its annual Recipe for Empowerment Gala on Dec. 7. The foundation is celebrating 50 years of work in India. The event will feature Indian, American and Spanish cuisine from area chefs. Some of them include: K.N Vinod from Indique, Rahul Vinod from RASA, Carlos Gomez from La Taberna del Alabardero and Danny Lledó from Slate Wine Bar and Xiquet, among others, the foundation said. There will also be a silent and live auction. For decades, the organization has focused on supporting women, people with disabilities and marginalized farmers in health care, agriculture, education and rural infrastructure with a grassroots approach, the foundation said.

Florida

Jacksonville: Glenn Pitts lived a quiet life after World War II as a laundry manager, building contractor and landlord, but a friend’s tip led to the 94-year-old to receive the Legion of Honor for his part in liberating France. On Nov. 22, the French government named Pitts a knight of the Legion of Honor, its highest distinction, for his part in liberating France from Nazi occupation 75 years ago. “We know what we owe you and your brothers,” Laurent Gallissot, France’s consul general in Miami, told the 94-year-old Army veteran during a ceremony at Jacksonville City Hall. France decided in 2004 – the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landing – to award the medal to any U.S. veteran who had fought on French soil and requested the honor. Drafted when he was 18, Pitts, a native of Eastman, Ga., learned to operate a water-cooled .30-calibre machine gun that could fire hundreds of rounds per minute. He was a private in the Army’s 63rd Infantry Division when he was deployed to Marseilles in December 1944. He was still in Germany when the Nazi government surrendered in May 1945 and was reassigned to a Signal Corps unit where he finished out his service.

Georgia

Lawrenceville: One of Georgia’s largest counties has created a special jail unit just for military veterans. “The Barracks” is aimed at giving veterans behind bars a better chance of success when they’re released, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Gwinnett County’s program joins a broader trend of finding creative ways to help veterans caught up in the justice system. It is among more than 120 U.S. prisons and jails that have separate cell blocks dedicated to military veterans, according to the National Institute for Corrections. Most of them have been added in recent years. Gwinnett County’s program launched in November, and it’s still getting ramped up. There will soon be extra programs and services to help incarcerated veterans, the newspaper reported. The Barracks was the brainchild of Chief Deputy Lou Solis, a retired Army Ranger who joined the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office about two years ago.

Hawaii

Hilo: State officials have announced plans to expand the Big Island’s only jail by adding a $12.8 million medium-security building amid concerns about overcrowding. West Hawaii Today reported Friday that the Hawaii Community Correctional Center was designed to hold 226 inmates across two Hilo campuses, but recorded more than 400 inmates last month. Jail warden Peter Cabreros said the jail processes about 5,000 inmates a year. Officials said construction of the new unit is about a year away. Officials said an environmental assessment anticipates room for up to 144 inmates, but funds allow 48 beds in two-bed cells and an optional expansion for another 32 beds. Some neighbors opposed the expansion saying the jail is too close to nearby schools less than 500 feet from the facility.

Idaho

Boise: A Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in downtown Boise has been delayed because the tree fell over. The Idaho Statesman reported that the 45-year-old evergreen toppled sometime Thursday night. The ceremony, which brings a crowd to the Grove in downtown Boise every year, had been set for Friday night. The Downtown Boise Association said it will reschedule the event and that more information will be available next week. It’s not clear why the tree fell. Meanwhile, the annual Idaho Capitol Christmas tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for Monday between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in front of the Capitol building.

Illinois

Savoy: More than $20 million in construction is planned at Willard Airport in central Illinois during the next two years. The News-Gazette reported that the work includes reconstruction of a runway, and added taxiway and a redone entrance road to the University of Illinois-owned airport in Savoy. Airport officials also expect a new U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility to be completed and opened early next year. Airport Executive Director Tim Bannon said that means private international flights can arrive direct, rather than stopping elsewhere to clear customs. Long-term, airport officials hope to secure federal funding to renovate the terminal that was built in 1988 and add an air control traffic tower. But Bannon said requests for that funding through the Federal Aviation Administration can take time.

Indiana

Gary: Blast furnace operations are expected to be restored at U.S. Steel’s Gary Works mill several days after flooding at the facility. The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported that the company hopes to bring its steel-making operations back online in the coming days. U.S. Steel spokeswoman Amanda Malkowski said a service water leak was reported Wednesday near blast furnace operations and, as a precaution, the company stopped the furnaces and steel production. United Steelworkers District 7 Director Mike Millsap said the leak was from a massive pipe that brings Lake Michigan water into the mill to cool furnaces and other steel-making equipment. Crews worked over the Thanksgiving holiday to remove the water.

Iowa

Amana: State officials are hoping to reduce water pollution by addressing problems in the small waterways that zigzag throughout the state, and they believe something as simple as name awareness can help. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reported that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation have partnered since 2014 to install more than 900 creek name signs across the state. Stephen Hopkins of the DNR said the focus is on areas with past watershed improvement projects, ongoing work or assessments that might lead to future projects. One project is at Price Creek, a 13-mile stream that passes through Amana before flowing into the Iowa River. Price Creek Watershed project coordinator Rose Danaher has been leading efforts to reduce manure flow into the creek. Price Creek signs were installed on Highway 151. The creek, named after early settler Abraham Price, is on Iowa’s list of impaired waters because of high bacteria levels. The signage is a small part of the effort to make it cleaner. Efforts include fencing out cattle, helping farmers manage manure and replacing failing septic tanks. The $50,000 spent so far on the creek sign program comes from a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designed to clean up waterways impaired by nonpoint source pollution, which can come from sources including agriculture and industry. Part of the money is to be used for raising awareness, such as through signage.

Kansas

Topeka: The toll of massive flooding in Kansas is proving to be high for the agency that operates state parks. KCUR reported that the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism will lose millions of dollars as a result of park closures, property damage and washed out park roads. In much of the state, heavy rains began in early spring and flooding was widespread into the summer. High water levels at reservoirs, where many state parks are located, inundated campgrounds, boat docks and roads. Parks Director Linda Lanterman said the timing was especially bad because May through August are the “Million-Dollar Months,” when revenue is at its highest. This year, state park revenue fell short in those four months. Even now, parts of a few state parks in eastern Kansas remain flooded, preventing the department from fully assessing the damage. Most parks opened by mid-July. Repairing damage will be a daunting task. Floodwaters cracked boat docks, washed away gravel from roads, filled restrooms with silt and removed chunks of land underneath concrete campsites and picnic table pads. Flooding also is killing many trees, preventing the roots from getting needed oxygen.

Kentucky

Richmond: Fort Boonesborough State Park is offering a glimpse of Christmas past with an event this week. The “18th Century Christmas at the Fort” is set for Dec. 6 and 7. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for ages 6 to 12 and free for anyone under 6. Admission includes refreshments, entertainment, crafts and photos with Father Christmas. Guests at the Friday event will be able to see the fort lit with candle lanterns and bonfires. Cabins will be decorated and occupied by living history interpreters. Period music and refreshments will be available in the Blockhouse Tavern with displays of foods from the time period. Children will have a chance to make a toy. Hours are 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 7.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: Anglers can now fish for red snapper seven days a week. State Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet signed a declaration of emergency this week to expand the season from weekends-only. The Courier reported the bonus season took effect Thanksgiving Day and will continue through noon Dec. 31, or when the state’s remaining catch quota of 27,582 pounds is reached. The red snapper season ran seven days a week from May 24 through mid-August. It switched to weekends-only after the state’s data-collection program determined fishermen had neared the 816,439-pound limit federal officials had set for Louisiana. The daily catch limit for snapper is two per person with a minimum total length of 16 inches. For more information on the extended red snapper season, visit www.wlf.louisiana.gov/red-snapper.

Maine

Portland: Two studies by Maine-based scientists suggest the U.S. lobster industry is heading for a period of decline, but likely not a crash. Lobster fishermen have brought in record hauls this decade. The new studies were published by University of Maine scientists. They showed a fishery in which warming waters have changed the dynamics of the lobster population. Noah Oppenheim is the author of one of the studies. He said his model projects the lobster catch in the Gulf of Maine “will return to previous historical levels.” That means tens of millions fewer pounds of lobster per year. Oppenheim and colleagues based their opinion on a finding that temperature and the number of young lobsters populating shallow coastal areas allow scientists to predict what lobster catches will look like in four to six years.

Maryland

Allegany County: A State Police helicopter hoisted an injured hiker to safety. Police said the helicopter was used Friday to rescue a hiker with a leg injury from a ravine in Allegany County. Police said the helicopter maneuvered into position about 200 feet above a steep ravine. A rescue technician was lowered down to help the hiker and the pair were lifted back up into the helicopter. The hiker was then transported to a local hospital.

Massachusetts

Boston: The Boston Pops Brass Ensemble will entertain travelers for free at Logan International Airport this week. The ensemble is scheduled to perform holiday hits at Logan’s Terminal B on Monday. The Pops will have a special giveaway and hot chocolate, coffee, tea, cold drinks and holiday treats including candy canes will be handed out to passengers. The festivities start at 11 a.m. The full Pops has just started its annual Holiday Pops on Tour schedule, which takes it to venues across the Northeast, as well as its home at Symphony Hall in Boston.

Michigan

Hannahville: An Upper Peninsula nonprofit organization is supporting a program that educates young people in the Hannahville Indian Community about the dangers of e-cigarettes. The Marquette-based Superior Health Foundation awarded an $11,518 grant to the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan for the Anishinaabe E-cigarette and JUUL Health Education Project. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for children and young adults. Health educator Kelly Hansen of the Hannahville Indian Community said JUUL products also pose risks. JUUL is a battery-powered e-cigarette that generates a nicotine-laced aerosol. Hansen said the tribal project will use a curriculum called “Catch my Breath” to provide teachers, parents and health professionals with information about e-cigarettes and help children make wise choices.

Minnesota

Bloomington: Recently released data from Syracuse University showed that pending immigration cases have increased 70% since last year in Minnesota’s Bloomington federal immigration court. The court handles cases from North Dakota and South Dakota in addition to Minnesota. Minnesota Public Radio reported that six immigration judges handle the cases for the three states. Minnesota has 13,703 pending cases, according to the data. It concludes that the backlog of cases is at a record high. More than a million cases are pending nationally. New York, California, and Texas have some of the highest numbers. North Dakota and South Dakota don’t have any pending cases. An immigration attorney attributes the rise in cases to stricter enforcement and not having enough judges to handle the caseload.

Mississippi

Hattiesburg: During a university course about the civil rights movement, Mississippi streets became classrooms where civil rights activists and local historians were teachers. University of Southern Mississippi Associate Professor Rebecca Tuuri said Mississippi was ground-zero for the movement. The university’s main campus is in Hattiesburg, where as many as one-third of the black residents participated in civil rights activism during the 1960s. Tuuri said in an interview that the real teachers were the people who lived through that time or preserved their memory and were willing to let students ask them questions. Graduate student Dani Kawa of Richmond, Virginia, said in a school news release that she was amazed by the resilience of civil rights activists, especially in Mississippi.

Missouri

St. Louis: The longtime leader of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has died. Relatives of James Buford said he died Friday at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis after a brief, undisclosed illness. He was 75. Buford was known for his work to try and bridge racial gaps between blacks and whites in St. Louis. He served as president of the St. Louis Urban League for nearly 30 years before retiring in 2013. Mayor Lyda Krewson called Buford a “strong leader of change” in the community. Buford was born in St. Louis in 1944. His father was one of the city’s first black police officers. Details about a memorial service have not yet been released.

Montana

Missoula: The University of Montana has announced a new course entitled “The Art and Science of Happiness,” joining other universities in adding the emotion to the curriculum. The Missoulian reported Wednesday that psychologists John and Rita Sommers-Flanagan are expected this spring to teach about the traits and habits that enable people to flourish. University professors said the course aims to make the research applicable to students’ lives by using contemporary approaches from mindfulness to emotion-monitoring phone applications. Professors said the students will be graded on knowledge-based assessments not on their state of being in the course. Officials said 28 students have registered as of Monday. Officials said a Harvard University course on the topic drew 900 students in 2006 and a similar course at Yale drew 1,200 students in 2018.

Nebraska

Lincoln: Eight months after massive floods washed out chunks of one of the nation’s longest stretches of trail, crews are still trying to repair the scenic pathway used by hikers, bikers and horse riders. The 195-mile-long Cowboy Trail through northern Nebraska was severely damaged during the March floods, and repair costs are estimated to top $7.7 million, according to a recent state budget request submitted to Gov. Pete Ricketts. At least 10 points along the trail were hit, including one 100-foot-long section blown out by the water. Most of the money will come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but state officials might have to cover $1.9 million of the expense. State officials might be able to cover some of the cost with other federal trail grants, but it’s not clear how much money Nebraska might receive. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has requested $187,000 from lawmakers in a budget request unveiled last month. Ricketts and lawmakers will decide whether to authorize the funding in the next legislative session that begins Jan. 8. State officials created the trail from an old, abandoned railroad line, a practice many local governments and nonprofits have adopted to brighten their communities. The trails are a big draw for bicyclists, runners, dog-walkers and others, and some small towns have used them to attract visitors. The Cowboy Trail stretches from Norfolk in the state’s northeast corner to Valentine, in the middle of remote, north-central Nebraska. State officials eventually hope to extend it to Chadron in northwest Nebraska, making it the nation’s longest rail-trail. Once completed, the full trail will run 321 miles through a scenic region of grass-covered sand dunes known as the Nebraska Sandhills.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Southern Nevada water officials said six trees and a dozen other plants commonly found in Las Vegas-area landscaping could see extreme heat stress in the warming climate. The Las Vegas Sun reported the water authority wants to warn people about some desert flora planted now with the hope of relying on its cooling properties in the decades to come. The Southern Nevada Water Authority has identified nonnative species like the purple leaf plum tree, the ash tree and elm trees, all of which were not well-suited for desert life. The authority’s conservation manager, Doug Bennett, said the plants are not certain to die but will be under increasing stress. Other trees like the palo verde and desert willow have a high heat tolerance and are expected to fare well.

New Hampshire

Concord: Holiday shoppers paying with $100 bills in downtown Concord should be prepared for some extra scrutiny after a spate of transactions involving counterfeit money. The Concord Monitor reported that at least two store owners have stopped accepting $100 bills, and others will be taking a closer look or only accepting newer versions that have more security features. Authorities said at least three local businesses took in false $100 bills earlier this month and didn’t find out until they tried to deposit them at the bank. Cashiers at The Works Cafe and Gibson’s Bookstore have stopped accepting the bills.

New Jersey

Wall Township: Officials said a clown sign that has smiled on motorists at a now-demolished drive-in for two-thirds of a century will be preserved. NJ.com reported that developers of a strip mall at the Wall Township site said they will donate the Circus Drive-In sign for preservation and display elsewhere. The Route 35 drive-in, a vestige of car culture with a white-and-red striped roof resembling an old-fashioned circus tent, closed in 2017. Developer Circus Partners LLC bought the site and demolished the building last year, and last week won planning board approval for the strip mall. But attorney Tim Middleton said the red, yellow, green and white sign featuring a smiling clown’s face will be offered to the township in hopes that it will be placed on public view.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: The city’s airport is getting international attention for its display of art. The Sunport’s Lowriders and Hot Rods Car Culture exhibit has landed a spot on the latest list of top airport exhibits in the world by the quarterly publication ArtDesk. The exhibit features an array of photos and a 1964 Chevrolet Impala. The airport also has a permanent collection of more than 100 pieces that include Native American, Hispanic and Southwestern works overseen by Max Baptiste, who has taken on the airport’s newly added role of art curator. Baptiste told Albuquerque television station KRQE he’s not surprised about the recent recognition since New Mexico is what he describes as “an amazing arts community.” He said the goal is to create a sense of pride and that airports are a great spot for doing that.

New York

Saranac Lake: An Adirondack Mountain village that was put on the map as a cure center for tuberculosis is honoring its novel legacy. Saranac Lake was once a mini-metropolis of medical care, but the boom ended with the rise of antibiotics. Now, a local history group has purchased the old home and medical office of TB treatment pioneer Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau for museum space. And developers bought Trudeau’s old sanitorium with plans to refurbish and reuse it.

North Carolina

McAdenville: A longtime yarn manufacturer is getting out of the textile business. Pharr announced last week it’s selling three of its five divisions early next year. News outlets reported Pharr Fibers & Yarns and Phenix Flooring will go to Mannington Mills, based in Salem, New Jersey. Pharr High Performance will be purchased by London-based Coats Group. Terms weren’t disclosed. The changes will leave McAdenville-based Pharr with its Belmont Land & Development real-estate arm and Strand Hospitality Services, which manages hotel properties. Privately owned Pharr has manufactured textile-mill yarn since 1939 and employs 1,200 workers. CEO Bill Carstarphen said Mannington Mills and Coats Group will retain Pharr’s workforce and operations in McAdenville and Dalton, Georgia. He said Pharr also will continue its annual “Christmas Town USA” light display in McAdenville.

North Dakota

Fargo: A bill meant to help law enforcement investigate cold cases of murdered and missing indigenous women that has floundered in Congress for two years might have the missing ingredients to become law – money and muscle. The money comes from an appropriations subcommittee chaired by Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who told the Associated Press that for the first time funding is being directed specifically to murdered and missing indigenous people. The muscle comes from the White House and specifically the Department of Justice, which last week unveiled a plan that would investigate issues raised in the bill like data collection practices and federal databases. It adds up to a strong outlook for Savanna’s Act, which was originally introduced in 2017 by Murkowski, Democratic Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Mastro and former North Dakota Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp. Murkowski and Heitkamp, longtime allies on issues affecting indigenous people, also created the Commission on Native Children, which recently held its first meeting. The bill is named for Savanna Greywind, a Native American North Dakota woman who was killed in 2017 when her baby was cut from her womb. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, chaired by North Dakota Republican John Hoeven, earlier this month advanced another version of the bill to the full Senate for consideration.

Ohio

Powell: The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium said a polar bear cub was born early Thursday morning to 13-year-old Aurora. The zoo said polar bear newborns have a low survival rate in their early weeks. Employees are monitoring the cub’s care using cameras in a private den area. Officials said the cub has been nursing, and Aurora is attentive. The bears are expected to remain out of public view until the spring. Aurora has three surviving offspring from previous litters. Those bears now live at zoos in Utah, Maryland and Wisconsin. The newest cub was sired by a 20-year-old bear named Lee. He was moved to Columbus from the Denver Zoo a year ago under a species survival plan recommendation.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The nation has a high demand for skilled workers, and industry experts and employers in Oklahoma said a worker shortage has made it difficult to find qualified employees, the Oklahoman reported. Over the next 10 years, it’s expected Oklahoma’s economy will have nearly 7,000 annual openings in construction and extraction occupations, according to an Oklahoma Works study. Construction occupations include electricians, plumbers and some maintenance workers. In general, many of those jobs require some sort of training or education beyond high school, but only about 42% of the current workforce qualifies, the study said. Efforts are underway, though, to increase education and promote the good wages and steady employment opportunities found in these blue-collar careers.

Oregon

Port Orford: A small earthquake hit Port Orford on the southern Oregon coast, shaking the small community. The U.S. Geological Survey said the 4.5-magnitude earthquake struck at about 5:45 p.m. Friday, with its epicenter about two miles inland. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that it differs from earthquakes in October that struck far off the coast. No damage was reported from the most recent earthquake.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Municipalities that are paying to clean up water contaminated with toxic industrial compounds from military installations such as Willow Grove Naval Air Station will get more state help. Legislation signed Wednesday by Gov. Tom Wolf allows municipal authorities to get permission to redirect a portion of state tax revenue generated from the reuse of former military installations contaminated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The money could be used to eliminate surcharges that local ratepayers have been paying. The legislation also directs a state water infrastructure agency, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, to create a program to help clean up the chemicals. The state thus far has marshaled more than $20 million in aid to fight contamination in towns near Willow Grove and the former Naval Air Warfare Center.

Rhode Island

Providence: Student musicians from across the state will again be featured in a series of concerts at the Statehouse to celebrate the holiday season. The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts announced that the concerts begin Monday and will run through Dec. 20. The concerts are free and open to the public. The arts council organizes the series. Executive Director Randall Rosenbaum said more than 2,600 student musicians from 59 schools throughout the state are expected to perform, and the council is pleased to continue the holiday tradition. The series opens with morning performances by high school singers from Cumberland, school bands from North Providence and elementary school guitarists from Providence. The concerts are held on weekdays.

South Carolina

Greenwood: A second school district in South Carolina wants to change to a year-round calendar. The Greenwood County District 50 School Board approved the calendar change last month to start at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. The Greenwood Index-Journal reported the calendar greatly shortens the summer break but also includes at least a two-week break every nine weeks. State Education Department spokesman Ryan Brown said McCormick County schools are the only other district in South Carolina operating year-round, but several individual schools have similar calendars. Brown said the agency has heard from several other districts considering the change as they seek community input. Greenwood County District 50 will need approval from the state to make the calendar change.

South Dakota

Rapid City: Police are raising money along with a radio station to buy Christmas gifts for homeless and at-risk children. The Cops ‘N Kids program aims to raise $11,500 to give $100 each to 115 children, and they’re halfway to their goal. Donations currently stand at $5,656. Power 107.1 KSLT is helping. The Rapid City Journal reported the program is run by Black Hills Badges for Hope. The group was formed by two police officers who lost two fellow officers in a 2011 shooting in Rapid City. Last year the Cops ‘N Kids program helped 34 children and the goal this year is to triple the number.

Tennessee

Nashville: The state is projected to have between $345 million and $408 million in new general fund revenue when lawmakers begin setting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. According to The Times Free Press, the State Funding Board announced last week that the state budget is expected to grow between 2.7% and 3.1% for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, which takes effect July 1. The budget estimate is the lowest the board has set in five years. It’s also below what economic experts had previously suggested. The general fund covers most Tennessee expenditures, including K-12 education funding, state prisons and state trooper pay. This year’s general fund is $34.6 billion and has already seen a $225 million surplus.

Texas

Houston: Five of the seven people who died in a small plane crash in Kingston, Ontario, were members of a Houston-area family, according to friends of the family. A spokeswoman for the Ontario chief coroner’s office said the victims’ names likely won’t be released for several days. Mehmet Basti, a Toronto college instructor, told local news outlets that five of those killed were his friend Otabek Oblokulov of Missouri City, Texas, his wife and his three children, ages 3, 11 and 15. Basti also said the other two on board were a young couple from Toronto. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said the U.S.-registered, single-engine, six-seat Piper PA-32 airplane crashed about 5 p.m. Wednesday in a wooded area of Kingston, about 90 miles southwest of Ottawa on the Ontario-New York border. The plane had taken off from an airport in Markham, Ontario, a Toronto suburb and was on approach to Kingston’s airport when officials said it took a steep dive into the wooded area. Kingston Police Constable Ash Gutheinz said the area was under a wind advisory at the time, and although winds might not have been as bad as predicted, it was “blustery.” The aircraft did not have a flight data recorder, nor was it required to have one, said lead TSB investigator Ken Webster.

Utah

Lehi: A tractor-trailer rig carrying butane was leaking the flammable gas from a tank after overturning on a freeway Saturday, causing evacuations in the area. The Utah Highway Patrol said the double-trailer rig overturned on northbound Interstate 15 in Lehi and that the freeway was closed in both directions as a precaution pending cleanup. Lehi is 26 miles south of Salt Lake City. Assistant City Administrator Cameron Boyle said the area in a quarter-mile around the crash site was evacuated, with residents of an apartment complex relocated to a church building. Information on the cause of the crash wasn’t immediately available. No injuries were reported.

Vermont

Colchester: Workers at a hospital have again reported a mysterious odor, a month after more than a dozen got sick on the job. WCAX-TV reported that seven employees at UVM Medical Center’s Fanny Allen hospital in Colchester were evaluated this week for symptoms similar to those experienced by17 workers in mid-October. Officials said they have taken precautions, and that air quality in the building has tested safe. Surgeries planned for next week have been rescheduled.

Virginia

Charlottesville: A Confederate statue in Charlottesville that became a rallying point for white nationalists has been vandalized again, this time with graffiti that read, “Impeach Trump.” News outlets reported that the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee was also spray-painted Thursday night with “This is Racist.” Tarps were put over the graffiti and city officials expect a clean-up effort to start Monday. The statue was vandalized earlier this year with an expletive directed at President Donald Trump. White nationalists seized on a city plan to remove the statue and flocked there in 2017 for a rally that turned violent and deadly. The city’s effort to remove the statue has been prevented by a judge amid ongoing litigation. The statue has been vandalized several times previously

Washington

Olympia: Two small areas of northwest Washington likely will be sprayed with an insecticide to stop an outbreak of gypsy moths, including a type native to Asia never before detected in the U.S. The Capital Press reported the Washington State Department of Agriculture said it tentatively plans to release Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki over a small city on Puget Sound called Woodway, and an Everett neighborhood called Boulevard Bluffs. Officials said a Hokkaido gypsy moth trapped in Woodway this summer was the first Hokkaido moth caught in the U.S. Three hybrid Asian gypsy moths were caught in Boulevard Bluffs. Gypsy moths native to Asia are more mobile than European varieties and are considered more of a danger to spread. Before completing plans to spray next spring, the department will conduct environmental reviews and consult agencies including the USDA. Washington has sprayed for gypsy moths for most years since 1979.

West Virginia

Beckley: Raleigh County’s only animal shelter has launched a fundraising effort to save it from closing at the end of the year. The Register-Herald on Thursday reported the leaders of the nonprofit Humane Society of Raleigh County said they need $80,000 to keep from shutting down. The organization said it’s struggling to pay utilities and outstanding taxes after an increase in animal medical emergencies left it with a $150,000 veterinarian bill. The shelter said it has raised $14,000 so far. They’re hoping for large fundraising hauls at their Santa Paws event at the Plaza Mall on Dec. 7 and during the Beckley Art Center’s Giving Tuesday Open House on Dec. 3. The Humane Society of Raleigh County has been open since 1979. It has taken in about 1,300 abandoned, neglected or stray animals this year. County Commissioner Ron Hedrick told the newspaper he wants to help the shelter find funding. Hedrick has invited the humane society’s board members to a meeting next month to talk about shelter finances and possible fundraising solutions, humane society officials said.

Wisconsin

Hartford: A woman who began sending care packages to her two sons deployed in the Middle East is now doing the same for hundreds of troops overseas in time for Christmas. Hartford resident Leann Boudwine said the soldiers she sends packages to “are like my kids,” even though she has never met them. After first sending packages to her sons, she sent a few more for the soldiers with whom they served. WITI-TV reported that the list grew into the hundreds when Boudwine collected names of soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines all over the world. The care packages include snacks, soap, and boxed mac-and-cheese. The care packages travel thousands of miles to reach their destination, and Boudwine packs, labels and ships each one. Family, friends, businesses and veterans’ groups have begun to help her. She said her nonprofit “Support the Troops” will have shipped 14,000 packages by early next year.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: A wild horse facility is looking to make its home in eastern Laramie County, but residents near the proposed site have some major concerns. The facility would hold wild horses captured by the Bureau of Land Management, and the BLM would pay South Dakota-based Equine Elite an amount for each horse it houses. But the project hit a snag when it came to gaining approval from neighbors within a 3-mile radius. Because of concerns ranging from water quality to increased traffic, the neighbors didn’t give their approval for the project. In Laramie County, any Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation needs the consent of property owners within 3 miles of the proposed site. At the request of Equine Elite, the Laramie County Commission is considering lowering the distance to 1 mile. Although the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality only requires approval from property owners within one mile, the county commissioners changed its rules to 3 miles years ago when a swine CAFO attempted to situate in Laramie County.

Iowans add names to an elite list of Olympic competitors

Andrew Logue

alogue@dmreg.com

Who will add their name to Iowa’s Olympic honor roll?

Since the first modern Games were held in 1896, roughly 100 athletes who were raised in this state or who attended one of our universities, have won a gold, silver or bronze medal.

When the XXXI Summer Olympics begin Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, another class of homegrown hopefuls will attempt to extend that history.

Predicting which of them will reach the awards podium is dicey.

Iowans have displayed dominance (Dan Gable of Waterloo earned wrestling gold in 1972 without giving up a single point), but success often hinges on the slimmest of margins (Des Moines’ Natasha Kaiser ran on a 4x400 relay in 1992 that finished .72 of a second shy of winning).

The results in Rio also promise to be dramatic and diverse:

Gabby Douglas

gymnastics, formerly of Chow’s Gymnastics in West Des Moines

Douglas’ inclusion on Team USA raised eyebrows, but she and Aly Raisman bring the experience of having won gold at the 2012 Games in London. The 20-year-old Douglas is the reigning all-around champion, but a shaky performance at the Olympic Trials (twice falling off the beam and placing seventh) makes her a longshot for an individual medal. Still, the U.S. is a prohibitive favorite in the team competition.

The setup: A move to reduce the number of gymnasts on a team (down to four in 2020) is intended to give less dominant countries more opportunities. That’s partly due to the depth of talent on Team USA, which has earned at least a bronze medal in each of the past six Olympics.

An expert’s take: “We have wonderful numbers to pull, and select the more talented kids,” coach Liang Chow said. “And also, we have Simone Biles. She is super-talented, and I think she is going to be dominating pretty much everything.

“China will be another competitive team and also Russia. It’s going to be fun to watch the teams on the floor, to see who has the best preparation and the best performance.”

Medal projection: Gold, as part of Team USA. Reports out of training camp indicate Douglas is focused, and determined to shed the negativity that hounded her in recent weeks.

More Coverage from the Register on Gabby Douglas:

Harrison Barnes

men’s basketball, Ames native

A series of player withdrawals opened the door for Barnes to join Team USA, and add to his impressive list of accomplishments. The nation’s No. 1 high school prospect in the class of 2010 by Scout.com and ESPNU, Barnes led Ames to back-to-back state titles. The McDonald’s All-American then spent two years at North Carolina, before being selected 7th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2012 NBA Draft. He was part of the Warriors’ 2015 championship.

The setup: There could be as many as 47 NBA players in this year’s Olympics, including the 12 on Team USA. Even without LeBron James, Steph Curry and others, the Americans should have enough talent to overwhelm most of their rivals.

An expert’s take: “We forget sometimes that this is where basketball was born,” said Kevin Lehman, a basketball analyst for ESPN and Fox, who covered last year’s World University Games. “Naismith invented this game in this country, so I think it’s always been kind of special that this is ‘our’ sport.

“The talent level (overseas) has risen dramatically, but they’re spread out over different countries. And those guys are aspiring to play in the NBA, so the NBA is still the echelon for European players.”

Medal projection: Gold. Barnes will add to his winning resume.

More Coverage from the Register on Harrison Barnes:

Jenny (Barringer) Simpson

track, Webster City native

A victory in the women’s 1,500 meters at the 2011 World Championships established Simpson as an elite middle-distance runner. She followed with a silver medal at the 2013 Worlds and is making her third appearance at the Olympics. She’s also collected four straight wins at the Drake Relays, making the former Colorado all-American a fan favorite in Des Moines.

The setup: No American woman has medaled in the 1,500 since it was introduced at the Olympics in 1972. Ending the drought could depend as much on strategy as speed.

An expert’s take: “One thing that’s really going to be to her advantage is her experience to get through the rounds and get to the final by using as little energy as possible,” said Mike Jay, public address announcer for the Drake Relays and other nationally prominent meets. “She races so smart. You never see Jenny Simpson in a race where she’s in trouble. A lot of (runners) want to go right to the rail, then they’re boxed in and can’t get out.”

Medal projection: Bronze. Simpson’s savvy will help her pull off a mild surprise.

More Coverage from the Register on Jenny Simpson:

Shelby Houlihan

track, Sioux City native

The eight-time Drake Relays champion for Sioux City East High School pulled off a stunner by qualifying in the 5,000. She placed second at the Olympic Trials in her first full year with the Bowerman Track Club. At 23, the former Arizona State all-American appears to have hit her stride as a professional.

The setup: Ethiopia tends to dominate this event, and boasts two favorites this time around. Almaz Ayana won gold at last year’s World Championships. Senbere Teferi was the silver medalist. Expect something similar in Rio.

An expert’s take: “She’s giddy, just like a kid at Christmas,” Jay said of Houlihan. “I think she has enough confidence in her ability that this was a huge breakthrough for her. I’ll tell you what, she’s got fire and piss and vinegar. I wouldn’t count her out for making the final.”

Medal projection: No medal, but a valuable opportunity to compete on a global stage.

More Coverage from the Register on Shelby Houlihan:

Hillary Bor

track, formerly of Iowa State

Bor’s place on the U.S. Olympic team was earned with a second-place finish at Trials in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He was born in Eldoret, Kenya, and arrived at Iowa State in 2007, earning all-America honors before taking two years off following his graduation in 2011. Bor gained his citizenship after joining the U.S. Army. At 5-foot-6, he is one of the shortest athletes to qualify in the steeplechase.

The setup: Evan Jager is the dominant American steeplechase competitor, but even he is a longshot to medal. A Kenyan medal sweep is possible.

An expert’s take: “I like the way he ran with (Evan) Jager at the Trials, but so many things can happen,” Jay said. “A top ten finish in the Olympics is pretty darn good, and I think he can be a finalist.”

Medal projection: No medal, but Bor is gaining career momentum.

More Coverage from the Register on Hillary Bor:

Betsy Saina

track, formerly of Iowa State

Saina won three NCAA titles with the Cyclones, including a cross country championships in 2012. She’ll represent Kenya in the 10,000 meters.

The setup: Of the top 13 runners, 12 are from Ethiopia. Alice Aprot, a gold medalist at the African Games, is leading the pack.

An expert’s take: “I think Betsy has got a shot,” Jay said. “She has beat (America’s) best. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if she was top six. I wouldn’t be surprised if she medals.”

Medal projection: A top-ten finish usually doesn’t draw a lot of attention, but it would be significant.

More Coverage from the Register on Betsy Saina:

Daniel Dennis

freestyle wrestling, formerly of Iowa

Despite never winning a high school or NCAA title, Dennis is the U.S. representtive at 57 kilograms (125.5 pounds). He quit wrestling for more than two years, traveling throughout the western part of the United States while living out of his truck. He eventually returned to the Hawkeye Wrestling Club with a renewed devotion.

The setup: The soft-spoken Dennis, who grew up in Ingleside, Ill., is in one of the toughest weight classes. Vladimer Khinchegashvili of Georgia won the silver medal in 2012. Erdenebat Bekhbayar of Mongolia and Hassan Rahimi of Iran will also be tough to handle.

An expert’s take: "He knows what it's going to be like,” Iowa coach Terry Brands said. “If you're focused, the Olympics are an elite-level competition. It's not necessarily about, 'Oh, these are the Olympics and you haven't been there before, we've got to really get him ready.' Ultimately, he's going to step on a mat that's the same size as the ones he's competed on before. His opponents are going to be after the same thing he is, and that's a gold medal."

Medal projection: Bronze. Dennis is a dark-horse contender who’s already silenced many of the doubters.

More Coverage from the Register on Daniel Dennis:

Kayla Banwarth

volleyball, Dubuque native

Banwarth was an unheralded player for Nebraska, after being Iowa’s Gatorade player of the year at Dubuque Wahlert. She transitioned from setter to libero and became a regular at international events. Banwarth recorded 1,706 digs for the Cornhuskers. Her mother, Anne, played volleyball for Northern Iowa.

The setup: Banwarth helped the United States win gold at the 2014 World Championships in Italy, as well as the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix in Omaha. The U.S. will again be a serious challenger, but Brazil owns a serious home-court advantage. China and Russia are also perennial powers.

An expert’s take: “Those are the four elite teams,” Nebraska coach John Cook said. “Serbia can beat anybody on a given day. So I think you’re going to see the three medalist probably from those four, unless Serbia upsets somebody. (Team USA) will have a have great shot to win it. But you’ve got to give Brazil the edge. Because it’s going to be an insane crowd in Rio.”

Medal projection: Silver. Don’t dismiss the advantages of playing in a familiar time zone, which should benefit the U.S. and Brazil.

More Coverage from the Register on Kayla Banwarth:

Others with Iowa connections:

Giordan Harris, swimming, formerly of Iowa Lakes Community College:

Harris will swim the 50-meter free style for his home country of Marshall Islands. He also competed in the 2012 Olympics.

Diane Nukuri, marathon, formerly of Iowa:

This will be Nukuri’s third Olympics, representing Burundi. As a 15-year-old in 2000, she carried her country’s flag during the opening ceremony. She was also the flag bearer in 2012.

MORE: Women's Dam to Dam record holder grabs chance to set new mark

Mohamed Hrezi, marathon, formerly of Iowa State:

The former Cyclone all-American is running for Libya and is that country’s lone runner at this year’s Olympics. He was born and raised in Connecticut, before his parent moved back to Libya.

News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: Some residents of a rural community are complaining about a Spanish-language event planned for this weekend featuring live music and bull riding, but a local official says he worries such comments appear “anti-Latino.” News outlets report people from the Snowdoun area near Montgomery have asked county and city leaders to block the Festival Latino, scheduled Sunday in a field. They say a similar event in July was so loud and raucous it traumatized livestock. But Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange says organizers haven’t violated any zoning rules. County Commissioner Dan Harris says he voted against a move to block the festival because opposition appears to be “anti-Latino” even if it isn’t. Harris says he doesn’t want to be part of that, particularly after the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas.

Alaska

Kenai: A wildlife monitoring group is seeking citizen scientists to help track beluga whales off the state’s coast. The Peninsula Clarion reports the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership is offering volunteers an opportunity to help scientists understand more about Cook Inlet beluga whales. The partnership is a collaboration of several organizations including Beluga Whale Alliance, Defenders of Wildlife and the Alaska Wildlife Alliance. Monitoring events are expected to take place between Aug. 14 and Nov. 15. Planned monitoring locations include Twentymile River and Bird Point near Girdwood, Ship Creek in Anchorage, and the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers. Officials say volunteers will learn about the conservation needs of Cook Inlet beluga whales and receive training on identifying and recording data on beluga distribution and behavior.

Arizona

Tucson: Officials have approved placing a “sanctuary city” measure on the ballot, but not without some pushback. KVOA-TV reports the Tucson City Council voted Tuesday night to allow the initiative on the November ballot, which could potentially lead to Arizona’s first-ever “sanctuary city.” Councilmembers were required to vote after the measure got more than the minimum required number of petition signatures. The initiative would add protections for people living in the U.S. illegally. Video shows a woman wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat repeatedly shouting that the initiative defies U.S. immigration law. The footage has since gone viral on social media because of an man in a green polo shirt laughing nearby. #GreenShirtGuy was the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter as of Wednesday morning.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The governor is asking lawmakers to approve $25 million for a new state grant program aimed at increasing access to high-speed internet in rural areas. Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday announced the creation of the Arkansas Rural Connect program, which will provide grants to qualifying communities with at least 500 people to deploy high-speed broadband to residents. Hutchinson, who announced the program at a meeting of the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association in Rogers, says he’ll ask the Legislative Council to approve $5.7 million for the program this year, and the remainder will need to be appropriated by lawmakers in next year’s legislative session. In May, Hutchinson released a plan to expand rural access to high-speed broadband by 2022.

California

Los Angeles: Actor Danny Trejo played a real-life hero when he helped rescue a baby trapped in an overturned car after two cars collided at an intersection in the Sylmar neighborhood Wednesday. Video aired by KABC-TV shows Trejo at the crash scene. Trejo says he crawled into the wrecked vehicle from one side but couldn’t unbuckle the child’s car seat from that angle. He says another bystander, a young woman, was able to undo the buckle. Together they pulled the baby safely from the wreckage. The Los Angeles Fire Department says three people were taken to a hospital, and there were no life-threatening injuries. The 75-year-old Trejo, an L.A. native, is perhaps best known for playing the character Machete, originally from the “Spy Kids” series.

Colorado

Colorado Springs: State wildlife officials say thousands of tarantulas are expected to start their annual migration through the state soon. The Gazette reports the migration is expected to begin this month through early October. Officials say the Oklahoma brown tarantulas migrate through La Junta, about 176 miles southeast of Denver. Scientists say the majority of the spiders are 10-year-old males looking to mate with females hidden in Colorado’s grasslands. Officials say the peak time to view the migration is mid-September near Comanche National Grassland south of La Junta off U.S. Highway 109. Officials say tarantulas are mostly harmless to humans but have bites that can cause injury or allergic reaction and hairs that can be irritating to the eyes, mouth and nose.

Connecticut

Hartford: The federal Office for Civil Rights has launched an investigation into the state’s policy allowing transgender high school athletes to compete as the gender with which they identify. The investigation follows a complaint by the families of three girls who say they were discriminated against by having to compete in track against two athletes who were identified as male at birth. They say that violates Title IX, the federal law designed to ensure equal athletic opportunities for females. The Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference says its policy follows a state anti-discrimination law that says students must be treated in school by their gender identification. Transathlete.com says Connecticut is one of 17 states that allow transgender high school athletes to compete without restrictions.

Delaware

Wilmington: Everyone’s a critic, including Delaware Air National Guard officials who wanted nude images of Adam and Eve depicted in a 50-year-old mural by famed artist Jamie Wyeth to put on some pants. Someone apparently isn’t mooning over the huge, 10-by-30-foot mural that shows the bare buttocks of the Garden of Eden couple. It hangs on a wall of a building at the guard’s 80-acre base at the New Castle County Airport. The mural was created by Wyeth when he served with the Delaware Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. Air National Guard officials have had recent talks about possibly altering or covering up part of the artwork by the well-known painter. Wyeth is the scion of three generations of widely celebrated American artists, including his illustrator grandfather N.C. Wyeth and his late father Andrew Wyeth, one of the best-known painters of the 20th century.

District of Columbia

Washington: An internal review of D.C. public schools shows more than 30% of employees have expired background checks. News outlets report Chancellor Lewis Ferebee shared the review’s findings with parents Tuesday and in a letter Wednesday. The district launched the review in June after an employee of a private before- and after-school program allegedly kissed and fondled a 13-year-old student on multiple occasions. The district says it discovered the company didn’t conduct proper background checks. Ferebee says by the end of October, all after-school staff, school staff and central office staff will have active background checks. He also says staff will receive more training on how to spot and respond to sexual misconduct cases.

Florida

Fort Lauderdale: Gov. Ron DeSantis says the state is expanding its efforts to eradicate invasive pythons in the Everglades and is working with the federal government to get snake hunters to remote areas of Big Cypress National Preserve. DeSantis announced Wednesday that Florida will double its resources for python removal and that the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Agriculture have a new agreement to begin hunting pythons in 130,000 acres of state parks. He’s directing the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District to work together to research ways to eliminate pythons and to make a python challenge an annual event instead of once every three years. The challenge awards python hunters who capture the most snakes, which have decimated native species.

Georgia

Milton: A farmer says his beloved miniature donkey named Sammy was literally scared to death by this year’s Fourth of July fireworks. Now he and an animal rights group want Georgia to ban rockets that go boom. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wrote to Gov. Brian Kemp, House Speaker David Ralston and others Wednesday asking for a “Sammy’s law” limiting fireworks to the non-explosive, non-aerial varieties. John Bogino tells WGCL-TV that Sammy and his other farm animals are like pets to him. His pet donkey of 22 years died last month, and he says Sammy wasn’t his first animal to die because of fireworks. He says one of his horses fled explosions in late July several years ago and had to be euthanized due to severe injuries.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Scientists have discovered that a growing pond of water inside a crater is being heated by the Kilauea volcano. The U.S. Geological Survey says temperature readings taken last weekend show that the pool of water in Kilauea’s Halemaumau crater, the former home of a popular lava lake, is about 158 degrees Fahrenheit. For the first time in recorded history, the presence of water in the crater was confirmed last week. Since then, scientists have found two other small pools of water nearby. The crater floor collapsed about 2,000 feet, and the lava lake disappeared last summer as Kilauea stopped erupting for the first time in over 30 years. USGS geologist Matt Patrick told the Associated Press it’s hard to determine how deep the magma chamber is beneath the bottom of the crater floor where the water was found.

Idaho

Spokane: A study by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has found that cougars kill more elk than wolves in the state. The Spokesman-Review reports the study found that wolves accounted for 32% of adult female elk deaths and 28% of elk calf deaths. The study found that cougars accounted for 35% of adult female elk deaths and 45% of elk calf deaths. The study published earlier this year in the Journal of Wildlife Management examined 15 years of data. The study also found that food availability and the severity of winter is the most important factor for elk calf survival. Idaho Department of Fish and Game senior wildlife research biologist Jon Horne says the findings are also likely applicable for Washington, Montana and Canada.

Illinois

Springfield: Officials are showcasing one of the most popular attractions of the Illinois State Fair. The butter cow was unveiled Wednesday afternoon at the fairgrounds. The sculpture has been a part of the state fair for almost 100 years. This year’s cow has been sculpted from 800 pounds of recycled butter. The cow stands near the word “Future” to incorporate the theme of the fair, which is “Building Our Future.” The cow is on display at the Dairy Building. Last year, hundreds of pounds of butter were sculpted into a cow by the same Iowa artist, Sarah Pratt. The base had “Land of Lincoln” written on it and included a stovepipe hat, as a nod to Abraham Lincoln. The fair started Thursday and ends Aug. 18.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Rainbow-colored streamers welcomed students back for the first day of classes Thursday at Cathedral High School, a show of support for a gay teacher fired from the Catholic school over the summer. The brightly colored streamers were a silent twist on a long-held Cathedral tradition to decorate “the hill” with toilet paper on the first day of school, but they still spoke volumes. The private high school has been embroiled in a debate over LGBTQ rights since it fired longtime teacher Joshua Payne-Elliott because of his same-sex marriage. Cathedral officials have said they only did so at the order of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, which began requiring employment contracts with “ministerial language” and morality clauses to be used at its schools four years ago.

Iowa

Dyersville: They’ve built it. Now they’re coming. Major League Baseball is headed to town in 2020. The Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees announced Thursday that the two teams will play an official big-league game at the “Field of Dreams” movie site Aug. 13, 2020. “It’s definitely exciting,” says Roman Weinberg, the director of operations for Go the Distance Baseball, which owns the Field of Dreams movie site. “There’s nothing more American than the Field of Dreams and America’s pastime.” The 1989 movie centers on the 1919 White Sox and Shoeless Joe Jackson. Jackson, who was banned by MLB along with seven of his teammates for his alleged role in the White Sox throwing the 1919 World Series, inspires a farmer, played by Kevin Costner, to build a baseball field. The site has since become a tourist attraction, with fans from across the globe flocking to the Iowa cornfield to see it.

Kansas

Topeka: The state plans to impose what some tax experts say would be the nation’s most aggressive policy for collecting taxes on online sales, possibly inviting a legal battle. The Department of Revenue issued a notice last week saying any “remote seller” doing business with Kansas residents must register with the department, collect state and local sales taxes, and forward the revenues to the state, starting Oct. 1. It cites a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year allowing states to collect sales taxes on internet sales. Most states now have policies to collect such taxes, but almost all set minimum annual sales or transaction thresholds to exempt small businesses, according to groups tracking tax laws. Kansas is the first to attempt to collect the taxes without exempting any businesses, they said.

Kentucky

Louisville: Amid major legislative efforts to restrict or end abortion in the state, a new poll commissioned by Planned Parenthood finds a majority of likely voters in the commonwealth believe the procedure should remain available. Asked whether it’s important for women to have “access to all of the reproductive health care options available, including abortion,” 65% said yes, according to the poll. Also, 65% said they’d have doubts about a law that bans abortion, even in cases of rape or incest, should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case legalizing abortion. Just 18% said they believe all abortions should be illegal – though another 37% said abortion should be allowed only in “extreme cases,” such as for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest or to save the life of the woman. And 43% said abortion should be legal with some regulations.

Louisiana

Pride: A highway marker honoring blues singer and guitarist Buddy Guy has been recovered, months after it disappeared. News outlets report Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office received a tip Wednesday that the sign was at a person’s house in Pride, roughly 30 miles northeast of Baton Rouge. Lt. Craig Dabadie says investigators believe a driver ran off the road and knocked the sign off a pole in May. Someone else picked it up as a souvenir. The sign was posted along Louisiana 1, marking the spot where Guy recorded a music video. The marker honors the Louisiana native’s legacy in music. Rolling Stone magazine listed him at No. 23 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists.” No arrests were made, and the investigation is ongoing.

Maine

Portland: A federal program designed to help farmers suffering due to trade disruption is unlikely to assist the state’s wild blueberry growers. Maine is the sole commercial producer of wild blueberries in the United States. The industry has struggled in recent years with falling crop sizes and low prices to farmers. Maine Agriculture Commissioner Amanda Beal has called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to include the crop in its Market Facilitation Program, which is slated to provide billions to growers negatively impacted by foreign trade retaliation. But the USDA said in a statement that the program is intended for crops that aren’t easily used in school food programs or through food banks. Wild blueberries sometimes fill those needs. The agency says the blueberries remain eligible for other USDA assistance programs.

Maryland

Baltimore: The news of Toni Morrison’s death led a west Baltimore artist to create his own version of an ancestral shrine. The Baltimore Sun reports that 50-year-old Ernest Shaw Jr. completed a mural of the celebrated artist and Nobel laureate by Tuesday, just a day after Morrison’s death. Shaw says he considers the death of the 88-year-old Morrison to be the acquiring of an ancestor. He says creating the mural was his way of pouring libations, a reference to a ritual used to honor ancestors and deities. He says there’s no death in dying as Morrison has just transitioned to now work with “the other side.” The spontaneous mural dedicated to “TONI M” covers a Graffiti Alley wall behind Motor House and took several hours to complete.

Massachusetts

Boston: Ever since “Boston Strong” became a rallying cry after the Boston Marathon bombing, the idea of “strong” has become an inescapable part of how this country heals after tragedy. People mourning this past weekend’s mass shootings in Ohio and Texas have rallied around the slogans “Dayton Strong” and “El Paso Strong.” After many tragedies, the mantra has been used in social media posts, memorials, pins, stickers and other mementos. Massachusetts resident Christopher Dobens co-created the blue and yellow “Boston Strong” T-shirts that helped rocket the phrase into the national lexicon. He says the idea was inspired by Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong cancer foundation and the U.S. Army’s “Army Strong” slogan. Dobens says it’s heartbreaking to see so many places have had to adopt the “strong” mantra because of violence.

Michigan

St. Ignace: State and federal agencies are gearing up for a celebration of Smokey Bear’s 75-year legacy of preventing forest fires. Smokey will join staffers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other partners Friday at Straits State Park in St. Ignace. A family-friendly birthday party is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. It will feature a fire truck open house, displays of wildland fire equipment, fire-prevention games, refreshments and an opportunity to meet the iconic bear. Smokey has shared fire-prevention messages with the signature phrase, “Only you can prevent wildfires.” Debbie Begalle of the Michigan DNR’s Forest Resources Division says the slogan is still relevant. Nine out of 10 wildfires are started by people.

Minnesota

St. Paul: The state Department of Natural Resources has denied requests to reconsider the tailings dam permits that it issued for the planned PolyMet copper-nickel mine. The DNR said Wednesday that opponents did not raise any new issues that materially affect its 2018 decision granting the permits. The Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa and environmental groups asked the DNR to reconsider in light of tailings dam failures elsewhere. DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said in a statement that her agency studied the failures but remains confident in the safety of the PolyMet dam. The DNR issued its decision one day after the Minnesota Court of Appeals stayed a different permit for the mine, governing water pollution, pending a court investigation into potential irregularities in how state and federal regulators handled that permit.

Mississippi

Biloxi: Hurricane Katrina left lasting scars on the Hurricane Camille Memorial at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer. The church reached out to the Biloxi Fire Department, which, in turn, reached out to Lodging and Leisure Investments for help in returning the memorial to its best condition in light of the storm’s upcoming 50th anniversary. Officials tell WLOX-TV restoring the tile mosaic is the greatest challenge in the project. Other work includes power washing and cleaning each name on the memorial’s walls. Camille’s 50th anniversary will include a memorial service at the memorial site at 5 p.m. Aug. 17. Afterward, a program will be held at the Seafood & Maritime Industry Museum at 6 p.m.

Missouri

Jefferson City: Attorney General Eric Schmitt says counting of untested rape kits in the state is nearly complete. Schmitt said Wednesday that 95.6% of law enforcement agencies and 98.5% of hospitals and Veterans Affairs medical facilities have completed their inventory of sexual assault evidence kits. Former Attorney General Josh Hawley began an audit of the backlog in 2017 after the Columbia Missourian reported Missouri had never done a statewide review of untested rape kits. Schmitt began a SAFE Kits Initiative in February and appointed Judge M. Keithley Williams to lead the effort to eliminate the backlog of sexual assault kits. The counting project received funds from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Rape kits contain DNA samples and other evidence from medical procedures conducted immediately after an attack.

Montana

Missoula: A man charged with assaulting a 13-year-old boy who refused to remove his hat during the national anthem believed he was doing what President Donald Trump wanted him to do, his attorney says. Attorney Lance Jasper told the Missoulian he will seek a mental health evaluation for Curt Brockway, a U.S. Army veteran who became caught up in the heightened animosity and rhetoric gripping the nation and convinced himself he was following the president’s orders. “His commander in chief is telling people that if they kneel, they should be fired, or if they burn a flag, they should be punished,” Jasper said. He said Brockway “certainly didn’t understand it was a crime.” Brockway suffered a traumatic brain injury in a vehicle crash in 2000 that has affected his decision making, and Jasper said he plans to raise that in his client’s defense.

Nebraska

Lincoln: The remains of twins who joined the Navy together have been returned to the city for burial, decades after their deaths on a battleship at Pearl Harbor. The Lincoln Journal Star reports two ceremonies will be held in succession Saturday at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery for Rudolph Blitz and brother Leo Blitz. There will be two flag-covered caskets, two 21-gun salutes, two invocations, two flags presented to their surviving sister, 93-year-old Lincoln resident Betty Pitsch. Her DNA contribution helped bring her older brothers home. The 17-year-old twins left Lincoln High to join the Navy in 1938 and had been stationed at Pearl Harbor for a year and a day before the USS Oklahoma went down during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack by Japan. Their remains were buried at a Honolulu cemetery and later identified after being unearthed in 2015.

Nevada

Reno: A jumbo jetliner that sparked controversy at last year’s Burning Man festival when it got stuck in the desert for nearly a month has returned for this year’s event after organizers agreed to post a bond for the popular art installation. The Bureau of Land Management granted a special permit to the foundation that converted the 747 into a nightclub. Burning Man officials reviewed the Big Imagination Foundation’s plans before it transported the multi-ton aircraft last weekend to the Black Rock Desert, 100 miles north of Reno. Group leaders haven’t disclosed the cost of the performance bond. They get the money back if they comply with the permit. Critics say the plane severely damaged the playa floor last year when it dug holes into the soft alkali dust and got stuck.

New Hampshire

Concord: Gov. Chris Sununu has signed a bill to help the state’s dairy farmers. The purpose of the bill is to provide a way to support dairy farmers by buying specially labeled milk for an extra 50 cents per gallon. The measure creates a dairy premium fund that replaces the milk producers’ emergency relief fund. Money remaining in the fund after payment of the premiums would be available to promote the program. It’s anticipated that the premium milk will be available this fall.

New Jersey

Kearny: Two actors from the Netflix series “Orange is the New Black” visited federal immigration detainees at the Hudson County jail Thursday. Vicci Martinez and Emily Tarver met with two female detainees from Jamaica. The actors, whose show tackled issues of immigration detention and family separation in its final season, said they wanted to draw attention to the plight of immigrants in such facilities. The visit was organized by Freedom for Immigrants, an organization that aims to abolish immigration detention and was featured in the final season of the show, and First Friends of New Jersey and New York, a nonprofit that sends volunteers to visit immigrant detainees. After leaving the jail, Tarver recounted the story of the woman she met, a victim of domestic violence who sought help from the police and wound up detained, for four months so far, when her immigration status came into play.

New Mexico

San Antonio: A federal agency is taking advantage of high water levels in the Rio Grande to help a tiny minnow listed as an endangered species. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation workers recently aided in creating more habitat for the Rio Grande silvery minnow on the Middle Rio Grande, the Albuquerque Journal reports. Reclamation crews worked from January to March to lower and widen the riverbank on the southern end of private property near Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. They excavated 46,000 cubic yards of dirt to create water channels where minnows could escape the fast-moving river. The tiny fish, listed as endangered in 1994, was once abundant throughout the Rio Grande Basin from Colorado to Texas and into Mexico. It’s now found only in a fraction of its historic habitat as the river system has seen dam building and the straightening of its once meandering channels over the past 150 years.

New York

Albany: Gov. Andrew Cuomo has approved legislation aimed at bolstering the health and safety standards for all pet dealers operating in the state. The bill signed Thursday calls for separate spaces for pregnant animals and requires all enclosures be cleaned daily and disinfected at least once every two weeks. “Pet dealers must be held to standards that will promote the safety, good health, and overall well-being of the animals in their care,” says a memo attached to the bill. Under the new law, which takes effect in 90 days, pet dealers are required to regularly groom animals to prevent matting and flea and tick infestations and provide animals with diurnal lighting cycles, which mimic natural, 24-hour light patterns. And any for-profit dealer selling, or planning to sell, at least 25 cats or dogs in a year must provide an annual veterinary checkup for each animal.

North Carolina

Wake Forest: The city is being recognized for its commitment to preserving monarch butterflies. Wake Forest announced Wednesday that the recognition was awarded by Monarch City USA, a nonprofit organization that promotes the species and recognizes areas that work on recovering butterfly populations. The nonprofit group says that the butterflies rely on milkweed and nectar plants. The butterfly’s population has declined as the plants have dwindled. Wake Forest, northeast of Raleigh, features the plants that attract the butterflies at E. Carroll Joyner Park. The town has installed signs that identify the butterfly habitat and one noting Wake Forest’s designation as a “Monarch City USA.” The nonprofit says it’s the first in the state to receive the designation.

North Dakota

Bismarck: Two environmental groups who say regulators should have intervened in the location of an oil refinery near the state’s top tourist attraction, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, are taking their case to the state Supreme Court. The Public Service Commission last year declined to review whether the refinery could be built just 3 miles from the park in the western Badlands, the Bismarck Tribune reports. Regulators concluded the proposed $800 million Davis Refinery would be too small to warrant review under state law. The Environmental Law and Policy Center and the Dakota Resource Council don’t believe developer Meridian Energy Group is being forthright about the refinery’s size and asked a state judge to force the commission to hold a hearing. South Central District Judge Bruce Romanick refused in May, ruling that the PSC followed state law.

Ohio

Springdale: A long-standing community event is facing backlash on social media. A Facebook post promoting Springdale’s annual Goldfish Swim has garnered more than 3,500 comments, most outraged, since it was posted Aug. 1. The end-of-summer event has been going on for almost 40 years. More than 4,700 people have signed a Change.org petition to stop the event, saying it is “obvious” animal abuse. City officials take 1,000 feeder goldfish and put them in the Springdale Community Center Pool. Children under the age of 12 try to catch the fish with their bare hands, take them home and care for them. “No nets, poles or help from mom and dad. Bring a plastic bucket to take your new pet home,” the post about the event says. The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Springdale Pool.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Police were justified when they fatally shot a black teenager who was naked and unarmed, an attorney for the city argues in a response to a civil rights lawsuit filed by the teen’s parents. The parents of Isaiah Mark Lewis contend in their federal lawsuit that Sgt. Milo Box and Officer Denton Scherman used excessive force and acted “unnecessarily and unjustly” when they hit their 17-year-old son with a stun gun and then fatally shot him April 29 after he allegedly broke into a home. In a response filed Wednesday on behalf of the city, attorney Taylor Clark denies that the city violated Lewis’ constitutional rights and says: “Lewis was justifiably shot by a service weapon after being ineffectively tasered.” “Edmond also admits that Isaiah Mark Lewis was naked and unarmed when he was shot and that verbal commands were given to Isaiah Mark Lewis prior to the shooting,” Clark wrote. The officers have been on paid administrative leave since the shooting. Taylor declined further comment.

Oregon

Salem: A judge has ruled that the state Fish and Wildlife Commission illegally reversed an earlier decision granting endangered species status to the marbled murrelet, a small seabird that nests in old-growth forests. Environmental groups say Oregon has sought to avoid protections for the bird, allowing clear-cut logging in its habitat. A spokeswoman for the wildlife department said it won’t comment on legal matters. The ruling was by Lane County Circuit Court Judge Lauren Holland in Eugene. Conservation groups said they petitioned the wildlife commission to list the marbled murrelet as endangered, and it voted to do so, concluding the bird was likely to go extinct. But the commission reversed itself without explanation. Holland said the commission was required to explain its reversal and failed to do so.

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia: Philadelphia’s Music Alliance will induct musicians spanning a wide range of genres to its Walk of Fame, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, R&B group The O’Jays and ’80s rock band The Hooters. The class of 2019’s other honorees include Philadelphia socialite and philanthropist Dorrance “Dodo” Hamilton, who died in 2017; disco queen Evelyn “Champagne” King; and Jody Gerson, the current CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group and the first woman to run a major music-publishing company. Longtime rock-radio DJ Pierre Robert is this year’s dual Radio Row Award recipient and Walk of Fame inductee. The announcements were made Wednesday at the Independence Visitor Center. The group will be formally inducted Oct. 22 during a gala at The Bellevue.

Rhode Island

Providence: Gov. Gina Raimondo says the state will begin offering a gender-neutral option for residents to put on their driver’s licenses and birth certificates. Rhode Island will join the ranks of about a dozen other states already offering an option of “X” instead of the standard “M” or “F.” The option is in response to the governor’s conversations with the transgender and LGBTQ community. The Democratic governor says this is “just basic fairness” in order to ensure all residents are being recognized for who they are. The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Health echoed the governor’s remarks. The governor adds that the biggest hurdle has been the implementation of the change. Residents could potentially see the option available within a year.

South Carolina

Aiken: Officials say the U.S. government followed a requirement to remove weapons-grade plutonium from the state. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said 1 metric ton of nuclear material has been shipped out of the Savannah River Site near Aiken. The U.S. Energy Department was ordered in 2017 to remove that much plutonium by January. Federal court records said half the plutonium was sent to Nevada. Wilson’s statement Wednesday didn’t say where the other half was shipped. South Carolina sued the federal agency after it halted a plan to turn plutonium once used to make nuclear weapons into fuel for nuclear reactors. The Energy Department owes the state $200 million in fines in part because 11 metric tons of plutonium remain at the site.

South Dakota

Burke: As this small town recovers from a tornado that destroyed its civic center and caused other extensive damage, some residents are asking why the community’s warning siren wasn’t sounded. The EF-1 tornado with 100 mph winds ripped through Burke on Tuesday night, ripping roofs off buildings and homes, uprooting trees and leaving the school building unusable for the beginning of classes. Two men suffered minor injuries when a garage collapsed. Gov. Kristi Noem visited the community Wednesday and called the damage “unbelievable.” Noem promised the state’s help in the community’s restoration efforts. Burke Mayor Thomas Glover says the siren is sounded when officials get notification of a tornado sighting or that one is imminent. Glover says that did not happen.

Tennessee

Nashville: Add Glen Campbell to the list of late country music legends with a museum in their honor in the city’s downtown. Clearbrook Hospitality LLC announced plans Thursday to open The Glen Campbell Museum and Rhinestone Stage, a live music venue, at the corner of Broadway and 2nd Avenue. It’s slated to open in early 2020. Campbell died in 2017 at age 81 following an extended battle with Alzheimer’s disease. The 4,000-square-foot venue will feature immersive, interactive displays showcasing different stages of Campbell’s career. He was a studio musician in The Wrecking Crew; the singer of many hit records including “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Southern Nights”; and a television and film actor. In the evenings, the museum will transform into live music venue The Rhinestone Stage, where national and local acts can perform intimate shows.

Texas

Austin: The state’s annual back-to-school sales tax holiday is coming this weekend. The Texas Comptroller’s Office says the tax break begins Friday and runs through Sunday. Customers can buy most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks – sold for less than $100 – tax free from a Texas store or from an online or catalog seller doing business in the state. The sales tax exemption applies only to qualifying items. The tax break does not include products such as jewelry, handbags, briefcases, luggage, computer bags, umbrellas, wallets and watches. The Texas sales tax holiday weekend started in 1999.

Utah

Riverton: Administrators from more than 60 schools in northern Utah gathered ahead of the first day of classes to assemble “care kits” for students in need. The Deseret News reports administrators from the Jordan School District met Wednesday to pack more than 2,400 kits, which include food, personal hygiene products and backpacks loaded with school supplies. Walmart donated the supplies. Event organizer Peggy Margetts said the kits help students in a discrete way and show students their school cares about their well-being. Students will receive the kits at the start of school. Administrators said they will keep some on hand to use during the year.

Vermont

Montpelier: The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets says the state’s cheese producers won 44 ribbons at the American Cheese Society’s annual awards competition. Officials say this is Vermont’s best showing yet. The results were announced at the society’s annual conference last week in Richmond, Virginia. Agriculture officials say five Vermont cheeses were finalists for the best in show. A total of 25 Vermont companies submitted cheeses to be judged among the more than 2,000 total entries. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott congratulated the state’s cheesemakers on their “impressive achievement.” He says their “commitment to excellence is helping Vermont grow its economy by creating jobs and further strengthening our great Vermont brand.”

Virginia

Blacksburg: Town officials are cracking down on an unsanctioned Virginia Tech fraternity they say is operating in violation of zoning rules. Blacksburg officials recently determined the house is being used as a base for the rogue frat Omega Alpha Kappa. Zoning Administrator Paul Patterson said frat activities at the house must stop. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports the fraternity is not recognized by the university and was formed by members of Kappa Delta Rho when that chapter was suspended for violating alcohol policies. The fraternity has a history of trash citations and accusations that members made female guests at social events feel uncomfortable. The Roanoke Times reports the university has advised students to avoid the fraternity and seven others for their safety.

Washington

Seattle: A $219 million property-tax levy that would abolish overdue fines in the Seattle Public Library system is heading toward approval. The Seattle Times reports the seven-year levy supporting the library system had 73% of the vote in returns Tuesday. The measure proposed by Mayor Jenny Durkan would authorize additional property taxes and replace a $123 million library levy set to expire at the end of this year. The levy would collect about 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2020. The additional library funding would support seismic renovations, new programs for children, more social workers, extended operating hours and the elimination of fines for overdue items. About $167 million would be used to maintain current services.

West Virginia

Charleston: The state’s Public Port Authority board has decided to consider lease proposals and bids for the Heartland Intermodal Gateway Facility in Prichard. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the board made a motion Wednesday in Charleston to delay a possible public sale. West Virginia Transportation Secretary Byrd White says the board discussed selling it because of a funding shortage. Wayne County Commissioner Jeff Maddox says the county’s economy isn’t the best, but a sale for “pennies on the dollar” would be “a grave error.” The board will further discuss options at its September meeting. The $32 million facility opened in 2015 on 76 acres donated by Norfolk Southern railroad. It’s designed to move containers more efficiently by rail through a double-stack method while offering a cheaper alternative to gas-guzzling trucks.

Wisconsin

Madison: State prison officials say they illegally released information that could reveal whether inmates are in substance abuse treatment. The Department of Corrections said Thursday that officials responding to an open records request released records June 24 that contained 1,041 inmates’ personal identification numbers and locations. No names were released, but DOC officials say someone could use the numbers and locations to learn whether an inmate is at a substance abuse facility or receiving treatment. The agency says that information is confidential under Wisconsin law. Only two people saw the information, and they’ve since confirmed the data has been destroyed. DOC spokeswoman Molly Vidal didn’t answer emailed questions asking who received the questions and what information they actually wanted.

Wyoming

Meeteetse: A ranch where black-footed ferrets were discovered in the 1980s is being preserved. The Nature Conservancy recently announced a conservation easement agreement to restrict the Lazy BV ranch’s 2,300 acres near Meeteetse from being subdivided or developed. The ranch is in the area where the ferrets were discovered in 1981 after they were thought to be extinct. The ferrets were used to start a captive-breeding program that has restored black-footed ferrets in Wyoming, Colorado, Montana and elsewhere in the western U.S. Jim Luchsinger of The Nature Conservancy tells Wyoming Public Radio it had been a dream of the ranch owners to protect the ranch and bring ferrets back. The protected land is also home to greater sage grouse, mule deer, antelope and Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Peacock problems, avocado threat: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: A lawmaker fed up with her colleagues’ attempts to outlaw abortion has filed legislation to require all men over 50 to get vasectomies. Democratic Rep. Rolanda Hollis said Friday that she introduced the bill to send “the message that men should not be legislating what women do with their bodies.” Alabama lawmakers last year approved a ban on abortion unless the woman’s life was in danger. A federal judge blocked the law from taking effect while a legal challenge plays out in court. Hollis said doctors, not legislators, are the ones to be consulted about surgery, medications and making the “incredibly difficult decisions” related to personal reproductive rights. Her bill suggests the state require a man to get a vasectomy within one month of turning 50 or after the birth of his third child. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that forced sterilization is unconstitutional.

Alaska

Anchorage: Volunteers slung bales of hay onto a table Thursday, where they were swiftly stuffed inside blue plastic bags, twirled and shut with twist ties before being dragged off to waiting pallets. Their efforts will help ensure the canine participants in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race have someplace warm and dry to bed down when their mushers stop along the 1,000-mile trail between Anchorage and Nome. The so-called straw drop is the first volunteer event of the Iditarod race, says Mark Nordman, the race director and marshal. More events follow this week, including people helping prepare shipments of food for both the dogs and the mushers to the checkpoints. The race over treacherous Alaska terrain – including two mountain ranges, the frozen Yukon River and the ice-covered Bering Sea – starts March 7 in Anchorage with the fan-friendly ceremonial start. The actual race begins the next day in Willow, about 50 miles north. The winner is expected in the old Gold Rush town of Nome, on the Bering Sea coast, about 10 or 11 days later.

Arizona

Lake Havasu City: Officials plan to end scheduled closures of London Bridge for special events, saying they don’t want to block vehicle travel between an island and the rest of the western Arizona city along the Colorado River. City officials cited safety reasons and residents’ concerns about closures that typically have lasted two or three hours, Today’s News-Herald reports. Events that have required bridge closures include the annual Line Dance on the London Bridge; Camaros on the Bridge; and, infrequently, Corvettes on the Bridge. City Manager Jess Knudson says officials were grateful “for all the events that have been on the bridge in the past. But the city has decided to go a different direction now.” Lake Havasu City founder Robert McCulloch purchased the stone bridge in the late 1960s and had it transported by ship and truck from London in pieces.

Arkansas

Little Rock: A federal appeals court panel in Washington upheld a lower court’s decision Friday that blocked the Trump administration’s work requirements for Medicaid recipients. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found Arkansas’ work requirements for Medicaid recipients to be “arbitrary and capricious.” About 18,000 people in the state lost benefits because of the work requirements, but it wasn’t clear how many obtained coverage elsewhere. “In short, we agree with the district court that the alternative objectives of better health outcomes and beneficiary independence are not consistent with Medicaid,” the opinion said. “The text of the statute includes one primary purpose, which is providing health care coverage without any restriction geared to healthy outcomes, financial independence or transition to commercial coverage.” Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he’s hopeful the U.S. Supreme Court will review the case.

California

San Diego: A Southern California aquarium has successfully bred the rare weedy sea dragon, the lesser-known cousin of the sea horse that resembles seaweed when floating. San Diego’s Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography said in a news release that two weedy sea dragons hatched last week, making the aquarium one of the few in the world to successfully breed the unusual fish. The babies with leafy appendages are less than an inch long and have eaten their first meal of tiny shrimp. The aquarium is keeping the delicate creatures out of public view for now. The hatchlings come less than a year after the aquarium at the University of California, San Diego built what is believed to be one of the world’s largest habitats for the sea dragons, whose native populations off Australia are threatened by pollution, warming oceans and the illegal pet and alternative medicine trades.

Colorado

Denver: Research shows gun sales in the state have dropped for the third consecutive year, and experts suspect a correlation to which political party is leading the country. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation conducted 335,370 backgrounds checks in 2019, a 1.4% decrease compared to the year before, the Denver Post reports. The state does not track the number of firearms sold, so background checks performed ahead of gun sales are used to calculate totals instead, department officials say. Department data has shown about 98% of background checks were approved, and denials were due to assault or drug records by potential gun buyers. Data suggests sales tend to increase under Democratic presidents and decrease under Republican leadership, experts say. “When Obama was elected, sure enough gun sales went up,” says Eileen McCarron, president of Colorado Ceasefire Legislative Action, a group that advocates against gun violence. “But they didn’t just spike – they went up and stayed up.”

Connecticut

Hartford: State officials have announced drug overdose deaths increased by nearly 20% last year. Exactly 1,200 people died of some sort of drug overdose in the state in 2019, an increase mostly attributed to the continued rise in fentanyl use, the Hartford Courant reports. “Fentanyl is still increasing,” Chief State Medical Examiner Robert Gill said. “If we had a magic wand and could make all the fentanyl disappear, there is no doubt that we would see a considerable decline in accidental drug intoxication deaths in Connecticut.” The number of overdose deaths had dropped for the first time in 2018 to 1,017, Gill said. Last year marked the first time the state reached the 1,200 death milestone. A spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont said that state agencies must continue to work together and that perhaps federal funding is needed.

Delaware

Wilmington: A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a state prison inmate who complained about running out of toilet paper. The judge ruled Thursday that the lawsuit by Isaac Pierce was frivolous. The ruling contains references to several other court decisions regarding toilet paper, or the lack of it, in prisons. Those rulings generally concluded that, while a temporary lack of toilet paper might be unpleasant, it does not violate an inmate’s rights or, in the words of one court, does not present a question of “constitutional magnitude.” The lawsuit was filed last year by Pierce and two cellmates, who were subsequently dismissed from the case. They alleged they were forced to use newspapers after they were denied more toilet paper for two and a half days in August 2019.

District of Columbia

Washington: A couple’s new cannabis delivery service took some getting creative to keep it legal, WUSA-TV reports. District Derp co-owner Chris says because pot can be gifted but not sold in the district, he and his partner consulted a team of legal experts to make sure the business – which primarily sells their dog’s original artwork, combined with a cannabis gift – always operated above board. “When it came to navigating the law, our legal team just kind of advised us, do what you do best,” Chris said. “Make your art, sell your art, and provide the great cannabis experience that you can on the side.” Now, their business model is equal parts of sausage meat and patience. “Sudo is a very food-driven dog,” Chris says of the artist. Sudo is an Alaskan Klee Kai, a breed known for its smarts. District Derp co-owner Anais says it took about a month to unleash Sudo’s artistic skills.

Florida

Miami: A pack of peacocks that has wreaked havoc on a neighborhood will be relocated after city commissioners voted Thursday night to side with residents and agreed to have the birds taken away. It was a big win for many residents who have complained that the birds have taken control of a Coconut Grove neighborhood, mating into the night, pooping in large piles, and scratching cars as they travel in packs of 20 to 40 or more, the Miami Herald reports. Andrews Candela told commissioners before Thursday night’s vote that he once felt lucky to live in North Grove, but the massive infestation of peacocks has ruined the quality of life for him and his wife. “I don’t want to remain forgotten in a filthy, dirty peacock land as hostage to a group of birds,” Candela said. “I think that is more than unfair.” Commissioners unanimously agreed to amend the city’s charter to allow for trapping and removal of excess peacocks.

Georgia

Atlanta: Election officials have loaded and shipped the last truckloads of new voting machines making their statewide debut in the March presidential primaries, getting the equipment to local election offices Friday barely two weeks before advance voting begins. Distributing 30,000 machines among 159 Georgia counties ahead of the primaries posed a big challenge for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. A federal judge last August ordered Georgia to retire its outdated, paperless system before any votes were cast in 2020, citing security concerns. Raffensperger’s office had just awarded a $103 million contract for the new machines when the judge ruled, increasing pressure to meet an already tight rollout schedule. Georgia will hold its presidential primaries March 24. But advance, in-person voting begins March 2.

Hawaii

Honolulu: An invasive bug was discovered feeding on avocado leaves across the state and was most recently found on Maui plants in retail outlets, entomologists said. The avocado lace bug was first discovered in Pearl City, Oahu, in December and was subsequently identified on Hawaii Island and Maui, the state Department of Agriculture said. Department officials have not confirmed the presence of the bug on Kauai. The infested Maui plants located in retail outlets were destroyed or treated, department officials said. It is unclear how the bug was introduced in Hawaii. The lace bug feeds on the leaves of avocado plants, extracting nutrients and gradually destroying the plants, experts said. The bug does not feed on the fruit itself. The bug causes green to yellowish blotches on the leaves, and damaged leaves become dry and may curl, drop prematurely and cause reduction in fruit yields.

Idaho

Boise: The state has been awarded a grant to study how elk herds move through a northern Idaho migration corridor also used by grizzly bears and wolverines. The grant, announced by the U.S. Department of the Interior on Friday, is part of $3.2 million in funding for big game rangeland studies in 11 western states. Idaho’s research will focus on the McArthur Lake area, which serves as a link between the Selkirk and Cabinet mountains used by grizzly bears, wolverine and elk. Scientists will put GPS collars on 40 elk to monitor their movements over two years and then combine that data with information from a grid of 119 trail cameras. The findings will be used to map seasonal ranges, movement routes and stopover areas, according to the Interior Department.

Illinois

Springfield: A new sculpture honoring the 16th U.S. president is coming to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Museum officials announced plans last week for the “Beacon of Endurance” piece, designed by B.J. Krivanek. He described the sculpture in a statement as standing 24 feet, 10 inches tall. Renderings of the piece show an obelisk, with a base inscribed with quotes from Lincoln and a stainless-steel upper portion inscribed with words describing Lincoln. Members of an advisory panel will weigh in on which words to include, and the museum also plans to take ideas from the public through social media. Officials plan to place the sculpture outside the museum. Renderings show that the piece includes projections of key words onto the southeast corner of the building’s exterior at night.

Indiana

Indianapolis: A 60-day law license suspension is being recommended for the state’s attorney general after allegations that he grabbed the buttocks of a state legislator and inappropriately touched three other women during a party. The recommendation filed Friday with the state Supreme Court puts the Republican Curtis Hill’s ability to remain as state government’s top lawyer in jeopardy, as he must have a law license to hold the position. It wasn’t immediately clear how a temporary suspension would affect his status. Former state Supreme Court Justice Myra Selby proposed the punishment in a report to the court, which will make the final decision in the professional misconduct case. Selby said his law license should not be automatically reinstated following the suspension. In her 36-page report, Selby wrote that Hill committed battery, and she “finds and concludes by clear and convincing evidence” that he violated rules of professional conduct.

Iowa

Des Moines: A state court judge on Friday heard arguments on whether to dismiss a lawsuit challenging an Iowa law passed last year that would block Planned Parenthood of the Heartland from receiving federal grant money for sex education courses. Judge Paul Scott is considering whether to throw out the lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa for Planned Parenthood. It challenges the law passed as a violation of free speech, due process and equal protection rights. Last May, Judge Joseph Seidlin temporarily halted enforcement of the law until the court could decide whether it’s constitutional. He concluded that Planned Parenthood is likely to succeed in its equal protection claim and that it has demonstrated significant harm through loss of funding.

Kansas

Wichita: A significant drop in methamphetamine prices led to a nearly a 20% decline in burglary in the city last year, according to a police official. Thanks to the low price of meth, the theft of guns and other items from inside vehicles also was down from 2018 to 2019, Wichita Police Department Deputy Chief Jose Salcido told a Criminal Justice Coordinating Council meeting. Meth now sells for $2,400 per pound, which is the lowest price in 20 years, Salcido said. “The market is saturated. There’s no incentive for criminals to go steal to finance their habits like in the past,” Salcido said. The latest available state data shows that the street value of meth is at $3,500 to $5,000 per pound, according to a 2018 Kansas Bureau of Investigation report. An ounce costs between $250 and $500. In 2014, meth prices were about three times as much at $13,000 to $15,000 for a pound and $800 to $1,200 for an ounce. In 2019, the city reported 255 stolen guns from vehicles, a 17.5% drop from the year prior. Theft of items from inside a car fell by 19% from 2018 to 2019.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Medical marijuana is getting a serious look in the Legislature. In another sign of momentum for the push to legalize cannabis for treatment of some medical conditions, House Speaker David Osborne said the bill could come up for a House vote as soon as this week. The measure cleared the House Judiciary Committee on a 17-1 vote Wednesday. One of its lead sponsors, Republican Rep. Jason Nemes, has predicted it would pass the House by a wide margin. House Republicans will discuss the measure internally to gauge support and develop a plan for it when the GOP-led Legislature reconvenes Tuesday, Osborne told reporters. The speaker praised the bill’s supporters for crafting a version that has drawn a lot of support. Supporters point to strong grassroots support for the legal use of medical cannabis for people battling chronic pain and certain debilitating medical conditions.

Louisiana

New Orleans: Fire trucks traditionally bring up the rear of the city’s Mardi Gras parades – but not this year. As Carnival season kicks into high gear, the first of the major parades, with marching bands and floats carrying masked riders, rolled Friday evening. Parades are scheduled almost daily through Mardi Gras – or Fat Tuesday – which falls on Feb. 25 this year. Fire trucks traditionally roll behind each parade in the city, signalling a procession’s end. But Mayor LaToya Cantrell and fire chief Tim McConnell confirmed at a news conference on Mardi Gras safety issues that the practice is being abandoned. Fire crews will still do safety inspections on floats before parades but will then return to their stations. McConnell said the change will mean more trucks are available when needed anywhere in the city. He and Cantrell said the move was not prompted by an ongoing labor dispute involving firefighters.

Maine

Belfast: Dozens of residents told the state they’re opposed to the building of a large salmon farm in this coastal city. The proposal from Norwegian-owned Nordic Aquafarms would create a $500 million salmon farm that uses land-based facilities to grow the fish for human consumption. Many Maine residents told the Maine Board of Environmental Protection during a Tuesday night hearing that they think the project is a bad fit for the community, the Bangor Daily News reports. The environmental protection board is visiting Belfast to review environmental permit applications that are needed for the project. Residents at the hearing raised concerns including that the environmental impact of the project would be too much for the community. Others said it was simply too large for Belfast. Nordic has characterized the project as a sustainable way to create jobs and meet demand for healthy seafood.

Maryland

Annapolis: School construction funding would increase by $2.2 billion over five years under a measure approved by the House of Delegates on Friday. The House approved the measure, called the Built to Learn Act, on a bipartisan 128-6 vote, and it now goes to the Senate, whose leaders support it. Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, also has expressed support. “I think it’s telling how important this bill is on both sides of the aisle,” said House Speaker Adrienne Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat. The measure enables the Maryland Stadium Authority to issue up to $2.2 billion in revenue bonds. The money would be on top of about $400 million the state spends each year to build and repair schools. The debt on the bonds would be paid by $125 million annually over 30 years from casino revenue that goes to the state for education.

Massachusetts

Boston: A traveling exhibit marking the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage is heading to the city. The exhibit presented by the American Bar Association will be on display at the John Joseph Moakley Law Library from Monday through Feb. 28. It’s titled “100 Years After the 19th Amendment: Their Legacy, and Our Future.” The exhibit was curated by the Library of Congress and includes photos and artifacts about the movement to give women the right to vote. Women’s right to vote was secured by the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.

Michigan

Battle Creek: Officials at Binder Park Zoo are hoping its male snow leopard hooks up with a female snow leopard he was paired with through a breeding program that aims to give the threatened species a boost. The zoo recently introduced Victoria, a 2-year-old snow leopard who arrived in August from Omaha, Nebraska’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, with Raj, who’s been at the Binder Park Zoo since 2012. Until Victoria arrived, the 7-year-old Raj was the lone snow leopard in Battle Creek. Zoo officials are hoping the pair will mate and produce a litter of cubs. The big cats were matched through a Species Survival Program breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquarium to make sure they were genetically compatible. “They do have a ‘dating profile,’ so to speak, but it’s driven by science rather than romance,” says Leslie Walsh, manager of marketing and development for Binder Park Zoo.

Minnesota

St. Paul: Gov. Tim Walz and LGBTQ activists rallied at the Capitol on Friday to demand that the Republican-controlled state Senate pass a ban on “conversion therapy” for minors, a discredited practice that seeks to turn gay people straight. The proposal passed the Democratic-controlled House last year, but an effort to amend it onto a larger bill on the Senate floor by Sen. Scott Dibble failed late in the session. The Minneapolis Democrat, who is openly gay, said he plans to reintroduce it this year, though he acknowledged in an interview that enacting it will be an uphill fight. But he has an ally in the Democratic governor. Walz pointed out to a crowd of about 100 people in the Capitol rotunda that 19 other states have enacted conversion therapy bans. “The idea that this absolutely discredited, Byzantine, torturous way of telling our children they are not who they are has got to end and will end,” Walz said. The American Psychological Association says conversion therapy is not based in science and is harmful to mental health.

Mississippi

Jackson: A legendary rodeo clown who spent decades performing has died after the final performance of the 55th Annual Dixie National Rodeo and Livestock Show. Lecile Harris, 83, died in his sleep after the show Wednesday night in Jackson, according to a release from the Mississippi Fair Commission. Born in Lake Cormorant, Mississippi, Harris gained popularity after starring in the television show “Hee Haw,” as well as roles in other TV shows and movies. He was inducted into the Mississippi Rodeo Hall of Fame and the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and won the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association award for Clown of the Year five times. “All of us involved at the Dixie National are truly saddened,” Mississippi Fair Commission executive director Steve Hutton said in the news release. “We all send our love and wishes to Lecile’s family, friends, and adoring fans around the world.”

Missouri

Cape Girardeau: A southeast Missouri peach grower was awarded $15 million in actual damages Friday in his lawsuit alleging the weedkiller dicamba severely damaged his orchards. Bill Bader, of Campbell, sued Bayer and BASF, alleging they were responsible for damage at Bader Farms, one of the largest peach farms in the state, which his attorneys argued would likely not survive repeated exposure to dicamba. Bader’s lawsuit is one of several filed against Bayer and BASF that blame the pesticide for damaging millions of acres of crops across the country. Farmers have been using dicamba for more than 50 years, but complaints increased after Monsanto – which was bought by Bader in 2018 – released dicamba-tolerant cotton and soybeans, leading to increased use of dicamba-based herbicides and more complaints about the chemical drifting onto farms that did not have resistant crops.

Montana

Missoula: Hunting regulations on wolf and elk near Yellowstone National Park have increased, wildlife officials say. The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission tightened wolf hunting rules and reduced elk-hunting seasons, the Missoulian reports. The commission discussed proposals and allowed public comment on the regulations Thursday during its daylong meeting in Helena. Regulations included reducing wolf hunting quotas to one per person in each district near Yellowstone National Park and shortening elk shouldering seasons by a month in some districts in central Montana, commission officials said. Some public commenters have argued that wolf quotas should be one or none because the animals are crucial to the ecosystem, while opponents suggested increasing the quota to two. The commission also adopted elk shoulder seasons for several hunting districts covering west-central Montana, agency officials said.

Nebraska

Lincoln: Researchers at the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln this week will discuss in a lecture the new research on black homesteaders in the Great Plains. The Paul A. Olson Great Plains Lecture is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the center in Lincoln. Although few in comparison to the multitudes of white settlers, black people also carved out lives for themselves on homesteads. About 70% of them settled in clusters or “colonies,” the center said in a new release, including one in DeWitty, Nebraska. The free public talk is part of a lecture series from the Center for Great Plains Studies on various Great Plains topics. More information is available online.

Nevada

Las Vegas: Workers have completed the first of two underground tunnels for a system to whisk passengers between exhibit halls at an expanded Las Vegas Convention Center, tourism and project officials said Friday. It took about three months, and officials say the drilling machine now will be disassembled, repositioned, reassembled and restarted for the second tunnel. The $52.5 million people-mover is being built by billionaire Elon Musk’s company The Boring Co. It is expected to be completed by the end of the year and is designed to offer conventioneers an approximately one-minute trip in self-driving electric vehicles between three exhibit hall and parking stations. The system is being called key to an ongoing, $1.5 billion convention center expansion and renovation that includes adding a three-story, 1.4 million-square-foot building across the street from the existing single-story convention center.

New Hampshire

Concord: Cats are closer to achieving equal footing with dogs in the state, at least when it comes to their untimely demise. House lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill that would require anyone who hits a cat with a vehicle to notify police or the animal’s owner as soon as possible. Such notification already is required when it comes to canine collisions. The bill now goes to the Senate, but three other bills related to killing animals won’t live on. The House voted against a measure that would have repealed a prohibition on hunting with ferrets, another that would have created a safari hunting license for those taking elk and boar at a private game reserve, and a third that would have lowered the bar for killing animals that damage crops or other property. Current law allows someone to kill wild animals that cause “actual and substantial” damage. The failed bill would have removed the “and substantial” language.

New Jersey

Morris County: A bowhunting organization says a 700-pound bear shot in the state last fall has set a world record as the largest black bear killed with a bow and arrow in North America. The Pope and Young Club, a bowhunting and conservation organization, said the bear killed Oct. in Morris County toppled a record set in 1993 by a hunter in California. “It has been an inspiring journey, to say the least,” hunter Jeff Melillo said in a statement quoted by the organization. “New Jersey, my home state, has its first-ever world record animal!” Club records director Eli Randall said the animal’s skull measured over 23 inches and had a bone structure that he called “the heaviest I had ever seen.” Melillo recalled an Outdoor Life article suggesting that that a world record black bear would likely come from New Jersey one day. The state’s black bear hunt has generated controversy in recent years, with Gov. Phil Murphy vowing during his campaign to seek an end to it and in 2018 instituting a ban on hunting bears on state lands. The New Jersey Sierra Club is still seeking a complete ban.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: State lawmakers are considering setting aside $20 million that could be used as seed money as water managers, municipalities and farmers scramble to find ways to reduce groundwater pumping that is at the center of a high-stakes legal battle. The fight over the Rio Grande has pitted Texas against New Mexico as demands increase and drought persists. It will be up to a special master appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court to eventually decide how New Mexico goes about ensuring enough of the Rio Grande flows south to users in Texas and Mexico. Right now, the system is out of balance, and Texas is arguing that New Mexico should be forced to reduce its pumping by as much as 60%. That would be equivalent to more than half of the water supplied annually to residents in Albuquerque, the state’s largest city. Such a reduction would be disastrous for users in southern New Mexico, says John D’Antonio, New Mexico’s top water engineer.

New York

Albany: The state is courting winter tourists with a fee-free weekend for out-of-state snowmobilers. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the plan Sunday at Saranac Lake. Fees will be waived March 14 and 15 for Canadian and other out-of-state visitors with registered, insured vehicles. New York State Snowmobile Association President Rosanne Warner says a lack of snow has made it tough to get the state’s more than 10,000 miles of trails ready this season. The state has committed $4.2 million in grants for trail maintenance and grooming, funded by snowmobile registration fees. Registration is $100 a year, or $45 with membership in a snowmobile club. Cuomo’s office says winter tourism generates nearly $14.4 billion in direct visitor spending.

North Carolina

Raleigh: The state schools superintendent has been accused of using a database to send hundreds of thousands of text messages and emails for political gain. The Raleigh News & Observer reports multiple ethics complaints have been filed against State Schools Superintendent Mark Johnson. Johnson sent 540,000 text messages and 800,000 email messages that he accessed from a state database to voice his opposition to the “Common Core” educational standards. Johnson’s opposition to the standards is a major part of his campaign for lieutenant governor. The complaints allege that the messages were designed for Johnson’s personal gain and were issued at the start of early voting before next month’s primary. Johnson is in a crowded field of Republicans running for lieutenant governor.

North Dakota

Bismarck: State officials say passenger boardings at the state’s eight commercial service airports during January were up nearly 12% over the same month in 2019. Nearly 100,300 people boarded planes in Bismarck, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot and Williston during the month, according to the state Aeronautics Commission. All airports saw an increase in boardings except Grand Forks. Devils Lake had the largest increase at 28.8%, followed by Fargo at $17.9%. Dickinson had an increase of 13.5%, followed by Bismarck at 11.8%, Minot at 9% Williston at 5.4% and Jamestown at 3.9%.

Ohio

Columbus: Gov. Mike DeWine is backing legislation that makes distracted driving reason enough to pull someone over. The bipartisan bill in the Ohio Senate addresses writing, sending or looking at texts, watching or recording photos or videos, or livestreaming while handling an electronic device, among other activities. The legislation would make those a primary offense, meaning police don’t need another reason first – such as speeding – to pull drivers over. The bill would also increase fines for people who are caught regularly using electronic devices while driving. Exemptions include using a phone to place an emergency call or using hands-free functions to talk on the phone or dictate texts. DeWine said Thursday that it’s time for a cultural recognition that distracted driving is just as bad as driving while drunk. Traffic deaths on Ohio roads have increased in five of the past six years.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: More inmates have been released under a law that directs a state board to review sentences of those in prison for crimes that would not be considered felonies if charged today. The law, which took effect in November, gives the state Pardon and Parole Board authority to establish an accelerated, single stage docket to review sentences, The Oklahoman reports. Under Oklahoma’s expedited commutation docket, 124 inmates, 83 men and 41 women, were released Thursday. Elizabeth Bijelic, 28, is one of those inmates. She was reunited with her 2-month-old daughter, to whom she said she gave birth while serving a three-year sentence for drug possession. “It’s amazing,” Bijelic said. “I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. I’m very blessed to be out. I’m not saying I didn’t need to be sat down for a minute, but it was excessive.” More than 450 inmates were released in November.

Oregon

Portland: Concordia University students walked out of their classes Thursday in protest of the Board of Regents’ recent decision to close the 115-year-old institution this year. The private Lutheran university’s board voted last Friday to cease operations and sell Concordia’s 24-acre campus in Northeast Portland. Concordia enrolls about 5,700 students, but sources estimate only about 1,200 of them attend classes on campus. Most of the students study remotely through Concordia’s online classes. Students spoke on campus Thursday morning outside the president’s residence holding signs asking “Where did my money go?” “Almost graduated” and “CU in court,” The Oregonian/OregonLive reports. In a poster calling for the walkout, students outlined a list of demands targeted at the Board of Regents: clear financial records, questions answered regarding the sudden closure, and a support plan for students, staff, faculty and the surrounding community.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: A funeral director has been suspended indefinitely after four decomposing bodies were found at his funeral home. Andrew Scheid agreed to the indefinite license suspension before a scheduled appearance Friday before the State Board of Funeral Directors. The suspension means he won’t be able to direct or supervise funerals at his locations in Lancaster and in Manor Township, outside Millersville. At the request of Lancaster County prosecutors, the coroner’s office went to Scheid’s Manor Township location last month and found the decomposing remains in a preparation area, according to WHTM. None of the bodies had been refrigerated or embalmed. One body had been there 17 days, while another was there for 12, according to a petition for suspension. No criminal charges have been filed.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state appears poised to raise its minimum wage. The House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday night to raise the minimum wage to $11.50 an hour by Oct. 1. The hourly rate is currently set at $10.50. The state Senate approved a bill last week to raise the minimum wage to $11.50 an hour on Oct. 1, and Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo has said she wants to raise the minimum wage. Rhode Island’s minimum wage has been $10.50 since Jan. 1, 2019, which is lower than the hourly rates in neighboring Massachusetts and Connecticut. Some Republicans voted against the bill, saying they were worried that the steadily rising wage threatens to hurt employers and could lead to job losses, The Providence Journal reports. Some Democrats supported the bill even though they had wanted a higher raise.

South Carolina

Columbia: Gov. Henry McMaster is now the oldest person ever to hold that office in the Palmetto State. McMaster turned 72 years and 262 days old Thursday, one day older than James Byrnes when he left office in January 1955. “I’m glad to be living,” the Republican governor told The Post and Courier of Charleston after reaching the milestone. McMaster is only the third governor to serve into his 70s among South Carolina’s 117 chief executives dating back to 1670. And McMaster could serve a lot longer. He has given no indication he won’t run for reelection in 2022, and if he won, his term would end in January 2027, when he would be 79. Longevity runs in McMaster’s family. His father retired from his law firm at 99 after trying his final case at age 93. McMaster is still younger than President Donald Trump, who is 73. And he is only the nation’s fourth-oldest current governor.

South Dakota

Rapid City: Police say complaints against the city’s officers in 2019 were the lowest in nine years. Citizens filed 12 complaints last year compared to a high of 56 in 2015 and an average of 35 between 2011 and 2019, the Rapid City Journal reports. Last year also marked the debut of equipping officers with body cameras, allowing the department to use the footage to help investigate the complaints. The 12 complaints were the result of 142,186 calls for service and 8,243 arrests. “The high volume of work and the low number of complaints is a positive reflection of the quality of employees who serve you as well as the training they receive,” Police Chief Karl Jegeris wrote in the report. Jegeris said the department takes the complaints seriously, and when “we are wrong, we admit it, and we take measures to improve our ability to provide service to citizens.”

Tennessee

Nashville: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $9 million on high-speed broadband internet projects in 10 rural Tennessee counties. USDA officials said in a statement Thursday that the broadband projects will create or improve high speed internet connectivity in more than 3,700 households and more than 70 businesses and farms. Projects are planned in Cumberland, Houston, Henry, Maury, Montgomery, Rutherford, Smith, Stewart, Williamson and Wilson counties. Rural areas around the country have been clamoring for more high-speed internet access for use in schools, libraries, homes and businesses such as farms. Funds come from the federal ReConnect Pilot Program, which provides loans and grants to help build broadband infrastructure in rural parts of the country.

Texas

Falfurrias: Authorities are searching for vandals who damaged a south Texas shrine to faith healer Don Pedrito Jaramillo. The damage to the shrine to Don Pedrito Jaramillo in Falfurrias, about 150 miles south of San Antonio, was reported Friday, according to Brooks County Sheriff Urbino “Benny” Martinez. “We’re really working hard on it because I think it’s really unfortunate that that would happen to Don Pedrito,” Martinez told the San Antonio Express-News. “It’s been there for years and years.” Jaramillo was known as “the healer of Los Olmos,” for using natural remedies to heal the sick. He came to the Los Olmos Ranch near Falfurrias in the early 1880s and died in 1907. The shrine began at his burial site and received a Texas Historical Marker in 1971. Falfurrias City Administrator Melissa Landin said damage to crosses and statues of Jaramillo may be irreparable.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Authorities are investigating an attack on a black missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a possible hate crime. Two men were arrested Thursday on suspicion of assault, and charging documents show a hate crime designation is under consideration. The NAACP expressed outrage about what allegedly happened, and church officials said they are concerned about the incident. The victim and his missionary companion were preparing to go to a house of people they were going to teach Jan. 28 in the central Utah city of Payson when they encountered six people wearing dark hoodies, charging documents show. The assailants shouted a racial slur at the victim, who is Panamian, and told him to get out of their “hood,” he told police. They threw his cellphone on the ground, threatened his mother and called him a “church boy” before punching him in the head and face and kicking him, the document shows.

Vermont

Montpelier: The Vermont Land Trust is giving a $5,000 award to a farmer who exemplifies land stewardship, giving back and entrepreneurial farming. The deadline for applications for the Eric Rozendaal Memorial Award is June 30, the Bennington Banner reports. Rozendaal, who died in 2018 at age 51, was a pioneer in the farm-to-plate movement in Vermont and one of the first to sell directly to restaurants, stores and hospitals, the Land Trust said. He also enhanced his farm’s soil, built relationships with customers and farm workers, and shared his knowledge with others, the group said. His family and friends raised money to create the award in his honor. The award will be given out each year through 2028. Corie Pierce of Bread & Butter Farm in Shelburne and South Burlington was the first recipient of the award last year.

Virginia

Richmond: State officials announced plans Friday to create new habitat for about 25,000 seabirds after their nesting grounds were paved for a state tunnel expansion project – a case that highlighted weakened protections for birds across the U.S. under President Donald Trump. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s office said the state was acting because of the Trump administration’s new interpretation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act that says accidental bird deaths are not enforceable under the century-old law. “Had this federal policy remained unchanged, it would have protected the birds on South Island from harm,” Northam’s office said in a statement. The announcement comes after the Virginia Department of Transportation earlier this month confirmed to The Virginian-Pilot the extent of the damage to the decades-old nesting site.

Washington

Olympia: The state Senate on Friday passed a data privacy measure that would give consumers the right to manage how information held by private companies is used. The measure, called the Washington Privacy Act, passed on a bipartisan 46-1 vote and now heads to the House for consideration. It would require businesses or other entities that control or process the identifiable data of more than 100,000 people to allow consumers to find out what data is stored about them, correct errors or request deletion. It would also allow people the right to opt out of their data being used for the purposes of targeted advertising and to opt out of the sale of their personal data. The measure would also set rules for facial recognition technology for companies. The measure has been modeled on European rules and protections put in place in California.

West Virginia

Charleston: Gov. Jim Justice on Friday offered a conditional apology for calling a high school girls’ basketball team “thugs,” saying he didn’t know the remarks would cause any trouble. Justice has drawn criticism for using the term after a scuffle broke out at a heated Tuesday night game between Greenbrier East High School, where he coaches, and Woodrow Wilson High School. The team’s coaches are black, as are some of the players. His comments spread quickly on social media and at the Capitol, with one lawmaker, Del. Mike Pushkin, tweeting that the governor was making “thinly veiled racial slurs.” On Wednesday, the Republican governor defended himself, issuing a statement that said: “Anyone that would accuse me of making a racial slur is totally absurd.” Then on Friday, in an interview with local ABC affiliate WCHS-TV, Justice said he was sorry if he hurt any feelings, while noting others who’ve used the word.

Wisconsin

Madison: The Wisconsin Claims Board on Friday awarded $25,000 to a U.S. Navy veteran who spent 26 years behind bars for a homicide he didn’t commit. Derrick Sanders, now 48, argued he was wrongfully convicted in the fatal shooting of Jason Bowie in Milwaukee in 1992. Prosecutors dropped the charges against him in 2018 after a circuit judge threw out his conviction. “The Board concludes and finds that the evidence is clear and convincing that Sanders was innocent of the charge discussed herein,” the decision said. Sanders had asked the board for $5.7 million, but state law limits compensation for wrongful convictions to $25,000. Sanders’ current attorney, Rex Anderegg, didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: Veterans and lawmakers including U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, of Kentucky, rallied in support of a bill in Wyoming that would restrict combat deployment of National Guard troops. The bill failed an initial vote, 35-22, falling far short of the two-thirds majority needed for introduction in the Wyoming House. Under the Defend the Guard Act, Wyoming troops and airmen could only be sent to combat with congressional authorization specifically granted by the Constitution, such as declaration of war. “We now have kids going to war who were born after 9/11. I don’t think one generation should bind another generation in war,” Paul told a small crowd Friday at the Wyoming Capitol. Opponents of such measures in other states have pointed out there’s already a potential check on combat deployments of National Guard troops – they must be approved by a governor. Lawmakers defeated the bill on introduction without debate later Friday.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Summer concerts in Phoenix: Dave Matthews Band, Mumford ...

The Rolling Stones, two former Beatles and the Cream guitarist who dropped by to solo on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” are among the legendary artists returning to Phoenix in a summer concert season that also brings a double bill of Brian Wilson and the Zombies.

And those are just the living legends.

Summer also brings Dave Matthews Band, Mumford & Sons and John Mayer, to name a few of the higher-profile artists swinging through the Valley between now and late September.

Here's a look at those and other summer highlights, from Ak-Chin Pavilion to Cross Record at the Trunk Space.

9/1: Ryley Walker

This experimental singer-songwriter released two albums last year. "Deafman Glance" was saluted in Classic Rock Magazine as "Tim Buckley to Beefheart to Bert Jansch and beyond." And he followed through with "The Lillywhite Sessions," a full-scale deconstruction of the Dave Matthews Band's unreleased (but bootlegged) album of the same name. Q magazine praised it as "completely unexpected, utterly brilliant." And Q was right on both counts. This show also features Wild Pink.

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $12. valleybarphx.com.

9/1: Animal House: A Dance Party

The Stateside Presents crew is transforming the Van Buren into a tropical paradise for one night only to send the summer off right with a Labor Day weekend party including tropical drink specials, a prop-filled photo booth, animals swinging from the rafters and more, including DJ sets by Classixx and Cassius.

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $20; $15 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

9/2: Skillet, Sevendust

Fronted by a married couple, John and Korey Cooper, Memphis post-grunge veterans Skillet have sent three consecutive albums to the top of Billboard's Christian charts — 2009's platinum "Awake," 2013's "Rise" and last year's "Unleashed." This is a co-headlining tour with Sevendust, whose sound can range from the rap-metal urgency of “Enemy” (a Top 10 Mainstream Rock hit in 2003) to the moodier melodic sensibilities of the “Cold Day Memory” track “Unraveling." Also playing: Pop Evil, Devour the Day.

Details: 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $42.50-$62.50. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/3: The National

The indie-rock veterans arrive in support of "I Am Easy to Find," their much-anticipated followup to "Sleep Well Beast," which won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album and became their highest-charting album yet. Paste magazine responded to the new release with "The National have put out another album that could easily be argued as their best — and it may be easier to make that claim now than ever before."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $42.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

9/3: K.Flay

The L.A.-based singer is touring in support of "Every Where is Some Where," a collection of confessional electro-pop that makes the most of K.Flay's idiosyncratic pout and should appeal to anyone who loved that latest Lorde release.

As Rock Sound noted: "'Every Where Is Some Where' is in turns intimate, expansive, confessional and inviting – thoroughly addictive on the dark, pulsing and urgent ‘Blood In The Cut,’ woozily euphoric on ‘High Enough,’ playfully political on ‘The President Has A Sex Tape’ and swirling and sultry on ‘You Felt Right’."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept 3. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $22. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/4: Angels & Airwaves

Tom DeLonge and his bandmates are launching their first tour in seven years at Tempe's Marquee Theatre. The tour announcement was accompanied by the release of "Rebel Girl," their first new music in three years. DeLonge founded Angels & Airwaves in 2005, while still co-fronting Blink-182, who replaced him in 2015 with Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba. Angels & Airwaves' best-known songs include "The Adventure" and "Everything's Magic."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $38. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/5: Lost '80s Live

Get lost in the '80s with A Flock of Seagulls, Wang Chung, Farrington & Mann (of When In Rome), the Vapors, Boy's Don't Cry and Real Life. Formed in Liverpool, A Flock of Seagulls crashed the U.S. pop charts with the synth-pop smash "I Ran (So Far Away)" and followed through "Space Age Love Song" "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" and "The More You Live, the More You Love." Wang Chung made it hard to forget who they are by including their name in their biggest U.S. hit, "Everybody Have Fun Tonight."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $40-$65. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

9/5: Cross Record

Emily is touring in support of a self-titled Cross Record album. In the three years since her previous release, the singer went through a divorce, quit drinking, become a death doula, started the observational podcast “What I’m Looking At” and toured and recorded with Loma, the trio she formed with Dan Duszynski and Jonathan Meiburg. After setting the tone with an experimental mood piece that finds her repeating the line "What is your wish?" she settles into an album that favors more song-oriented fare without abandoning the eccentricities that make that first track what it is. The result will leave you haunted.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5. The Trunk Space, 1124 N. Third St., Phoenix. $8. thetrunkspace.com.

9/6: Brian Wilson and the Zombies

Brian Wilson is bringing the Zombies to town on the Something Great from '68 and More Tour. Wilson will be joined by fellow Beach Boys Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin, performing selections from "Friends" and "Surf's Up" in addition to hits from the '60s and '70s. The Zombies bring together past and present line-ups to perform the masterpiece on which their legacy has come to rest, the awe-inspiring "Odessey and Oracle."

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $49.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

9/6: Why?

"AOKOHIO" is a visual album Yoni Wolf has been revealing in a string of three-song movements leading up to its release on Aug. 9. The album follows 2017's “Moh Lhean,” which found him adopting a more reflective world view in the wake of a health scare while at the same time drifting into haunted psychedelic folk. As PopMatters noted, “It’s as if he has suddenly come to terms with his place in the world and that has translated into music which is warmer, looser, and more liberated.”

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $20; $17 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/7: Bleached

Sisters Jennifer and Jessica Clavin have gone through a bit of a growth spurt since "Welcome The Worms" hit the streets in 2016, getting sober and reflecting on those changes on the aptly titled "Don't You Think You've Had Enough?" And they've managed to grow up in public with abandoning the effervescent pop charms of their misspent youth, hanging one of the album's most contagious hooks on a singalong chorus of "We made it through the teen awkward phase / I got some pictures I don't wanna explain."

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $15. valleybarphx.com.

9/8: Kristin Hersh Electric Trio

The voice of Throwing Muses is in brilliant form on "Possible Dust Clouds," an electrifying, feedback-laden masterstroke that makes the most of the her raspy delivery to the convey the raw emotions at the heart of her best work. Q magazine calls it "a stunning, stealthy, faintly malevolent collection of songs that serve as a reminder of this songwriter's power and innovation." It's kind of amazing how much of her edge she's managed to retain more than 30 years after grabbing our attention by the throat.

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $15. valleybarphx.com.

9/10: John Mayer

These Evening with John Mayer concerts will feature two sets of music spanning his entire recording career. There will be no opening act. In addition to his solo tour, Mayer is again touring North America in 2019, for the fourth consecutive year, with Dead & Company, featuring Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, along with Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $44.75 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

9/10: Black Flag

The great Greg Ginn has reassembled something he feels comfortable promoting as Black Flag, the hardcore legends whose sound was defined in part by Ginn's guitar work, which sounded as brilliant as ever on 2013's "What The..." This is their third reunion since they went their separate ways in 1986 and represents their first live shows in five years. The only holdout from their glory years in this year's model is Ginn, who's joined by professional skateboarder Mike Vallely on lead vocals.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $26. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/10-11: The Allman Betts Band

It would be more than fair to file this year's excellent "Down to the River" under "Allman Brothers-related." It's right there in the band name. They're fronted by singer-guitarists Devon Allman (Gregg's son) and Duane Betts (Dickey's son, whose first name is a tip of the hat to the late Duane Allman). And their bassist is Berry Duane Oakley, the son of Allmans bassist Berry Oakley. None of this would matter if they didn't rise to the occasion with an album that honors the family tradition in style and substance.

Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 10-11. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $35.50-$40.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

9/11: Explosions in the Sky

These post-rock instrumentalists from Austin have been known to sum up their own music as "cathartic mini-symphonies." And that sounds about right. They're playing Mesa on a tour celebrating their 20th anniversary. "The Wilderness," their latest album, earned a perfect score from the reviewer at the Austin Chronicle, who called it "textured, ornate, and somehow seeping into the deepest parts of you." The Line of Best Fit also loved "The Wilderness," calling is "thrillingly foreign yet familiar in its finest moments."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. Mesa Arts Center, One East Main St., Mesa. $30. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

9/11: Jay Som

Melina Duterte made our year-end album list in 2017 with “Everybody Works,” an album she recorded in her bedroom. But despite the introspective nature of the lyrics and the way the first song sounds like it was captured in the middle of a dream, it doesn’t feel like the work of a bedroom-pop auteur. Too many of the album’s highlights rock too much to warrant that description, from the richly orchestrated pop charms of “The Bus Song” to the post-punk grinding of “1 Billion Dogs.” And the followup will be here by the time she gets to Phoenix.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $15; $13 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

9/12: Maren Morris

It's been two years since Morris won Best Country Solo Performance at the Grammys for her breakthrough single, "My Church." Now, she's touring in support of "Girl," a solid second album that enjoyed the largest debut streaming week in history for a country album by a female artist. And it's doubtful anyone regretted helping Morris grab that title assuming they came for the country-pop crossover bids that made her such a hot commodity, including a featured vocal spot on Zedd's triple-platinum "The Middle."

Details: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $53; $48 in advance. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com.

9/12: David Crosby

A co-founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, the singer-guitarist is on the shortlist of performers to have been inducted more than once to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He and five musical friends, including keyboard-playing son James Raymond, will perform some of the most beloved songs of his illustrious career alongside material from the "Sky Trails" album and a few surprises.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $40-$85. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

9/13: Dave Matthews Band

The Grammy-winning jam-rock veterans have sold more than 24 million tickets with sales of 38 million CDs and DVDs combined. With the release of 2018’s "Come Tomorrow," they became the first group in history to have seven consecutive studio albums top the Billboard charts. Rolling Stone praised the album for exploring "the mature, singer-songwriter side he's developed during recent work like 2012's 'Away From the World.'"

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $45.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

9/13: Mana

It's been three years since the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning rockers, hailed in Billboard as “the most widely sold and heard Latin band in the world,” toured. Their previous Latino Power Tour sold out venues across the U.S. with a message of unity and empowerment.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. Resale prices vary. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

9/13: Phoenix Unknown

The inaugural Phoenix Unknown: World Music and Night Market hosts Phoenix-based performers representing more than 15 countries and vendors representing more than 30 countries. Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra will be joined by Cafe Jaleo (Colombian), Zazu (French), Arroz Con Mango (Cuban), Qais Essar (Afghan), Around Diarra (Burkina Faso), Fushico Daiko (Japanese), Samba de Carvalho (Brazilian), DJ Vex (African), Djentrification (Thai and Cambodian funk), Firebrass Village Blasting Club (Serbian) and Kristopher Rein (Indian).

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $10-$20. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

9/13: Buckcherry

A cowbell-rocking celebration of rock and roll's sleaziest impulses, their best music swaggers through all the right echoes of everything from AC/DC to the Black Crowes, Motley Crue and Guns N' Roses, led by Josh Todd's gritty rasp. They topped the mainstream-rock charts their first time at bat, with the slashing up-with-cocaine anthem "Lit Up," back in 1999. Other hits include the double-platinum "Crazy B----" and the platinum "Sorry." This tour is in support of a new album, "Warpaint."

Details: 6:15 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $25-$45. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

9/14: Eric Clapton

This is one of four U.S. dates the guitarist will play in 2019. The man has been inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on three occasions, as a member of the Yardbirds, then with Cream and finally, in recognition of his solo work. As the Rock Hall website puts it, "THREE INDUCTIONS, THREE WORDS: 'CLAPTON IS GOD.'" That expression was famously spray-painted on a wall in 1967 and has followed him around since then.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $84.75 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

9/14: Test Dept

The U.K. industrial music veterans are touring the States in support of "Disturbance," their first album in 22 years. And the timing couldn't be more perfect. As PopMatters wrote, "'Disturbance' is precisely what the dark uncertainty of the present moment calls for: a primeval blending of ancient ambiance and modern tech, building fast and furious into a soundtrack that batters the fragile Quotidien present with a beautiful rage into which the listener yearns to hurl themselves, body and soul."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $20-$35. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

9/15: Breaking Benjamin

Breaking Benjamin, whose post-grunge hits include "The Diary of Jane" and "I Will Not Bow," bring their tour in continued support of “Ember" to Phoenix with special guests Chevelle, Three Days Grace, Dorothy and Diamante. It should be noted that the only member of the current lineup who was there for the recording of "The Diary of Jane" is Benjamin himself, guitar-playing vocalist Benjamin Burnley.

Details: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

9/15: Squeeze

The Squeeze Songbook 2019 Tour finds the UK legends, hailed in Rolling Stone as the Lennon-McCartney of their generation, playing their extensive list of hits and some lesser-known gems from both Squeeze's own extensive catalog and their solo careers. Glenn Tilbrook promises "a set of songs that are both new, contemporary and as innovative as people have come to expect from us, along with the old beauties.” Those beauties include some of the greatest pop songs of the New Wave era.

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave. $48-$78. 480-782-2680, chandlercenter.org.

9/16: Mumford & Sons

The Delta Tour has been selling out venues and garnering raves from critics. The Albany Times Union wrote, “Mumford & Sons has developed into an arena-rock juggernaut,” while the Washington Post proclaimed, “The U.K. quartet thrilled a packed Capital One Arena crowd…undeniably wondrous arena rock anthems.” The tour is named for "Delta," the U.K. rockers' third consecutive release to top the Billboard album chart, which it did with the largest sales week for an alternative rock album in 2018.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

9/16: Phantogram

Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel set the tone for their third album, "Three," with a breathtaking ballad called "Funeral Pyre" that was recorded for "Voices" and later reshaped with new lyrics to serve as the perfect transition into where they are today.

And as the album makes its way through such highlights as the hard-grooving heartache of "You Don't Get Me High Anymore" and cutting-edge pop of "Cruel World," it's clear that "Three" is just the next step in their evolution. Also playing: Tycho.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $45; $40 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

9/16: Crumb

These psychedelic rockers from Boston are touring the States in support of "Jinx," an EP that serves as a brilliant reminder that music writers have been overusing "dreamy" as an adjective instead of holding that one in reserve for such occasions. Q magazine responded by declaring it "as haunting as it is enchanting," which is true, while Consequence of Sound called it "a record that intoxicates with melodic twists and relatable emotional landscapes."

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $25-$38. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/17: Iron Maiden

The Legacy of the Beast Tour opened in Europe, playing to more than half a million fans. The Times declared it “an extraordinary show filled with world class theatrics" and "a master class in performance and staging.” In a press release, singer Bruce Dickinson promised that the British metal legends would deliver their most spectacular and "certainly most complex" show to date.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $44.75 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

9/17: Benjamin Francis Leftwich

The English singer-songwriter arrives in support of "Gratitude," an album on which he continues his recent drift into more synthesizer-driven waters, ethereal textures underscoring his deeply introspective lyrics detailing the recovery process he's been through since entering rehab in early 2017. The resulting sheen may leave some listeners wishing for a rawness to match the emotion, but Clash magazine felt it "lends a progressive edge to the record that takes time to soak in, but ultimately rewards."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $17. valleybarphx.com.

9/18: Lenny Kravitz

This four-time Grammy winner set a record for most wins in the best male rock vocal performance race. The son of actress Roxie Roker ("The Jeffersons") broke through at alternative radio with "Let Love Rule," the title track to his acclaimed debut. Subsequent hits included "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over," "Are You Gonna Go My Way," "Rock and Roll Is Dead," "Fly Away" and his take on the Guess Who's "American Woman."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $58.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

9/18: Flying Lotus

Flying Lotus arrives in support of "Flamagra," his first album since the Grammy-nominated genius of 2014's "You're Dead!," after which he famously collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on "To Pimp a Butterfly" and produced the lion's share of Thundercat's masterful "Drunk." The label has promised no less than "an astral afro-futurist masterpiece of deep soul, cosmic dust and startling originality" with guest appearances by Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Little Dragon, Thundercat, Solange and more.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $33; $30 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

9/18: Boogarins

Rolling Stone praised these Brazilian rockers' latest effort, "Sombrou Dúvida," as "an exuberant whirl of psychedelia, pop-wise alternative-rock and vintage Tropicalía" while Uncut raved "Boogarins have grown from a homegrown Brazilian success story to international cult stars... flexing their potential to be Brazil's most exciting musical export since Tropicália."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $15. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

9/19: Florida Georgia Line

The duo's 10-times-platinum breakthrough single, "Cruise," topped Billboard's country chart on the way to becoming the fastest-selling single by a country duo in digital history, inspiring a remix with rapping by Nelly. Other multi-platinum hits include "Get Your Shine On," "Round Here," "Stay," "This is How We Roll," "Dirt" and "H.O.L.Y." This is the duo's Can't Say I Ain't Country Tour, which is perhaps a matter of opinion.

Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $44.25 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

9/19: Los Angeles Azules

The Azules bring a contagious energy to their cumbia, which served them well when they became the first traditional cumbia group to play Coachella in 2018. The LA Times responded to their set that day with "The slick but effective dance band — with 18 musicians onstage in carefully coordinated outfits — was welcomed with an enthusiasm that suggested festival-goers had been waiting for Coachella to embrace an important aspect of Southern California’s musical landscape."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $48.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

9/19: Kansas

The Point of Know Return Tour finds the heartland's preeminent prog sensations performing the album "Point of Know Return" in its entirety. Having hit the mainstream with "Leftoverture," a quadruple-platinum that spawn a million-selling calling card in "Carry On Wayward Son," they made the most of that momentum by releasing "Point of Know Return" less than a year later, adding two more massive singles to their resume, the title track and an existential, acoustic-guitar-driven ballad called "Dust in the Wind."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19. Mesa Arts Center, One East Main St., Mesa. $43-. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

9/20: Casting Crowns

These contemporary-Christian rockers earned a Grammy for 2006's "Lifesong," picked up artist of the year in 2010 at the Dove Awards and won an American Music Award for best contemporary inspirational artist for "Casting Crowns: A Live Worship Experience." Released in 2003, their self-titled debut is double-platinum and they've sent seven albums to the top of Billboard's Christian charts. This tour is in support of "Only Jesus."

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. Grand Canyon University Arena, 3300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. $35-$79; $15 for GCU students. 602-639-8979, gcuarena.com.

9/21: Maluma

The Colombian superstar, whose music is a blend of reggaeton, pop and Latin trap, will bring his Maluma 11:11 Tour to Phoenix. In a press release, the singer said, "This will be my third North American tour and I come with a brand new show full of surprises for my fans and new music off my upcoming album '11:11' which is due out later this year." Now 25, the former teen sensation sold more concert tickets than any other Latin artist in 2017, filling venues through Latin America, Europe, the U.S. and Brazil.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $81 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

9/21: Mark Knopfler

This tour is in support of "Down the Road Wherever." In a press release, the guitarist who rose to fame at the helm of Dire Straits said of the tour, "My songs are made to be performed live. I love the whole process of writing them alone and then recording them with the band, but ultimately the best part is playing them to an audience live. I enjoy the whole circus, travelling from town to town."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. Resale prices vary. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

9/21: Tash Sultana

This 23-year-old Australian, a former street performer who can play more than a dozen instruments, arrives in support of a soulful debut titled "Flow State" on which every note was reportedly played or sung by Sultana. As Consequence of Sound so rightly noted, none of that would matter if the end result had somehow failed to live up to the promise of that multi-faceted musicianship. But it does. And as impressive as her chops may be, it ultimately comes down to the strength of the material and the power of her voice.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $45; $35-$39. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

9/21: Aaron Neville Duo

This New Orleans soul great topped the Billboard R&B charts with the 1966 release of "Tell It LIke It Is," a stone-cold classic. But his highest-profile hit came decades later when he teamed with Linda Ronstadt on a 1989 duet called "Don't Know Much," following through in 1990 with a second Ronstadt pairing, "All My Life." His latest album, "Apache," is a soulful gem reflecting his social and spiritual concerns, marking only the second time in his 56-year recording career that he's co-written nearly an entire album’s worth of material.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave. $46-$56. 480-782-2680, chandlercenter.org.

9/21: Toto

We're in the midst of a bit of a Toto resurgence. Their greatest hits collection "40 Trips Around The Sun" topped the charts in eight countries in early 2018. Then Weezer covered "Africa" and a whole new generation blessed the rains. As individuals, Toto members can be heard on an astonishing 5,000 albums with combined sales of half a billion and more than 200 Grammy nominations. As Toto, they have more than a billion streams worldwide on all streaming services.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $40-$60. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

9/22: The Regrettes

There’s always something to be said for filtering the timeless charm of ‘60s girl-group music through the snarl and sneer of classic punk. Alternative Press responded to “Feel Your Feelings Fool!,” their deubt, with “Sixteen-year-old vocalist Lydia Night isn't afraid to speak her mind, and the members of the Regrettes match her gritty vocal delivery and feminist sentiments with raucous rock 'n' roll guitars coated with buzzy noise and distortion.” They're here in support of the forthcoming followup "How Do You Love?"

Details: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $28; $25 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

PAST EVENTS

5/22: New Kids on the Block

The MixTape Tour finds New Kids On The Block joined by fellow old-school pop sensations Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Naughty by Nature, promising such hits as “Hangin’ Tough,” “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)” and “Step By Step.”

To celebrate the tour announcement, New Kids dropped a throwback track called “80s Baby” featuring their touring partners.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $25.20 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

5/22: Hatebreed

Led by singer Jamey Jasta, these metalcore veterans hit the Hard Rock album charts at No. 2 with “The Concrete Confessional,” their seventh album.

A reviewer at Metal Injection awarded the album an 8 out of 10 while noting that although it’s “no reinvention by any means, there is enough variety of material and reinvigoration in the band's energy to establish it as one of the best Hatebreed albums of the past decade.”

Details: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $25-$45. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

5/22: Little Feat

This is a 50th anniversary tour for L.A.'s most enduring to the Southern rock explosion of the '70s. Rolling Stone summed up the charms of their debut as "a weirder, wilder, West Coast version of the Band, blending and blurring American musical styles like Captain Beefheart leading a garage-rock combo along with Hank Williams, Howlin' Wolf, Duane Allman and Jack Kerouac." Jimmy Page called them his favorite American band in a 1975 Rolling Stone interview.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35-$125. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

5/23: Wisin y Yandel

The Latin-music duo are launching their first U.S. tour in five years with a show at Comerica Theatre in support of their first album in more than five years, "Los Campeones del Pueblo/ The Big Leagues." It's the duo's 10th studio album and the first they've recorded together since the award-winning album "Líderes" in 2012.

In addition to their own recording, they're known for having collaborated with such heavy hitters as Franco de Vita, Daddy Yankee and Don Omar.

Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, May 23. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $49.95 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

5/25: The Millennium Tour

R&B sensations B2K (Omarion, Boog, Fizz and Raz-B) will bring the Millennium Tour to Gila River Arena on May 25 with special guests Mario, Pretty Ricky, Lloyd, Ying Yang Twins, Chingy and Bobby V.

In their original run, from 1998-2004, B2K had a string of hit singles, including the chart-topping "Bump, Bump, Bump" as well as “Girlfriend,” "Gots ta Be" and "Uh Huh." They won back-to-back BET Viewer's Choice Awards and Soul Train Awards in their prime.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, May 25. Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $49.50 and up. 623-772-3800, ticketmaster.com.

5/26: Lemonheads, Tommy Stinson

Evan Dando's Lemonheads broke through in 1992 with "It's a Shame About Ray," fueled largely by the title track, a wistful, acoustic-driven rocker that became a Top 5 modern-rock hit and landed a spot on Pitchfork's Top 200 Tracks of the '90s list. Stinson found fame on the fringes as the teenage derelict on bass for the Replacements. His latest solo work should speak directly to the part of you that fell in love with “Hootenanny” or whatever album proved to be your gateway drug back in the day.

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, May 26. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $30-$60. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

5/30: Dead Milkmen

These Philly punks were born to conquer college radio, where their sardonic sense of humor helped them stand out from the crowd as eccentric originals, following through on the promise of "Bitchin' Camaro" with "The Thing That Only Eats Hippies," "Instant Club Hit (You'll Dance to Anything)" and the career-defining "Punk Rock Girl." That last one helped them land a major-label deal, which only ended in frustration and a 13-year hiatus. They've been back together since 2008, with two solid new albums to show for it.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $25-$35. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

5/31: Brad Paisley

One of country's most consistent hit machines, Paisley scored his first of 18 chart-topping country hits, "He Didn't Have to Be," in 1999 and sent a record-breaking streak of 10 consecutive releases to the top from 2005 ("When I Get Where I'm Going," a duet with Dolly Parton) to 2009 ("Then").

His biggest hits include four double-platinum singles — "Whiskey Lullaby," "She's Everything," "Then" and "Remind Me," a duet with Carrie Underwood.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 31. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $38.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

6/1: Luis Miguel

Among the most successful acts in Latin-music history, Luis Miguel will launch his U.S. tour in Phoenix.

The Puerto Rican-born Mexican vocalist recently picked up his sixth Latin Grammy and the Latin American Music Award for Best Tour of 2018.

Details: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 1. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $35.20 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

6/3: Specials

A leading force on the U.K. 2 Tone ska revival of the '70s, the Specials are touring the States in support of "Encore," their first album of original material to feature founding member Terry Hall since 1981. The Wire raved "with guitarist Lynval Golding and bassist Horace Panter in the fold, it feels more like The Specials than anything has in a long time." That's especially true of the bonus disc on the deluxe editions, which features such Specials classics as "Gangsters," "A Message to You, Rudy" and "Monkey Man."

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, June 3. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $40; $35 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

6/7: Foreigner

When Foreigner's 40th anniversary tour played Phoenix in 2017, Mick Jones said in a press release, “I never could have imagined when I set out to create Foreigner ... that we’d still be touring around the world and performing the music we love all these years later." It helps to have a catalog with highlights that are as likely to inspire trips down memory lane as "Feels Like the First Time," "Cold as Ice," "Hot Blooded" and "Double Vision."

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, June 7. The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, Loop 101 and Pima Road, Salt River Reservation. $25 and up. 480-850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.

6/7: El Fantasma

The regional Mexican singer was part of the “Renovarse o Morir” panel and an awards finalist at the 2019 Billboard Latin Music Week and Awards. His "En El Camino" album also earned a Latin Grammy nomination for best banda album.

Billboard magazine also credits the singer with being "part of the new wave of 'Mexillennials' taking over the genre."

Details: 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 7. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $62.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

6/7: J.I.D.

Signed to J. Cole's Dreamville imprint, this Atlanta rapper is part of the Spillage Village collective. He's headed to town on the Catch Me If You Can Tour in support of "DiCaprio 2," a sophomore album that more than lived up to the promise of "The Never Story."

As HipHopDX said, "The 14-track album keeps all the commended technical framework of 'The Never Story' but elevates the delivery and songwriting to a point where he sounds completely like his own man with his own plan."

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, June 7. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $27.50-$45. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

6/8: Rich the Kid

This young Atlanta trap sensation made his full-length debut in 2018 with "The World Is Yours," a gold record that spun off two big hits – the triple-platinum “Plug Walk” and the double-platinum “New Freezer” ft. Kendrick Lamar.

Released in late 2017, “New Freezer” sparked a long-running viral dance competition known as the “New Freezer Challenge.” He arrives in support of "The World is Yours 2."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, June 8. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $25-$250 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

6/8: Hillsong United

The Australian-based worship collective will bring their first U.S. tour in nearly three years to Comerica Theatre. Comprised of an evolving and eclectic mix of musicians and songwriters, Hillsong United have sold more than 4.7 million albums globally and garnered more than 3 billion worldwide career streams to date.

Their latest album, “Wonder,” topped the Billboard Christian chart while setting a record for the most streamed album in a single week in Christian music history.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. Resale prices vary. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

6/10: The Offspring

The Offspring gone acoustic? Dexter Holland explained the inspiration for this tour on their website: "Back in November we played a couple of short acoustic sets, one of which was to benefit the Rob Machado Foundation. It was really cool doing songs all on acoustic guitars. So cool that we’re going to do some more!" These are full sets of the Offspring songs you might expect from an electric show. And it's the full band. "Not just me and Noodles" Holland promised. "We’ll drink some beer, tell some stories and maybe do a few fun cover songs."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 10. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $35-$55. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

6/11: Aly & AJ

The Michalka sisters are touring again in continued support of "Ten Years," an EP that finds them exploring the complexities of growing up in public. Aly found fame as an actress after being cast as Keely on "Phil of the Future," a Disney Channel series that ran from 2004-2006. A year after the series premiered, she and her sister released a million-selling debut called "Into the Rush" and scored their biggest hit in 2007 with "Potential Breakup Song."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 11. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $25-$250. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

6/12: Train and Goo Goo Dolls

This tour was announced the same day Train released "Train’s Greatest Hits," which pulls together hits as big as “Drops of Jupiter,” “Calling All Angels” and “Hey Soul Sister,” as well as a cover of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper,” with sax by Kenny G.

Goo Goo Dolls launched a 2018 tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of "Dizzy Up the Girl," the quadruple-platinum triumph that sent "Slide" and "Iris" to the top at alternative radio and Adult Top 40, at a sold-out Van Buren.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 12. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

6/13: Luke Bryan

Bryan's biggest hits include "Do I," "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)," "I Don't Want This Night to End," "Drunk on You," "Crash My Party," "That's My Kind of Night," "Drink a Beer," "Play It Again," "Kick the Dust Up," "Strip It Down" and "Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day."

He's topped the country chart with 14 songs and been named Entertainer of the Year at both the ACM and CMA Awards. Last year, he headlined Country Thunder Arizona.

Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, June 13. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $39.25 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

6/14: Ziggy Marley / Michael Franti

Eight-time Grammy winner Ziggy Marley arrives in continued support of "Rebellion Rises" on a co-headlining tour with friend and kindred spirit Michael Franti & Spearhead.

In a recent interview with azcentral.com, Marley said "Rebellion Rises" was designed to offer encouragement to and a voice for humanity in the face of overwhelming negativity and darkness. And in that way, it's the sort of record he was born to make, as the son of Bob and Rita Marley.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 14. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $42. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com.

6/14: Anberlin

These earnest alternative rockers topped the Billboard modern-rock-tracks chart in 2009 with the anthemic "Feel Good Drag," the first of three songs from fourth album "New Surrender" to go Top 40 on that chart. Subsequent hits include "Impossible" and "Someone Anyone." Their latest album, "Lowborn," released in 2014, found them moving in an artier direction while still coming through the anthemic chorus hooks.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, June 14. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $28.50-$33; $27.50 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

6/16: Jennifer Lopez

The It’s My Party Tour will celebrate the singer turning 50 with a nonstop party mix of new and classic Lopez anthems, showstopping choreography, dazzling wardrobe, jaw-dropping technology and "all the glamour and wow-factor fans have come to expect of Jenny from the Block." The most-played songs in recent Lopez shows have included such surefire crowd-pleasing favorites as "If You Had My Love," "Waiting For Tonight," "Love Don't Cost a Thing," "I'm Real" and "Jenny From the Block."

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, June 16. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $70.20 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

6/18: Static-X and Devildriver

Industrial-metal veterans Static-X went platinum with their first release, "Wisconsin Death Trip," which memorably sampled a scene from "Planet of the Apes" and spawned their highest-charting entry on the mainstream-rock charts, "Push It."

They're joined by OZZFest veterans Devildriver, whose latest album, "Outlaws 'Til the End," features punishing reinventions of old country songs by Willie Nelson, Johnny Paycheck, Johnny Cash, George Jones and more.

Details: 6:25 p.m. Tuesday, June 18. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $25-$60. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

6/18: Machine Gun Kelly

His stage name is meant to suggest that he sprays words the way a certain Prohibition-era gangster sprayed a room with his machine-gun fire. Fair enough. The Cleveland rapper may be best known in the mainstream for the double-platinum singles "Wild Boy" featuring Waka Flocka Flame and "Bad Things" with Camila Cabello. He arrives in support of a forthcoming fourth album, "Hotel Diablo."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 18. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35; $30 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

6/19: Hootie & the Blowfish

Formed by Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, Darius Rucker and Jim “Soni” Sonefeld as college students in South Carolina, Hootie & the Blowfish blew up big with "Cracked Rear View," a 1994 debut that remains one of the 20 biggest-selling U.S. albums of all time.

They're joined on their first tour in more than a decade by Barenaked Ladies with a new album expected this summer.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 19. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

6/19: John Hiatt

This show is being billed as An Acoustic Evening With John Hiatt, and the best of Hiatt's music would sound just as good on acoustic guitar as it would in a full-band arrangement. It helps that the weathering of Hiatt's voice with age has only added to the charm of his conversational delivery, as captured to brilliant effect on "The Eclipse Sessions," his latest release.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 19. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $73. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

6/20: Khalid

This is the opening night of Khalid's North American tour in support of a chart-topping sophomore release called “Free Spirit,” which follows "American Teen."

The R&B singer broke through in 2016 with the five-times platinum single, "Location," following through with a string of multi-platinum hits, including "Young Dumb & Broke," "Love Lies," "OTW," "Eastside" and "Better."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20. Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $45.20 and up. 623-772-3800, ticketmaster.com.

6/21-23: Elevate

This three-day festival, now in its seventh year, includes a number of the hottest names in modern Christian music. "American Idol" breakout Danny Gokey headlines Friday's bill, which also features Lincoln Brewster, Ryan Stevenson and Carrollton. Saturday brings Jeremy Camp, Phil Wickham, Hollyn, Micah Tyler and Austin French. And Sunday offers Building 429, Plumb, Unspoken, Colton Dixon, Jonny Diaz and Land of Color.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, June 21; 5 p.m. Saturday, June 22; 4 p.m. Sunday, June 23. Grand Canyon University Arena, 3300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. $24.50-$57 single day; $60-$134 three-day pass. 602-639-8979, gcuarena.com.

6/22: Santana

The Supernatural Tour commemorates two milestones in Santana history: the 20th anniversary of the "Supernatural" album and the 50th anniversary of the San Francisco rockers' iconic performance at Woodstock. "Supernatural" sent “Smooth” and “Maria Maria” to the top of Billboard's Hot 100, selling more than 30 million copies and sweeping the Grammys with nine wins.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, June 22. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $37 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

6/23: Rob Thomas

Thomas launched his career as the voice of Matchbox Twenty, whose hits include "Push," "3AM," "If You're Gone," "Bent" and "How Far We've Come." He also collaborated with Santana on the triple-platinum, Grammy-winning "Smooth," which topped the Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks and spent 58 weeks on the chart. His best-known solo hits are "Lonely No More," "This is How a Heart Breaks," "Ever the Same" and "Her Diamonds." He arrives in support a new album, "Chip Tooth Smile."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 23. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $53 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

6/26: Paul McCartney

The former Beatle arrives in support of “Egypt Station,” his first album since 2013’s “New." This is the legend’s first Phoenix performance since 2014, a concert that featured no fewer than 25 Beatles songs in the course of a 39-song marathon. McCartney's vocals have held up amazingly well over time and it showed, from an aching performance of "Eleanor Rigby" to a screaming "Helter Skelter."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 26. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. Resale prices vary. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

6/26: Todd Rundgren

Last year, the celebrated rocker published a memoir called "The Individualist: Digressions, Dreams & Dissertations." This show is part concert and part book tour, highlighting hits and deep tracks spanning a career he launched with Nazz in 1967. Going solo two years later, Rundgren had a string of classic pop hits, from "We Gotta Get You a Woman" to "I Saw the Light," "Hello It's Me" and "Can We Still Be Friends."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 26. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $35-$80. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

6/27: Nav

This Canadian rapper sent a second album called "Bad Habits" to the top of Billboard's album chart in March. But it's not a success fueled by critical praise. HipHopDX called it "the perfect type of album to have playing in the background at your local Foot Locker and as long as it’s getting streamed somewhere, somehow by someone, NAV will likely be happy." And that critic liked it more than most. The rapper's best-known U.S. hits are "Some Way" (featuring the Weeknd), "Myself" and "Wanted You" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert).

Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, June 27. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $38; $35 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

6/28: Brit Floyd

Billed as "the World's Greatest Pink Floyd Show," Brit Floyd will stage a brand new tribute show, 40 Years of The Wall, performing music from "The Wall," "The Dark Side of the Moon," "Wish You Were Here," "Animals" and more.

They're promising their most ambitious and biggest production yet, recreating the staging of the final 1994 Division Bell tour, complete with a multi-million dollar light show, a large circular screen, projection, lasers, inflatables and assorted theatrics.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, June 28. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $38.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

6/29: Indigo Girls

The Grammy-winning folk-rock duo earned raves for their latest release, 2015's "One Lost Day." Paste magazine said fans would find themselves in familiar territory: "the same sweet harmonies, the same contrast between Emily Saliers’ crystal-clear voice and Amy Ray’s rougher one that gives their singing a touch of bite, the same emotional songs that are somehow both broadly universal and intensely personal at the same time."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, June 29. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $39-$59. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

6/29: David Gray

The U.K. singer-songwriter who rose to fame at the turn of the century after Dave Matthews' label re-released "White Ladder" arrives in support of a not surprisingly chill new folktronica album called "Gold in a Brass Age."

Mojo found the album to be "chance-taking" and "richly rewarding" while Q magazine weighed in with "After years of playing to fanbase expectations, Gray has reinvented not only himself but raised the bar for folktronica."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, June 29. Mesa Arts Center, One East Main St., Mesa. $48.50-$68.50. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

6/30: Coheed and Cambria / Mastodon

Progressive-rock heavyweights Coheed and Cambria join Mastodon, hailed as "America's new kings of metal" in Rolling Stone, on what promises to be a very heavy Unheavenly Skye Tour.

Coheed and Cambria are performing in support of their new album, "The Unheavenly Creatures," while Mastodon have announced they'll be performing "Crack the Skye" in its entirety, which is amazing news for anyone familiar with their catalog.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 30. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/1: The Struts

The reviewer for Classic Rock Magazine responded to their second album, "Young & Dangerous," by noting that "like all great albums, it reminds you of everything that made you fall in love with this crazy thing called rock’n’roll in the first place."

And whether, like Greta Van Fleet, their songs remind a person too much of the things that made you fall in love with rock and roll is a matter of personal taste. But they leave fingerprints all over a variety of classic records by the likes of Queen, the Rolling Stones in disco mode and even Arctic Monkeys.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 1. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $25-$49.50. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

7/1: Yeasayer

Their second album, "Odd Blood," was surreal enough to slot in next to Animal Collective on a Flaming Lips fan's playlist, proving that they clearly had their finger on the psychedelic pulse of indie-rock 2010. Nine years later, they're headed to Phoenix in support of their first album in three years, "Erotic Reruns," an album shaped by touring in the aftermath of Donald Trump's election, including "Blue Skies Dandelions," a song inspired by James Comey's firing and other sources of disgust.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, July 1. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $28; $25 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

7/2: PUP

Talk about grabbing listener by the collar. These are the opening lines of the opening song on PUP's new album, "Morbid Stuff." "I was bored as (expletive)/ Sitting around and thinking all this morbid stuff/ Like if anyone I've slept with is dead and I got stuck/ On death and dying and obsessive thoughts that won't let up." And these Canadian punks back it up with a sound that's cathartic enough to tackle all your existential demons. Sputnikmusic declared it "a complete thrill from front to back."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 2. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. SOLD OUT. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

7/5: Jon Bellion

Bellion is touring in support of "Glory Sound Prep," which includes the singles “Conversations with my Wife,” “JT” and “Stupid Deep.” The album features collaborations with Quincy Jones, Roc Marciano, RZA, B. Keyz and Travis Mendes.

Billboard said, “Throughout the 10-track album, Bellion seamlessly intertwines sounds of pop, R&B, hip-hop and rock through his electrifying songs.”

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, July 5. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $25 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/6: Intocable

These Texas norteño sensations are now in their third year of touring on "Highway," which spun off six hit singles while taking their total YouTube views over 1 billion and bringing in their latest Latin Grammy nomination. Led by vocalist Ricky Muñoz and percussionist René Martinez, they've won two Grammys and took home a lifetime achievement award in 2012 from the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 6. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $49.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/6: New Found Glory

They've been called "the greatest pop-punk band in history" by Bad Religion's own Brett Gurewitz, who scooped them up for Epitaph after they walked out on Geffen.

After two albums on Epitaph, they switched to Hopeless for 2014's "Resurrection" and their latest album, "Makes Me Sick," which Alternative Press said "creates enough slight sonic diversions to give longtime fans something new to enjoy."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 6. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $26. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

7/7: Anuel AA

Considered a pioneer of the Latin trap movement, the Puerto Rican rapper and singer picked up Artist of the Year, New at this year's Billboard Latin Music Awards. He was among the artists featured on "Trap Capos: Season 1," a compilation that became the first Latin trap LP to top the Billboard Latin Rhythm Albums chart. After being released from prison last year, he released his first full-length album, "Real Hasta la Muerte" (or "real until death"). It topped the Billboard Latin Albums chart.

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, July 7. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $52.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/9: Shawn Mendes

The multi-platinum singer-songwriter will play nearly 100 dates this year with special guest Alessia Cara, ending with Mendes' first ever stadium show in his hometown Toronto, which sold out in minutes. More than 1 million fans are expected to see the singer's third headlining tour and his first ever to break into stadiums in select cities. The singer's hits include "Stitches," "Treat You Better," "Mercy," "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" (with Camila Cabello).

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 9. Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $64.75 and up. 623-772-3800, ticketmaster.com.

7/10: Guster

They were a crowd-pleasing highlight of Innings Festival in early March, tossing in several jokey references to their spot on a baseball-themed festival and welcoming the crowd with "Well hello, Arizona. We’re a new band. We just came out." They've actually been doing this since 1991, and it shows. In a good way. They're a well-oiled, versatile hits-of-another-galaxy machine, their brand of brainy indie pop tending to favor the McCartney side of Beatlesque. This tour is in support of this year's "Looks Alive."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 10. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $25. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

7/12: Gerardo Ortiz y Pancho Barraza

Ortiz is a regional Mexican singer who earned a Best Norteño Album Grammy nomination in 2010 for his debut album "Ni Hoy Ni Mañana." Three years later, he earned four awards at the Mexican Billboard Music Awards: Male Artist of the Year, Norteño Album of the Year, Norteño Artist of the Year, and Artist of the Year, Songs. Barraza is a founding member of Banda Los Recoditos.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, July 12. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $63.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/14: The Appleseed Cast

These post-rock veterans arrive in support of "The Fleeting Light of Impermanence," their first album since "Illumination Ritual." Chris Crisci talked to the Pitch about how music evolved in the course of the five years he's been working on it. "I actually wanted to not do any guitar and try to do a record with just drums, bass, synth, and vocals, and a lot of parts I wrote during that time, we did use. But, I think the point where I made the most progress writing was where I had to admit to myself that we're a guitar band."

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, July 14. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $15; $13 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

7/15: KNIX Birthday Bash with Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw, who headlined Country Thunder Arizona earlier this year, will be on hand to help KNIX celebrate 50 years of bring country to the Valley, which makes sense. He is the most played KNIX artist of all time. His biggest hits include "It's Your Love", "Just to See You Smile" and "Live Like You Were Dying," the top country songs of 1997, 1998 and 2004 respectively. McGraw is joined by Jon Pardi and Midland.

Details: 7 p.m. Monday, July 15. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. Resale prices vary. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/15: DaBaby

The North Carolina rapper hit the charts at No. 7 with "Baby on Baby," a full-length debut whose success has bee driven, in part, by the platinum breakthrough single, "Suge," which has more than 100 million streams on Spotify, and a series of buzz-building mixtapes. Pitchfork responded to "Baby on Baby" with "The irreverent and charismatic Charlotte rapper's Interscope debut is just as wild as his mixtapes."

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, July 15. The Pressroom, 441 W. Madison St., Phoenix. $20-$130. 602-396-7136, thepressroomaz.com.

7/16: Queen & Adam Lambert

Original Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor will team once more with Adam Lambert on a tour their set designer promised in a press release would "expand the parameters of what a live music experience can be." Lambert first shared a stage with the British rock icons for the 2009 "American Idol" finale. Their first concert played to half a million fans in the Ukraine capital of Kiev in 2012. That was more than 180 shows ago.

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 16. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. SOLD OUT. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

7/16: 21 Savage

This is the multi-platinum rapper's biggest headline run to date, in support of his second album, "i am > i was." The single “a lot” was recently certified platinum, nearing 200 million streams on Spotify. Total streams for the album are quickly approaching half-a-billion across all platforms. Variety responded to the album with “It’s surprising, considering his bona fides – not to mention the A-list guests on this album – that 21 Savage is not yet a household name…'i am > i was' should change that.”

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 16. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/17: The Growlers

When these California rockers hit the streets with "Chinese Fountain," their fourth album, in 2014, I described Brooks Nielsen's aching vocal as a sleepy-headed rasp that should appeal to fans of Damon Albarn and the Strokes alike. So I for one was not the slightest bit surprised to see them bring in Julian Casablancas of the Strokes to co-produce their latest effort, “City Club.” Clash Music said most tracks "wouldn’t render them out of place in an episode of the enigmatic ‘Twin Peaks.’”

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 17. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35; $32.50 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

7/19: Nathaniel Rateliff & the Nightsweats

Their latest album, "Tearing at the Seams," was released on Stax Records to widespread acclaim, with Mojo raving, "The Night Sweats' woozy, loose grooves are hypnotising and are the perfect accompaniment to Rateliff's gravel-worn rasp." “You Worry Me” was the most played song of 2018 at Triple A radio, where they were the only act with two songs in the year-end Top 10. "Tearing at the Seams" was also the most played album of the year at Americana radio, spending 20 weeks at No. 1.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 19. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $35 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/20: Shinedown

Shinedown bring their Attention Attention Tour to town with Badflower, Dinosaur Pile-Up and Broken Hands. "Attention Attention" is Shinedown's fourth consecutive release to crack the Top 10 on the Billboard album charts, sending two more singles, "Devil" and "Get Up," to to the top of Billboard's mainstream rock charts. Shinedown's biggest hit remains the triple-platinum "Second Chance."

Details: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 20. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $59.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/20: The Claypool Lennon Delirium

"Monolith of Phobos" and this year's followup "South of Reality" sound exactly like the sort of records you'd expect from Sean Lennon of Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (and being born to John and Yoko) fame and Les Claypool of Primus. It's all profoundly psychedelic, willfully eccentric and given to outbursts of attention-grabbing bass heroics with serious pop sensibilities to wash down all the weirdness. Paste magazine praised the new album as "challenging music," but the challenge was clearly more in the creation than the listening.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 20. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $29.50-$59.50. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

7/20: Cracker / Camper Van Beethoven

David Lowery's first act was Camper Van Beethoven, whose eccentric brand of artful weirdo pop was a perfect fit for college radio in the '80s. Released in 1992, his first album with Cracker wasn't nearly as adventurous but its best songs made the most of Lowery's cult of personality, topping the modern-rock radio charts with "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)." These co-headlining tours look great on paper and they're even better live.

Detail: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 20. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $25-$38. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

7/21: Beck

Last seen rocking State Farm Stadium with U2, Beck returns with Cage the Elephant and Spoon. Beck went double-platinum with his mainstream breakthrough "Odelay," the first of three albums to win an Alternative Music Grammy, followed by "Mutations" and his latest album, "Colors." He also took home Album of the Year in 2015 for "Morning Phase," incurring the wrath of Kanye West for getting more votes than Beyonce.

Details: 6 p.m. Sunday, July 21. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

7/21: Common

Common is bringing his first North American tour since 2009 to the Van Buren. The Let Love Have The Last Word Tour is named for Common's second memoir, following the New York Times bestseller "One Day It'll All Make Sense." But this is not a book tour. The Grammy-winning rapper is hitting the road in support of a forthcoming album, his first since "Black America Again" arrived in late 2016, earning praise from Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Q and Pitchfork.

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, July 21. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35; $35-$199. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

7/22: The Head and the Heart

The indie-folk sensations' best-known single, "All We Ever Knew," enjoyed an eight-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Alternative chart while also becoming their first chart-topping hit at alternative radio. Their other hits include "Lost in My Mind," "Shake" and "Rhythm & Blues." They arrive in support of their fourth album, "Living Mirage," with Hippo Campus.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, July 22. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $46 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/23: We Were Promised Jetpacks

These Scottish rockers bring more than an excellent name and killer accents to the table – things like heart and atmosphere and majesty and, OK, killer accents. They arrive in on a tour celebrating the 10th anniversary of "These Four Walls," a debut the A.V. Club said was "like a 50-minute, 11-song tour through the Scottish scene’s past, present, and future, emphasizing how much of the country’s best pop music has been concerned with transporting listeners to specific places, so we can all linger there together."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 23. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $20-$23. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

7/24: Yes

The prog pioneers bring the Royal Affair Tour to Phoenix with Asia (featuring the return of founding member Steve Howe), the Moody Blues' John Lodge and Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy with guest vocals by Arthur Brown. This edition of Yes includes Howe on guitar with drummer Alan White, keyboardist Geoff Downes, singer Jon Davison and bassist Billy Sherwood with additional drums by Jay Schellen, doing songs from throughout their career while honoring the memory of Yes members Chris Squire and Peter Banks.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 24. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $58.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

7/24: August Burns Red

These metalcore veterans have sent five albums to the top of Billboard's Christian album chart, including their latest release, "Phantom Anthem," which Alternative Press responded to with "Sonically, there’s something incredibly otherworldly and fantastical rooted in 'Phantom Anthem,' making the album translate like an epic poem rather than a collection of songs." This tour celebrates the 10th anniversary of "Constellations," their second album to top that chart.

Details: 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, July 24. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $25-$45. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

7/24: Ringo Deathstarr

It takes a lot to live up to the promise of a name as undeniable as Ringo Deathstarr but they've done it more than once, most recently in 2015 on "Pure Mood," a hazy daydream of shimmering shoegaze-revivalism that often tops its waves of distorted guitar fuzz with ethereal female vocals. And when they go for something heavier on "Heavy Metal Suicide," the results are every bit as satisfying.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 24. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $14; $12 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

7/25: Man Man

These experimental rockers haven't hit us with new music since "On Oni Pond" arrived in mid-2013, an album on which, as the A.V. Club noted, Honus Honus and his bandmates were "reborn as hook-focused, crossover experimentalists" on "an enthusiastic belly flop into accessibility." Given the move into poppier waters and their old eccentric ways, it almost stands to reason that they're touring with Rebecca Black, the viral video sensation behind a single celebrated as the worst song ever, "Friday."

Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, July 25. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $21; $18 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

7/27: Disrupt Festival

The Rockstar Energy Drink Disrupt Festival is launching this summer with a very heavy punk and metal lineup, promising "a brand new music experience" on two stages. The Phoenix date features the Used, Thrice, Circa Survive, Sum 41, Sleeping With Sirens, Memphis May Fire, Meg & Dia, Juliet Simms and Hyro The Hero. Fans who bring an empty 16-ounce can of Rockstar Energy Drink to recycle can skip the line and be entered to win a signed festival guitar and exclusive artist meet & greet.

Details: 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 27. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $19.99-$169. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

7/28: Suicideboys

Ruby da Cherry and Scrim rose to fame on the hip-hop underground when their songs about substance abuse and suicide found a receptive home on SoundCloud. In reviewing their latest album, "I Want to Die in New Orleans," which hit the Billboard album charts at No. 9, HipHopDX wrote, "Have they actually changed the world of music itself? It’s possible to chalk it up top typical artist bravado, but after yet another well-received release, they certainly have the evidence to argue their case."

Details: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, July 28. Rawhide, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Gila River Reservation. $58. 480-502-5600, rawhide.com.

7/29: Julia Holter

Her latest album, "Aviary," is a dizzying two-record journey through what Holter has called “the cacophony of the mind in a melting world," she's arrived at a masterpiece of challenging, experimental art pop, her haunting vocals underscored by dense, disorienting soundscapes. In naming "Aviary" one of last year's best releases, Pitchfork wrote, "Like Robert Wyatt, Laurie Anderson, or Scott Walker, Holter’s music is so idiosyncratic and instantly identifiable that it could come from no one else."

Details: 7 p.m. Monday, July 29. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $35.50-$40.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

7/30: James McMurtry

The son of Pulitzer-prize-winning novelist Larry McMurtry arrives in continued support of "Complicated Game," a typically brilliant 2015 collection of poetic narratives on which he memorably sets the tone with "Honey, don't ya be yellin' at me when I'm cleanin' my gun / I'll wash the blood off the tailgate when deer season's done." Two years after releasing that album, he issued a scathing indictment of our current political climate called "State of the Union." Rolling Stone called it "a stunningly fiery folk song."

Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 30. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $30.50-$40.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

7/31: Third Eye Blind / Jimmy Eat World

In a press release, Third Eye Blind vocalist Stephan Jenkins said, "The most scintillating, inspiring collective moments of my life have been outdoors in the summer exploding with music." The goal is to channel that "blissed-out state of aliveness" on a tour that finds Jimmy Eat World celebrating their 25th summer, having previous honored the occasion of their first show ever on Valentine's Day at a very crowded Rebel Lounge.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 31. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

8/1: Beast Coast

Joey Bada$$ assembled this hip-hop collective with assorted members of Flatbush Zombies, the Underachievers and his own Pro Era (a hip-hop collective within a collective), including Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution, CJ Fly and Powers Pleasant. They announced their Escape From New York Tour in March, shortly after releasing a song, "Left Hand," that featured vocal contributions by 10 artists.

Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $30.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/1: The Drums

The Brooklyn-based indie-pop veterans are touring in support of "Brutalism," an album that inspired Uncut magazine to rave quite accurately that "the Drums are more stupidly contagious than ever." Q magazine wrote that "the threadbare production which previously stretched ideas to breaking point has been bolstered, adding a warmth to the jangly '626 Bedford Avenue' and cocooning the break-up ballad 'My Japs' in plucked acoustics and distant percussion."

Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35; $35-$199. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

8/3: Rascal Flatts

They’ve sent 17 songs to No. 1 on Billboard’s country chart, but the industry trade publication says, “The road has been where the band has done some of their most inspiring work over the years.”

The biggest of those hits are "Bless the Broken Road," "What Hurts the Most" and "My Wish," all of which went platinum.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $38.75 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

8/3: 'Weird Al' Yankovic

The Strings Attached Tour is a music and comedy show that features costumes, props, a video wall and, for the first time in Yankovic history, an orchestra. It's the sound of the pendulum swinging back from the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour. In a press release, the star explained, “I wanted to follow up my most bare-bones tour ever with my most elaborate and extravagant tour ever. We’re pulling out all the stops."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $38.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/3: X Ambassadors

Their backstory tells you almost everything you need to know. Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons was laid up in a hospital in Norfolk, Virgina, when he heard an acoustic performance of X Ambassadors' "Unconsolable" on the radio and encouraged Interscope to sign them. The band's full-length breakthrough, "VHS,” spawned two Top 20 entries on the Hot 100 – the platinum “Renegades” and double-platinum “Unsteady.”

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $26. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

8/4: Slipknot's Knotfest Roadshow

The masked metal veterans are set to bring their massive Knotfest Roadshow to Phoenix with Volbeat, Gojira and Behemoth five days prior to the long-awaited release of "We Are Not Your Kind," their first studio album since 2014. It was named to a list of the 36 Albums We Can't Wait to Hear in 2019 at Vulture. In a press release, guitarist Jim Root talked about the time they put into this record, saying, "While the industry is moving toward singles, Slipknot wanted to make an album experience, front to back.”

Details: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

8/5: Blink-182 & Lil Wayne

We can't imagine anyone was clamoring for this most unlikely teamup. But it got a good reaction when the tour was first announced on social media, aside from which the tourmates seem committed to the concept, going so far as to record a mash-up of the pop-punk veterans' “What’s My Age Again?” and Weezy's greatest hit, “A Milli.” They're joined by Welsh punk rockers Neck Deep.

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $37.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

8/6: PrettyMuch

The teen sensations' FOMO Tour follows their highly successful sold-out Funktion Tour last fall and their previous tour as main support on Khalid’s Roxy Tour. Austin Porter, Brandon Arreaga, Edwin Honoret, Nick Mara and Zion Kuwonu were nominated for Best Boy Band at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards and Best PUSH Artist of the Year at the 2018 MTV’s VMAs, where they performed “Summer On You.” Billboard also honored them in their “21 Under 21” list.

Details: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $29.95 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/6: Carly Rae Jepsen

She may be best remembered for the rest of her career for “Call Me Maybe,” a breakthrough single that gained traction after Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez tweeted about liking it, earning the singer a deal with Bieber’s label, Schoolboy Records, on the way to becoming the second-biggest-selling single of 2012. She arrives in support of "Dedicated," an album on which the Line of Best Fit says "Jepsen’s infatuation with the rush of human feeling soars to dizzying new heights."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35; $41; $36 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

8/6: Ronnie Milsap

In 2014, Ronnie Milsap embarked on what he said was his farewell tour. Well, he's still on the road five years later, offering the upscale country hits (and pop crossovers) that gave him more than 30 chart-toppers. The 74-year-old's best moments — "Daydreams About Night Things," "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" and his oh-so-smooth take on Burt Bacharach's "Any Day Now" — have certainly held up well.

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6. Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, 5040 W. Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Gila River Reservation. $39-$79. 520-796-7777, wingilariver.com.

8/6: Gauche

Daniele Yandel of Priests and Mary Jane Regalado of Downtown Boys have joined forces to brilliant effect on "A People's History of Gauche," a triumphant debut whose effervescent eccentricities feel like they've filtered the B-52's in their prime through the jagged urgency of classic post-punk. And they do it all while weighing in on topics as dark as anxiety, oppression, exploitation and the problematic patriarchy, a bracing reminder that there's more than one path to catharsis.

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $12. valleybarphx.com.

8/9: Mary J. Blige and Nas

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is on a co-headlining tour with Nas. Blige topped the R&B charts with her first two singles, "You Remind Me" and "Real Love," following through with such classics as "Not Gon' Cry" and "Be Without You" (recently named the most successful R&B/hip-hop song of all time). Nas' first album, "Illmatic," is frequently ranked among the greatest hip-hop albums ever.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $30.99 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

8/10: 311 & Dirty Heads

It was 1996 when 311 topped the Modern Rock charts with "Down." And the genre-mashing hits kept coming through 2017's "Too Much to Think," from "All Mixed Up" to "Come Original," "You Wouldn't Believe," "Creatures (For a While)," "Love Song," "Don't Tread on Me," "Hey You," "Sunset in July" and more.

A currently untitled album is due for released this summer as they tour the States with Dirty Heads, the Interrupters, Dreamers and Bikini Trill.

Details: 5:45 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

8/10: Blueface

He went viral last year after dropping a single called "Respect My Crypn," thanks to an unconventional approach to rapping – Complex called his cadence "skittering and almost comical" – and a Benjamin Franklin face tattoo. That is the sort of thing that gets a person noticed. And he followed it up with an actual mainstream breakthrough, when his single "Thotiana" cracked the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/10: Talib Kweli

Kweli started making a name for himself with the 1998 release of "Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star." A Rolling Stone album guide praised the album as "brilliant lyrically (conscious and clever) as well as musically (fat drums and jazzy loops), catching the attention of hibernating heads who had last checked hip-hop during Native Tongues' late-'80s/early-'90s heyday." Decades later, he's still delivering on the promise of that early classic, if "Radio Silence," his latest release, is any indication.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $25-$45. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

8/11: Young the Giant, Fitz & the Tantrums

In a press release, Sameer Gadhia of Young the Giant said, “Our single 'Superposition' is about two forces becoming one ... It’s perfectly fitting, then, that our co-headline concept this summer is about combining two properties." That single, from their latest full-length effort, "Mirror Master," recently became their fifth Top 10 appearance on Billboard's alternative songs chart, following "My Body," "Cough Syrup," "It's About Time" and "Something to Believe In."

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/12: Touche Amore

Last year, these L.A. post-hardcore sensations honored two milestones at once with a live recording called "10 Years/ 1,000 Shows – Live at the Regent Theater." It's a powerful overview of their career, from first-album highlights as cathartic as "And Now It's Happening in Mine" and "Cadence" to selections from 2016's excellent "Stage Four," an album written and recorded as lead singer Jeremy Bolm was coming to terms with the loss of his mother to cancer.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 12. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $23; $20 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

8/13: Collective Soul, Gin Blossoms

Collective Soul will celebrate their silver anniversary on the road with Tempe's Gin Blossoms. The Now’s The Time Tour also celebrates a new Collective Soul release, their 10th studio album, "Blood," which features guest appearances by Tommy Shaw of Styx and Sheryl Crow guitarist Peter Stroud. The Gin Blossoms, meanwhile, arrive in continued support of last year's jangle-rocking triumph, "Mixed Reality."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $45 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/14: The B-52's

Few albums of the New Wave era have held up as well as the B-52's debut. From "Planet Claire" to "Dance This Mess Around," it still sounds like it dropped in from another, much quirkier planet, wrapped in kitschy day-glo yellow. And it spawned one of the more unlikely mainstream breakthroughs of the decade — "Rock Lobster," a surf-guitar-fueled party track that wore its debt to Yoko Ono proudly on its vintage sleeve.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/14: Alex Lahey

This alternative rocker from Melbourne, Australia, arrives in support of a second album called "The Best of Luck Club," an effervescent effort whose witty narratives were inspired in part by the time she spent in Nashville dive bars. Consequence of Sound says, "Lahey stands out for her versatility. With buoyant wit, she rolls with the changes and delivers a lucid, omnivorous perspective that’s all her own." She's joined by Kingsbury and Sydney Sprague.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $12. valleybarphx.com.

8/15: 3Teeth

Their latest album, "Metawar," is an industrial-metal concept album. As singer Alexis Mincolla describes it, "If our debut album was focused on man vs. the world, and our sophomore album was man vs. himself, then I really wanted to METAWAR to focus on the idea of world vs world, and the notion that if man doesn’t create his own world then he’s often crushed by the world of another." Allmusic hailed the album as a hulking monster that makes shutdown.exe sound tame in comparison.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $20; $18 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

8/16: Chris Young

The singer brings his Raised on Country Tour with Chris Janson and Locash to Ak-Chin Pavilion. It's been 13 years since Young became a Nashville star by winning "Nashville Star." Since then, he's sent five singles to the top of Billboard's country chart — "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)," "The Man I Want to Be," "Voices," "Tomorrow" and "You." And he’s gone platinum with a few that didn’t even make it to the top, including "Losing Sleep," the title track to his most recent effort.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $38.25 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

8/16: Calexico and Iron & Wine

Calexico and Iron & Wine have reunited for a new collaborative album "Years to Burn," arriving June 14, 14 years after their previous collaboration, an EP titled "In the Reins." In a press release, Iron & Wine's Sam Beam said, “Life is hard. Awesome. And scary as (expletive). But it can lift you up if you let it. These are the things Joey (Burns of Calexico) and I write about now. And the title can encapsulate a lot of things.... It’s an ambiguous title, because life is complicated.”

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16. Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. $36.50-$42. 800-282-4842, phoenix.ticketforce.com.

8/17: George Clinton

In his ’70s prime, he revolutionized the art of modern funk on such classics as "Up for the Down Stroke," "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)," "Flash Light" and "One Nation Under a Groove" while leading two distinct recording outfits, Parliament and Funkadelic. And he did it all while touring with a flying saucer called the Mothership. He says the One Nation Under a Groove Tour is his final run.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $45-$80. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

8/19: Mogwai

These Scottish post-rock veterans frequently achieve a level of transcendence to which most of their contemporaries can only aspire. It's been more 20 years since "Mogwai Young Team" suggested the promise they quickly fulfilled. And as musicOMH.com responded to their latest effort, "Every Country's Sun," "There’s plenty of life in this band yet, and they’re changing and developing whilst also addressing the past. But most importantly, they’re still creating interesting, vital albums."

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $32; $29 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

8/18: Kyle Craft & Showboat Honey

He claims to have been introduced to rock and roll through a David Bowie collection he picked up at Kmart. And that strikes us as a brilliant introduction. But the more inspired moments of "Kyle Craft & Showboat Honey" are closer in spirit to the psychedelic pop years, from the mesmerizing drone of "Broken Mirror Pose" to the post-Cream psychedelic blues of "Oh! Lucky Hand." Classic Rock said his previous work "suggested he might have an album in him which is as wry as it is earnestly heroic. This is it."

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $12. valleybarphx.com.

8/20: The Avett Brothers

Led by siblings Scott and Seth Avett, the alternative-country standard-bearers headlined last year's Innings Festival at Tempe Beach Park in support of "True Sadness," an album whose highlights include the gospel-flavored "Ain't No Man" and the melancholy folk of "No Hard Feelings." As Entertainment Weekly noted, their latest Rick Rubin production "both treads familiar ground and maps out new terrain."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $49.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/20: Steve Earle & the Dukes

A much younger Steve Earle was famously mentored by two legendary American singer/songwriters – Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. In 2009, he returned the favor to Van Zandt, releasing a heartfelt tribute album titled "Townes." Now, he's turned his attentions to Clark on the equally touching tribute album "Guy." Q magazine responded with "Touching and thoughtful, these 16 tracks are tended with the same care Clark brought to his beautiful storytelling."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20. Mesa Arts Center, One East Main St., Mesa. $38-$58; $35-$55 in advance. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

8/20: Bad Books

Kevin Devine and Andy Hull started working on music together as tourmates while Devine was opening a string of U.K. dates for Hull's main project Manchester Orchestra. That spontaneous collaboration led to a self-titled album as Bad Books released in 2010. Bad Books' first U.S. tour in six years arrives in Phoenix in support of a new album, "III," which Sputnikmusic has proclaimed "a masterpiece of modern indie folk" on which they "have in every way lived up to the potential of a so-called 'supergroup.'"

Details: 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $27; $23 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

8/20: Snail Mail

At 18, Lindsey Jordan was hailed as no less than “the future of indie rock” by Pitchfork. And given the strength of the writing and singing on “Lush,” it’s easy to hear what made them want to go that heavy on the praise.

It’s like a hit parade of introspective bedroom-pop as Jordan spills the contents of her diary in songs about boredom and sadness and feeling alone with the vulnerability it takes to put those kind of songs across while staying in her comfort zone, with bittersweet on one side, melancholy on the other.

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $14; $12 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

8/20: Boris

These Japanese experimental-metal veterans meant for “Dear” to be a farewell album. But those sessions made them realize there was still a lot of life left in the project, inspiring Sputnikmusic to rave, “The shoegaze and dream pop influences from their last several records have mostly been stripped away, leaving behind a pure sludge heavy framework." Two years later, they're touring the States with a followup to "Dear" called "LφVE & EVφL" set to hit the streets sometime this month.

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $21. valleybarphx.com.

8/21: Grace VanderWaal

This ukulele-strumming singer-songwriter was 12 when she won the 11th season of "America's Got Talent" singing her own songs. She's 15 now so it's still kind of "Just the Beginning," as she titled her first album in 2017, the year she picked up Best New Artist at the Radio Disney Music Awards. She's not just really good for 15. She's legitimately great, with a distinctive vocal style that helps her music stand out on a crowded scene. As for the Taylor Swift comparisons? She's closer to Regina Spektor.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $33; $29.50 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

8/24: Bassrush Massive

Presented by Relentless Beats and Insomniac Events, this one-day festival features Flux Pavilion, Black Tiger Sex Machine, Herobust, Riot Ten, Mastadon, Zeke Beats and Sharps Launched in the '90s, the Bassrush brand has evolved from its strictly drum & bass roots to include dubstep and other bass-oriented genres. Along with exclusive one-off events, Bassrush hosts stages at all major Insomniac festivals such as EDC Las Vegas, EDC Orlando and Beyond Wonderland.

Details: 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24. Rawhide Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Gila River Reservation. $49 and up. 480-502-5600, relentlessbeats.com.

8/24: Banda MS

The name Banda MS is short for Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizarraga. The regional Mexican outfit was formed in 2003 by brothers Sergio and Alberto Lizárraga in Mazatlan, Sinaloa (hence the MS in their name) and features more than a dozen musicians. Their biggest stateside hit, "Sin Evidencias," reached the Hot Latin Tracks chart in 2009.

Details: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $62.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/26: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band

The man who put the beat in Beatles will honor the 30th anniversary of his All-Starr Band with a hit-filled performance. This year's band includes Steve Lukather of Toto, Colin Hay of Men at Work, Gregg Rolie of Santana, Warren Ham of Bloodrock, Gregg Bissonette of the David Lee Roth Band and the return of All-Starr alum Hamish Stuart of Average White Band.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $65-$110. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

8/26: Rolling Stones

This is one of 17 dates on the legendary rockers' first U.S. tour since 2015. And they haven't done a Valley concert since 2006, when they played this same venue, which was then known as the University of Phoenix Stadium. When we spoke to Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood last year, he said, "After touring the U.K. and Europe this year, I thought, 'Oh well, maybe we’ll have a rest for a while.' And then you get your call-up papers. 'Do you fancy going to America?' 'Sure thing. Let’s go! It’s about time!”

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26. State Farm Stadium, Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue, Glendale. $62.25 and up. 623-433-7101, ticketmaster.com.

8/26: The Nude Party

They met as freshmen in the dorms of Appalachian State University of Boone, North Carolina, where they came by the Nude Party moniker honestly, having developed a habit of playing naked. In a press release, the band explained, "These weren't orgies, they weren’t sexual even. It was just kind of a wild exhibitionism that we felt gave us freedom.” They're playing fully clothed these days in support of a self-titled album whose highlights may suggest a more than passing interest in the Velvet Underground.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $14. valleybarphx.com.

8/26: Mames Babegenush

The young Danish musicians have filtered their strong Scandinavian roots and elements of jazz through the vibrant dance music and klezmer traditions of eastern Europe. Since forming in 2004, they've established themselves as one of Europe's premiere klezmer-jazz ensembles. Their long list of awards includes the Danish Music Award for Best World Album of The Year and three prizes awarded by the International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam, including the Jury and Audience Prizes.

Details: 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $33.50-$38.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

8/27: Mannequin Pussy

These Philly punks are touring in support of one of this year's most contagious efforts, a 26-minute explosion of reckless abandon, emotional turmoil and killer pop hooks titled "Patience." It's the sound of catharsis writ large and not only accessible but uncomfortable, thanks to Marisa Dabice’s unflinching reflections of life as she has come to know it. Pitchfork says, "Even when Mannequin Pussy venture to truly dark places, Patience is such a pure joy to listen to. In its biggest moments, Dabice’s raw edge is matched by equally colossal riffs, explosive energy, and surging momentum."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $13; $12 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

8/27: Kacey Musgraves

This tour is in support of "Golden Hour," an unassuming stroke of genius that won Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, the ACM Awards and the CMA Awards. Only three albums in history have taken home that triple crown. And a week after pulling it off, she became the first female country artist in history to play Coachella. As Billboard summed up her peculiar place in our popular culture, "Musgraves isn't just breaking country's rules, but re-writing them.”

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. Resale prices vary. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/27: Chris Isaak

He's worn his share of hats since "Wicked Game" turned up in David Lynch's "Wild at Heart." A talk-show host, a sitcom star, a SWAT commander in "The Silence of the Lambs," No. 68 on of VH1's list of sexiest artists and a singer whose music continues to embody the qualities that made his early records so evocative. "First Comes the Night," his latest effort, finds Isaak channeling the sound and spirit of the Sun recording artists he saluted on "Beyond the Sun," especially Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley, while sounding more timeless than retro.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27. Mesa Arts Center, One East Main St., Mesa. $55-$85. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

8/28: Heart

This is Ann and Nancy Wilson's first tour in three years. Ann promised in a press release that "it will be unlike any other Heart tour that has been," adding that "some of the songs will be classic of course, but this tour will be a new animal." They helped open rock radio to female voices in the '70s with such classics as "Crazy for You," "Magic Man" and "Barracuda." They're joined by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Elle King.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

8/29: ZZ Top

They took their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the strength of a legacy that evolved from the blues-rocking swagger of "La Grange" to the synthesized polish of their MTV hits. As the rock-hall website sums it up, "For many, ZZ Top have been the premiere party band on the planet. Certainly, they have been Texas' foremost cultural ambassadors." This is their 50th Anniversary Tour with special guests Cheap Trick.

Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $48.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/29: Rebelution

The Grammy-nominated reggae-rockers bring their Good Vibes Summer Tour to Mesa with Protoje, Collie Buddz, Durand Jones & The Indications and DJ Mackle. When Rebelution topped the Billboard reggae charts with last year’s “Free Rein,” their eighth release to do so, they passed Matisyahu to secure their spot behind (of course) Bob Marley with the second-most appearances at No. 1 on that chart. And they were back at No. 1 this year with "Rebelution Vinyl Box Set." Now it's more like Matisya-WHO?

Details: 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $37.50. 480-644-2560, mesaamp.com.

8/30: Papa Roach

Jacoby Shaddix and his bandmates are bringing the Who Do You Trust? Tour to Phoenix with Asking Alexandria and Bad Wolves. Papa Roach went triple-platinum with a turn-of-the-century breakthrough called "Infest," which sent the suicidal "Last Resort" to No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. They've since gone on to top the Mainstream Rock chart four times, with "Lifeline," "Face Everything and Rise," "Help" and "Born for Greatness."

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

8/30: Daniel Caesar

The Grammy-winning R&B sensation arrives in support of "Case Study 01," a second album he surprise-released in late June. The album's first single, "Love Again," is a steamy duet with '90s R&B legend Brandy. The Canadian singer broke through in 2016 with "Get You," a platinum hit that featured Kali Uchis and topped the Adult R&B charts. He returned to No. 1 on that same chart with "Best Part," a platinum hit that featured H.E.R.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $26. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

8/31: Korn and Alice in Chains

Alternative metal legends of the '90s Korn and Alice in Chains are joining forces on a co-headlining tour. Korn are currently finishing work on their widely anticipated follow-up to 2016's "The Serenity of Suffering," which added three more songs — "Rotting in Vain," "Take Me" and "Black is the Soul" — to their list of Top 10 entries on the modern-rock charts. Alice in Chains are touring in support of "Rainier Fog," which topped the rock, alternative and hard rock charts in Billboard.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

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