50 States

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Tuscaloosa: The city’s outdoor ice skating venue is open at a new location and with a new name. The event, formerly known as Holidays on the River, has moved to Government Plaza for this holiday season, The Tuscaloosa News reported. It’s now known as Holidays on the Plaza. Ice skating is scheduled to continue through Jan. 17. Along with outdoor ice skating, Holidays on the Plaza features the Tinsel Trail benefiting Tuscaloosa’s One Place, private parties, and other holiday festivities, organizers said. The decision to move the holiday ice skating from the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater was because of ongoing construction on Jack Warner Parkway, city officials said. “With increased visibility and proximity to local businesses and restaurants, we hope to make this event more convenient to the community,” said Stacy Vaughn, director of public services. Holidays on the River began nine years ago on the Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum property, the Tuscaloosa News reported. It grew in popularity, and moved in 2015 to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. Admission to Holidays on the Plaza is free. However, guests must purchase skate passes to access the ice rink.

Alaska

Bethel: A federal grant will allow an extensive trail system to connect all four communities on Nelson Island, just off Alaska’s western coast. The $12

million grant will pay to take the trail the last link, from Toksook Bay, which received the federal money, to the community of Mertarvik, the new site for the village of Newtok. The village is moving because of erosion. However, Newtok has not yet agreed to accept the trail. Newtok Tribal Administrator Phillip Carl told KYUK the village council has not met in months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the council is scheduled to meet in December, and will vote on the trail project. Even if they decide not to accept the project, Toksook Bay still intends to build most of the trail to Mertarvik. However, they would stop just short of the village, at the border between the two village corporations. Work on the trail to Mertarvik still needs to be designed and go through environmental reviews. If approved, construction is expected to start in 2023 and take about two years to complete. The island’s trail system will span 50 miles, connecting the four communities: Toksook Bay, Tununak, Nightmute and Mertarvik. The trail connecting Toksook Bay to Nightmute is expected to be completed next summer.

Arizona

Phoenix: Two hikers were rescued Saturday in separate operations at Echo Canyon and South Mountain. According to the Phoenix Fire Department, the rescues involved a 59-year-old man who experienced chest pains while hiking Echo Canyon and a 14-year-old boy who tripped and suffered a lower-extremity injury while hiking Holbert Trailhead at South Mountain. Firefighters arrived at Holbert Trailhead just before 11 a.m. Saturday and hiked approximately 1

mile to the location where a 14-year-old boy tripped and fell while hiking. After locating him, emergency personnel conducted basic life-support measures and splinted the patient’s leg. He was extricated by helicopter from the scene. The Phoenix Fire Department said the patient was then taken to a local pediatric emergency room for further evaluation. The other hiker was assisted by Technical Rescue Teams in Echo Canyon. After a quick assessment, rescue teams decided to use the “Big Wheel” to help the hiker off of the mountain after he stated he didn’t feel comfortable walking down on his own, according to the Phoenix Fire Department. Once at the trailhead, a second assessment of the hiker was performed and rescue crews determined the patient needed transport to a local hospital. Phoenix Fire Department said no emergency personnel was injured in either incident.

Arkansas

Helena-West Helena: The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $20

million grant to finish the final section of a bike and pedestrian trail in southeastern Arkansas. The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism was awarded the money to construct the final 13.4-mile section of the Delta Heritage Trail. Once complete, the 87-mile trail stretching from Lexa to Arkansas City will be one of the longest dedicated pedestrian and bicycle trails in Arkansas. The federal grant is being matched by $20

million from the Walton Family Foundation. State parks officials said the project is expected to be finished by 2025.

California

Sacramento: A federal appeals court temporarily blocked an order that all California prison workers must be vaccinated against the coronavirus or have a religious or medical exemption. A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a request for a stay of September’s lower court order pending an appeal. It also sped up the hearing process by setting a Dec. 13 deadline for opening briefs. The vaccination mandate was supposed to have taken effect by Jan. 12 but the appellate court stay blocks enforcement until sometime in March, when the appeal hearing will be scheduled. The judge who issued the vaccination mandate followed the recommendation of a court-appointed receiver who was chosen to manage the state prison health care system after a federal judge in 2005 found that California failed to provide adequate medical care to prisoners. In addition to requiring COVID-19 shots for prison workers, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar required vaccinations or exemptions for inmates who want in-person visits or who work outside prisons, including inmate firefighters.

Colorado

Fort Collins: The remains of the final victim of the Black Hollow Flood have been discovered four months after she and her three family members were swept away in the flood. About 4 p.m. Nov. 20, a local resident reported finding what she thought to be human remains while hiking east of Rustic Road – a little more than 4 miles east of Black Hollow Road – according to a news release from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies with the sheriff’s office and investigators with Larimer County Coroner’s Office recovered those remains, and the coroner’s office identified them as belonging to 57-year-old Diana Brown of San Antonio. Brown was swept away by the flood waters July 20 along with her family members Richard Brown of Bellevue, Nebraska; Patricia Brown of Madison, Wisconsin; and David Brown of San Antonio. Their bodies were recovered in a section of the river between Arrowhead Lodge and the Indian Meadows area of the Poudre Canyon several days after the flood. Richard Brown owned a mobile home on Black Hollow Road, according to Larimer County property records, but his home residence was in Bellevue. All four victims were in the same house in the small Black Hollow area 45

miles west of Fort Collins when the Black Hollow Creek initiated a flash flood down the mountainside filled with large boulders and trees burned in the Cameron Peak Fire.

Connecticut

Torrington: The Torrington Public Schools district is turning to a limousine service company to help transport students to school because of a bus driver shortage that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. The district plans to use some of its $5.9

million in federal coronavirus relief funds to pay Carriage & Limousine Services of Oxford to help cover its 53 bus routes. The private company has said it can provide 30 passenger buses and 10 passenger vans to cover morning bus runs on an emergency basis and afternoon runs more regularly, the Waterbury Republican-American reported. The company charges $125 an hour for passenger buses and $87.50 an hour for passenger vans. All-Star Transportation, the city’s main bus provider, has had difficulty finding enough drivers, which has caused morning delays and prevented most after-school programs, the superintendent of schools, Susan Lubomski, recently told the Board of Education.

Delaware

Dover: Delaware’s K-12 public schools are continuing to report fewer than 300 COVID-19 cases that are deemed as being in-person and contagious. The Delaware State News reported last week the numbers remained below 300 for the fifth consecutive week. The data was released Wednesday by the Delaware Division of Public Health. The agency said there were 298 cases for students, just 0.21% of the estimated 141,040 public school students. The week’s numbers were slightly up from 0.17% – or 243 cases – from the previous week. Delaware has recorded a total of 3,397 in-person contagious cases among students this school year. That figure amounts to 2.4% of all public school students. Another 665 cases have been reported among staff. The data is for all of Delaware’s public schools. That includes 19 districts and 23 charter schools that are part of the public school system.

District of Columbia

Washington: The Knights of Columbus handed out new winter coats for those in need at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in southeast D.C. on Friday, WUSA-TV reported. Many low-income families have scarce resources to cover even the most basic essentials, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Knights of Columbus launched the Coats for Kids program to ensure that every child in North America would have access to a warm winter coat. Since the program started in D.C. in 2009, councils have purchased and distributed more than 500,000 new winter coats to children throughout North America. Cardinal Wilton Gregory, who is the first Black U.S. prelate to earn the coveted red cap, said this is the season for giving if you can. “It’s a great gesture of concern for kids and young people who need a little help at this time of year,” Gregory said. Metro Police officers were also picking up coats. Each district gets three boxes. Officer Karen Voglezon said giving them out is a way to connect with the community they serve. “We never know what anybody’s situation is, so to get a warm coat for the winter is very good,” Officer Voglezon said.

Florida

Miami: Federal authorities have taken into custody a 26-year-old man who apparently stowed away in the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines fight that arrived at Miami International Airport from Guatemala on Saturday morning. The man was in the wheel well area when the flight arrived from Guatemala City at 10:06 a.m., officials said. News outlets reported that Flight 1182 was met by law enforcement because of a security issue. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers took the man into custody, the agency said in a news release. Medics took the man to a hospital for a medical assessment. “Persons are taking extreme risks when they try to conceal themselves in confined spaces such as an aircraft,” the agency said. The news release didn’t say whether the man will face any charges, or what will happen to him when he’s released from the hospital.

Georgia

Lawrenceville: All active school district employees in Gwinnett County eligible for benefits are in line to get $1,000 in bonuses next month, as well as a paid Juneteenth holiday next year. Superintendent Calvin Watts recommended the bonuses to the county’s Board of Education, which approved them unanimously, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The bonus will be paid in a lump sum in the December monthly paycheck for about 21,500 employees, including teachers, administrators and support personnel, according to a news release from Gwinnett County Public Schools. The one-time bonuses’ $21.5

million cost will not tie up future budgets or decrease the year-end fund balance, the news release said. Atlanta Public Schools is also considering $1,000 stipends next month for all its 6,000 workers, including part-time employees.

Hawaii

Honolulu: A food distributor in Hawaii has filed a federal lawsuit against a dairy company because milk from the mainland is allegedly being sold under a name that advertises local ties. The lawsuit filed by Hawaii Foodservice Alliance claims Meadow Gold Dairies is selling milk from California alongside advertising that reads, “Hawaii’s Dairy” and “Made with Aloha,” the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. The lawsuit said the company has no cows in Hawaii and their “Lani Moo” mascot is misleading. Meadow Gold has long sold milk produced in Hawaii. The company was sold in April 2020 to Bahman Sadeghi, a Big Island dairy farmer, who allegedly began using milk from outside the state. “We have never claimed that all our milk is local, but we do consider ourselves Hawaii’s Dairy because we are committed to Hawaii and its community and will continue to be while we work toward building a more sustainable operation,” Meadow Gold said in a statement. In a similar but unrelated case, a federal judge recently tossed out a lawsuit against California-based King’s Hawaiian, which produces sweet rolls. Hawaii Public Radio reported King’s Hawaiian was sued because their label features the words “Established 1950” and “Hilo, Hawaii” in reference to the company’s founding. U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton said the packaging clearly states the rolls are made in California and a geographic reference such as Hilo would not deceive a consumer into believing the product was made there.

Idaho

Boise The city is looking to expand its geothermal heating system by 40% as part of a goal to become carbon-neutral by 2050. The city pumps 250 gallons of geothermal water to 96 buildings through 21 miles of pipes. The water has a temperature of 177 degrees Fahrenheit. City officials said that the geothermal heat supplies about 2% of the city’s energy resources. “Geothermal really provides that clean energy alternative,” said Climate Action Manager Steve Hubble, the Idaho Statesman reported. The heated water comes from a river of geothermally heated water flowing under the nearby foothills. Experts said the water is heated by the Idaho Batholith, a massive igneous intrusion of granite producing heat through decay of isotopes like uranium, thorium, and potassium. Boise Geothermal Program Manager Jon Gunnerson said a large fault line runs through the Boise foothills and helps bring the water near the surface. The hot water is pumped from city-owned wells in the foothills to buildings, and then returned to the aquifer. City officials said they want to expand the use of the geothermal water by 5 million gallons (18.9 million liters) a year until reaching 355

million gallons. Gunnerson said anyone interested in switching to geothermal should contact his office. The city says the rate is competitive with natural gas prices.

Illinois

Springfield: The Capitol dome in Springfield will be without holiday lights for the third straight year. The same structural issue that kept workers from hanging about 1,300 lights from the state Capitol dome in 2019 and again last year has not been resolved, Secretary of State spokesman Henry Haupt told The Springfield State-Journal Register. Haupt said an engineering firm conducted an inspection of the dome in 2019 and recommended an observation deck above the dome be fortified before the lights are put up. “It’s the engineering firm just feels the Christmas lights shouldn’t be tethered to it until it’s fortified,” he said, adding that there is nothing wrong with the observation deck necessarily. He said the next step is for the secretary of state’s office – which is the custodian of the building – to work with the Capitol Development Boar to come up with the funding for the project. That means the lights, which were first hung on the dome in 1924 and became an annual tradition in the 1960s, will remain dark for at least one more holiday season.

Indiana

Winamac: Staff at a primate sanctuary in northern Indiana will be feeding the center’s menagerie with freshly picked fruit in the coming years because of a newly planted orchard. A team of volunteers helped plant 60 fruit trees last month on the property of the Peaceable Primate Sanctuary, which is home to baboons and macaque monkeys retired from research facilities and pharmaceutical companies. The new orchard at the primate center is outfitted with an irrigation system and within a few years it will supply the sanctuary with fresh apples, persimmons and other fruits, WSBT-TV reported. The orchard was planted after donations and a partnership with an organization called The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. The next project at the sanctuary, located in Winamac, about 40 miles southwest of South Bend, is to build space for 10 additional primates that will be retiring there, said Scott Kubisch, the center’s director and founder.

Iowa

Des Moines Iowa motorists will soon have the option of keeping their driver’s license on their phones. State officials have begun a pilot project to make digital driver’s licenses, or “mobile IDs,” available for download via smartphone apps sometime in 2022, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reported Friday. Iowa is one of several states that have considered, tested or begun issuing digital versions of driver’s licenses. Iowa plans to test devices equipped with digital versions through December, with about 100 state Department of Transportation employees expected to enlist by spring as a test group to make sure the app works. Melissa Gillett, director of the department’s motor vehicle division, said the mobile ID will be optional, but motorists will still be expected to carry hard-copy licenses. Iowa DOT officials are working with technology vendors to address security and privacy concerns inherit with any electronic-based app. They also are working with law enforcement agencies, and want to make sure the digital ID can be accepted by retailers and other places that require people to show identification or proof of age or address.

Kansas

Wichita: Kansas utility regulators have issued an order requiring Evergy to explain and justify a plan to spend $10.4 billion on its electrical system and report quality of service measures on a quarterly basis amid concerns that the plan is designed largely to benefit a hedge fund investor. The Wichita Eagle reported members of the Kansas Corporation Commission sent a strong signal Tuesday that they won’t tolerate efforts to increase shareholder profits at the expense of unreasonably high rates for Evergy’s 1

million Kansas customers. In a written statement, Evergy said it was reviewing the commission’s order before identifying “if there are appropriate next steps.” At issue is a plan undertaken by Evergy after Elliott Management Corp. bought into Evergy last year with a stated goal of raising the company’s profitability and stock prices.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Kentucky officials spent nearly $1 million to replace office furniture for hundreds of legislative staffers who work out of the state Capitol and Capitol Annex in Frankfort. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Mike Wynn, spokesperson for the General Assembly’s Legislative Research Commission, said the purchase was necessary. “In short, we’ve reached a tipping point,” Wynn said. “Our furniture is more than a decade old, and many items have suffered significant wear over the years. It’s now cheaper to replace those items than repair them.” Fifty executive desks were bought for nearly $1,350 each. Meanwhile, more than 290 bookcases were bought for $815 each and 276 guest chairs were $339 each. No new furniture was purchased for lawmakers and their staffers.

Louisiana

New Orleans: A New Orleans museum plans to launch an elaborate nighttime sound-and-light show next year to showcase individual stories of bravery and sacrifice during World War II. The National WII Museum plans to premier its Expressions of America show on Veterans Day in 2022. It will use music, art installations and projections of what the museum calls “living murals” on the various facades of the expansive museum in downtown New Orleans. The plan is to draw from the museum’s archives to tell personal stories of soldiers, nurses and chaplains who served, their loved ones and others who played a role on the home front, including factory workers, artists and entertainers. The show also will feature actor and veterans advocate Gary Sinise. Expressions of America is being produced at an estimated cost of about $5

million, according to museum spokesman Keith Darcey. It will be sponsored by the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation, a charitable organization founded in the name of the late comedian who famously entertained troops overseas, and his wife.

Maine

Bucksport: A proposed salmon farm located at the site of the former Verso paper mill in Bucksport has not started construction despite receiving the necessary permits two years ago. A spokesperson for the company, Whole Oceans – which proposed the land-based aquaculture facility located on 100 acres along the Penobscot River – could not provide an update on when construction would start, the Bangor Daily News reported. The project received permits from the Bucksport Planning Board and approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in 2019. In 2020, the company bought a second plot of land at the old mill site that it said meant it needed to review its plans. Bucksport Code Enforcement Officer Luke Chiavelli told the newspaper he had not received any applications related to construction on the second plot. The current approvals are valid for five years. The company is in compliance with permits and has paid its taxes, Susan Lessard, the Bucksport town manager, told the newspaper. She said the company told her they were in the process of hiring a CEO and there have been multiple previous changes in the company’s leadership in the past three years, the newspaper reported.

Maryland

Easton: Officials on Maryland’s Eastern Shore have voted to award a contract to remove a Confederate monument from a courthouse lawn and relocate it. The Talbot County Council voted unanimously to award a contract for the removal of the “Talbot Boys” statue and its relocation to a Virginia battlefield, news outlets reported. The council also passed an amendment that would allow submissions of alternative local sites for the monument until Dec. 6. The statue dedicated in 1916 commemorates more than 80 soldiers who fought for the Confederacy. It’s thought to be the last Confederate monument still standing on public property in Maryland besides cemeteries and battlefields. The contract was awarded to Washington, D.C.-based contractor Stratified for $67,000, an amount contingent on the project being funded by the Mid-Shore Community Foundation. No county funds are required for the bid.

Massachusetts

Boston: A man has pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to transport drugs and cash using secret compartments inside tractor trailers. Jamil Roman, 44, of Chicopee was indicted in 2016. He pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court in Springfield to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced in March. In 2014, Roman, who owned an auto body shop, and a co-defendant, Javier Gonzalez, conspired to distribute cocaine in western Massachusetts, prosecutors said. Roman admitted to meeting with Gonzalez and conspiring to collect a debt owed for the cocaine, which was part of a larger load obtained from a Mexican supply source. Law enforcement officers seized about $1.17

million in cash from a hidden compartment inside a tractor trailer being driven by Gonzalez to Texas as payment for the drugs, prosecutors said. Gonzalez was sentenced in October to 21/2 years in prison and fined $20,000.

Michigan

East Lansing: In the wake of the death of a Michigan State University student two weekends ago, the school and the Pi Alpha Phi national organization have suspended the school’s chapter of the fraternity. The student, identified as Phat Nguyen, died early Nov. 20 at a residence off campus. An autopsy was conducted but the Office of the Medical Examiner at Sparrow Hospital said the cause of death would not be determined until toxicology results are completed in six to eight weeks. Authorities have said alcohol consumption might have been a factor and shortly after the incident, the East Lansing Police Department said its officers had responded to the scene where four people were “passed out,” including one who was not breathing. According to the Lansing State Journal, Nguyen’s death came a day after the fraternity posted on its Facebook page that he was one of four students who had just joined the chapter.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit the Twin Cities suburb of Rosemount on Tuesday to tout his $1 trillion infrastructure plan. The president has been making multiple stops across the country to highlight the infrastructure package. The White House has projected the package will deliver $4.5

billion to Minnesota for highways, $800

million for public transportation and about $300

million for bridge work over a five-year span, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. The state also is in line for $680

million for water projects, at least $100

million for broadband expansion and about $297

million for airport infrastructure. Biden won Minnesota by about 7 percentage points in the 2020 presidential election.

Mississippi

Ocean Springs: Mississippi is unveiling a new app that’s designed to store someone’s driver license on their phone. The app is being billed as a safe and effective way to make sure your ID is always on you, WLOX-TV reported. However, state officials said people will still need a physical driver license to show if requested when they are stopped by law enforcement. Another exception listed on the program’s website is boarding an airplane. Still, there’s a “growing list” of businesses and state agencies that accept the Mississippi Mobile ID, state officials said. “Vendors can accept the Mobile ID with confidence, as information on the digital ID can be verified against what is on file with the Department of Public Safety and will always be accurate and up-to-date,” the program’s website stated. Residents’ information is secure and can only be accessed with their fingerprint or face ID, officials with the Department of Public Safety said. Mississippi Mobile ID is voluntary, and residents may continue relying on their physical ID. More information about the program is available at www.driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov/mobile-id/

Missouri

Kansas City: The city’s embattled police chief’s last day on the job will be in April, a draft agreement obtained by The Kansas City Star showed. The letter was written after Chief Rick Smith met last week with Mayor Quinton Lucas and Board of Police Commissioners president, Mark Tolbert. The meeting came just four days after a Jackson County found Det. Eric DeValkenaere guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the 2019 shooting death of Cameron Lamb. Capt. Leslie Foreman, a spokeswoman for the department said in a statement Smith would retire sometime in 2022. She said Smith made a commitment to stay in the position no more than five years when he was hired in August 2017. But the new letter, which is addressed to Smith from Tolbert, provided more details. It said Smith will announce his retirement to the public on March 1, that his last day will be April 22 and that he will be compensated at his current salary through Aug. 31. Smith earns about $191,000 per year as chief. There have been repeated calls for Smith to resign, including during last year’s racial justice protests. Smith’s departure is expected to come up when the police board meets Monday in a closed session.

Montana

Billings: The value of livestock killed by predators such as grizzly bears and wolves is expected to exceed the budget for compensating ranchers for such losses this year, the Montana Livestock Loss Board said. George Edwards, the board’s executive director, said 331 head of livestock have been killed this year by wolves, grizzlies and mountain lions. With more than $262,000 in payouts having been made through Nov. 23, Edwards told The Billings Gazette he doesn’t think the state’s $300,000 annual budget will be enough to cover all the losses. Claims for animals killed by grizzly bears have been increasing in recent years. Six years ago, reported grizzly bear kills of cattle was 50 head, with another 16 probable kills. So far this year, there have been 80 confirmed kills and another 35 that are probable. Wolves also kill sheep, and mountain lions kill sheep and goats. The Montana Legislature started the Livestock Loss Program in 2007 to compensate ranchers for animals lost to grizzly bears and wolves. Mountain lions were added to the predators list and the legislature increased the compensation program’s annual budget from $200,000 to $300,000 in 2019.

Nebraska

Lincoln: Students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln could be required to log into an online class or watch a recorded lecture from home when bad weather strikes. The Lincoln Journal Star reported a new policy gives UNL the option to require students to follow “instructional continuity plans.” The new policy goes into effect Jan. 3, the start of winter interim classes at UNL. The change comes after heavy snow earlier this year forced UNL to call off classes during an already compressed spring semester schedule. Faculty leaders and others asked for the option, and a plan was developed by the Faculty Senate, Association of Students of the University of Nebraska, and campus administrators. Instructors can choose how they want classes to continue in the event of inclement weather, while adhering to the same schedule and ensuring to make the option available for all students.

Nevada

Carson City: Residents of a rural, Republican-leaning town that the Nevada Legislature split into two Assembly districts filed a lawsuit last week challenging the state’s district maps. John Koenig and Gregory Hafen II, a Republican who represents Pahrump in the Statehouse, argued that the maps passed by the Democratic-controlled Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Steve Sisolak are drawn in a way that denies voters their right to elect representatives of their choice. The maps split rural Nye County into three state Assembly districts and Pahrump – its largest city – into two. The lawsuit filed in Carson City court said that combining Nye County voters into a district with more urban communities in the Las Vegas area dilutes their voting power and makes it unlikely that they’ll be able to choose a representative committed to their interests. A representative from a distant county, they said in the lawsuit, “will have little understanding of Pahrump’s and Nye County’s unique and local problems and issues and as such will be unable to adequately represent the needs and interests of Pahrump’s and Nye County’s rural voters.”

New Hampshire

Kittery: The final submarine in the Navy’s Los Angeles class arrived at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard last week for scheduled system upgrades and maintenance work. With more than 140 crew members aboard, the USS Cheyenne docked at the shipyard. Its home base is in Groton, Connecticut, from where it traveled. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard announced the Cheyenne is the third naval ship to be named after the Wyoming city, as well as the first of its class to partake in the Navy’s service-life extension program. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard spokesperson Gary Hildreth said the maintenance of the submarine is expected to last 30 months at a cost of approximately $315

million. At 360 feet long and with a dead weight of 927 tons, the USS Cheyenne is capable of supporting military missions that include “anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance,” according to the shipyard’s statement. The Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company was awarded the contract to build the submarine in the fall of 1989, leading to its construction beginning July 6, 1992. The USS Cheyenne was commissioned Sept. 13, 1996.

New Jersey

Wildwood: One of the Jersey Shore’s most popular boardwalks is undergoing repairs designed to better prepare it for next year’s summer crowds. Wildwood has begun repairing several blocks of its wooden walkway, as famous for the motorized tram cars that carry people up and down it as for the gigantic expanses of sand that stretch to the ocean. The first $4

million of what could be a $30

million to $40

million project is being done solely with state funds included in this year’s budget. The walkway is particularly popular with tourists from Philadelphia and its suburbs. Engineers examined the concrete substructure of the walkway and determined that not all of it was in bad shape. An examination of the boardwalk’s underbelly by local and state officials in 2019 found some spots where concrete crumbled to the touch. But the overall assessment of the substructure cleared the way for less expensive plans to repair the sections most in need of work, Mayor Pete Byron said. Work started last week on a three-block section. Eventually, 20 of the boardwalk’s 26 blocks will be refurbished, a process that could take five years, with work done in the offseason to avoid interfering with tourist season.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: Several members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation are urging the U.S. Forest Service to again allow a decades-old foot race that goes through a wilderness area and up into mountains overlooking Albuquerque. A letter by Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan and Rep. Melanie Stansbury asked the agency to reverse its 2020 decision that the La Luz Trail Race wouldn’t be permitted under the Cibola National Forest’s draft land and resource management plan. The lawmakers wrote that the 9-mile event held annually for more than 55 years “is a point of pride for New Mexicans and an important source of recreation and tourism.” The race, which attracted hundreds of runners, started in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains on the outskirts of Albuquerque and finished at Sandia Crest after an elevation gain of more than 4,000 feet. In a 2020 announcement, Sandia District Ranger Crystal Powell said officials had determined that the race should not have been permitted in the wilderness area because it was a commercial event.

New York

Poughkeepsie: A second gun buyback event through the state Attorney General’s Office in less than six months is scheduled in the city for Dec. 4. Letitia James’ office is holding the event, in association with the city police department, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Beulah Baptist Church at 92 Catharine St. The amount residents can receive depends on the gun they bring, with the range beginning at $25 for a nonworking or antique gun, followed by $75 for a rifle or shotgun, $150 for a handgun and $250 for an assault rifle. Participants will receive a prepaid gift card at the church. Participants can trade in as many guns as they wish. Weapons must be unloaded and transported inside a plastic bag, paper bag or box. Licensed gun dealers and active or retired law enforcement officers are not allowed to participate in the program. Identification is not required to take part, and no questions will be asked. The Poughkeepsie City School District was forced to close its high school for several days after a shooting on Forbus Street roughly a half-hour after dismissal Nov. 15. City police said 40 to 50 people were in the area of the shooting. No injuries were reported. A 13-year-old found by police that day is in a juvenile facility, charged with criminal possession of a weapon.

North Carolina

Concord: A fire has destroyed 60 guitars and up to 100 paintings at the North Carolina home of Jim Avett. He is the father of Scott and Seth Avett of the Avett Brothers band. The Charlotte Observer reported the fire occurred Friday in the city of Concord. “The fire started from a golf cart,” Jim Avett posted on Facebook. “Half the house is totally beyond repair.” Officials said that arriving firefighters saw “heavy fire from the garage” and entered the house to keep the flames from spreading. No one was injured, although Jim Avett said a cat was missing. The Avett Brothers, a three-time Grammy Award nominee, are based in North Carolina and have a national following. Jim Avett said on Facebook the blaze is “not a knockout punch.” “We have the strength, attitude, faith and abilities to move forward,” he wrote. “And we will!”

North Dakota

Bismarck: An agency key to implementing new in-state investment components of North Dakota’s $8.3 billion oil tax savings has a new leader. The State Investment Board recently named Retirement and Investment Office interim Executive Director Jan Murtha to take over the role on a permanent basis, the Bismarck Tribune reported. The office oversees about $20

billion of assets. Murtha, who is an attorney, has led the agency in the interim role since June, when Dave Hunter resigned for a job in Alabama. Murtha was hired in 2020 and previously was the office’s deputy executive director and chief retirement officer. The agency is key to effecting new in-state investment mandates of the Legacy Fund approved by the Legislature, which include making investments in companies in the state. During the Legislature’s special session earlier this month, state lawmakers approved an additional six full-time employees and $1.8

million for salaries and expenses. Murtha has said those resources will help the office meet the new investment requirements.

Ohio

Lima: The city is about to swear in Democrat Sharetta Smith as its first female and first Black mayor. Smith will take her oath of office Monday at the city’s Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center. She defeated Republican Elizabeth Hardesty on Nov. 2 after the two topped a four-way primary in May.Smith succeeds retiring eight-term Mayor David Berger, who has led the city since 1989. She most recently served as his chief of staff. An attorney, Smith previously served as an assistant public defender and criminal court magistrate.

Oklahoma

Enid: The dedication for the world’s tallest fresh-cut Christmas tree, a 140-foot Douglas fir, took place Friday night during the opening ceremony for “The One,” a 42-day Christmas event at 150 W Park Ave. In recent days, a special crew from California used boom lift aerial equipment to decorate the tree with more than 20,000 LED lights. Crew members also braved the Oklahoma winds to add about 10,000 ornaments for a show-stopping effect. And an Enid florist shop owner and local volunteers decorated numerous smaller trees that formed a brightly colored ring around the tree. Kyle Williams, chief executive officer of Hammer Williams Co,. said he and his wife Carol came up with the idea for “The One” extravaganza with their four grown children. They envisioned a series of concerts, plays and other activities to take place around a huge tree in downtown Enid. About two years ago, the Williams family did some research to determine where the tallest fresh-cut Christmas trees were featured in previous years. Williams said he found that the giant trees were often the highlight of elaborate holiday scenes created at outlet malls and casinos across the country. And then there was the large fresh-cut Christmas tree famously featured each year at New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza.

Oregon

Portland: Oregonians will soon have more options for camping – especially those looking for a quick trip – as the state parks department works to complete details on a capital improvement plan. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported staff in the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department recently outlined some of the plans at a Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. Park Services Manager Matt Rippee said expanded campgrounds are in the works for several state parks in the Willamette Valley, including Silver Falls and Champoeg. “It also gives folks an opportunity, if a big storm comes through in the middle of the night, or a baby is crying, they can hop in the car and head home, and it’s not a four hour drive,” he said. The expansion is part of an approved $50 million, by state lawmakers, to fund a series of projects over the next five years. In addition, as part of the package the iconic Smith Rock State Park is set to receive $4 million to $6 million for upgrades throughout the park – including added parking, extended hiking trails and a visitor center.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped its percentage of vaccinated adults in Pennsylvania by nearly 5 percentage points in what apparently was a data correction to weed out duplicates. The agency adjusted the percentage to 68.9%, after a day earlier putting the percentage at 73.7% of Pennsylvanians 18 and older. The downward revision amounted to a reduction of about 1.2

million doses. Pennsylvania’s Department of Health said it sends its data to the CDC, and began in July to refine its data to remove duplicate information and correct data on first, second and booster doses. The data correction came as infections, hospitalizations and intensive-care unit cases are rising in Pennsylvania and many other states. The department said there are 3,349 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Pennsylvania, up about 21% in November. That includes 763 in the ICU, up about 17% in November. More than 33,000 people in Pennsylvania have died from COVID-19, according to Department of Health data.

Rhode Island

Providence: Gov. Dan McKee said the annual holiday celebration and tree lighting at the State House will take place at 5 p.m. on Thursday on the south lawn. The tree will be lit at 6:15 p.m. Two Christmas trees will be on display at the State House. A 12-foot Douglas fir from Henry’s Christmas Tree Farm in Scituate will be outside the State House and an 18-foot artificial tree will be inside the State House. The Douglas fir was purchased with donations from several local businesses and the artificial tree was purchased with funds from the 2017 National Governors Association conference, McKee said. Keeping a real tree alive inside the State House has proved challenging. In 2005, the tree turned brown and shed all its needles. In 2017 the tree died 10 days before Christmas. The governor’s office purchased an artificial tree in 2019. After the tree is lit, McKee and first lady Susan McKee will read “The Night Before Christmas.” The celebration features performances by Billy Gilman, the Cumberland Clef Singers, the Paul Cuffee Lower School Chorus and the Rhode Island Army National Guard’s “Governor’s Own” 88th Army Band. Unwrapped toys will be collected to benefit local children in need. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus are also scheduled to appear to take socially-distanced photos with children.

South Carolina

Charleston: More loggerhead turtle nests were counted on South Carolina beaches this year than in 2020, according to state Department of Natural Resources data. The Post and Courier of Charleston reported officials counted more than 5,600 sea turtle nests this year, with data still being compiled. The final 2020 count was 5,560. That remains below the state’s two biggest years, with 6,446 in 2016 and 8,774 in 2019. The state’s first nest was reported on May 5 on Seabrook Island. The town of Kiawah Island said its last nest was counted Oct. 10. In July, volunteers found a rare two-headed sea turtle hatchling while conducting an inventory at Edisto Beach. As far as the park specialists know, this was a first for the beach. The turtle was released into the Atlantic Ocean. Loggerheads are the Palmetto State’s primary nesting sea turtles. But the department this year reported a Kemp’s ridley nest and five green sea turtle nests. Last year, 16% of nests were washed away, including some by Hurricane Isaias, said state DNR state sea turtle coordinator Michelle Pate. This year, 3.4% of eggs were lost. Pate said a larger share of lost eggs were eaten by predators this year, including coyotes, foxes and raccoons.

South Dakota

Deadwood: The addition of sports betting helped drive a 20% revenue increase for Deadwood casinos in October, according to new state data. The Rapid City Journal reported that a report from the South Dakota Commission on Gaming showed the casinos generated 20.54% more revenue last month than in October 2020. Gamblers shelled out more than $116

million for slots, $8.3

million for table game bets and $815,036 in sports bets. Sports betting became legal in South Dakota in July. Betting began in early September after the gaming commission approved a list of sporting events that gamblers can wager on, including the Olympics, professional and college sports. Five Deadwood casinos offered sports betting in October, paying out just over $98,000. Most bets were placed on professional and college football. Overall, gamblers spent almost $1.3

billion in Deadwood casinos through the first 10 months of the year. That’s up nearly 40% from 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced casinos to close temporarily. Slot machines paid out more than $10.8

million in winnings and table games yielded almost $1.5

million in winnings, mostly from blackjack and house-banked poker, according to the report.

Tennessee

Nashville: A woman attacked two flight attendants on a Spirit Airlines flight to Nashville on Saturday night, was restrained by a fellow passenger, and then yelled at police officers to “shoot me” when they arrested her. Airport police arrested a 42-year old female for public intoxication after the flight crew contacted officers on the ground at Nashville International Airport about 7 p.m., an arrest affidavit said. The flight took off from Fort Lauderdale at about 6 p.m., according to Spirit Airlines spokesperson Nicole Aguiar and FlightAware, a flight tracking website. When the plane arrived, members of the crew told officers that she attacked two flight attendants, punching one and pulling the other’s hair. Aguiar did not comment on details in the affidavit but said law enforcement officers removed “a passenger for unruly behavior.” When the passenger deplaned, another passenger was restraining her feet with zip ties, the affidavit said. She smelled of alcohol, spoke in a slurred manner, and her eyes were bloodshot. She told officers she drank “a lot,” the affidavit said. After police arrested her, she yelled at the officers on several occasions, using expletives and saying “I didn’t do anything wrong” and “shoot me,” according to the affidavit. The passenger also resisted getting into the police cruiser, including by stiffening her legs to prevent officers from closing the door. Davidson County Sheriff’s Office jail logs showed she was admitted into jail on at 8:40 p.m. Saturday, but she was released 6 a.m., Sunday.

Texas

Killeen: An invasive underwater weed is spreading in a central Texas lake popular with anglers, tangling boat propellers and threatening fish. The weed is hydrilla, an aquatic plant initially imported and sold as an aquarium plant in the 1950s that has become one of the world’s most invasive plants. Fishing guide Bob Maindelle said its presence is at a record level in Stillhouse Hollow Lake, about 13 miles southeast of Killeen. “So much hydrilla has now grown in Stillhouse that entire coves are now completely inaccessible to boating anglers because the matted vegetation entangles the propellers of both outboard engines and electric trolling motors, thus prohibiting access,” Maindelle wrote recently in the Killeen Daily Herald. The plants are spread by uncleaned boats and form thick mats on water surfaces, changing their pH levels, stripping them of oxygen, restricting native plant growth, blocking nutrients for aquatic animals, and hindering irrigation, recreation and water flow, according to the Texas Invasive Species Institute. It also can damage water quality and foster the growth of toxic blue-green algae. Such algae were linked to the recent sudden deaths of multiple dogs at nearby Belton Lake.

Utah

Panguitch: A minor earthquake struck parts of southern Utah on Friday morning. The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 3.0 and was centered about 7 miles west of Panguitch, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It happened at about 6:40 a.m. Quakes of that magnitude are among the smallest generally felt by people.

Vermont

Strafford: A final total of the cost of cleaning up the long-abandoned Elizabeth copper mine in Strafford came in more than four times the original estimate, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said. The Valley News reported that when the Superfund project to clean up the mine began in 2002, its estimated cost, in today’s dollars, was $25

million. When the the cleanup was completed earlier this year the final price tag, released last week, came in at $103

million. Ed Hathaway, the EPA’s Elizabeth Mine project manager, said “cost increases are very common” in the Superfund program. “We’re not building a house. We essentially are unwrapping the site as we clean it up. … As we excavate and as we do work, we uncover more of the challenges,” Hathaway said. In 2001 the EPA designated the abandoned 250-acre copper mine a Superfund site. Acid- and metal-contaminated water from the site contaminated nearby streams. Copper ore was first discovered in the area in the 1790s. Mining operations waxed and waned over the decades with economic conditions. The mine closed in 1958, leaving behind 7,800 feet of tunnels; abandoned buildings; equipment; huge piles of rock, known as tailings; and other mining debris. After the mine closed, contaminated water leached from waste rock and tailings into nearby streams, endangering animals and homes nearby.

Virginia

Roanoke: Police are seeing an increase in thefts of catalytic converters from automobiles across the nation and in parts of Virginia. Roanoke County police officer Greg Benton told The Roanoke Times that he didn’t think catalytic converter thefts have “ever been this prolific.” Catalytic converters filter pollutants from car exhaust. They’re made with valuable precious metals and sit on the underside of a vehicle. They can be removed in a matter of minutes with a machine-powered saw. In July, insurance provider State Farm said it had seen a three-fold jump in the number of catalytic converter claims filed over the past year. The National Insurance Crime Bureau also said that the average monthly thefts across the nation had soared to 1,203 in 2020. There were 282 a month in 2019. In Roanoke City, 182 converters were reported stolen by the end of October. In all of 2020, there were about 16 thefts. In Roanoke County, Benton said thieves had made off with about 30 converters at once. Car owners can take precautions by parking in well-lit, visible areas. Illegally removing a catalytic converter can be done quickly – but not quietly. The sawing tends to make a racket.

Washington

Bellingham: Residents throughout the state were preparing for possible flooding as “atmospheric rivers” again threatened parts of the Northwest, which saw heavy damage from extreme weather earlier this month. People in the small communities of Sumas and Everson in northwest Washington were asked to voluntarily evacuate Saturday night, The Bellingham Herald reported. Both towns near the Canadian border saw extreme flooding from the previous storm. Flood watches were issued for much of western and north-central Washington and the National Weather Service warned that flooding was possible through Sunday. Heavy rain and rising rivers were also expected in the Cascade mountains in the center of the state and the Olympic mountains near the coast. Meteorologists predicted the rain would taper off Sunday and that Monday should be relatively dry.

West Virginia

Charleston: FirstEnergy Corp. has applied to build five solar energy projects throughout its West Virginia service territory. The Akron, Ohio-based utility company estimated the projects, if approved by West Virginia regulators, would generate 50 megawatts of power, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reported. The plans comply with a 2020 bill passed by the state legislature that permits electric utilities to own and operate up to 200 megawatts of renewable generation facilities. They would not displace the company’s current coal-fired generation capacity, the newspaper reported. The application was submitted through FirstEnergy’s two subsidiaries, Mon Power and Potomac Edison. Construction could begin as early as 2022, with all projects expected to be completed by 2025. The sites include a 26-acre reclaimed ash disposal site in Berkeley County, a 51-acre site adjacent to a Mon Power substation in Hancock County, a 95-acre site in Monongalia County and a 44-acre reclaimed strip mine property in Tucker County. A fifth location is under review.

Wisconsin

Madison: A community group is urging city officials to back off on plans to shut down a homeless encampment in a city park. City officials have posted notices that camping won’t be allowed in Reindahl Park on Madison’s east side after Dec. 6 and all tents, structures and belongings must be removed from the park by Dec. 9. The encampment has seen more than 70 people at times and has been declared unsanitary, unhealthy and unsafe after a number of attacks and overdoses, a stabbing and a shooting. The city wants to move people living in the park into shelters and a hotel. The Wisconsin State Journal reported that volunteer group Community Action Against Reindahl Eviction issued a statement Wednesday asking the city to halt the eviction. One of the group’s members, Pearl Foster, said the shelters and the hotel don’t have enough space for all the Reindahl campers and it shouldn’t be a problem to keep the park open because it’s not used for winter sports. Linette Rhodes, the city’s community development grants supervisor, said the city doesn’t want anyone sleeping outside during the winter and she’s confidant that all campers will have a place to go as the city shuts down the park.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: When the Republican-dominated legislature met last month to fight federal COVID-19 vaccination rules, it drew a crowd. That first day, people opposed to the federal rules crammed into the House and Senate galleries, filled two overflow rooms and gathered on the steps of the Capitol. State residents who traveled to Cheyenne fear taking a relatively new vaccine and don’t want to lose their jobs for refusing the shots, said Kristy Tyrney, the head of Wyoming Health Freedom, a grassroots group that rejects vaccine requirements. The scene in Wyoming played out across more than a dozen red-state legislatures in recent weeks as Republican lawmakers and governors pledged to fight President Joe Biden’s new immunization rules. Since September, at least 14 GOP-controlled legislatures have debated bills that would undermine vaccine mandates and passed at least 13 new laws, by Stateline’s count.

Here's how Noblesville looks at the old to make itself new again

Of Hamilton County’s three largest cities, Noblesville might be considered the middle child — brimming with potential but sometimes overlooked.

The suburb, after all, has a historic town square, and a river runs through it — combined features Carmel and Fishers can’t claim.

So rather than re-inventing itself, as many suburbs have done with “vibrant and walkable” downtown areas built from scratch by big developers, city officials are aiming to enhance its natural gifts.

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City officials want to spruce up and remodel the square and make the White River easier to access, providing a one-two punch in which residents and visitors could comfortably busy themselves for a whole day.

"As the county seat, we have the courthouse and the square and a river in the center of downtown, and those are some major assets," Mayor John Ditslear said. "We can modernize them but without losing the historical significance. I can see people coming down here to shop and eat during the day and staying at night for a concert."

Increase downtown density

To add muscle to the vision, Ditslear announced this week that at least one and possibly two high-end apartments with first-floor retail space would be built downtown or near downtown. The city is still entertaining proposals from developers but will likely reach an agreement by the end of the year.

That part of the overall plan is consistent with what other cities — including Carmel and Fishers — are doing as they chase the prized demographic perfecta of young professionals and well-off retirees to increase their downtown populations and spur economic activity.

"We've wanted to increase density downtown for a long time," Ditslear said, "but things never really came together as they are starting to now."

The improvements on the square are in the final planning stages. They include wider sidewalks, mini-parks with benches, public art and entertainment in alleyways. Light fixtures and benches would be re-designed, decorative pavement would be laid down and gateway arches put up.

The changes would preserve the historical aesthetic of the square, which is lined with several local restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores, galleries and antique sellers. A survey by the consultant, Context, Inc., which did the downtown study, found the square has 16 restaurants, eight clothing stores and seven antique shops, with most of the rest of the businesses being legal services and insurance companies.

Parking a problem

Researchers said 68 percent of people who live, work or visit Noblesville like its historic charm more than any other element. But the study also found that their biggest complaint was a lack of parking and that they wanted to see a wider variety of businesses.

Many visitors downtown are most frustrated by a two-hour parking limit on the square, said Peggy Kumler, who has owned A Corner Cottage on the square for 20 years.

"When they get ticketed, some customers get so mad they say they are never coming back," Kumler said. "I've felt so bad for them that I've paid their tickets about 10 to 12 times over the years. When they get out of their cars they don't realize there's a time limit because they are so excited about shopping."

Mark Littler, who owns Noble Coffee and Tea Company with his wife, Robyn, said the city has to strike a delicate balance with parking restrictions.

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"For a business like mine, I don't want people taking up a space all day," he said. "My business depends on quick turnover. But if you have law practice on the square and are taking a deposition, you'll probably need more than two hours."

Widening the sidewalk would give cafes like Littler's more room for outdoor seating and pedestrians more space to window shop. But it would also mean changing the parking from vertical to parallel and that would eliminate about 20 spaces.

Deputy Mayor Steve Cooke said parking garages would be included in the new mixed-use developments, which should alleviate parking on the square.

"We also have several surface lots nearby in which you can park all day," Cooke said. 'We need to do a better job of letting the public know those lots are there."

White River development

It won't be the first time the city has upgraded the square. In the last 10 years it has spent nearly a million dollars on a program to fix up business fronts. Kumpler said she took advantage of the facade program about eight years ago, putting new windows and an awning on her shop with $14,000 from the city and $14,000 of her own.

The city is already well on its way to making the White River convenient to use. Last year, a half-mile trail along the east side of the river opened and another mile will be built soon. The Riverwalk trail will run from Division Street at Forest Park to Southside Park. Construction could begin this year.

Noblesville has also punched up development west of the river to expand the boundaries of what is commonly known as downtown. Blue Sky Technology opened a large headquarters building — into which the popular restaurant Bru Burger moved — on the river, and the city built the $6 million Federal Hills Commons, a versatile park that has a band shell and ice skating rink.

The land around the river was also designated as a redevelopment district, which gives the city unlimited liquor permits to sell at a fixed price of $1,000, as a way to entice more business.

To better link the two sides of downtown, a pedestrian walkway with a look-out is being designed for the Logan Street Bridge over the White River. The walkway will be 28 feet wide and 150 feet long, county highway Director Brad Davis said. It could accommodate musicians, artists or other entertainers.

"To connect these two parts of downtown we need to make it more walkable," Ditslear said.

Zip lines and flotillas

The burgeoning riverfront development will be a starting point for further improvements being led by the city of Indianapolis and Hamilton County Tourism, Inc. The White River Master Plan will examine how to better use 58 miles of the river.

"The river is a great asset in Noblesville, but a lot of people don't even realize that it's there," said Brenda Myers, president of the tourism office.

Myers said there is a lot of potential for "activation," along the river. The county has nine parks near the water, most with at least some access. "There is a canoe rental and boat slips and other activity on the river, but we can do more," Myers said, listing as possibilities flotillas, fishing piers and ziplines. Planners visited several other cities, such as Columbus, Ohio, to see what they had done with their rivers and are holding a series of public hearings to receive input.

Coffee shop owner Littler said the city will thrive as long as it sticks to its roots. He said he urges city leaders all the time to improve what the city has and resist the temptation to simply imitate Carmel and Fishers.

"Noblesville offers something different," Littler said. "There is a historic feel to it. It is not an urban center. It still feels like a small town, which is why people come here."

Call IndyStar reporter John Tuohy at 317-444-6418. Follow on Twitter and Facebook.

5 uniquely Arizona holiday traditions and events

Carrie Watters

The Republic | azcentral.com

You have to acclimate to many things when you move to Arizona, but perhaps none more than Christmas.

"Yeah mom, they string lights on palm trees."

"No, I have no idea how they get those lights on cactuses."

"Ice skating? That's possible?!"

Sure enough, over time, these uniquely Arizona traditions pull you into the holiday spirit as much as any first dusting of snow or single-digit wind chill.

And, hanging Christmas tree lights in balmy Arizona is so much easier. Which leads to the first of Arizona's iconic Christmas traditions — lights. Way more people seem to hang lights in Arizona and I have to believe this is because we don't get frostbitten while doing it and we're overcompensating for a lack of snow.

There are many places and events to see holiday lights in the Valley, but here are seven favorites.

Arizona holiday lights

Glendale Glitters has been lighting up downtown Glendale since 1994. And watching the expression on children's faces when they hit the switch on some 1.5 million lights never gets old. The Countdown to Glendale Glitters Show at the amphitheater in Murphy Park, near 58th and Glendale avenues, begins 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, and the lights go on at 6 p.m.

The lights shine 5-11 nightly through Jan. 7.

Four themed weekends, 6-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Nov. 25-Dec. 17, include all that you'd expect, such as gift, craft and food vendors, choirs and dancing, kids rides, horse-drawn carriage rides and visits with Santa.

Details: www.glendaleaz.com/glitters

Ahwatukee Foothills Festival of Lights features 1 million white lights on trees and cactuses on a 1-mile stretch of Chandler Boulevard from 24th Street to Desert Hills Parkway, with the mountains as a backdrop.

The 21st annual Festival of Lights Kick-Off Party is 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at Desert Foothills Park, 1010 Marketplace SW, in Ahwatukee Foothills, with festivities such as street fair vendors, kids rides, Santa, live music and performances, and a lighted motorcycle parade.

The lights continue nightly through New Year's Day.

Details: www.folaz.org

The APS Electric Light Parade will celebrate 30 years when it rolls, marches and dances its way through Phoenix 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. Last year, 80 groups participated with one common holiday theme — lights!

The parade begins at Central and Montebello avenues and ends at Seventh Street and Indian School Road.

Details: www.phoenix.gov/parks/special-events/electric-light-parade

Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo celebrate 25 years this season and is a holiday tradition for many families. Big Blue, a massive tree covered in blue lights, is a fan favorite. But among the 4 million lights and 700 displays, there's always something new at the zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix.

Zoolights is open 5:30-10:30 nightly from Wednesday, Nov. 23, to Sunday, Jan. 8, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. General admission is $12.95 on non-peak nights and $19.95 on peak nights.

Details: phoenixzoo.org

Las Noches de Las Luminarias includes more than 8,000 hand-lit luminaria bags, inspired by the Mexican holiday tradition, lining the trails at Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. Each evening features musical performers throughout the garden.

The experience begins Friday, Nov. 25, and is open 21 evenings through Saturday, Dec. 31. General admission is $30 for adults and $12.50 for ages 3-12.

Details: www.dbg.org

The Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade is the only time motorized boats are allowed on Tempe Town Lake. The tradition began in 1999 and sees nearly 50 boats decorated for the holidays cruise along the banks of Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway. Festivities run 4:30- 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, and include live music, food, photos with Santa and fireworks. More than 1,000 luminaria illuminate the park's paths and sidewalks. The parade begins at 7 p.m., fireworks at 8:45 p.m.

Details: www.downtowntempe.com

Holiday Lights at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park offer young and old alike a chance to board the Paradise & Pacific train and ride through the park as they are greeted by storybook characters and pass by 20 light displays. Festivities open Friday, Dec. 9, with live music, a tree-lighting ceremony and a visit from Santa, who is at the park nightly through Dec. 23. Holiday lights runs 6:30-9 p.m. through Sunday, Jan. 1, excluding Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31. Train rides are $4 and carousel rides are $2. Ages 2 and younger ride free with a paying adult.

Details: www.therailroadpark.com

Tumbleweed Tree

One of the Valley's more unique holiday traditions is also one of its oldest. Chandler residents have been building tumbleweed trees for the past 60 years. This year's tree, with star, tops 35 feet.

Between 600 to 800 tumbleweeds are attached to a wire frame, sprayed with flame retardant and white paint, then dusted with glitter. About 1,200 lights and the star complete the Southwestern tree in the downtown Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, 3 S. Arizona Ave.

A lighting ceremony will be held 4:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. Festivities include dance and music performances, visits with Santa and a parade at 7 p.m. The lighting ceremony is at 8 p.m.

Details: chandleraz.gov/tumbleweedtree

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Ice skating in the desert

Several years ago, I was intrigued when I heard an outdoor ice skating rink was being installed for the holidays at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale. Then I was told how it worked: Plexiglas sprayed with a "glide-enhancing liquid." Westgate has moved beyond that, recently installing a real ice rink for the holidays, and plenty of plumbing beneath to keep it frozen.

City Skate in downtown Phoenix has set the bar with a real ice rink reminiscent of New York City's Rockefeller Center, minus the need for winter coats and scarves.

Here are some places to skate this holiday season:

CitySkate's grand opening with the mayor's tree lighting (center of the rink) is Saturday, Nov. 26. Festivities begin at 3 p.m. with the characters from the Disney movie "Frozen," followed by a visit from Santa, performers and the tree-lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.

General admission to skate is $15 and includes skate rental. To reduce wait times, skate times are broken into the following sessions: 5-7:30 p.m. and 8-11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 5-7:30 p.m. and 8-11 p.m. Fridays and 3-5 p.m., 5:30-7:30 p.m. and 8-11 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

The rink, which has special hours Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, will remain open through Sunday, Jan. 8, at 1 E. Washington St., Phoenix.

Details: www.phxicerink.com

Desert Ice Skating Rink at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is a big draw, with real ice and nightly snowfall, but the resort has a lot to offer during the holidays, with seemingly every corner decked out with decorations. The resort at 7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale, features Lagoon Lights with more than 3 million lights, rides on the Princess Express Train, a massive four-story musical Christmas tree and more. Prices on attractions vary, but skating is $20, plus $5 skate rental and $35 parking.

Details: www.scottsdaleprincess.com

Winter Wonderland Ice Rink is part of the Merry Main Street festivities in downtown Mesa, which kick off 5-10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, with music, food and festivities. The rink is at 20 E. Main St. and will remain open through Sunday, Jan. 1. Hours are 5-10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, with some adjustments Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Admission is $10 for one hour and includes skate rental.

Details: http://merrymainst.com

Westgate Entertainment District opened its first real ice rink Tuesday. The rink will be open 5-11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 5 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 18. Hours shift to 3 p.m.-midnight Dec. 19-Jan. 8. Admission is $13 and includes skates. Admission is $10 for ages 4-6, and those under 4 are free with adult admission. Other festivities include visits with Santa, nightly "snowfall" and free horse-drawn carriage rides Fridays and Saturdays through Christmas Eve.

Details: www.westgateaz.com

Trucked-in snow

Many parts of the country must figure out what to do with all of their snow, but in Arizona, we truck it in or make it. Arizona festivals often boast just how much snow they will have for the kids to romp in.

Here are a few examples.

El Mirage's annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is 5-9 p.m. Friday, December 9, in Gentry Park, 14010 N. El Mirage Road, and will include "6 tons of snow."

Details: www.cityofelmirage.org

Peoria's annual Old Town Holiday festival is 5 to 10 p.m., Friday, Dec. 2, in Old Town Peoria, located at Peoria and Grand avenues, and will feature "20 tons of snow."

Details: www.peoriaaz.gov/specialevents

At the Carefree Christmas Festival, kids can "sled down a snow slide and play in the snow." The festival will have "40 tons of real snow" and snow sculptures. The festival is 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec.9-10, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at Carefree Desert Gardens and Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 100 Easy St.

Details: http://carefreechristmasfestival.com/

Mesa Arizona Temple

Only five Mormon temples worldwide offer large holiday light displays, and Mesa is among them, according to Stephen Harms, public affairs director for the Christmas lights and Easter pageant at the Mesa Temple.

The Mesa Temple Christmas Lights begins 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, at 525 E. Main St. The lights will shine 5-10 nightly through Saturday, Dec. 31.

Beginning Thursday, Dec. 1, high school and local choirs will perform 7-7:30 nightly through Christmas Day.

How many lights the temple uses is anybody's guess, but Harms says it would be easier to talk about it in miles than feet. A committee works year round on designs, and volunteers (about 1,500 in all) begin work in October.

You'll find a three-quarter life-size nativity scene imported from Italy, and a star above it with 10,000 lights. A collection of nativity sets are on display in the Visitors Center.

What you won't find are Santa Claus or reindeer. "This is entirely centered around the birth of Christ," Harms said, and from his perspective, it's one of the most peaceful places in the Valley to find the Christmas spirit.

Details: www.mesachristmaslights.com

Republic reporters Sonja Haller and Kellie Hwang contributed to this article.

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What are the best cities to live in? These 50 top the list in the US

Samuel Stebbins, Grant Suneson and Michael B. Sauter

24/7 Wall Street

Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this story misstated the geographical location of Waynesboro, Virginia.

There are nearly 20,000 villages, towns, and cities, across the nearly 3.8 million square miles that comprise the United States. More than 1-in-10 Americans move each year, and suffice it to say, when it comes to choosing a place to settle down, they have options.

For many, deciding on a place to call home is influenced by subjective or personal variables like climate, proximity to friends and family, or a job opportunity. For those with greater flexibility, however, there are dozens of objective factors to consider, as overall quality of life can vary considerably from town to town and city to city.

In an ideal community, the streets are safe and those who want a job have little difficulty finding one. An ideal city is also an affordable one, a place where residents can keep more of their disposable income. A range of transportation options and easy access to entertainment and cultural attractions can also improve quality of life.

24/7 Wall Street created a weighted index of over two-dozen measures to identify the best American cities to live in. The communities on this list span the country from coast to coast but are disproportionately concentrated in the Midwest.

More:Housing market slows as prices and rates rise, helping buyers in Denver, other cities

More:Best cities for jobs: Pittsburgh is No. 1, followed by St. Louis and Indianapolis, Glassdoor says

Though every city on this list is relatively small -- home to fewer than 25,000 people -- many are located within a major metropolitan area and are well within commuting distance of a large city.

While there is no such thing as a perfect city, the advantages of living in the cities on this list largely outweigh any drawbacks. Not all cities are created equal -- and these are the best American cities to live in.

For comparison purposes, boroughs, census designated places, cities, towns, and villages were all considered. To avoid geographic clustering, only the top ranking community in a given county was included on this list. We only reviewed communities with at least 8,000 residents.

50. Williston, North Dakota

• Population: 23,902

• 5-year population change: +65.5 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $223,800 (top 20 percent)

• Median household income: $90,875

Williston, North Dakota, is a modern day boom town, one of many cities in the state rapidly transformed by oil extraction. People are flooding into Willison and other nearby towns at a high rate. Over the past five years, Williston's population exploded by 65.5 percent.

Due in part to the oil boom, the city's five-year average unemployment rate of just 2.2 percent is well below the average U.S. unemployment rate of 7.4 percent over the same time. Many of the jobs in the area are also high paying as Williston's median household income of $90,875 is well above the $55,322 national median household income.

49. Grove City, Pennsylvania

• Population: 8,170

• 5-year population change: -1.7 percent (bottom 20 percent)

• Median home value: $119,400

• Median household income: $44,310

Like many communities on this list, Grove City's high quality of life is supported by a strong job market. Over the last five years, the city's average unemployment stood at just 2.3 percent, less than a third of the comparable national unemployment rate. Among the area's largest employers are a General Electric engine plant and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Grove City residents also have a wide range of entertainment options and cultural amenities. The population-adjusted concentration of venues like restaurants, movie theatres, libraries, and golf courses is far greater in Grove City than is typical nationwide.

48. Snyder, Texas

• Population: 11,541

• 5-year population change: +4.4 percent

• Median home value: $87,500 (bottom 10 percent)

• Median household income: $50,325

Snyder, Texas, was originally known as "Hide Town" for its early buffalo-hide dwellings, and "Robber's Roost" for the criminals that would often pass through it in the late 19th century. After the discovery of oil in the surrounding Scurry County in 1948, the town's population peaked to roughly 16,000 before dropping to its current level.

Though Snyder residents do not have especially high incomes -- the typical household earns $50,325 a year -- the area's poverty rate of 9.3 percent is lower than both national and state rates. The relative lack of financial hardship is due in large part to a low cost of living. Goods and services are 11 percent less expensive on Snyder than they are nationwide, on average.

More:Job growth in the U.S.: Cities adding the most jobs in every state

47. Storm Lake, Iowa

• Population: 10,768

• 5-year population change: +3.2 percent

• Median home value: $111,700 (bottom 20 percent)

• Median household income: $43,226

Storm Lake, Iowa, is one of the least expensive places to live in the country. Most American homeowners spend more than $12,000 annually on housing. In Storm Lake, most pay less than $8,000 on housing each year.

Storm Lake the city occupies the northern shore of Storm Lake. Proximity to the lake provides residents with beach access for swimming, boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities. The city also has a number of other outdoor amenities, including hiking and cross country ski trails, as well as campgrounds.

46. Bridgeport, West Virginia

• Population: 8,364

• 5-year population change: +3.9 percent

• Median home value: $199,000

• Median household income: $80,462

Bridgeport is the only West Virginia city to rank among the best places to live. In Bridgeport, 45.3 percent of adults have graduated from college, nearly the highest share of cities in the state. The high college attainment rate has likely contributed to the town's relatively high median household income of $80,462 a year. Not only is Bridgeport wealthy, but it is also inexpensive. Goods and services are 15 percent less expensive than average in the city.

When it comes to culture and entertainment, Bridgeport residents have options. The city is home to a far higher concentration of restaurants, bars, recreation centers, golf courses, and movie theatres than is typical nationwide.

45. Hays, Kansas

• Population: 21,073

• 5-year population change: +3.3 percent

• Median home value: $161,800

• Median household income: $45,795

A healthy job market is extremely important for people considering moving to an area, both because it means they are more like to be able to earn an income, and because low unemployment is usually a sign of regional prosperity, which translates into a better tax base for the local government to draw on to improve services and infrastructure, as well as schools.

Hays has an annual unemployment rate of just 3.6 percent, compared to the national annual unemployment rate of 4.4 percent. Also, sometimes an unemployment rate can fail to represent the true employment situation, as people who give up looking for work entirely are not counted in the unemployment rate. In Hays, over 73.6 percent of the working age population are employed, compared to just 58.8 percent of all working age Americans.

44. Albert Lea, Minnesota

• Population: 17,775

• 5-year population change: -1.5 percent (bottom 20 percent)

• Median home value: $95,200 (bottom 20 percent)

• Median household income: $42,128

Albert Lea is a small Minnesota city with 17,800 residents located about 100 miles south of downtown Minneapolis. A number of Minnesota cities rank among the best cities to live, and of these, Albert Lea is by far the most affordable. Nationwide, the typical home is worth 3.3 times the national median household income. In Albert Lea, the typical home has a value of $95,200, just 2.3 times the city's median household income of $41,128. Overall, goods and services are 19 percent less expensive in Albert Lea than they are nationwide on average.

Albert Lea is also safe, with one of the lowest annual violent crime rates in the country of just 85 incidents per 100,000 people, compared to a national violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000.

More:Manufacturing is making a comeback in these 28 U.S. cities

43. Andover, Kansas

• Population: 12,477

• 5-year population change: +9.8 percent

• Median home value: $176,200

• Median household income: $85,230 (top 20 percent)

Andover is one of the wealthiest cities in Kansas. The typical Andover household earns $85,230 a year, nearly $30,000 higher than the U.S. median income. A dollar also goes a long way in Andover, as goods and services in the city are about 11 percent less expensive than they are on average nationwide.

This suburb of Wichita was decimated by a powerful F5 tornado in 1991, but its residents rebuilt the town, and Andover continues to thrive. Over the past five years, Andover's population has grown nearly 10 percent, more than double the national population growth of 3.9 percent.

42. Hutchinson, Minnesota

• Population: 13,891

• 5-year population change: -2.1 percent (bottom 10 percent)

• Median home value: $138,600

• Median household income: $52,864

Hutchinson is a relatively safe city. It's violent crime rate of 159 incidents per 100,000 residents is less than half the U.S. violent crime rate. Like many other communities in Minnesota, Hutchinson borders several lakes, which provide residents and visitors alike with opportunities for outdoor activities like swimming. The parks department also notes that there are many nearby hiking trails.

Unlike most cities on this list, Hutchinson is not attracting new residents at a fast enough rate to grow. The town's population fell by 2.1 percent in the past five years, even as the U.S. population climbed 3.9 percent over the same period.

41. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

• Population: 9,007

• 5-year population change: -1.7 percent (bottom 20 percent)

• Median home value: $136,500

• Median household income: $48,377

Sturgeon Bay is is located on the Door Peninsula, on the shores of Lake Michigan. In addition to offering residents many beautiful views of the lake, Sturgeon Bay is a great city for people interested in dining and drinking out. Relative to the population, there are roughly five times as many bars and three times as many restaurants and places to eat as is typical nationwide. Sturgeon bay also has several interesting attractions, including the Door County Maritime Museum and the Cana Island Lighthouse.

40. Paradise Valley, Arizona

• Population: 13,833

• 5-year population change: +5.6 percent

• Median home value: $1,332,600 (top 10 percent)

• Median household income: $173,487 (top 10 percent)

Most houses in Paradise Valley, Arizona, are worth over $1.3 million, more than seven times the U.S. median home value. Paradise Valley residents are able to afford such expensive houses because of their relatively high incomes. The typical household in the city earns $173,487 a year, one of the highest median household incomes in the country.

Paradise Valley lives up to its name as a popular destination to relax. The town is home to several resorts and a number of high end golf courses. Located just north of Phoenix and Scottsdale, it is also known for its high-end dining and nightlife.

39. North Liberty, Iowa

• Population: 16,984

• 5-year population change: +35.2 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $188,400

• Median household income: $77,752

Having a job can be important to maintaining a good quality of life. Those with jobs are far less likely to live in poverty and struggle financially and otherwise. In North Liberty, virtually anyone who wants to work does so. Over the five years through 2016, the city's unemployment rate has averaged less than 1 percent, compared to a national average of 7.4 percent. The city's labor force participation rate of 85.3 percent is well above the comparable 63.5 percent national rate.

As a sign of the desirability of the city, North Liberty's population has grown by 35.2 percent in the last five years alone, many times greater than the national growth rate of 3.9 percent.

More:CEO compensation and worker pay: 50 companies that owe their employees a raise

38. Brandon, South Dakota

• Population: 9,674

• 5-year population change: +13.7 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $183,000

• Median household income: $75,424

Population growth tends to indicate that an area is flourishing economically. Often, such economic strength comes with job growth. In Brandon, South Dakota, the population grew by 13.7 percent over the last five years, 3.5 times the national population growth over the same period.

Still, the city, located just a few miles northeast of Sioux Falls, remains relatively small, with a population of less than 10,000. As is often the case with smaller towns and cities on this list, crime is uncommon in Brandon. There were just 258 property crimes reported in the city in 2017 per 100,000 residents, less than one-ninth the national property crime rate of 2,362 per 100,000.

37. Snoqualmie, Washington

• Population: 12,510

• 5-year population change: +28.3 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $471,800 (top 10 percent)

• Median household income: $131,453 (top 10 percent)

Snoqualmie, Washington, is one of the safest places in the country. There were just 15 violent crimes for every 100,000 city residents in 2017, one of the lowest violent crime rates in the country. The town's property crime rate of 1,077 incidents per 100,000 residents is also less than half the national rate.

Areas with higher median household incomes tend to have less crime than lower income areas. The median annual household income in Snoqualmie, which is within commuting distance of Seattle, is $131,453 a year, one of the higher incomes among American cities. In addition to the culture and entertainment Seattle has to offer, Snoqualmie has a higher than typical concentration of restaurants, bars, museums, and movie theatres.

36. Buda, Texas

• Population: 11,936

• 5-year population change: +72.0 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $201,500

• Median household income: $72,020

Buda, Texas' five year annual average unemployment rate of 4.4 percent is below the national figure of 7.4 percent. The unemployment rate only includes those who are looking for work, and the job market in Buda is even more favorable than the unemployment rate suggests. Places with healthy job markets tend to have higher labor force participation, a sign fewer people have given up looking for work. In Buda, 71.7 percent of the working-age population is employed, much higher than the national employment rate of 58.4 percent of the population.

Poverty can have wide-reaching negative effects not just on the individuals that earn low incomes, but also on entire areas. Buda has one of the lowest poverty rates in the country. Just 4.0 percent of the city's population lives in poverty, compared to 15.1 percent of the U.S. population.

More:10 years later, these 28 U.S. cities never recovered from the Great Recession

35. Los Alamos, New Mexico

• Population: 11,733

• 5-year population change: -2.9 percent (bottom 10 percent)

• Median home value: $277,700

• Median household income: $101,535 (top 20 percent)

The only city in New Mexico to rank among the best places to live, Los Alamos is flush with history, cultural amenities, and parks. These include a science museum, a theatre, nearly 100 public art installations, a network of over 90 miles of hiking trails, and the Manhattan Project National Historical Park -- a monument to the city's critical role in World War II and development of the atomic bomb. Los Alamos also has one of the best public high schools in New Mexico, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Many living in the area work at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a facility run by the U.S. Department of Energy with a $2.6 billion budget primarily allocated to weapons development.

34. Highland Park, Texas

• Population: 8,986

• 5-year population change: +4.8 percent

• Median home value: $1,253,600 (top 10 percent)

• Median household income: $189,485 (top 10 percent)

Highland Park, Texas, is one of the wealthiest communities in the United States. The typical household earns nearly $190,000 a year, well more than triple the national median household income of $55,322 a year. Just north of downtown Dallas, Highland Park residents have easy access to employment and entertainment in a major city.

The town and surrounding area boast multiple shopping complexes, including Highland Park Village -- the first planned outdoor shopping center in the United States -- the Frontiers of Flight Museum, Lakeside Park and its 14 acres of trails, the Museum of Biblical Art, and the Dallas Children's Theater.

33. Wyoming, Ohio

• Population: 8,484

• 5-year population change: +1.6 percent

• Median home value: $305,900

• Median household income: $120,676 (top 10 percent)

The Cincinnati suburb of Wyoming, Ohio, ranks among the best cities to live in due in part to its affordability. Goods and services are 15 percent less expensive in Wyoming than they are nationwide on average. Not only does a dollar go a long way in the city, but many residents are also relatively wealthy. The typical household in the city earns nearly $120,700 a year, more than double the median household income nationwide of $55,322.

Wyoming is also safe. The city recorded just 35 violent crimes per 100,000 people in 2017, a small fraction of the 383 per 100,000 national violent crime rate.

32. East Grand Rapids, Michigan

• Population: 11,297

• 5-year population change: +5.2 percent

• Median home value: $303,400

• Median household income: $118,393 (top 10 percent)

East Grand Rapids is the wealthiest city in Michigan and one of the wealthiest cities in the United States. The typical area household earns over $118,000 a year compared to the $55,322 the typical household earns nationwide. City residents also benefit from a low cost of living as goods and services are 7 percent less expensive in East Grand Rapids than they are on average nationwide.

In addition to entertainment and cultural attractions in nearby Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids has 10 parks, including a lake with a boat launch, miles of trails, playgrounds, and a baseball field.

31. Thief River Falls, Minnesota

• Population: 8,726

• 5-year population change: +1.9 percent

• Median home value: $111,200 (bottom 20 percent)

• Median household income: $42,734

Named centuries ago for an outcast from the Sioux Native American tribe who lived as an outlaw in the region, Thief River Falls is one of six Minnesota cities to rank among the best places to live. Like other high ranking cities in the state, the city is affordable. Median monthly housing costs total just $613, and only $580 for renters. For comparison, monthly housing costs nationwide are $1,012, and $949 for renters.

Contrary to what its name may suggest, Thief River Falls is a safe city. The city's violent crime rate of 125 incidents per 100,000 people is less than a third the comparable national violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000.

More:Wealth in America: Where are the richest and poorest states based on household income?

30. Elk River, Minnesota

• Population: 23,743

• 5-year population change: +4.2 percent

• Median home value: $214,900

• Median household income: $83,585 (top 20 percent)

The poverty rate in Elk River, Minnesota, is 7.0 percent, less than half of the nationwide poverty rate of 15.1 percent. Elk River residents tend to earn high incomes, as most households in the area earn over $83,500 a year. Areas where residents earn higher incomes tend to report lower crime rates and Elk River is no exception. The city's violent crime rate of 98 incidents for every 100,000 people, is well below the nationwide violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000.

29. Spencer, Iowa

• Population: 11,172

• 5-year population change: -0.3 percent

• Median home value: $119,700

• Median household income: $45,559

Residents of Spencer, Iowa, benefit from some unique conditions that can greatly improve overall quality of life.

First, housing costs in Spencer, Iowa are well below the average costs across the country. The typical resident pays less than $700 a month on housing -- compared to the median monthly housing cost of over $1,000 nationwide. Additionally, while long commutes and traffic congestion are a considerable source of stress in some parts of the country, they are not as much of a factor in Spencer. The average commute time in the northern Iowa city is less than 15 minutes, well below the 26 minute national average.

28. Falls Church, Virginia

• Population: 13,597

• 5-year population change: +14.8 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $724,000 (top 10 percent)

• Median household income: $115,244 (top 10 percent)

Located just outside Washington D.C. and Arlington, Virginia, Falls Church is an ideal place for many government workers and contractors to commute from. A fairly large share of city residents, 19.8 percent, commute to work via public transportation, as the town has a stop on the Washington metro area's train service. In addition to cultural and entertainment attractions in D.C., Falls Church residents have some 500 restaurants for every 100,000 in their own city, more than double the national concentration.

Many of the people living in the city are affluent. The typical Falls Church household earns $115,244 a year, more than double the median household income nationwide. The city's poverty rate of 2.7 percent is less than one-fifth of the nationwide poverty rate.

27. Jamestown, North Dakota

• Population: 15,441

• 5-year population change: +1.0 percent

• Median home value: $120,100

• Median household income: $49,086

The typical household in Jamestown, North Dakota, earns $49,086 a year, slightly less than the median income nationwide of $55,322 a year. Still, because costs are relatively low in Jamestown, a dollar goes further in the city. Median monthly housing costs in the city are just $646, well below the corresponding national median of $1,012. Also, the job market in the city has been relatively strong in recent years. The city's five-year average unemployment rate stands at 2.4 percent, less one-third of the comparable rate nationwide of 7.4 percent.

Jamestown is one of three North Dakota cities along the I 94 corridor to rank among the best places to live.

26. Pierre, South Dakota

• Population: 13,959

• 5-year population change: +2.2 percent

• Median home value: $164,900

• Median household income: $54,868

Most American homeowners spend more than $12,000 per year on housing. In Pierre, South Dakota, most spend less than $8,500 annually. Lower housing costs allow residents to use their money on food, clothes, or add it to their savings. Overall, the cost of living is lower in Pierre, as goods and services are 85 percent less expensive than they are on average nationwide.

Pierre, South Dakota's capital, is home to many outdoor amenities largely thanks to its proximity to the Missouri River. Both Farm Island and LaFramboise Island, located in the river next to the city, offer residents the opportunity to take part in outdoor activities like swimming and hiking.

More:What is the worst city to live in your state? Find out.

25. Batesville, Arkansas

• Population: 10,579

• 5-year population change: +4.5 percent

• Median home value: $120,400

• Median household income: $42,143

Batesville, Arkansas, ranks among the best U.S. cities to live in largely due to its affordability and community attractions and amenities. Most homeowners in Batesville pay less than $1,000 a year in property taxes, less than half the amount the typical American homeowner pays. The Overall annual housing costs typically come to about $7,500 a year, roughly $4,600 less than the median costs nationwide. On the whole, good and services are 16 percent less expensive on average in Batesville than they are typically nationwide.

With roots as far back as 1804, Batesville is the second oldest city in Arkansas. The city, which avoided destruction in the Civil War, has a number of historic buildings and sites. The are attractions in the area for nearly every taste and preference, including antique stores, art galleries, an annual film festival, and the Batesville Motor Speedway.

24. McPherson, Kansas

• Population: 13,212

• 5-year population change: 0.0 percent

• Median home value: $135,800

• Median household income: $54,057

The median household income in McPherson, Kansas of $54,057 a year is just below the national median of $55,322. However, a dollar goes a long way in McPherson as goods and services are 14 percent less expensive than they are on average nationwide. Indeed, extreme financial hardship is relatively rare in the city. Just 7.3 percent of residents live in poverty compared to 15.1 percent of Americans.

McPherson residents also have many options when it comes to entertainment and recreation. The city has a far greater than typical concentration of restaurants, fitness centers, museums, golf courses, and movie theatres.

23. Pella, Iowa

• Population: 10,280

• 5-year population change: -0.6 percent (bottom 20 percent)

• Median home value: $175,300

• Median household income: $60,568

Pella, Iowa, is characterized by high incomes and low living expenses. The typical city household earns over $60,000 a year, compared to the national median household income of $55,322 a year. Meanwhile, typical monthly housing costs in the city total just $884, compared to over $1,000 on average nationwide.

Quality of life in Pella also benefits from its high walkability. Over 13 percent of commuters in the city walk to work, more than four times the 2.8 percent share nationwide. Similarly, while long commutes and traffic congestion are a considerable source of stress in some parts of the country, they are not as stressful a factor in Pella. The average commute time in the city is just under 11 minutes, less than half the 26 minute national average.

22. Johnston, Iowa

• Population: 19,491

• 5-year population change: +18.5 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $237,600

• Median household income: $95,565 (top 20 percent)

The small Des Moines suburb of Johnston is one of several cities in Iowa to rank among the best places to live. With access to jobs in and around the state capital, Johnston's five-year average unemployment rate of 3.8 percent is well below the comparable national rate of 7.4 percent. Many jobs in the area are high paying as the typical Johnston household earns $95,565 a year, well above the national median income of $55,322. A dollar also goes a long way in the city as goods and services are 19 percent less expensive in Johnston on average than they are nationwide.

Like many cities on this list, Johnston is growing rapidly. In the last five years, the city's population grew 18.5 percent. For reference, the U.S. population grew by 3.9 percent over the same period.

21. Franklin Park, Pennsylvania

• Population: 14,228

• 5-year population change: +7.9 percent

• Median home value: $312,200

• Median household income: $121,661 (top 10 percent)

Franklin Park, Pennsylvania, is a borough just outside of Pittsburgh. The area has a relatively high share of residents with high educational attainment. A whopping 70 percent of town adults hold at least a bachelor's degree, one of the higher college attainment rates among U.S. cities. Those college degrees are more qualified for specialized jobs that tend to have higher salaries. In Franklin Park, the median household income of $121,661 a year is one of the highest in the country.

Like many affluent, well educated areas, Franklin Park is relatively safe. The community's violent crime rate of 14 incidents per 100,000 people is one of the lowest in the country. Nationwide, there were 383 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2017.

More:From Alabama to Wyoming: Here is the best and worst thing about every state

20. Bath, Maine

• Population: 8,334

• 5-year population change: -3.6 percent (bottom 10 percent)

• Median home value: $164,600

• Median household income: $42,275

Bath is the only city in Maine and the broader New England region to rank among the best places to live. Bolstered largely by Bath Iron Works, a shipbuilding plant operated by defense giant General Dynamics, the city's job market is relatively strong. Annual unemployment in the city, located near the mouth of the Kennebec River, stands at 3.2 percent, well below the 4.4 percent national rate. Many residents also benefit from the city's walkability as more than one in 10 commuters in Bath walk to work, more than triple the comparable national share. The city is also relatively safe, and also has a high concentration of restaurants, fitness centers, museums, and libraries.

Despite its advantages, Bath is one of only a handful of cities on this list to be shrinking in size. Over the last five years, Bath's population declined by 3.6 percent, even as the total U.S. population grew 3.9 percent.

19. Palos Verdes Estates, California

• Population: 13,582

• 5-year population change: +1.3 percent

• Median home value: $1,609,500 (top 10 percent)

• Median household income: $200,766 (top 10 percent)

Located along the Pacific Coast less than 30 miles from L.A., Palos Verdes Estates is the only California city to rank among the best places to live. One of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the country, the typical household earns over $200,000 a year, more than triple the national median household income of $55,322. Crime is virtually unheard of in Palos Verdes Estates as its violent crime rate of 22 incidents per 100,000 people is a small fraction of the national violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000.

That the city ranks among the best to live in may not come as a surprise to those familiar with it, as it is a master-planned city, designed by the Olmsted Brothers, sons of Frederick Law Olmsted -- architect of New York City's Central Park and the Stanford University campus.

18. Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

• Population: 14,088

• 5-year population change: +0.4 percent

• Median home value: $350,700 (top 20 percent)

• Median household income: $105,156 (top 10 percent)

Whitefish Bay, a Milwaukee suburb along the shore of Lake Michigan, is one of two Wisconsin cities to rank among the 50 best places to live. The high quality of life in Whitefish Bay is partially the result of a strong job market. The area's average unemployment rate over the last five years stands at just 3.2 percent -- less than half the comparable nationwide rate of of 7.4 percent.

Whitefish Bay is also one of the safest communities in the country with a violent crime rate of just 36 incidents per 100,000 people. For reference, there were 383 violent crimes per 100,000 people nationwide in 2017.

17. Trophy Club, Texas

• Population: 10,987

• 5-year population change: +35.0 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $328,800 (top 20 percent)

• Median household income: $133,457 (top 10 percent)

Incorporated in 1985, Trophy Club, Texas is one of the newer towns on this list. The first master planned community in Texas, the town was built around a country club, which was originally planned to house the trophies legendary professional golfer Ben Hogan won during his golfing career.

Trophy Club is one of the safest cities in the United States. The town's violent crime rate of 15 incidents per 100,000 people is a fraction of the 383 per 100,000 national violent crime rate. Serious financial hardship is also uncommon in Trophy Club. Just 2.2 percent of town residents live below the poverty line, well below the 15.1 percent U.S. poverty rate.

16. Dickinson, North Dakota

• Population: 21,985

• 5-year population change: +25.3 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $224,800

• Median household income: $74,838

Like several other North Dakota cities on this list, Dickinson has been transformed by the recent oil boom. The city has experienced one of the larger population increases in recent years among American cities, as those seeking to work in oil fields flocked to Dickinson and other areas like it. In the last half decade, Dickinson's population spiked by 25.3 percent. For reference, the U.S. population grew by just 3.9 percent over the same period.

The cost of living in Dickinson is about 12 percent lower than average nationwide, and residents tend to be relatively affluent. The city's median household income of $74,838 is nearly $20,000 higher than that of the typical American household.

More:Wealth in America: Where are cities with households averaging $70K-plus in earnings?

15. Powell, Ohio

• Population: 12,436

• 5-year population change: +11.6 percent

• Median home value: $348,000 (top 20 percent)

• Median household income: $132,917 (top 10 percent)

Like many cities on this list, Powell, Ohio is located only a short distance from a major city. Located just north of Columbus, Powell residents are within commuting distance of the state capital. Jobs tend to be concentrated in major cities, and many in Powell likely commute to jobs in Columbus as an average of just 3.1 percent of Powell's labor force have been out of work in the last five years.

Likely thanks in part to the area's healthy economy, the city's residents also tend to have high incomes. More than half of Powell households earn more than $130,000 a year, and the city's poverty rate of just 0.3 percent is also nearly the lowest of any city in the country.

14. Waynesboro, Virginia

• Population: 21,366

• 5-year population change: +1.7 percent

• Median home value: $158,800

• Median household income: $45,097

Waynesboro, an independent city in Virginia, is notable for its affordability, safety, and scenic beauty. Goods and services in the city are about 7 percent less expensive than they are nationwide on average. Additionally, the violent crime rate of 182 incidents per 100,000 people is less than half the U.S. violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000.

Located in the Shenandoah Valley, Waynesboro residents have easy access to the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and a section of the Appalachian Trail. The South River cuts through the city, providing a water trail for residents to fish and enjoy by boat. Waynesboro also has a higher than typical concentration of restaurants, movie theatres, and museums.

13. Sartell, Minnesota

• Population: 16,442

• 5-year population change: +8.3 percent

• Median home value: $180,300

• Median household income: $71,959

Sartell, Minnesota, ranks as one of the best cities to live in largely because its residents tend to be relatively financially secure. Just 4.0 percent of residents live below the poverty line, less than a third of the U.S. poverty rate. The typical household in Sartell earns over $16,000 more than the typical American household.

The city, which straddles the Mississippi River, has a wide array of recreational options for residents. Sartell boasts has 28 parks and 48 miles of trails. These amenities, as well as those in the nearby city of St. Cloud, make Sartell a desirable place to live. In the past seven years, the city's population has increased by more than 20 percent, nearly quadruple the 5.7 percent national population growth.

12. Tega Cay, South Carolina

• Population: 9,026

• 5-year population change: +23.3 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $301,200

• Median household income: $120,346 (top 10 percent)

Tega Cay ranks as one of the best cities to live in part because of its relatively high income, and in part due to the many associated benefits that come with affluence. The city's median household income of over $120,000 is more than double the U.S. median. In a city where a high percentage of affluent households, there are also very few low-income residents. Just 0.9 percent of residents live in poverty.

Tega Cay lies near the border of the Carolinas and Lake Wiley. The water access gives residents a chance to swim, boat, and fish. As a tourist destination, the city has a high number of bars and restaurants per resident. Though it is a small town, Tega Cay is growing quickly. It was home to fewer than 5,000 people in 2009. As of 2016, more than 9,000 people lived there.

11. Carroll, Iowa

• Population: 9,990

• 5-year population change: -0.9 percent (bottom 20 percent)

• Median home value: $137,600

• Median household income: $45,170

One of the safest cities in the country, Carroll's violent crime rate of 20 incidents per 100,000 people is a fraction of the national violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000. Low crime rates tend to occur in areas where few residents struggle to find work, and joblessness is also not a problem for most of the Carroll labor force. Over the last five years, average unemployment in the city stood at 1.6 percent, well below the comparable 7.4 percent national rate.

Carroll residents have access to a dozen parks, several miles of trails, two golf courses, a brewing company, a winery and vineyard, and college and high school baseball games at the Merchants Park stadium.

More:Wealth in America: Where are cities with households averaging less than $45K in earnings?

10. New Ulm, Minnesota

• Population: 13,279

• 5-year population change: -1.6 percent (bottom 20 percent)

• Median home value: $133,100

• Median household income: $52,244

Residents of New Ulm, Minnesota, are more likely to work and earn high incomes, on average, than those in most other Americans. The town's poverty rate of 8.5 percent is well below the national poverty rate of 15.1 percent. Also, the town's five-year average unemployment rate of 2.6 percent is 4.8 percentage points below the comparable nationwide rate.

These numbers are better than the comparable national figures despite the fact that New Ulm residents tend to not be especially affluent. The town's median household income of $52,244 a year is several thousand dollars lower than the U.S. median household income. Unlike almost all other places on this list, New Ulm's population shrank over the past five years. During a time when the U.S. population grew 3.9 percent, New Ulm's population dropped 1.6 percent.

9. Chatham, Illinois

• Population: 12,569

• 5-year population change: +11.2 percent

• Median home value: $178,900

• Median household income: $80,808

Chatham, Illinois, a small village just outside of the state capital of Springfield, is one of the best places to live in the country. A relatively safe place, Chatham's violent crime rate of 103 incidents per 100,000 people is less than a third of the U.S. rate of 383 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Chatham's job market is also relatively strong. Just 4.1 percent of the area workforce has been unemployed on average over the last five years, compared to the 7.4 percent national five-year unemployment rate.

Chatham and the surrounding area has a number of amenities and attractions for residents to enjoy. Historic sites include the Lincoln Tomb, Lincoln Home National Historic Site, and the Old State Capitol. Activity venues in the area include the Interurban Bike Trail, Lake Springfield, and the Henson Robinson Zoo. The region also hosts the Illinois State Fair.

8. New Albany, Ohio

• Population: 9,384

• 5-year population change: +25.3 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $492,400 (top 10 percent)

• Median household income: $191,375 (top 10 percent)

New Albany, Ohio, is one of the most affluent cities in the country. The median household income of $191,375 is one of the five highest of U.S. cities. More affluent areas tend to have a number of advantages to livability over low-income cities, including lower crime rates. There were just 36.9 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents in New Albany, less than a 10th of the nationwide crime rate.

New Albany has many amenities for residents, including over 600 acres of parks and sports fields. It also appears to have high quality schools. There are a number of factors that can draw people to certain towns, including jobs, schools, and amenities. New Albany excels in many of these aspects, and its population growth rate reflects that. The town's population grew by more than 25 percent over the past five years, compared to the national growth rate of just 3.9 percent.

7. Le Mars, Iowa

• Population: 9,826

• 5-year population change: +1.0 percent

• Median home value: $139,400

• Median household income: $56,851

Le Mars, Iowa, is among the most affordable cities in the United States. Goods and services in the city cost about 15 percent less on average than they do nationwide. Housing is particularly inexpensive, with the typical household spending $8,124 a year, about $4,000 less than the average annual housing cost nationwide.

The city also has its share of attractions. Home to a Blue Bunny ice cream manufacturing plant, Le Mars churns out more ice cream from a single company than any other city, earning itself the nickname "The Ice Cream Capital of the World." The city and surrounding area also boast a history museum, an art museum, a golf course, a campground, and of course, an ice cream museum.

More:What's the most expensive city in your state? A look at cost of living in the US

6. Ladue, Missouri

• Population: 8,579

• 5-year population change: +1.1 percent

• Median home value: $771,500 (top 10 percent)

• Median household income: $186,371 (top 10 percent)

The wealthiest city in Missouri, Ladue's median household income of $186,371 a year is more than triple the national median income of $55,322. Not only is Ladue a wealthy city, but also inexpensive. Goods and services are 11 percent cheaper on average in Ladue than they are typically nationwide.

With easy access to jobs in nearby St. Louis, Ladue residents who want a job generally have no trouble finding one. Over the last five years, unemployment stood at just 2.0 percent in the city, a fraction of the comparable national rate of 7.4 percent. In addition to cultural attractions and entertainment venues in St. Louis, Ladue residents enjoy a greater than typical concentration of restaurants, fitness and recreation centers, golf courses, and museums within their own city limits.

5. Winnetka, Illinois

• Population: 12,437

• 5-year population change: +2.3 percent

• Median home value: $989,600 (top 10 percent)

• Median household income: $207,857 (top 10 percent)

Winnetka is a small village that sits on the shores of Lake Michigan about 15 miles north of downtown Chicago. By far the wealthiest city in the state, the typical Winnetka household earns $207,857 a year. Winnetka residents working in Chicago have options when it comes to transit, as over one-quarter of commuters use public transportation -- an alternative most Americans do not have.

In the village, downtown shops were described by the Chicago Tribune in 2012 as reminiscent of the Hamptons on Long Island in New York, without the celebrities. Winnetka boasts four beaches, a boat launch, several parks, a tennis club, golf course, ice rink, and forest preserve areas, all open to the public.

4. Dumas, Texas

• Population: 14,963

• 5-year population change: +4.2 percent

• Median home value: $106,800 (bottom 20 percent)

• Median household income: $50,773

Located about 50 miles north of Amarillo in northern Texas, Dumas ranks among the best cities to live in largely due to its affordability. Goods and services in the city are about 12 percent less expensive than they are nationwide on average. Housing is particularly cheap. The typical area homeowner spends just $704 a month on housing compared to an average monthly cost of over $1,000 nationwide.

The city also has fewer crimes, a lower jobless rate, and a greater concentration of restaurants, bars, movie theaters, and museums than the United States as a whole.

3. Perryton, Texas

• Population: 9,343

• 5-year population change: +3.9 percent

• Median home value: $88,400 (bottom 10 percent)

• Median household income: $46,535

Perryton, Texas, is one of the least expensive cities in the United States. The typical area homeowner spends just $627 per month on housing, while the typical American homeowner spends over $1,000. Overall, goods and services are 13 percent less expensive in Perryton than average nationwide.

The north Texas city is an oil town, benefiting economically from nearby oil drilling in the mid-20th century. In the last five years, unemployment in Perrytown has been lower than the national average.

More:Want to be in the top 1 percent? Here's what you have to earn in your state

2. Mandan, North Dakota

• Population: 20,613

• 5-year population change: +14.2 percent (top 10 percent)

• Median home value: $175,400

• Median household income: $60,034

Of the four cities in North Dakota to make this list, Mandan ranks the highest. Mandan residents benefit from a low cost of living -- 13 percent lower than average nationwide -- a five-year average unemployment rate of 2.0 percent, and a violent crime rate that is less than half the national rate. Mandan residents also have access to jobs, entertainment, and cultural attractions in Bismarck, the state capital located on the opposite side the Missouri River.

Recently, business leaders, elected officials, and ordinary citizens established a committee to form a comprehensive plan to improve Mandan over the coming decade. The committee's accomplishments include broadened business support and incentives, the creation of annual festivals and events, public education improvements, and increased communication regarding local elections.

1. West University Place, Texas

• Population: 15,318

• 5-year population change: +4.0 percent

• Median home value: $917,800 (top 10 percent)

• Median household income: $220,868 (top 10 percent)

A wealthy suburb of Houston, West University Place ranks as the best city to live in both Texas and the United States. A wealthy city, the median household income in West University Place of nearly $221,000 a year is nearly four times the income the typical American household earns. A dollar also goes far in the city as goods and services are about 5 percent less expensive than they are nationwide on average. In addition to entertainment and culture in nearby Houston, West University has a far greater concentration of restaurants, bars, fitness centers, museums and theatre companies than is typical nationwide.

West University is also a safe city with a strong job market. The city's violent crime rate of 64 incidents for every 100,000 people is among the lowest in the nation, as is the city's five-year average unemployment rate of 2.7 percent.

Detailed findings

For those familiar with some of the cities on this list, their ranking among the best places to live in the country may not come as a surprise. Generally, the places on this list have low violent and property crime rates. Even if not always affluent, they are usually affordable. They are also often steeped in history, culture, and opportunities for entertainment.

Residents of the cities on this list also often take an active interest in the quality of their community. In Mandan, North Dakota, for example, business leaders, elected officials, and ordinary citizens formed a committee to enact a comprehensive plan to improve the city over the coming decade. The committee’s accomplishments include broadened business support and incentives, the creation of annual festivals and events, public education improvements, and increased communication regarding local elections.

More:Looking to find a job? These US cities are having an employment slump

Other cities on this list, like Trophy Club, Texas and Palos Verdes Estates, California are master-planned communities, purposefully designed and built to be ideal places to live.

A disproportionate share of cities on this list -- 31 out of 50 -- are located in the Midwest. Meanwhile, just three communities in the Northeast rank among the best cities to live. This is largely attributable to cost of living.

Only about 10 percent of towns and cities in the Midwest have a higher cost of living than the nationwide average. Conversely, in 78 percent of cities and towns in the Northeast, goods and services are more expensive on average than they are nationwide.

Many of the best cities to live in are suburbs of much larger cities. Jobs tend to be concentrated in major cities, which partially explains the low unemployment rates in many communities on this list. Several cities on this list are within commuting distance of major cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C.

Methodology

To identify the best cities to live in, 24/7 Wall Street created a weighted index of 25 measures that fall into one of four categories: affordability, economy, quality of life, and community.

In the affordability category, the ratio of the median home value to the median income was given full weight. Cities where the median home value is closer to the median household income were rewarded. Cost of living, as determined by the average cost of goods and services in an area relative to the nation as a whole, was given a full weight. Property taxes are largely levied at the local level, and cities where residents pay more property taxes as a percent of their home value were penalized. Property taxes were given a one-quarter weighting.

In the economy category, we gave median household income full weighting. The unemployment rate was also given a full weight. We used five-year average unemployment due to lack of comparable annual data at local levels. Two-year employment growth and share of the total working age population with a job were each given a half weight, favoring areas with more and growing jobs opportunities.

More:Here are the top 40 places where young people are moving

In the quality of life category, the poverty rate was given a full weight, penalizing cities where serious financial hardship is more common. The share of the population that struggles to put food on the table either due to low income or distance from a grocery store, known as the food insecurity rate, was given full weight. A city’s mortality rate, calculated as the number of people who died while in hospital care per hospital by city, was also given full weight. In cases where city level data was not available, mortality rates were imputed from county level data.

The drug overdose mortality rate was given a one-quarter weighting, as was the hospital readmission rate, or the share of those released from the hospital who were readmitted within 30 days. Distance from the center of the city to the nearest hospital was given full weight.

Measures used in the community category include the average travel time to work, which was given full weight. The violent crime rate -- the total number of rapes, robberies, murders, and aggravated assaults adjusted per 100,000 people -- was given full weight. So too was the property crime rate, which is the total number of burglaries, larcenies, motor vehicle thefts, and incidents of arson per 100,000 people.

The share of commuters either walking, cycling, or taking public transit to work was given half weight. The total number of colleges in the area and the number of restaurants, bars, museums, theatre companies, movie theatres, libraries, and parks per capita were each given a one-quarter weighting.

The number of hospitalizations that would have been prevented by regularly scheduled doctor visits for every 1,000 Medicare enrollees -- known as the preventable hospitalization rate -- was given half weighting.

More:Which state tops list for having the best and worst economies?

To avoid geographic clustering, we only took the top-ranking city in a given county. Our list includes cities, towns, villages, boroughs, and Census designated places. We did not include places with fewer than 8,000 residents in our analysis.

Median household income, median home value, average travel time to work, poverty rate, population, employment-to-population ratio, median property taxes paid, and average unemployment rate are all five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and are for 2016. Overall cost of living is for 2014 and comes from data analysis and aggregation company ATTOM Data Solutions.

The population-adjusted number of entertainment and cultural venues like restaurants and museums comes from the Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns data set, and is for 2016. The number of colleges comes from the Department of Education College Navigator and is as of the 2017-2018 school year.

Violent and property crime rates are from the FBI’s 2017 Uniform Crime Report. Drug overdose mortality rates are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are for the years 2014-2016. Mortality rates and hospital readmission rates are from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and are as of June 2015. Preventable hospitalizations are from the latest release from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program.

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

10-acre plaza heart of Titletown District

Richard Ryman

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

ASHWAUBENON – A 10-acre public plaza will be the heart of the Green Bay Packers’ new Titletown District, an effort by the team to add to the quality of life in Brown County.

The Packers announced plans for the 34-acre development this morning at Lambeau Field, introducing its three anchors, Lodge Kohler, Hinterland brewery and Bellin Health. Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said one of the team’s goals is to help stem the loss of young professionals from the area.

“What you’re seeing there (in Titletown District) is what Millennials especially are looking for,” said Peter Zaehringer, vice president of economic development for the Greater Green Bay Chamber. “It’s a place that is walkable. It’s a place where you can live, where you can shop, where you can hang out with your family, your animal, your kids. That’s what we’re looking for when it comes to talent retention and attraction to the Green Bay area.”

The Titletown District will include 10 acres of plaza, including an ice skating pond in winter, an event area and a football field-sized green space. The Lombardi Avenue side of the Titletown District will include 200,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment businesses in multiple buildings. Brookwood Drive will include 30 to 50 two-story townhouses fronting their neighbors and with patios facing the 10-acre park, which runs through the middle of the development.

The public space will include, nearest South Ridge Road on the east, a grassy area designed for events and festivals. In the center of the park will be an area that in winter will be a full-sized skating rink landscaped to look like a pond. It will include sculpted rocks, reminiscent of Wisconsin Dells formations, that people can skate between and around. At the western end of the development will be a football field-sized grass space with football markings, though it will be a park and not an athletic field.

Work could start this year with anticipated openings by the anchors before the start of the 2017 football season.

Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said the Titletown District will have its own identity, distinct from the Packers and Lambeau Field. That’s one reason they decided not to build on Lambeau property.

“We also didn’t want to impact tailgaiting at Lambeau. We know that is important to our fans,” he said.

Lambeau Field and Brown County have seen growth from destination travelers and Murphy said the Titletown District would add to that. He said the team experienced record numbers of visitors in June and July.

That benefits the entire region, said Ashwaubenon village president Mike Aubinger.

“The Green Bay Packers have formed a community. That community spills over to include all of our visitors,” Aubinger said.

The Packers goal is to have the plaza in use much of the year and will be forming focus groups for public input on the kinds of events and activities people would like to see.

The Packers own more than 65 acres east, west and south of Lambeau Field, including the proposed development area along Lombardi Avenue between South Ridge Road and Marlee Lane. All of their land is in the village of Ashwaubenon.

Initial development along South Ridge Road will cost $120 million to $130 million. That includes the $28.6 million the Packers paid for the land in the development area, plus demolition costs for buildings there and infrastructure improvements. Total team investment will be about $65 million, said Ed Policy, vice president and general counsel.

The Packers hand-picked the three tenants. Each is a premium Wisconsin name, Policy said.

“It was important to us that they commit to use Titletown as a major growth platform,” he said.

The four-star Lodge Kohler will have 150 rooms on five floors, an indoor/outdoor pool and gardens, a spa and a fitness center. It will have limited event and meeting space, instead using Lambeau Field for those services.

“This is the first (hotel) we’ve built from scratch outside of Kohler,” said Herbert Kohler Jr., chairman of Kohler Co. “It’s going to be a product we think we might be able to take elsewhere. It’s an excellent place to start.”

The Packers see use of Lambeau Field, already a year-round attraction for business meetings, parties and weddings, as a source of revenue growth. The team is adding two high-end board rooms with a view of the 50-foot Lombardi Trophy replica to enhance its meeting offerings.

Both the Packers and Kohler look to grow their executive retreat business.

“Our thought is Lambeau Field has the most unique and inspiring meeting space in the nation,” Policy said.

Hinterland Brewery plans a 20,000- to 25,000-square-foot brewery, tap room and restaurant, compared to the 9,000 square feet in its downtown Green Bay building. It will move all its operations to the Titletown District, but owner Bill Tressler said Copper Rock Coffee of Appleton will buy Hinterland’s downtown building.

The brewery produced about 5,500 barrels of beer last year, but Hinterland will increase capacity to 20,000 at the new location. It will offer brewery tours and have two dining rooms, one with the tap room and a more intimate one on the second floor, and start lunch service. It will offer craft beer and merchandise sales, as well.

“I think the partners are great partners for sure,” Tressler said. “Each one will bring something different to the experience over there and I think there is some overlap in target customers.”

Bellin Health’s sports medicine clinic will be more convenient for Dr. Patrick McKenzie, the Packers’ medical director, and the players he treats, but it also will be available to the public.

“One goal is to have a facility that’s more convenient for him and the players,” said George Kerwin, president and CEO of Bellin Health. “We also want to offer the community a broader array of services offered to athletes.”

The approximately 30,000-square-foot clinic will offer diagnostics, labs and MRI services as well as medical care and physical therapy.

— Contact rryman@greenbaypressgazette.com. Follow him on Twitter @RichRymanPG and on Facebook at Richard Ryman-Press-Gazette. Or call him at 920-431-8342.

Duck seeking duck, forest ornaments: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: The state’s infant mortality rate has reached a record low, but racial disparities have persisted, state health officials say. The Alabama Department of Public Health announced the 2018 infant mortality rate was the lowest in Alabama history with 7.0 deaths per 1,000 live births. It is an improvement over the 2017 rate of 7.4 and the 2016 rate of 9.1. However, Alabama’s mortality rate remains higher than the provisional U.S. rate of 5.7. A total of 405 infants born in 2018 in Alabama died before reaching their first birthday. There also remains a racial disparity in infant mortality rates, with the rate for black infants in Alabama at 11.0 in 2018, more than twice the infant mortality rate for white infants at 5.1.

Alaska

Anchorage: Gov. Mike Dunleavy proposed a state budget Wednesday that would rely heavily on savings, after a push for deep cuts during his first year in office resulted in fierce public backlash that fueled a recall effort. The new proposal leaves room for discussion on what services the state should provide and how it should pay for them, says Brett Huber, a top adviser to the Republican governor. Dunleavy wants lawmakers to look at formula programs seen as cost drivers, which could include Medicaid and education. Brian Fechter, with the Office of Management and Budget, says the governor’s office currently isn’t planning to introduce legislation proposing specific changes but expects to engage with the Legislature on the issue. Dunleavy told reporters he is not proposing cuts to K-12 education but plans to roll out initiatives aimed at improving student outcomes.

Arizona

Phoenix: Alice Cooper will join the three surviving bandmates with whom he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 at his 18th annual Christmas Pudding concert at the Celebrity Theatre. The Saturday show also features Johnny Depp, Rob Halford, Debbie Sledge of Sister Sledge, Joe Bonamassa and another celebrated Cooper bandmate, lead guitarist Nita Strauss, to name a few. All proceeds benefit the free music, dance, arts and vocational programs for youth ages 12-20 at Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Center in Phoenix. Before the inaugural Pudding in 2001, Cooper said that “this show is going to be like if you went to a party and everybody got up and did a few songs. And everybody is going to get pudding.” The pudding is provided by acclaimed local chef Mark Tarbell.

Arkansas

Highfill: The airport serving northwest Arkansas and surrounding areas will be renamed the Northwest Arkansas National Airport, airport authority board members decided Wednesday. Previously known as Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, it will retain its XNA airport code, officials said. “The name is a perception thing. It is how people view us,” said Andrew Branch, chief business development officer at XNA. “When we talk to airlines, when we talk to UPS, FedEx in the future, how will we be perceived when they first see our name? Will they think we’re a smaller airport when we say we’re regional?” According to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, passenger boardings are up by nearly 17% so far this year at the airport in Highfill. The airport plans to update its signs and website with the new name, but officials said the cost will be minimal.

California

Sacramento: There’s new hope for an endangered frog that has vanished from half of its habitat. The state Fish and Game Commission on Wednesday approved protections for five of six populations of the foothill yellow-legged frog. The Center for Biological Diversity had sought protection for the stream-dwelling amphibians under California’s Endangered Species Act. The commission voted to list the frogs as endangered in the Southern Sierra, central and southern coasts. Populations in the Northern Sierra and the Feather River will be listed as threatened. The commission determined frogs on the state’s northern coast “do not currently warrant protection,” the Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement. The tiny, pebbly-skinned frogs were once found from Los Angeles County to the Oregon border, but their populations have shrunk thanks to threats from human encroachment, dams, climate change, pollution, and activities ranging from logging and mining to marijuana growing.

Colorado

Denver: A civilian oversight group says the Denver Sheriff Department hasn’t maintained a required list of deputies found to have credibility issues. It doesn’t know why, but the department now is reviewing thousands of internal affairs cases to create the list, The Denver Post reports. Civilian oversight officials expect to find 40 to 70 deputies with histories of lying, bias or even criminal convictions. The list is important because prosecutors in criminal cases are required to give defense attorneys any evidence that could help the accused. And a judge could rule that testimony provided by a deputy on the list is inadmissible. It’s unclear why the department never created a list, said Denver Department of Public Safety Director Troy Riggs. Denver police began creating a list in 2008.

Connecticut

Killingly: The heated debate over whether to bring back the town high school’s Native American-themed mascot left the school without an official athletic nickname days before the football team plays in a state championship game Saturday. The nine-member Killingly Board of Education on Wednesday night voted to rescind Killingly High School’s new Red Hawks mascot but stopped short of reinstating the former Redmen name, the Norwich Bulletin reports. The vote came at the end of more than two hours of sometimes contentious public comments. The issue returned after several Republican candidates ran on a platform of restoring the Redmen name. The previous school board had effectively voted to drop it last June. In October, the same board approved the new name after it was overwhelmingly approved by students.

Delaware

Wilmington: A bitter, drawn-out labor dispute between the city and its fire union has resurfaced over the city’s proposal for a new shift schedule that would require firefighters to work 13 additional days a year. Mayor Mike Purzycki’s administration says the change would eliminate the need for rolling bypass, the controversial practice of shutting down an engine to save on overtime cost. The International Association of Firefighters Local 1590, which represents Wilmington firefighters, objects to the change, contending the city will cut the days off that firefighters need to recuperate from long shifts and traumatic emergency scenes. “There are days we see our friends get hurt, or we do CPR on somebody who’s been married for 60 years, or we’ve pulled kids out of burning buildings that died in our arms,” said Local 1590 President Joe Leonetti. “That’s something we live with every day.”

District of Columbia

Washington: D.C. Council member Robert White is spearheading an effort demanding Mayor Muriel Bowser quicken the pace of testing and fixing lead in playground rubber, WUSA-TV reports. The little rubber pieces children play on and with may actually be poisonous. First exposed by parent-commissioned tests in May, elevated levels of lead were found inside the recycled tire pieces making up play mats. Children exposed to lead face developmental and hormonal problems. For White, the danger is personal. “My daughter attends a school where they found elevated levels of lead in the playground she uses,” White said. He led several council members in writing a letter to Bowser demanding she speed up the testing and find a solution.

Florida

Tallahassee: The state has been accepted to the Electronic Registration Information Center, a multistate network created by the PEW Charitable Trusts to improve the accuracy of voter registration systems. Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office announced the news this week, as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to root out election security and fraud problems prior to the upcoming 2020 elections. In August, the state had asked to join the multistate network, which uses “a sophisticated and secure data-matching tool” to compare official data on eligible voters to keep voter rolls up to date. Databases include voter and motor vehicle registrations, U.S. Postal Service addresses and Social Security death records.

Georgia

Atlanta: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is putting up nearly $1.5 million to help control the state’s wild hog population. Georgia Public Broadcasting reports the funding is part of a program called the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. A state resource conservationist with the department says money will go to controlling the population and educating people about the impact the animals have on natural resources and wildlife. Wild hogs are an aggressive invasive species that threatens everything from farms to endangered sea turtles in Georgia. Some of the funding will also go to restoration efforts. The Georgia Association of Conservation Districts says feral swine caused an estimated $150 million in damages to crops and natural resources in the state last year.

Hawaii

Honolulu: A pilot project to test the use of artificial turf on road median strips on Oahu has had mixed results, officials say. The artificial turf has worked well in some of Oahu’s nine city council districts, while others have experienced problems, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. Honolulu launched the $1 million pilot project to install artificial turf in nine medians, roundabouts and other traffic spaces in February 2016, officials say. Some of the 3-year-old turf has been damaged, while the turf on one median has become encircled with weeds due to errors made during installation. But the artificial grass on another median looks so realistic that a resident used a riding mower to cut it, an official says. Honolulu Councilwoman Kymberly Pine hopes the project will lead to reduced water use and landscaping maintenance but says the cost benefits have yet to be determined.

Idaho

Boise: The Ada County Sheriff’s Office is asking a judge to hold the Idaho Department of Correction in contempt for failing to quickly remove state inmates from the county jail. Sheriff Steve Bartlett says county taxpayers are paying for inmates who have been sentenced to prison but continue to be held at the jail facility, which is designed to hold low-level offenders or people waiting for trial or sentencing. He wants the judge to enforce a decades-old court order that requires IDOC to remove inmates from the Ada County Jail within seven days of learning the inmates have been sentenced to state custody. “The Ada County Jail has 1,116 beds – and we’ve been right up to the edge of our capacity for several years now. Jails should be at 85% capacity or less to ensure staff can manage the population at peak efficiency and safety,” Bartlett says.

Illinois

Chicago: Two Chicago Park District workers escaped without serious injury after the salt truck they were navigating along an icy lakefront bike path slid into Lake Michigan. The pickup truck hit a slick spot and slipped backward into the water on Chicago’s Near North Side about 7:20 a.m. Wednesday, said Dep. District Chief Jason Lach of the Chicago Fire Department Marine Dive Operations. It slid halfway into the water before getting caught on a breakwall. The two occupants were able to escape the sinking vehicle and crawl to safety, and both are in good condition. Light snow blanketed the Chicago area early Wednesday, with temperatures at about 17 degrees, the National Weather Service said. The snow and cold left a heavy ice buildup along the bike path. “They were out there salting the area, and the truck slid in,” Park District spokeswoman Michelle Lemons told the Chicago Tribune.

Indiana

West Lafayette: Purdue is looking for pets to volunteer as participants in a national study looking at the general health and wellness of dogs. The Dog Aging Project is a collaboration by more than 40 scientists and researchers across the U.S. and will be looking at dogs of all breeds, mixes and ages. Purdue’s Audrey Ruple, an assistant professor of One Health Epidemiology in the College of Health and Human Sciences and one of the researchers leading the study, is hoping to recruit dogs from across Indiana. A veterinary epidemiologist specializing in dogs as a model of human health, Ruple says the goal of the study is to examine factors that maximize the health and longevity of dogs, which can be linked to the health and longevity of humans. The Dog Aging Project will follow participating dogs to watch how different environmental and biological factors can affect longevity for the next 10 years, though the schedule could extend beyond that time.

Iowa

Des Moines: As of Thursday, felons who discharge their sentence from a prison in the state or complete their parole will be given a nearly completed application to restore their voting rights. Each felon in Iowa must apply individually to the governor’s office to have their voting rights restored – one of the most restrictive processes in the country. But that process is becoming simpler. Iowa Department of Corrections Director Beth Skinner said her department was rolling out a system to auto-complete 12 of the 14 questions on the voting rights restoration application. An officer will then work with the inmate to complete the last two questions as part of their discharge from the correctional system, Skinner said. “It’s going to be all auto-populated for them so they don’t have to go back and look for old offenses and dates,” she said.

Kansas

Topeka: The State Board of Education has voted to encourage school districts to pass strict vaping bans. The policy approved unanimously this week calls for prohibiting students and staff from using, possessing or promoting any tobacco products, including vape pens, while they’re on school property, in school vehicles or at activities, The Kansas City Star reports. The board also wants districts to bar parents, volunteers, contractors and vendors from using any tobacco products and e-cigarettes “in any district facility, in school vehicles, at school-sponsored activities, programs or events, and on school owned property at all times.” Kathy Busch, the board’s chairwoman, called the policy recommendation “quite inclusive and definitive.” Many school districts have sued leading e-cigarette maker Juul, including those in Shawnee Mission, Blue Valley and Olathe.

Kentucky

Frankfort: The state’s’s embattled education commissioner resigned Thursday, handing new Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear what he wanted in reshaping the management in the education system to reflect his opposition to charter schools. The state’s newly reorganized state school board accepted Wayne Lewis’ immediate resignation at a special meeting. Beshear set Lewis’ removal in motion Tuesday when he disbanded the Kentucky Board of Education and then recreated it with 11 new members on his first day in office, fulfilling a campaign pledge. During his run for governor, Beshear said he hoped the reorganization would lead to Lewis’ removal. The new board’s chairman, David Karem, called it an “amicable resolution” to Lewis’ status and said his departure was consistent with the goals of the the state’s 30-year-old education reform law.

Louisiana

New Orleans: A state law that automatically transfers 15-year-old suspects to adult court if they are indicted by a grand jury for certain violent crimes was upheld Wednesday by the Louisiana Supreme Court. The 4-3 ruling came in the case of a suspect who had just turned 15 when he was accused of raping a child. A lower court ruled that transferring him from juvenile to a regular criminal court following his indictment – without a hearing on whether he should be transferred – was an unconstitutional violation of due process. The lower court cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding that juveniles should be treated differently from adults in sentencing, according to the ruling. The lower court said a transfer to regular criminal court for adults imposes “a significant deprivation of liberty” and warrants protection under the Constitution’s due process clause and that the transfer shouldn’t take place until a court has determined the suspect wouldn’t benefit from juvenile court programs. The high court disagreed.

Maine

Blue Hill: There’s no Tinder for waterfowl, but that didn’t stop a bird owner from trying to find a match for a mourning duckling. One of Chris Morris’ ducks, Yellow Duck, lost its mate to a hungry bobcat a couple of weeks ago at Morris’ yard in Blue Hill. Morris, a 31-year-old special education teacher, drew up a singles ad for Yellow Duck and placed it on a community bulletin board at a local grocery store. The ad declares: “Duck seeking duck. Lonesome runner duck seeks companion. Partner recently deceased.” It also includes an email address dedicated to the dating search and states, “serious replies only.” The Bangor Daily News reports farm owner Sadie Greene might have just the duck to mend Yellow Duck’s broken heart. Greene and Morris are arranging a meeting for the ducks Sunday. Yellow Duck’s favorite food is slugs, and they might be on the menu for the big date, Morris said.

Maryland

Baltimore: The state would invest millions of dollars to fight violent crime and would strengthen penalties for repeat gun-violence offenders and witness intimidation, under a package of initiatives announced Wednesday by Gov. Larry Hogan. Hogan’s proposed state budget would pay for 25 new prosecutors and support staff for the attorney general to prosecute violent crimes. He also announced an additional $21 million for the city of Baltimore and the state’s attorney’s office. He made the announcement in Baltimore, where there have been more than 300 homicides each year for five years straight. The Republican governor is proposing a new strategy to reduce youth violence in the city. He also said he plans to push for legislation to publish sentencing records of judges in violent crime cases to hold them more accountable for their sentencing decisions.

Massachusetts

Boston: Local lawmakers imposed new limits on police in immigration matters Wednesday in response to revelations the department has been closely coordinating with federal authorities for years despite a sanctuary city policy. The City Council approved changes to the city’s 5-year-old Trust Act, which limits the role city officials play in enforcing the nation’s immigration laws. Democratic Mayor Marty Walsh said the changes, which his office developed along with City Councilor Josh Zakim, are meant to reassure residents that Boston police remain focused on public safety, not civil immigration enforcement. Marcos Charles, who heads U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Boston office, says laws like Boston’s Trust Act make communities less safe. But the American Civil Liberties Union says city leaders should have gone further in their new restrictions.

Michigan

Escanaba: A 59-year-old man who told his lawyer he wanted to rob an Upper Peninsula business so he could return to prison could be locked up for the rest of his life. Mark Wilson, of Portage, was sentenced Monday to at least 25 years in prison, a sentence that was enhanced because of past convictions. It means he won’t be eligible for parole until he’s in his 80s. “Somewhere along the road, your honor, I just seemed to have lost the ability to function normally with society,” Wilson told a Delta County judge. “I would like to say to the people that I apologize in the most sincere manner for my behavior” last July. The Daily Press reports that Wilson gave a note to a Hardee’s employee in Escanaba, indicating that he was robbing the restaurant. Police say he then stayed in the restroom until officers arrived.

Minnesota

Duluth: The city is the latest to consider banning conversion therapy aimed at changing a person’s sexual orientation. A proposal to ban the practice was introduced at a City Council meeting this week, with member Gary Anderson citing a lack of action by the Legislature, where a proposed statewide conversion therapy ban failed earlier this year. Minneapolis recently became the first Minnesota city to ban conversion therapy. Opponents to similar bans argue such ordinances violate freedom of religion or speech. Duluth’s ban would apply to minors and be enforced through fines. Jamie Conniff, a family medicine physician in Duluth who is gay, says he often works with young LGBT patients, many of whom he says “struggle against the message something’s wrong with them.” The Duluth council could vote on the ban next week.

Mississippi

Gulfport: A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a military family who says they were sickened by toxic mold at Keesler Air Force Base. U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr.’s ruling dismissed one of 14 lawsuits filed against Hunt Southern Group and Hunt MH Property Management, the owner and property manager of housing at the base in Biloxi, The Sun Herald reports. The family failed to established through expert medical witnesses that their illnesses were specifically caused by the housing’s mold, he noted, adding that experts only said that mold could generally cause the family’s illnesses. The family has complained of chest pain, rhinitis, fatigue, headaches, rashes, dermatitis, vomiting and more. Court-ordered medical examinations concluded mold exposure wasn’t behind the family’s sickness.

Missouri

Patton: A southeast Missouri school district was flooded with complaints over the latest school-sponsored raccoon hunt, a tradition that dates back 37 years. The Banner Press reports more than 2,200 people across the country signed an online petition to end last weekend’s hunt, for which 94 raccoons were brought in. FFA adviser Sarah Burgfeld says she and other officials in the Meadow Heights district received so many phone calls and emails that she filed a harassment complaint with the Bollinger County Sheriff’s Department, citing name-calling and vulgarity. She says the event generally raises $500 to $600, although that’s not the focus. She says hunting provides “multi-generational, traditional bonding.” Jack Coomer, president of Castor River Coon Hunters, says the raccoons either went home with the hunters or were given to a man who utilizes them for food and their pelts.

Montana

Hamilton: An animal shelter is caring for 39 huskies found on a property in western Montana. Bitter Root Humane Association operations manager Cyra Saltzman says the dogs, including two litters of puppies, were rounded up the Monday before Thanksgiving on land northeast of Hamilton. Saltzman tells the Ravalli Republic some of the dogs are more socialized, while others were wild. The shelter first learned of the huskies when a spay and neuter group called to report someone had dropped off a dog that needed its leg amputated because it appeared to have been shot. A second report came from a landowner reporting three dogs running free. Eventually Saltzman and others found a property where a large number of huskies were running free. Saltzman said she could not talk about the dogs’ former owner. The youngest puppies are in foster care and not yet available for adoption, Saltzman says.

Nebraska

Shelton: A fire Wednesday morning destroyed a historic church near this central Nebraska city. The fire at the Zion Lutheran Church was reported just after 7 a.m., and firefighters who arrived minutes later found the structure was engulfed in flames. Shelton Fire Chief Jason Wiehn said the church was destroyed. Fighting the fire was complicated by a lack of water, which forced trucks to return to Shelton and Ravenna to fill up with more water, he said. The church, which was built in the early 1900s, was about 10 miles northwest of Shelton. Church member Rick Pope told KSNB-TV the fire was visible miles away at his home. “I live about 5 miles away and could see a glow,” he said. “My son called me about that same time, and we came up and watched it burn down.” The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.

Nevada

Reno: The city is either buying or saying goodbye to the Space Whale, which has been a centerpiece of downtown’s City Plaza since 2017. Principal artist Matt Schultz says he has offered the city the two life-sized, stained glass whale sculptures at the price of $500,000. It’s uncertain if the city is going to bite. “The city doesn’t have an appetite to lease it anymore,” says Alexis Hill, the city’s arts, culture and special events manager. “It was always a temporary piece. It would be really sad to see it go, but the (Reno Arts and Culture Commission) is really excited to have a new piece if we don’t proceed with the Space Whale’s purchase.” The city, which has leased and purchased several other Burning Man sculptural installations, leased the whale for a total of $64,000, paid for through the city’s room tax. That contract ended in August. But “everyone wants the Space Whale to stay,” Schultz says.

New Hampshire

Charlestown: The Episcopal Church of New Hampshire is launching a new training program to make becoming a priest easier. The diocese will offer a certificate program that requires students to attend nine in-person weekend trainings, according to church officials. In addition to the training sessions, students will complete an online curriculum, provided by the Iona center. Traditionally, becoming a priest requires three years of training at seminary school, New Hampshire Public Radio reports. “This really makes it easier for people to answer that call, whether that call to ministry comes in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s – we even have people doing this post-retirement,” says Tina Pickering, who works in ministry development for the church.

New Jersey

Trenton: The process of placing marijuana legalization on the 2020 ballot is officially underway. The Assembly Oversight Committee on Thursday held a public hearing on the constitutional amendment that, if placed on the ballot and passed, would make New Jersey the 12th state to legalize weed for recreational purposes. “We have people whose lives are being ruined because the law prohibits the use of marijuana,” said Assemblyman Joe Danielsen, D-Middlesex, who chairs the committee. “We’re not doing this responsibly.” Both houses are scheduled to vote on the ballot bill Monday. If three-fifths of all members approve the legal weed ballot measure, it will be placed on the November 2020 ballot. Otherwise, both houses would have to approve the ballot bill again.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: Records show state agricultural officials are approving fewer licenses for the use of cyanide bombs – a device deployed by ranchers to kill coyotes. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports records show state-issued licenses for cyanide bombs has declined from 86 in 2015 and 2016 to 54 in 2019. That’s a 37% reduction. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week reauthorized the use of devices known as cyanide bombs targeting coyotes. Ranchers say they still need the devices, also known as M-44s, to kill hungry coyotes, which can cost the industry thousands of dollars a year in livestock losses. Environmentalists say the devices are a horrible way to kill coyotes and point to collateral damage inflicted on dogs and other animals. They say M-44s also present a risk for humans – even killing a Utah man last year.

New York

Albany: The state is prohibiting the aerial spraying of an agricultural pesticide that can harm the nervous systems of infants and young children. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he’s directing the state Department of Environmental Conservation to ban nearly all uses of the pesticide by December 2020. But New York will allow the spraying of the pesticide on apple tree trunks until July 2021. Environmental group Friends of the Earth says the pesticide also poses the risk of acute poisoning and neurological damage in farm workers. Lawmakers approved a bill this spring to prohibit the pesticide. Environmental groups have since pushed Cuomo to act to ban the pesticide, chlorpyrifos, used on golf courses and crops including corn, soybeans and broccoli. Apple farmers have argued that chlorpyrifos is the only pesticide available for use against pests such as the rosy apple aphid.

North Carolina

Raleigh: The state has made little progress providing every child “an opportunity to receive a sound basic education” since the state Supreme Court declared the constitutional mandate in 1997, according to a report released this week addressing public education shortfalls and student achievement. The findings from California-based WestEd stem from a trial judge’s order last year seeking an outside group to recommend a pathway to comply fully with the so-called Leandro decision – named after one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging funding for poor school systems. Some proposals in the report suggest it could cost several billion dollars over eight years to comply. It’s difficult for a judge to force the General Assembly to spend the money, however, because legislators appropriate state funds.

North Dakota

Fargo: A group of women who farm or work in agriculture recently attended a unique, one-day class at North Dakota State University to learn about the ins and outs of farm commodities, Minnesota Public Radio News reports. As more women around the country get involved in the day-to-day business of managing farms, they’ll need these skills to help decide when to sell crops for the optimum return. In the university’s commodity trading lab, the class learns about the futures market, where traders buy and sell contracts to deliver corn or soybeans in the future. The actual grain never changes hands. But the prices set on the futures market directly affect the cash price, what farmers get when they haul grain to the elevator.

Ohio

Toledo: Two birding groups filed a federal lawsuit trying to block a planned wind farm in Lake Erie, saying the project poses a danger to birds that fly through the area. The groups said the proposed six-turbine wind farm for just off the shore of Cleveland “would pose substantial collision risks to the enormous numbers of birds that use the area throughout the year, including large concentrations of migrating songbirds.” The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have failed to evaluate the environmental impacts of the project and alternatives as required by the National Environmental Policy Act and the federal Clean Water Act, according to the lawsuit filed Wednesday. The Energy Department and the Army Corps declined to comment. If approved, the wind farm would be the first offshore wind farm in the Great Lakes, The Blade reports.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Scissortail Park, the city’s new downtown green space and gathering place, is planning its inaugural holiday celebration, the Sugar Plum Promenade, from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The sprawling new park is getting in on the festive fun with a holiday train, free photos with Santa, hot chocolate, s’mores, children’s crafts, strolling performers, costumed characters and more. Admission is free, although some activities have small fees. For more information, go to scissortailpark.org.

Oregon

Salem: Some 200 hand-blown glass ornaments have been hidden in the Willamette National Forest to kick off the Willamette Valley Visitors Association’s second annual ornament hunt, which officially began Nov. 29 and will last until Jan. 1. Becca Barnhart, the marketing and public relations manager for the visitors association, says 40 of the 200 ornaments had been found and claimed as of Tuesday. Ornaments were hidden along approximately 1,700 miles of trails. People who find an ornament can also register to win one of three grand prizes: dinner, an activity or an overnight stay in the Willamette Valley. Those who find one are encouraged to use the hashtags #FindYourOrnament” #FindYourTrail and #IwonderWV on social media. More information is available online.

Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg: A farm that supplies vaccine manufacturers is donating nearly 100,000 surplus eggs to a central Pennsylvania food bank that’s scrambling to get them to needy families. The Bloomsburg Press Enterprise reports the eggs are too small or too large for the drug-making process, so they are going to help families in Columbia and Montour counties. A charity picked up about 8,000 dozen eggs this week, driving them away in a box truck. Only about 100 were broken in the one-hour journey. Volunteers had stockpiled hundreds of egg cartons to prepare for the donation. The eggs don’t need to be refrigerated and can last about two weeks. The food bank expects to distribute them to food pantries, fire halls and churches, expecting that holiday baking will provide a demand for the eggs. It’s the third year the farm has made the donation – two years ago it amounted to 320,000 eggs.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state Board of Elections is advancing a proposal that would allow candidates to use campaign funds to pay for child care expenses, as federal candidates now can. The board voted to put the proposal out for public comment. Lawyer Raymond Marcaccio told the board on Monday that this plan would only cover child care costs that are incurred because a parent is running for office, The Providence Journal reports. Marcaccio said the proposed language is similar to that used by the Federal Election Commission. The Rhode Island Senate approved similar legislation in June, but the bill did not make it through the House. “It’s obvious that this is necessary,” said Stephen Erickson, the board commissioner. “Child-care expenditures can be an impediment to somebody holding office or running for office, and so this seem eminently reasonable.”

South Carolina

Columbia: One of the state’s most liberal lawmakers and one of its most conservative are joining together to revive the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The 1970s proposal banning any discrimination based on sex is being revived in several state capitols across the U.S. It is just one state away from the 38 needed before it can become the 28th amendment to the Constitution. But there is another hurdle: a ratification deadline. Congress extended an initial 1979 deadline to 1982. Supporters acknowledge they will likely need the current Congress to grant another extension. Barring that, they will have to go to court. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, introduced a resolution in January to ratify the amendment in South Carolina. She was joined Wednesday by state Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, who served as former Gov. Mark Sanford’s chief of staff.

South Dakota

Pierre: A new “Hemp. We’re On It.” website is taking aim at Gov. Kristi Noem’s opposition to legalizing industrial hemp. The Libertarian Party of South Dakota created the website onhemp.org and “Hemp. We’re On It.” logo, both of which mirror Noem’s recent anti-meth campaign “Meth. We’re On It” and website onmeth.com that went viral in November. “Misinformation” about industrial hemp is “everyone’s problem,” and it remains illegal in South Dakota due to Noem’s “misguided stances,” the Libertarian Party says on its website. “But we can approach this problem from different angles, so one person doesn’t prevent our counties, towns and neighborhoods from benefiting from this versatile crop.” South Dakota is one of three states that haven’t legalized industrial hemp.

Tennessee

Knoxville: Knox County has voted against creating new rules for Bible Release Time and similar programs, despite concerns about what happens when some students are pulled from their classrooms for religious studies. With a 5-4 vote Wednesday night, the Knox County Board of Education decided not to create more standards for these programs, news outlets report. Tennessee law already lets parents pull their children from school for religious studies. A pilot program was allowed in Knox County on the condition that it was conducted off school property and not funded by taxpayer money. Board members were voting on additional protocols that would formalize the program. Proposals included setting specific dates and times when students could be taken out to minimize classroom disruptions, and requiring the religious institutions to have liability insurance and perform background checks on people interacting with children.

Texas

Austin: The percentage of the state’s youngest children without health insurance has increased since 2016, according to a report released Wednesday. In 2018, 8.3% of Texas children under age 6 – a total of 198,014 – were uninsured. The rate has grown by 1 percentage point, or about 23,000 children, since 2016, according to a report by Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. The data mirrors growth seen in the uninsured rates among all Texans. Texas has the second-highest rate of uninsured young children, behind Alaska. Nationally, more than 1 million children under the age of 6, or 4.3%, lack health insurance. About 19% of the country’s uninsured young children are in Texas, even though the state’s share of the nation’s population of young children is about half that percentage.

Utah

St. George: The population of Washington County has risen more than 30% since 2010 – adding 42,435 people – making it the county with the most rapid rate of growth in the state, according to a new report from the University of Utah. The university’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute based its analysis on census data, tracking Utah’s population growth since 2010. Other parts of the state, like Utah County, saw higher numbers of population growth, but not as high of a rate increase. All counties in the state are projected to grow over the next 50 years. The institute has predicted Washington County would grow to more than 500,000 residents by 2065, a 229% increase over the next 50 years. The county is projected to become the fourth-most-populous county in the state, beating out Weber County, according to the report.

Vermont

Montpelier: City officials say they hope the ice rink on the Statehouse lawn will be open for the holidays. The Times Argus reports that preparations for installing the rink have been underway this week. A newly designed rink opened last year after complaints about the wooden railing around a previous rink. Assistant City Manager Cameron Niedermayer said she expected the preparations to be completed by the end of the week. She said the rink will then be filled with water. When it opens to the public depends on when the water freezes. The rink will be open seven days a week and have motion-activated lighting to allow for night skating. The new rink was funded last year by a $15,000 state recreation grant, $25,000 from the Montpelier Recreation Department and a pledge from the National Life Group.

Virginia

Richmond: Gov. Ralph Northam is pushing for tuition-free community college for low- and middle-income students who pursue degrees in high-demand fields. Northam announced Thursday that his budget proposal for the upcoming legislative session includes $145 million for the initiative. Northam calls the program his “G3” initiative, which stands for “Get Skilled. Get a Job. Give Back.” He campaigned heavily on the idea when he ran for governor in 2017. The plan targets industries that include health care and information technology. Passing a two-year state spending plan will be a top priority for the General Assembly during the 2020 session. During last month’s legislative elections, voters gave Democrats full control of the General Assembly for the first time in a generation. The governor is expected to share full details of his budget plan next week.

Washington

Seattle: The City Council has unanimously approved a $34 million contribution to a new Ocean Pavilion at the Seattle Aquarium, which could cost up to $120 million total. KOMO reports the new pavilion would include a giant, glass-bottomed shark tank at the entrance to greet visitors and and people who pass by. The aquarium describes the new 48,000-square-foot exhibit like a giant martini glass with up to five different species of sharks from the Coral Triangle, an area in the Pacific Ocean near Indonesia with endangered sea life. The 325,000-gallon tank and exhibit to be known as the Coral Canyon will be filled with big sharks, big sting rays and other sea life – all to draw attention to endangered sea life.

West Virginia

Glen Jean: Visitor center hours have changed for the season at New River Gorge National River, the National Park Service says. Sandstone Visitor Center was closed Monday and will remain closed through the spring. Canyon Rim Visitor Center in Lansing will remain open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. All other park facilities are open through the winter, including campgrounds, parking lots, boat launches, roads and most trails, the park said in a news release. The park is normally open 24 hours a day, but some areas may be closed temporarily due to hazardous conditions such as snow or ice. Long-term and most temporary closures are posted on the park’s webpage under “Alerts,” or on social media platforms.

Wisconsin

Milwaukee: Tiny bubbles will get the beer festival treatment at All Fizzed Up, the state’s first hard seltzer event, March 28 at Turner Hall Ballroom. At least 25 hard seltzer companies will be represented, and hard seltzer enthusiasts will be able to sample more than 100 flavor varieties. In addition to sipping, All Fizzed Up will have food available for purchase. A DJ will spin music while you sip. Handcrafted cocktails, assorted wines, beers and ciders also will be available. VIP tickets are $65.50 and include admission one hour earlier, along with 15 3-ounce sample tickets. General admission tickets cost $45.50 with 7:30 p.m. admission. General admission tickets include 10 3-ounce sample tickets. Attendees also receive a commemorative pint glass and keepsake photo.

Wyoming

Daniel: Two sheriff’s deputies channeled their inner cowboy and lassoed a deer flailing in a frigid pond after it fell through thin ice, authorities said Wednesday. Sublette County sheriff’s Deputies Justin Hays and Joshua Peterson responded to a report Tuesday afternoon that a deer had fallen into a pond near the small ranching town of Daniel in southwestern Wyoming. Because the ice was too thin to walk on, they lassoed the deer and pulled it to shore. They left the deer on a nearby driveway where it could warm up, and it was gone a few hours later, sheriff’s officials said. Peterson stood at one end of the pond with a lasso and drove the deer toward Hays at the other end, Sgt. Travis Bingham said. Peterson’s body camera captured video of Hays as he swung the lasso around his head before looping it easily around the deer.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

State cheese, AWOL animals: News from around our 50 states

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery: Legislative leaders are continuing to discuss prison construction and renovation alternatives, including whether pandemic relief funds can be used to offset costs or renovating and building prisons. Key lawmakers say they expect to continue discussions this month in advance of a possible special session later in the year. “I think the House and Senate are pretty close to an agreement,” said Rep. Steve Clouse, who chairs the House General Fund budget committee. “The vast majority of legislators want to move forward with a bond proposal and for us to own the prisons.” Clouse and Sen. Greg Albritton, chairman of the Senate General Fund budget committee, said a topic under discussion is whether federal funds from the American Rescue Plan may be used to offset some of the costs or do renovations. States can use that money for a wide range of uses to contend with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Albritton said the state is trying to get clarity on “what can we do with the recovery money.” Lawmakers are looking for more options after Gov. Kay Ivey’s plan to rent prisons, which would be run by the state but built and owned by private companies, fell apart because of financing concerns. However, federal officials have been clear that new facilities will not solve the state’s prison woes.

Alaska

Anchorage: A wildfire burned close to a vacation destination Tuesday, but fire officials believed Chena Hot Springs Resort would be spared. “They’re pretty confident that they’re going to be able to defend the resort, based on the measures that we’ve set up and the personnel we have on scene,” said Tim Mowry, a spokesperson for the Alaska Division of Forestry. Firefighters were working to protect the resort, homes and recreational cabins in the area of interior Alaska about 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks. Flames were about 100 yards from the resort, where crews were spraying water on buildings, the agency said in a statement. Firefighters also conducted a back burn near a trail that leads to two yurts for viewing the northern lights in hopes it would help stop the fire from advancing toward the main buildings. Hoses and sprinklers also were set up at nearby homes and cabins. No structures in the Chena Hot Springs area had burned, fire officials said. Light showers that fell overnight weren’t enough to put out the fire, but the increased humidity was helping to slow its growth. The Fairbanks North Star Borough on Monday issued a voluntary evacuation order. Alaska State Troopers conducted a survey of homeowners and cabin users and found that about 30 people decided not to leave, along with resort owner Bernie Karl.

Arizona

Tucson: Officials in the city plan to ignore Arizona’s new “Second Amendment sanctuary” law that bars state and local governments from enforcing certain federal gun regulations, possibly setting up a court fight as a growing number of cities and counties in the United States declare themselves similar firearm havens. The move by Democratic Mayor Regina Romero and the City Council again puts Tucson and the Republican-led state at odds over how to regulate gun sales and use. The southern Arizona city has long tried to enforce gun laws stricter than the state’s, including mandating background checks for guns purchased on city property and destroying seized firearms. Over the years, those measures have been challenged after the Republican-controlled Legislature enacted laws barring the actions. The new action came after GOP Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill in April declaring that Arizona is a so-called Second Amendment sanctuary. It was partly a response to the election of President Joe Biden, who has vowed to enact tighter firearms regulations. In a growing movement, at least 1,200 local governments have declared themselves sanctuaries insulated from state and federal gun laws since 2018, when high-profile mass shootings prompted calls for stronger regulations. Many are symbolic, but some carry legal force.

Arkansas

Beebe: The Rev. Al Sharpton and attorneys for George Floyd’s family on Tuesday mourned a white Arkansas teenager fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy, as they urged support across racial lines for efforts to reform police practices. Sharpton eulogized 17-year-old Hunter Brittain, who was shot and killed by a white Lonoke County sheriff’s deputy, Sgt. Michael Davis, during a traffic stop June 23 near Cabot, about 30 miles northeast of Little Rock. The killing in the predominantly white community has drawn the attention of national civil rights activists such as Sharpton, who said concerns about police tactics aren’t just limited to the Black community. “The issue of policing is not about Black and white,” Sharpton told a packed auditorium at Beebe High School, where Brittain was a rising senior. “It’s about right and wrong.” Many attending the memorial wore jeans and shirts that read “Justice for Hunter.” Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley last week fired Davis for not turning on his body camera until after he had shot Brittain. Staley said the only footage police have is from the aftermath. Arkansas State Police are investigating Brittain’s death. Authorities have released few details about the shooting. Brittain’s family has said the teenager was unarmed and was holding a jug of antifreeze when he was shot.

California

Sacramento: State lawmakers will wait until next year to continue considering a bill that would give opioid users a place to inject drugs in supervised settings, the bill’s author said Tuesday. State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, said he was told the Assembly Health Committee will delay a hearing on his bill until January. The measure would allow Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles County to start programs giving people a place to inject drugs while trained staff are available to help if they suffer accidental overdoses. “Safe consumption sites are a proven strategy to save lives and help people into recovery,” Wiener said. Currently the sites are illegal in the United States but legal in Canada. Wiener’s bill barely cleared the Senate in April. The Senate Republican Caucus said in a statement at the time that the bill would “establish taxpayer-staffed and funded drug dens.” The proposal is opposed by some law enforcement groups, but Wiener said in a statement that it “is very much alive, albeit delayed.” Wiener noted he was disappointed in another delay at a time when he said San Francisco and other cities are experiencing record overdose deaths. His bill would require workers at the centers to try to get users into drug treatment programs or refer them to medical or mental health care or social services programs.

Colorado

Denver: The Denver Zoo will begin vaccinating some of its animals against COVID-19 as early as next week. Zoologists say they have been working with the veterinary vaccine company Zoetis to receive doses for the animals, and primates and carnivores will be first on the list. The veterinary vaccine, which is formulated primarily for mammals, is being developed separate from the ones for human use. Transmission is rare between humans and other species, but there have been several documented cases of COVID-19 in large cats, monkeys and certain rodent populations. “We know some of those animals – like gorillas and tigers, mink, otters – can all be infected. But for a lot of these others, we don’t know what the susceptibility is,” Dr. Scott Larsen, the zoo’s vice president of animal health, told KMGH-TV. “For animals, we want to be able to protect them similar to (how) we’re trying to protect people.” Veterinary scientists do not think common house pets like cats or dogs are in significant danger of catching COVID-19. “There are 85 million dogs in the United States and 90 million cats,” said Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, a veterinarian at VCA Alameda East Veterinary in Denver. “If we were going to see problems … I think we would be seeing it.”

Connecticut

Guilford: The state’s newest climate change legislation should put it in a good position to receive millions of dollars in anticipated federal funds to help foot the bill for expensive resiliency projects needed across Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont and other state officials said Tuesday. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes said the $30 million in bonding included in the new state budget to help municipalities identify and plan for such projects, including green infrastructure, will also give Connecticut a leg up on other states. “We’ll be shovel-ready. We’ll be at the front of the line,” Dykes said during a bill-signing event at a beach in Guilford. “It’s going to take a lot of dollars to help protect our communities from the impacts of climate change. And the best way to do that, dollars we really want to put to work, are federal dollars.” Curt Johnson, president of the environmental group Save the Sound, predicted Connecticut will receive $3 or $4 in federal funds for every $1 the state spends on these resiliency efforts. The new law gives all cities and towns, not just certain ones, the ability to establish stormwater authorities. Additionally, the law expands the duties of the 10-year-old Connecticut Green Bank, a first-in-the-nation entity.

Delaware

Dover: Two deadly species of hemlock have been found in Delaware, and the state’s Department of Agriculture is warning people to avoid plants that look like wild carrots to prevent the possibility of being poisoned. Environmental scientists confirmed that poison hemlock and spotted water hemlock were located in Sussex County wetlands, according to a news release from the agency. Both plants have small white flowers and bloom between June and August. Poison hemlock also grows in meadows, pastures and ditches. The invasive plant can reach between 6 and 8 feet tall and has a hairless stem with purple blotches. The department said this type of hemlock releases an odor but shouldn’t be crushed to smell because toxic oils can be emitted. Spotted water hemlock is a native plant and can grow up to 6 feet tall. Its stems vary in color from solid green or purple to green with purple spots or stripes, and it has fern-like leaves. People who think they found either plant can email pictures to DDA.Marketing@delaware.gov for identification. The Agriculture Department said residents shouldn’t try to eradicate the hemlocks themselves and should instead find a licensed aquatic pest control company to treat them. It also advised against mowing the plants, which can release toxic particles into the air.

District of Columbia

Washington: Parking in the nation’s capital is often a nightmare for residents and especially for their guests, but D.C. has launched an easier visitor parking pass program, WUSA-TV reports. When the visitor parking pass was launched in 2013, it was met with widespread opposition. With the new program, people can register for the annual pass allowing their guests to park for two hours in a residential permit parking zone in all eight wards. “The intent of the system is to make getting a visitor parking permit easier and also to reduce parking congestion in residential areas,” said Everett Lott, acting director for the District Department of Transportation. The new online parking portal now allows people to print out their own parking permits for visitors and can be accessed through the portal provided by D.C. online or through an app on Apple or Android phones. “This particular system, the automated system, is connected to the resident and to the license plate,” Lott said. “So it makes it a lot more user-friendly but also helps to eliminate any of the abuse that was possible in the past.” Parking permits, which must be displayed prominently on the windshield of vehicles, can be printed at home, at D.C. Public Library branches, or at kiosks at DDOT Headquarters, the DDOT Permit Office and Metropolitan Police Department precincts.

Florida

Tampa: A couple is suing a Catholic school and demanding the return of a large donation, saying it isn’t adhering to Catholic values because of the way it’s handling issues like race and accepting the LGBTQ community. Anthony and Barbara Scarpo filed their lawsuit against the Academy of the Holy Names last month after one of their daughters graduated and a second transferred to another school, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The lawsuit comes four years after the couple pledged $1.35 million to the school, which named its theater for the family. The couple claims the school has “lost its way” by distancing itself from mainstream Catholicism and embracing a “woke culture” in which priority is given to “gender identity, human sexuality and pregnancy termination among other hot button issues.” The suit also takes issue with a blackboard in a common area that explains how to be an ally to the LGBTQ community, as well as how the school takes on the issue of race, saying white students are made to feel guilty. The Scarpos had paid $240,000 toward the pledge as of 2018, the lawsuit said. The school didn’t discuss details of the suit, but spokeswoman Emily Wise told the Times in an email that the school’s curriculum is based on Catholic values.

Georgia

Atlanta: A federal judge on Wednesday declined to block some challenged sections of Georgia’s new election law ahead of two runoff elections next week, but he didn’t rule out the possibility for future elections. Election integrity activists had asked U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to prohibit the state from enforcing sections of the new law that have to do with observation of elections, as well as a new deadline for requesting absentee ballots. Their request arose from one of eight federal lawsuits challenging the new law. The Republican-backed overhaul of election rules enacted this year has been blasted by Democrats and others who say it creates unnecessary obstacles to voting, particularly for people of color. Most of the lawsuits, including one filed last month by the U.S. Department of Justice, challenge the parts of law that critics say threaten voting rights. The targeted request that led to Wednesday’s ruling, though, focused on provisions mostly related to monitoring or photographing parts of the election process. The activists, led by the Coalition for Good Governance, said those sections criminalize normal election observation activities and could intimidate voters, election observers and members of the news media. A tighter absentee ballot request deadline makes it virtually impossible to get one for a runoff, they argue.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Lawmakers on Tuesday overrode Gov. David Ige’s veto of a bill that overhauls how the state funds the Hawaii Tourism Authority and allocates tourism tax revenue to the counties. The bill would stop funding the tourism agency with money raised by the transient accommodations tax on hotel stays and other short-term rentals. Instead, lawmakers intend to pay for the agency with money from the general fund, though for the current fiscal year they appropriated federal coronavirus relief funds. Further, instead of providing the state’s four major counties with a share of transient accommodations tax revenue, the legislation gives the counties the authority to levy their own surcharge to the tax. Currently, the state charges one uniform hotel tax rate across the islands. Sen. Bennette Misalucha, vice chair of the Senate’s Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism Committee, said special funds shouldn’t be protected for the benefit of one industry. She said the Legislature brought special funds like hotel tax revenue into the general fund to stop this practice. The Hawaii Tourism Authority will now be required to get support from lawmakers for its budget just like other state agencies, she said, which will require the agency to be more forthcoming with its strategic plans and force more communication between the agency and lawmakers.

Idaho

Coeur d’Alene: High housing prices in northern Idaho are making it difficult to attract police officers, law enforcement officials say. Coeur d’Alene Police Capt. Dave Hagar told the Coeur d’Alene Press that low crime rates and an outdoor lifestyle are big draws but that skyrocketing housing prices are turning people away. “Five years ago, the cost of living in Coeur d’Alene was much more reasonable,” Hagar said. “Now it’s gone above that.” The Coeur d’Alene Association of Realtors said the median residential home sale price was $476,000 in March. That’s a 47% increase from a year ago. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said his agency has recruited new hires only to have them decline the job after discovering they couldn’t afford housing. “It’s a significant barrier,” he said. “The housing situation is severe.” The agency is looking to hire deputies, dispatchers, control room operators, clerks and jail staff. “We’re going to have to attract local candidates,” Norris said. “We can’t do that when some of our pay is $14 or $15 an hour.” Kootenai County Commissioner Bill Brooks said other county agencies are also having a hard time finding and retaining workers. Wages once considered normal are now not enough.

Illinois

Chicago: The city’s schools will encourage student COVID-19 vaccinations ahead of the start of the school year with school-based vaccination sites and events, officials announced Wednesday. Officials with the nation’s third-largest school district plan to offer full in-person instruction in the fall and want to vaccinate as many students as possible before classes begin next month. District officials said they are “not in a position” to mandate COVID-19 shots but will ask families to submit COVID-19 vaccine documents, as is the practice with other immunizations. Starting next week, the district will offer vaccines at three school sites for students and their families. The sites will be able to administer 600 doses weekly. The district is also working with hospitals for events in areas with low inoculation rates and offering the shots at back-to-school events. “Schools are trusted pillars of our communities, and as a district we are uniquely suited to help expand vaccination opportunities, which helps create the safest possible learning environments at our schools,” said Jose M. Torres, interim schools CEO. More than 50,000 children under the age of 18 have already been vaccinated in Chicago, according to the city’s Department of Public Health. Roughly 350,000 students attend Chicago Public Schools.

Indiana

Indianapolis: As federal officials debate pouring billions of dollars into broadband access, data suggests many of Indiana’s schoolchildren and adults who preferred to work from home spent the pandemic with subpar access to high-speed internet, particularly in the state’s least-wealthy counties. In about half of Indiana’s counties – 47 of 92 – measured by a Federal Communications Commission study, broadband access is available to at least 79% of residents. Yet in about half of the state measured by Microsoft – 47 of 92 counties – no more than 22% of households actually have high-speed access, a USA TODAY analysis shows. President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of Senate moderates have reached a deal on a far-reaching infrastructure plan that would direct $65 billion to increase broadband connectivity from coast to coast. Despite the agreement, it’s unclear whether it would address the solutions some lawmakers want to see such as continued broadband subsidies for low-income families, greater competition among wireless providers, and continued buildout of high-speed networks in poorer, rural areas. In Indiana, 12.4% of residents don’t have adequate broadband infrastructure, and 48.4% live in areas with only one internet provider, according to the White House.

Iowa

Iowa City: A teenager injured in an accident on an amusement ride that killed his younger brother remained on life support Wednesday as he turned 16, his family pastor said. David Jaramillo has been in a medically induced coma at Blank Children’s Hospital since Saturday’s accident on the Raging River at Adventureland Park in Altoona, pastor Christian Shields said. David has some brain function and has woken up a couple times at the Des Moines hospital, opening his eyes and asking what happened, he said. He remains hooked up to breathing machines, but doctors are hoping to wean him off life support, Shields said. The pastor at Christian Life Church in Cedar Rapids said it’s a miracle that David is alive after being pinned underneath a boat in water for several minutes. The church, which planned a prayer vigil for the family Wednesday night, is sponsoring a GoFundMe page that has raised $30,000. Friends have brought balloons to the hospital for David’s birthday, but “there won’t be a lot of celebrating,” Shields said. The Jaramillo family, of Marion, Iowa, went to Adventureland on Saturday to celebrate David’s upcoming birthday. The junior at Linn-Mar High School had been excited about getting his driver’s license as a step toward freedom and adulthood, Shields said.

Kansas

Topeka: Gov. Laura Kelly has expanded the paid leave that state employees can take from their jobs when they become parents or act as caregivers. Kelly issued an executive order Tuesday that provides an extra two weeks of paid leave for state workers who are a child’s primary caregiver and an extra week for secondary caregivers. The order also makes foster parents eligible for the same paid leave. Primary caregivers will now receive up to eight weeks of paid leave, rather than six. Secondary caregivers will receive four weeks instead of three. The order directed the state Department of Administration to put the new policies into effect immediately. Kelly said the state is demonstrating a commitment to recruiting and keeping talented workers and creating a “supportive environment for our families.” “Supporting working parents in our workforce is not only the right thing to do,” Kelly said in a statement. “It’s good for our economy.” The order also says new state employees become eligible for paid leave after 180 days.

Kentucky

Louisville: After years of planning and public input, the construction phase of the Sherman Minton Bridge rehabilitation project will soon be underway. The Sherman Minton Renewal project team said Tuesday that it will begin working on ramp improvements next week. The improvements “are being made to prepare for the first phase of the rehabilitation, which will include the first half of eastbound construction on the lower deck and painting of the bridge trusses,” according to a news release. According to the team, ramp shoulders at the Interstates 65 and 265 interchange, as well as the Interstates 64 and 265 interchange, will be modified to accommodate additional traffic. The modification process will take one to two weeks, the team said, and “will require nighttime lane closures and/or ramp closures to construct.” After the ramp improvements are completed, traffic will be reduced to two lanes in each direction as the team works on painting and deck replacement preparations. When lanes are restricted, I-65 and I-265 will serve as a detour route, the team said. The Sherman Minton, which spans the Ohio River to connect the Bluegrass and Hoosier states, is 59 years old. The proposal to rehabilitate the double-decker bridge was announced in 2018. The price tag for the project is roughly $137 million.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: Authorities say they’ve been searching for a 12-foot python that escaped from its enclosure inside the state’s largest shopping mall. Cara, a yellow and white Burmese python, slithered out of its enclosure at the Blue Zoo in the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge on Tuesday, news outlets report. She was still on the loose early Wednesday morning, WBRZ-TV reports, after a search overnight, when such snakes are most active. “While we’ve created a very secure home for Cara, our Burmese Python, she has slithered out of her exhibit,” the Blue Zoo said in a statement. “Cara is a non-poisonous, friendly snake that enjoys her time interacting with guests during our Snake Education Shows.” Pythons slowly squeeze their prey to death before swallowing them. Cara was described as “very sweet” by her handlers, who released a photo of the animal. The Blue Zoo – which bills itself as “more than an aquarium, more than a zoo” – was closed Tuesday while search efforts continued, but the Mall of Louisiana remained open.

Maine

Bangor: Enrollment in public schools across the state dropped by 4.4%, nearly 8,000 students, between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, according to Maine Department of Education data. Most of those students transitioned to home schooling, which saw an increase of 5,000 students, according to department data. School systems expect many students to return for the 2021-22 school year, Bangor Daily News reports. According to an Education Week report, Maine had the fourth-highest decrease in the nation behind Vermont’s 5.3% decrease, Mississippi’s 5% drop and New Hampshire’s 4.7% decline. Steve Bailey, executive director at Maine School Management Association, said the change reflects concerns from parents about safety during the pandemic and child care challenges. The most significant decrease was in prekindergarten and kindergarten students, for whom the population decreased by 16%, compared to a 3% decrease in all other students.

Maryland

College Park: Teenagers will be entered to win $50,000 college scholarships if they get vaccinated against COVID-19 in the state’s latest incentive program offered to encourage as many people as possible to get the shots. Gov. Larry Hogan announced the new lottery program Wednesday at the University of Maryland, College Park. Twenty Marylanders between the ages of 12 and 17 will win scholarships worth $50,000 each between now and Labor Day. The program will give away a total of $1 million in scholarships or the equivalent of full tuition and fees at one of Maryland’s public universities. Winners who choose to attend college out of state can transfer the scholarship to the school of their choice, Hogan said. The program will begin Monday and continue through Labor Day. Teens who have been vaccinated in Maryland are eligible and will be automatically entered, the governor said. Winners will be chosen using the same process as “VaxCash,” a lottery for adults that recently ended. That program awarded a total of $2 million in prizes to Marylanders 18 and older who had received a COVID-19 vaccine at any time. The scholarship prizes will be deposited into college savings accounts with Maryland 529.

Massachusetts

Topsfield: A more than 200-year-old agricultural fair canceled last year because of the pandemic is scheduled to return this fall, organizers announced Wednesday. The 11-day Topsfield Fair, first held in 1818, will start Oct. 1, the Essex Agricultural Society said in a statement. “Having to cancel last year’s Topsfield Fair due to the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating,” General Manager James O’Brien said. “We are thrilled to announce that the fair will return this year with no restrictions, and we look forward to seeing everyone on the fairgrounds in October.” The fair was previously canceled for three years during World War II and in 1918 because of an influenza pandemic. Based on attendance in 1946 after the three-year shutdown, O’Brien said he expects high attendance this fall. In anticipation, fair personnel have installed extra sinks and hand-sanitizing stations around the fairgrounds north of Boston, he said. One of the fair’s most popular events is the giant pumpkin contest, but it also includes livestock exhibits, a midway, vendors, food stalls and live music. It typically draws up to 500,000 visitors per year. A schedule for concerts, which are free with fair admission, will be announced soon.

Michigan

Roseville: CARE of Southeastern Michigan is hosting a free, two-week day camp for kids whose family members struggle with addiction. Open for children in preschool through eighth grade, Camp CARE will address communicating effectively, managing emotions, dealing with change, choosing friends wisely, resisting peer pressure and more. The skills are taught through hands-on activities like arts, crafts and games, said CARE director of substance use prevention Kaitlin Maloziec. The Roseville fire and police departments will also visit the camp for a teaching segment in the city about 15 miles northeast of Detroit. “It’s just a spot where kids can be kids, make friendships and see that they’re not alone,” Maloziec said. The camp will be held at Fountain Elementary in Roseville from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 19-23 and July 26-30. Zoom sessions for parents and caregivers will teach adults some of the same skills as the youth, along with parenting tips and advice on how to talk about addiction and address kids’ questions. The camp, which Maloziec said has been around for more than two decades, is hosting up to 60 students this year. Most activities will be held outdoors, with mask-wearing required and lunch provided. Registration is available online and closes at 11:45 p.m. Friday.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: With COVID-19 limits fading away, tourists are returning to Minnesota resorts, many of them from neighboring states. But a lot of employees are not coming back. The worker shortage has been building for more than a year, said Ben Wogsland, a spokesman for Hospitality Minnesota, the trade association for the state’s hotels, restaurants, resorts and campgrounds. The industry is down about 50,000 workers from its normal summer level of 280,000 to 290,000 workers. Many of them found other jobs during the first COVID-19 shutdown, and others left when a second hospitality shutdown was ordered, the Star Tribune reports. “After last year, we were hopeful that things would get back to normal,” said Sue Dutcher, manager of the St. Croix River Resort in Hinckley. Instead, “we’re being run ragged.” In Detroit Lakes, Joanne Anderson faces a similar challenge at the Forest Hills Resort. Anderson manages Izzo’s, the resort’s bar and restaurant, and is running it with eight workers instead of the usual 20. Some operators have been fortunate enough to escape the labor shortage. The Trail Center Lodge on the Gunflint Trail is “100% staffed,” according to owner Sarah Hamilton. That’s partly due to a new program that brings young adults from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota to work at businesses on the North Shore.

Mississippi

Jackson: Farmers in the state are losing the catfish wars against their foreign competitors with the very weapon they saw as their salvation. The domestic catfish industry, along with lawmakers including the late U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, lobbied to move oversight of catfish processing from the Food and Drug Administration to the U.S. Department of Agriculture five years ago with the expectation the USDA’s stricter eye would limit the foreign imports that had decimated domestic production throughout the Mississippi Delta. Instead, imports of siluriformes – the larger category of catfish and catfish-like fish sometimes referred to by their family name, “pangasius” – have only increased since the switch to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service in 2016. Meanwhile, domestic prices and production, mainly in Mississippi and other Southern states, have continued to decline. Almost 65,000 additional tons of catfish were imported in 2019 compared to 2015 before the Food Safety and Inspection Service took over, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce lists recent processing volumes at 5 million pounds per month less than in 2015 during FDA oversight.

Missouri

Jefferson City: Seventeen more people in southwest Missouri died from COVID-19 in a two-week period ending Sunday as the coronavirus continues to surge in the region, officials said. The deaths were recorded in the two-week reporting period from June 21 to July 4 and were disclosed Tuesday by the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, the Kansas City Star reports. The dead ranged in age from their 40s to 90s, and none of those who died was fully vaccinated, health officials said. Republican Gov. Mike Parson on Wednesday told reporters that his administration has done “everything possible” to fend off outbreaks. Missouri has reported nearly 530,000 cases of the virus and 9,375 deaths since the pandemic began. The state has administered more than 5 million doses, with 44.9% of the population getting at least one. Parson said he’s focused on encouraging people to get inoculated and making the shots available to them. He said he’s still wary of incentivizing vaccinations with prizes. “Right now, the vaccine’s out there,” Parson said. “I mean, people walk past it every day, whether they’re in a pharmacy, whether they’re in a Walmart, whether they’re in a health center.” Parson also on Wednesday signed a bill into law to limit lawsuits against companies for wrongdoing related to the pandemic.

Montana

Helena: Wildlife officials were searching by ground and from the air Wednesday for a grizzly bear that killed a woman who was camping. A helicopter was flying over the area around the small town of Ovando, in western Montana, in pursuit of the bear, which will be killed if found, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesperson Greg Lemon said. Large traps made out of culverts were set around the area in hopes of capturing the bruin. Ovando, about 60 miles northwest of Helena, is a community of fewer than 100 people at the edge of the sprawling Bob Marshall wilderness. Long-distance bicyclists such as the victim often spend the night in the town. Powell County Sheriff Gavin Roselles said the bear wandered into the victim’s camping area a couple of times before Tuesday’s fatal mauling. Someone at the scene used bear spray, and other campers called 911, Roselles said. Roselles closed down any camping in Ovando as the search for the bear continued, following creeks leading away from the town. Further circumstances surrounding the attack were under investigation. Officials said their priority was to find and kill the bear to prevent another dangerous encounter.

Nebraska

Niobrara: A tomahawk once owned by Chief Standing Bear, a pioneering Native American civil rights leader, is returning to his Nebraska tribe after decades in a museum at Harvard. The university’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology said it’s been working with members of the Ponca Tribe in Nebraska and Oklahoma to repatriate the artifact. Larry Wright Jr., chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, said Tuesday that the return of the historic weapon is a powerful symbol of homecoming for the tribe, which was among many forcibly relocated from their homelands to other territories by the federal government in the 1800s. Standing Bear was arrested 1878 for leaving the tribe’s reservation in order to fulfill a promise he made to bury his eldest son back in their tribe’s homeland in the Niobrara River Valley. In his landmark federal trial, he successfully argued for the recognition of Native Americans as persons entitled to rights and protection under law. “That hand is not the color of yours. But if you pierce it, I shall feel pain,” Standing Bear famously said in court. “The blood that will flow from mine will be the same color as yours. I am a man. The same God made us both.” Wright said the tribe is preparing its own museum, located near Standing Bear’s grave, to properly display the tomahawk and other artifacts.

Nevada

Las Vegas: A 110-acre property at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip has been purchased to be the site for a terminal station for a planned new high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and Southern California. Brightline Holdings announced the purchase Tuesday without announcing the price, but local news outlets report that Clark County records indicate the purchase by the holding company for Brightline West closed Thursday for $140 million. The site is on the west side of Las Vegas Boulevard across from Premium Outlets South mall and near McCarran International Airport. Company officials have said Brightline West trains would carry up to 500 passengers at speeds up to 200 mph on the planned route between Las Vegas and Victorville, California. The project has been delayed over the years, most recently because of the pandemic.

New Hampshire

Concord: Plans to close the state’s youth detention center are quickly taking shape, with a consultant due to submit a preliminary report in the next two weeks. The two-year state budget Gov. Chris Sununu signed June 25 includes a mandate to close the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester by March 2023. But the state Department of Health and Human Services didn’t wait for lawmakers and the governor to act; it signed a $55,000 contract with Alvarez & Marsal Public Sector Services of Washington, D.C., on June 8. The contract, paid for with federal pandemic aid, requires the consultants to deliver a draft closure plan by mid-July and a final report by August. According to details submitted to the governor’s Executive Council last week, the department didn’t have time to solicit bids given the time-sensitive work but consulted with stakeholders before hiring the firm. Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette told the council she met with advocates for juvenile justice, including the Disability Rights Center and the Office of the Child Advocate. “We have this opportunity to build the right-sized program on a clinical model instead of a detention model. So I brought the advocates together to say, ‘What is your ideal model?’ ” she said. “They said they weren’t qualified and that I should hire a consultant. So that is what I did.”

New Jersey

Bridgewater: The pandemic that closed restaurant dining rooms last year also put a stop to food tours. But with eateries up and running again, food tours are starting back up, too, inviting food lovers to explore a town by enjoying its restaurants’ signature dishes and learning about local history. “For the first time in 15 months, we are opening public tours again, and it is really exciting,” said Alessia Aron, owner of Beyond the Plate Tours, which presents excursions in Jersey City, Red Bank and Somerville. Local restaurants “have been through hell and back, and we are just trying to support them as much as possible.” Her company, previously Jersey Girls Food Tours, is one of seven that comprise the NJ Food Tour Trail. “We thought that coming together and creating the New Jersey Food Tour Trail would help us come out of the pandemic better,” said Audrey Wiggins, owner of On the Town Food Tours, another participant. “July 1 is our official opening date for all tour companies; some have started a little earlier than that, but everyone is now officially open.” Other NJ Food Tour Trail companies include Asbury Park Food Tours, Cape May Food Tours, Sister Cities Food and Shop Tours, Savor and Stroll Culinary Tours and Have You Met Newark Tours.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: A new podcast called Parks urges visitors to America’s national parks to educate themselves about and acknowledge the Indigenous tribes whose ties to these sacred spaces span millennia. The aim of the documentary podcast is to explore the history of tribes on these lands, the ways in which the lands were dispossessed, issues the Indigenous communities face today, and how they’ve kept their culture and traditions alive, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. “There’s so much that was written, but when it was written, it was from the point of view of Eastern colonizers,” said Mary Mathis, 25, a former photo editor at National Public Radio and Outside magazine who serves as the host of Parks, co-created with fellow Santa Fe-based multimedia journalist Cody Nelson. “It wasn’t every story, it was just one story – the quote-unquote ‘winner’s’ story. We see that a lot in our education system, and I think that was where the idea (for Parks) kind of came from.” The first episode follows a format the Parks team plans to replicate throughout the project, one in which Indigenous guests are closely involved in each step of the editing process so as to maintain complete ownership of their stories.

New York

New York: A consortium of businesses and nonprofits will run Central Park’s Wollman ice rink, one of four recreational concessions that were operated by Donald Trump’s company until the city canceled its contracts with the former president, the city Department of Parks and Recreation announced Tuesday. A joint venture called Wollman Park Partners LLC is expected to be awarded a five-year contract to run the rink after submitting the winning bid for the project, city officials said. The joint venture, which includes Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Related Companies, Equinox, caterer Great Performances and local groups such as Ice Hockey in Harlem, will reinvest all profits into upgrading the rink, city officials said. “It’s the Summer of New York City, but we’re already preparing for an iconic winter, too,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a news release. “I’m thrilled that NYC Parks has found a quality operator for Wollman Rink that is committed to reinvesting in the community and creating a welcoming space for all New Yorkers.” The Democrat announced in January that the city would terminate business contracts with the Trump Organization over Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The cancellations affected a golf course in the Bronx and a carousel and two ice skating rinks in Central Park.

North Carolina

Raleigh: A Superior Court judge put a small-town newspaper editor behind bars last month after one of his reporters used an audio recorder for note-taking purposes at a murder trial – a punishment the paper and media rights groups consider excessive. Judge Stephan Futrell sentenced Gavin Stone, the news editor of the Richmond County Daily Journal, to five days in jail before having the editor hauled off to jail. Stone was released the next day but still faces the possibility of more time in lockup. Brian Bloom, the paper’s publisher, acknowledged that his reporter shouldn’t have had the recorder in court because it was not allowed but criticized the judge’s move to imprison an editor for a minor infraction committed by a colleague. “The penalty does not fit the crime,” he said. “Let’s put this in perspective: You stop a murder trial not once, but twice, because a guy had a tape recorder sitting next to him on a bench at a courtroom. Let’s put our priorities in place here.” Futrell did not respond to a request for comment. Superior Court rules allow electronic media and still photography coverage of public judicial proceedings but grant judges the authority to prohibit the technology.

North Dakota

Mandan: The Mandan City Commission has agreed to equip the community’s police force with body cameras. The commission approved the cameras unanimously Tuesday with no discussion. The police department received a quote from Digital-Ally, which already has cameras inside the police vehicles. A memo from police to commissioners said that using the same company for the cameras will allow for better integration of the equipment, the Bismarck Tribune reports. The package of 28 body cameras, upgraded in-car cameras, accessories, set-up, training and cloud storage would cost about $165,000 for a five-year subscription. The police department also received approval to request funding from the U.S. Department of Justice to offset the cost of the cameras. It is asking for nearly $37,000 over five years, according to the memo. The Lincoln Police Department began using body cameras in early 2020. The Bismarck Police Department and the Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department do not use the technology.

Ohio

Cincinnati: The top prosecutor in one of the state’s most populous counties has decided his office will no longer offer plea bargains in any cases involving gun violence or possession of illegal firearms. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters announced his decision Tuesday, saying it would take effect immediately. “It’s time for this nonsense to end,” Deters said. The directive comes in the wake of a violent holiday weekend in Cincinnati. Among the incidents was a Fourth of July shooting at a downtown park where authorities say a 19-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy opened fire on each other, leaving both of them dead and three innocent bystanders wounded. Hundreds of teens were gathered at Smale Park when the shooting occurred shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday, authorities say. At the time, police officers were working to clear out the riverfront park before its closing time. “People must be held accountable for their choices. As a community, we must stand together and say, ‘Enough is enough,’ ” Deters said. “No amount of money can fix the problems we are facing. Parents must parent their children. Communities must speak up.”

Oklahoma

Edmond: U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe’s office announced Wednesday that he requested $4 million in federal funds to help combat illegal marijuana growing operations in the state. Inhofe’s chief of staff, Luke Holland, announced the request during an Oklahoma Sheriffs Association meeting, saying Inhofe requested a direct appropriation through the U.S. Justice Department to allow the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs to establish a unit to combat “transnational and national drug organizations.” The unit would work with sheriffs to combat illegal drug operations. Medical marijuana is a booming business in Oklahoma, where voters in 2018 approved one of the nation’s most liberal medical programs. As a result, out-of-state weed entrepreneurs have flocked to the state to get involved. But sheriffs and other law enforcement groups, which opposed the state question in 2018, have said illegal marijuana grow operations are setting up in rural parts of Oklahoma and funneling cannabis into the illegal drug trade in Oklahoma and other states.

Oregon

Eugene: The University of Oregon said Tuesday that it will start the second phase of building the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact after receiving another $500million donation for the project. Construction on the first phase of the new campus started in 2016 – after the first half-billion-dollar gift from the Nike co-founder and his wife – with a large science building including a pedestrian bridge over the street. A second building for “bioengineering and applied science research building to support expanded research programs and facilities” will be built next, according to a university news release. The building is planned to cover 175,000 square feet, with multiple stories, and be located north of the first building. The focus of the new campus is to translate scientific discoveries into advances in health care and other fields. The latest money will also pay for 14 to 16 additional faculty members and their teams. The new campus currently employs 13 tenure-related faculty members and their research teams, for a total of about 90 employees. “The aim of the new campus is to compress the timeline between discovery and “societal impact,” said Robert Guldberg, vice president and executive director of the new science operation.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike will rise another 5% in January, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission decided Tuesday. The agency board voted to impose the higher rates as of Jan. 2. The most common E-ZPass fare for a passenger vehicle will rise by a dime, from $1.60 to $1.70. Those being charged through a scan of their license plate will see the most common fare go from $3.90 to $4.10. The most common truck fare will go from $13 to $13.70 for E-ZPass and from $26.60 to $28 for toll-by-plate. Officials say 2022 will be the first time in six years that fares will have jumped by less than 6%. The turnpike has pumped more than $7 billion in funding from tolls to the state Transportation Department since 2007.

Rhode Island

Providence: Almost $54 million worth of fraudulent unemployment claims have been filed during the coronavirus pandemic, state officials say. The latest total is about $9 million more than in May, with even more victims coming forward in the past month, according to WJAR-TV. State Department of Labor and Training Director Matt Weldon said that doesn’t necessarily mean the claims were filed during that time span, just that they are coming to light now. The agency has managed to get back about $3.75 million so far with the help of federal agencies, but Weldon said he believes that will grow significantly in the coming months. The agency is also enforcing rules that require people to look for work while collecting benefits, he said. With 64,000 Rhode Islanders receiving unemployment benefits, that will be a slow process, with the agency only able to get through a few hundred claims per week to start, he said. “As you can imagine, trying to audit claims and go through information is difficult when there are more than a workable number, so we are going to begin with hundreds and see how that goes, and then that can grow in the future,” he said.

South Carolina

Columbia: The governor wants a new abortion law to take effect, arguing Wednesday that a judge’s decision to put the whole measure – and not just the parts being challenged in court – on hold during a lawsuit “oversteps the bounds of federal judicial power.” Gov. Henry McMaster’s brief with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asks appellate judges to lift a lower court’s injunction on the South Carolina Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act. The Republican signed the measure into law earlier this year that requires doctors to perform ultrasounds to check for a heartbeat in the fetus, which can typically be detected about six weeks after conception. If cardiac activity is detected, the abortion can only be performed if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest or if the mother’s life is in danger. Planned Parenthood attorneys sued immediately, and the entire law has been blocked from going into effect during the litigation. In his brief, attorneys for McMaster argued that decision represents “overreaching federal power to interfere with state law.” McMaster, along with other defendants including state Attorney General Alan Wilson, also argue that the groups that sued don’t have proper standing to challenge the law.

South Dakota

Madison: An increasing number of primarily social media complaints from residents in Madison and Lake County have brought to light a little-known county ordinance banning people from occupying their campers or recreational vehicles outside the confines of a campground. Lake County Planning and Zoning Officer Mandi Anderson said the ordinance has gone undetected for many years until a recent barrage of postings that have led to heated debate among residents. Some who are opposed to the rule say that it infringes on property rights and that there should be nothing wrong with letting visitors use a camper for a short time. “I didn’t realize it was this out of hand,” Anderson said. One theory for the ordinance, Anderson said, is that people who construct large lakeside homes on small lots do not want to be inundated with noise from adjoining property when three campers pull in for the weekend and 50 people take up temporary residence, The Madison Daily Leader reports. Anderson said citations are only issued if the matter is not addressed after the property owner has been notified about the ordinance and has been given an opportunity to comply. She emphasized she does not drive around looking for violators but only responds to complaints.

Tennessee

Nashville: City officials are inviting the public to celebrate and remember civil rights icon John Lewis in a dedication ceremony next week. Earlier this year, Nashville’s Metro Council renamed a large portion of Fifth Avenue North to Rep. John Lewis Way. Councilwoman Zulfat Suara submitted the request last year, focusing on Lewis’ work to desegregate Nashville’s lunch counters before becoming a long-serving congressman in Georgia. The city will host a dedication July 16-17. The event was originally scheduled for February but was delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. As a college student at American Baptist College and then Fisk University, Lewis helped desegregate public spaces in Nashville and pushed for racial justice across the South. Lewis was a Freedom Rider, spoke at the March on Washington, and was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. Lewis died July 17, 2020. He was 80.

Texas

San Antonio: A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Air Force is mostly responsible for a former serviceman killing more than two dozen people at a church in 2017 because it failed to submit his criminal history into a database, which should have prevented him from purchasing firearms. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez in San Antonio wrote in a ruling signed Wednesday that the Air Force was “60% responsible” for the massacre at First Baptist Church in the small town of Sutherland Springs, where Devin Kelley opened fire during a Sunday service. Authorities put the official death toll at 26 because one of the 25 people killed was pregnant. The attack remains the worst mass shooting in Texas history. “The trial conclusively established that no other individual – not even Kelley’s own parents or partners – knew as much as the United States about the violence that Devin Kelley had threatened to commit and was capable of committing,” Rodriguez wrote. Kelley had served nearly five years in the Air Force before being discharged in 2014 for bad conduct, after he was convicted of assaulting a former wife and stepson, cracking the child’s skull. The Air Force has publicly acknowledged that the felony conviction for domestic violence, had it been put into the FBI database, could have prevented Kelley from buying guns from licensed firearms dealers and from possessing body armor.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Hospital leaders renewed their pleas for people to get vaccinated Wednesday as the state experiences another surge in new coronavirus cases from the faster-spreading delta variant. That strain has begun to surge in Utah over the past month and now represents about 80% of cases in the state, said Dr. Michelle Hofmann, deputy director of the state health department. Utah has averaged about 386 confirmed cases per day over the past week, nearly double the case rate the state was experiencing at its lowest point in early June. The surge is largely occurring in unvaccinated people who are being infected and hospitalized at six times the rate of vaccinated people, Hoffman said. “The frustrating part about all of this is that, unlike last year, we have all the tools to stop this pandemic in its tracks,” Hoffman told reporters during a virtual briefing. “The COVID-19 vaccines work.” Utah now ranks fourth in the nation for new cases per capita, and the rolling average number of daily new cases has increased by 31% over the past two weeks, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Utah met health officials’ goal of vaccinating 70% of adults and 25% of children ages 12 to 15 with at least one dose by the Fourth of July, but hospital leaders say more people need to be vaccinated to avoid hospitals from being overrun again.

Vermont

Killington: The FIS Ski World Cup will be returning to the Killington Ski Resort this November. Over the years the event has drawn tens of thousands of people to the town on Thanksgiving weekend. It was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort & Pico Mountain, said in a news release that in addition to skiing, there will be a full weekend of activities, including live music. Joshua Eckler, owner of Trailside Inn, told the Rutland Herald he thinks this will be a big year for the World Cup, given the past 14 months of travel restrictions. “We try to encourage a lot of guests to come for it even if they’re not ski racing fans because it’s more of an experience,” Eckler said. “You don’t have to be a die-hard racing fan to enjoy the event, just because of the music and the atmosphere and the excitement – everybody is screaming for everybody.”

Virginia

Richmond: Workers removed a statue of Harry F. Byrd Sr., a former governor, U.S. senator and staunch segregationist, from the state’s Capitol Square on Wednesday morning. A crane hoisted the larger-than-life statue off its pedestal, and workers then strapped it to a truck to be hauled into storage until lawmakers determine its final disposition. Byrd, a Democrat, ran the state’s most powerful political machine for decades until his death in 1966 and was considered the architect of the state’s racist “massive resistance” policy to public school integration. Lawmakers voted to remove the statue earlier this year, a decision that came amid a yearslong movement in history-rich Virginia to rethink who is honored in the state’s public spaces. The statue erected in 1976 was located a stone’s throw from the Capitol. A nearby plaque said the statue was dedicated in appreciation of Byrd’s “devotion throughout a long public career to governmental restraint and programs in the best interest of all the people of Virginia.” Byrd’s son, the late Harry Byrd Jr., a Democrat-turned-independent who began his career as a segregationist, succeeded his father in the Senate, serving until 1983.

Washington

Richland: A new state report finds that more than 57% of Hanford Nuclear Reservation workers reported exposure to hazardous material on the former nuclear weapons production site in south-central Washington state. The Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board recently released its final report and recommendations on the unmet health care needs of Hanford workers. The report’s central recommendation calls for creation of a new, independent Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Center. It would provide a centralized clearinghouse for dissemination of accepted scientific literature. Important functions would also include evaluation and communication of newly available studies about Hanford-specific hazards. For incurable diseases such as chronic beryllium disease, information sharing could be key to finding cures. Additionally, the center would promote research to increase the body of knowledge for the Hanford workforce. Hanford for decades made plutonium for nuclear weapons, and thousands of workers are now tasked with cleaning up the nation’s largest volume of radioactive wastes. “The working families that make up the Hanford community represent a very unique population, with occupational risks not easily quantified or identified,” said Nickolas A. Bumpaous, Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board co-chair.

West Virginia

Charleston: Traffic on the West Virginia Turnpike around the Fourth of July weekend was the heaviest since 2010. The turnpike saw 668,000 vehicles pass through its toll booths between Thursday and Monday, the state Department of Transportation said in a news release Tuesday. That’s 28% higher than for the five-day period a year ago, when travel was affected by the coronavirus pandemic. “It was a huge Fourth of July period,” said West Virginia Parkways Authority executive director Jeff Miller. “People are just ready to get out and travel.” Miller said many travelers started trips the weekend before the Fourth of July and returned home the weekend after. Between June 27 and Monday, more than 1.12 million vehicles went through the turnpike’s toll booths, the statement said.

Wisconsin

Madison: In a cheese-obsessed state that proudly touts itself as America’s Dairyland, the dairy cow is the official domestic animal, milk is the official state beverage, and cheese is the official dairy product. But even though Wisconsin produces more cheese than any other state at 3.4 billion pounds each year, there is no official state cheese. A bipartisan bill heard by a state Assembly committee on Wednesday would change that. The measure makes colby, which was created in Wisconsin more than 100 years ago, the official cheese. Colby may be as “gouda” choice as any, but the choice threatens to turn fans of cheddar, swiss, provolone and other varieties red, or perhaps blue, in the face with rage. Colby also holds a special place in Wisconsin cheese history. It was created in the central Wisconsin city of Colby in 1885 by Joseph Steinwand, who named it after the township where his father built northern Clark County’s first cheese factory, according to a state historical marker in the city, located about 40 miles west of Wausau. Colby isn’t the most-produced cheese in Wisconsin. Mozzarella is tops, followed by cheddar and some Italian varieties, according to the USDA. Still, more than 45 million pounds of colby are produced at Wisconsin’s 150 cheese plants each year.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: The state’s first female federal district judge plans to semi-retire in 2022, opening the way for Democratic President Joe Biden to nominate a judge in the deeply Republican state. Going on senior status will give U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal in Cheyenne more control over the number and type of cases she oversees. She plans to spend more of her free time with her husband, former Gov. Dave Freudenthal, and grandchildren, Freudenthal told the Casper Star-Tribune. She hasn’t decided yet how she will use her time as judge but might stop taking new criminal cases to provide freedom from speedy trial requirements, she said. Freudenthal had no experience with criminal cases before becoming a federal district judge in 2010. She has found those cases the most rewarding because they can be life-changing for convicts, Freudenthal said. “Yes, their lives going forward will still be very challenging, but they have the opportunity to rebuild that life, take advantage of resources, hopefully live a life of sobriety,” she said. Freudenthal, 67, holds undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wyoming. She was an attorney in the offices of Govs. Ed Herschler and Mike Sullivan from 1980 to 1989.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Best cities to live in every state in the US for quality of life

Samuel Stebbins and Grant Suneson

24/7 Wall Street

Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this story misstated the geographical location of Waynesboro, Virginia.

There are nearly 20,000 villages, towns and cities across the 50 states, and not all of them are equally conducive to the well-being of those who live there.

While quality of life is subject to a range of factors – close relationships and personal health being among the most important – the local community and environment can also have a meaningful impact.

When it comes to choosing a place to call home, everyone has their own priorities and subjective tastes. Still, there are specific attributes some communities share that are almost universally desirable: safe streets, a strong economy, affordability and a range of entertainment options, to name a few.

24/7 Wall St. created a weighted index of over two dozen measures to identify the best city to live in each state. We considered all boroughs, census designated places, cities, towns and villages with at least 8,000 residents.

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These cities tend to have much in common beyond the index components upon which they were ranked. For one, these communities are often within commuting distance of a major metropolitan area. This is no coincidence, as close proximity to a major city provides residents with access to more job opportunities, which in turn can help lower unemployment and improve financial security.

The best cities to live in include ones just outside of Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh and Washington.

1. Valley, Alabama

• Population: 9,439

• 5 yr. population change: -0.8 percent

• Median home value: $82,900

• Median household income: $39,387

The majority of the cities on this list are relatively wealthy. Valley, Alabama, is an exception. The typical household in Valley earns just $39,387 a year, about $5,000 less than the typical Alabama household. Still, serious financial hardship is less common in Valley than in Alabama as a whole as 15.7 percent of area residents live below the poverty line, well below the 18.4 percent state poverty rate. Valley residents also benefit from a low cost of living as goods and services are about 6 percent less expensive in the city than they are nationwide on average.

Valley is a pilot city for the Alabama Communities of Excellence program, a non-profit that partners with governments, businesses, and universities to prepare participating communities for a more vibrant future.

2. Ketchikan, Alaska

• Population: 8,189

• 5 yr. population change: +2.3 percent

• Median home value: $232,500

• Median household income: $53,937

Health outcomes are an important factor in the overall quality of life in a given area. In Ketchikan, Alaska, the mortality rate of people admitted to the hospital is 12.2 per 100,000 hospital admissions within 30 days. That figure is the lowest of any major metropolitan area in the state. Ketchikan is the only metro area in Alaska with a mortality rate lower than the U.S. mortality rate of 12.9 per 100,000.

Thanks to its scenery along the southeastern coast of Alaska and proximity to the continental United States, Ketchikan is a popular tourist destination, especially on cruises. Though much of Alaska is isolated and rural, Ketchikan offers residents and visitors access to many more entertainment options than most parts of the state – which can be important during the long, dark winters. Ketchikan has more bars, restaurants, and movie theaters than almost anywhere else in the state.

3. Paradise Valley, Arizona

• Population: 13,833

• 5 yr. population change: +5.6 percent

• Median home value: $1,332,600

• Median household income: $173,487

Most houses in Paradise Valley, Arizona, are worth over $1.3 million, more than seven times the U.S. median home value. Paradise Valley residents are able to afford such expensive houses because of their relatively high incomes. The typical household in the city earns $173,487 a year, one of the highest median household incomes in the country.

Paradise Valley lives up to its name as a popular destination to relax. The town is home to several resorts and a number of golf courses. Located just north of Phoenix and Scottsdale, it is also known for its high-end dining and nightlife.

4. Batesville, Arkansas

• Population: 10,579

• 5 yr. population change: +4.5 percent

• Median home value: $120,400

• Median household income: $42,143

Batesville, Arkansas, ranks among the best U.S. cities to live largely due to its affordability and community attractions and amenities. Most homeowners in Batesville pay less than $1,000 a year in property taxes, less than half the amount the typical American homeowner pays. Overall annual housing costs typically come to about $7,500 a year, roughly $4,600 less than the median costs nationwide. Goods and services are 16 percent less expensive on average in Batesville than they are nationwide.

With roots as far back as 1804, Batesville is the second oldest city in Arkansas. The city, which avoided destruction in the Civil War, has a number of historic buildings and sites. There are attractions in the area for nearly every taste and preference, including antique stores, art galleries, an annual film festival, and the Batesville Motor Speedway.

5. Palos Verdes Estates, California

• Population: 13,582

• 5 yr. population change: +1.3 percent

• Median home value: $1,609,500

• Median household income: $200,766

Located along the Pacific Coast less than 30 miles from Los Angeles, Palos Verdes Estates is the best place in California to live. One of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the country, the typical household earns over $200,000 a year, more than triple the national median household income of $55,322. Crime is virtually unheard of in Palos Verdes Estates as its violent crime rate of 22 incidents per 100,000 people is a small fraction of the national rate of 383 per 100,000.

The high ranking may not come as a surprise to those familiar with it, as it is a master-planned city, designed by the Olmsted Brothers, sons of Frederick Law Olmsted – architect of New York City's Central Park and the Stanford University campus.

6. Frederick, Colorado

• Population: 10,791

• 5 yr. population change: +32.2 percent

• Median home value: $261,500

• Median household income: $90,321

Frederick, a small town about a half hour north of Denver, ranks as Colorado's best city to live in. The town boasts a number of amenities that make it an attractive place to live, including a museum, a golf course, over 20 community parks, 25 skiing areas in driving distance, and over 300 sunny days a year.

Like many communities on this list, Frederick is relatively affluent and fast growing. The typical area household earns $90,321 a year, about $27,800 more than the median income across Colorado as a whole. Additionally, in the last five years, the number of people living in Frederick climbed 32.2 percent. For reference, the U.S. population grew by just 3.9 percent over the same period.

7. Darien, Connecticut

• Population: 21,519

• 5 yr. population change: +4.6 percent

• Median home value: $1,248,200

• Median household income: $208,125

Darien, Connecticut is home to one of the wealthiest and best educated populations in the country. Well over half of all households in Darien earn at least $200,000 a year and about four out of five adults in Darien have a bachelor's degree or higher. Nationwide, fewer than one in three adults have a bachelor's degree. A high median income is bolstered not only by high educational attainment, but also by a strong job market. Just 3.6 percent of workers in Darien were unemployed in 2017, below the 4.7 percent state and 4.4 percent national 2017 unemployment rates.

Darien is also one of the safest communities in the country. There were just 14 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2017, a fraction of the 383 violent crimes per 100,000 people nationwide.

8. Middletown, Delaware

• Population: 20,045

• 5 yr. population change: +13.8 percent

• Median home value: $274,400

• Median household income: $87,250

Middletown ranks as the best community in Delaware to live in. The town boasts several public parks with a range of amenities, including tennis and basketball courts, soccer and baseball fields, pavilions, a track, and a pool. A relatively affluent area, Middletown has a median income of $87,250, about $26,200 more than the median income in Delaware as a whole. Home values are also about 18 percent higher than the average across the state and over half of all homes in Middletown are worth over a quarter-million dollars.

Like many of the cities and towns on this list, Middletown is growing rapidly. In the last five years, Middletown's population climbed 13.8 percent.

9. Pinecrest, Florida

• Population: 19,272

• 5 yr. population change: +5.2 percent

• Median home value: $840,900

• Median household income: $130,900

Pinecrest is by far the wealthiest place in Florida, and one of the wealthiest in the entire country. With a median household income of $130,900, most Pinecrest households earn more than double what the typical Florida household earns, which is $48,900. Partially because of the area's relatively high income, the typical home in Pinecrest costs more than $840,000 – more than four times the median Florida home.

A Miami suburb just off Biscayne Bay, Pinecrest is also one of the best educated areas of the state. Among adults 25 and older, 61.7 percent have at least a bachelor's degree. Statewide, just 27.9 percent of adults finished college.

10. Milton, Georgia

• Population: 36,755

• 5 yr. population change: +19.1 percent

• Median home value: $475,300

• Median household income: $109,784

A planned community incorporated in 2006, Milton is one of the most rapidly growing cities in Georgia. Now home to nearly 37,000 people, Milton's population more than doubled since 2009 and is projected to reach 43,000 by 2030. In commuting distance of Atlanta, many Milton residents likely commute to high paying jobs in the state's largest city. The typical household in Milton earns $109,784 a year, more than double the median income of $51,037 across the state as a whole. Similarly, Milton's poverty rate of 5.5 percent is less than a third of the 17.8 percent statewide poverty rate.

Milton is also a safe city. There were just 23 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2017, a fraction of the 383 per 100,000 national rate.

11. Urban Honolulu, Hawaii

• Population: 349,597

• 5 yr. population change: +4.3 percent

• Median home value: $601,500

• Median household income: $63,361

Education can be an important factor in the health and well being of a population. In addition to being more financial stable, college graduates tend to live longer and healthier lives than those who did not obtain at least a bachelor's degree. A high level of education helps make Urban Honolulu the best city to live in Hawaii. Among Honolulu adults, 36 percent have at least a bachelor's degree, the highest rate in Hawaii.

Long commutes by car can have a negative effect on physical and mental health. Honolulu residents utilize alternative methods of getting to and from work. Roughly one in every eight residents takes public transportation to work, while many others walk or ride their bicycles. Altogether, 22.9 percent of commuters do not drive themselves to their jobs, over five times more than the next closest city in Hawaii.

12. Hailey, Idaho

• Population: 8,058

• 5 yr. population change: +2.6 percent

• Median home value: $266,500

• Median household income: $56,522

Hailey is situated in Idaho's Wood River Valley in the Rocky Mountains. The city is surrounded by public land and forests where residents and visitors can hike, bike, ski, fish, and horseback ride, and is a short drive from Ketchum and Sun Valley, two resort towns.

Quality of life for residents is boosted by lower than average crime, poverty, and unemployment rates. While the median household income of $56,522 in Hailey is only about $1,000 higher than the national median income, a dollar goes further in Hailey than in much of the rest of the country. Goods and services are about 4 percent less expensive than they are nationwide on average.

13. Winnetka, Illinois

• Population: 12,437

• 5 yr. population change: +2.3 percent

• Median home value: $989,600

• Median household income: $207,857

Winnetka is a small village that sits on the shores of Lake Michigan about 15 miles north of downtown Chicago. One of the wealthiest cities in the state, the typical Winnetka household earns $207,857 a year. Winnetka residents working in Chicago have options when it comes to transit, as over one quarter of commuters use public transportation – an alternative most Americans do not have.

In the village, downtown shops were described by the Chicago Tribune in 2012 as reminiscent of the Hamptons on Long Island in New York, without the celebrities. Winnetka boasts four beaches, a boat launch, several parks, a tennis club, a golf course, an ice rink, and forest preserve areas, all open to the public.

14. Jasper, Indiana

• Population: 15,790

• 5 yr. population change: +6.6 percent

• Median home value: $148,200

• Median household income: $55,209

Jasper is one of the most affordable places to live in Indiana. The cost of living in the city is just 83.6 percent of what the typical American pays. The median household income in Jasper of $55,209 is higher than Indiana's median of $50,433. The combination of relatively high income and low costs, as compared to the rest of the state, makes Jasper residents more able to afford homes compared to those in most other areas of Indiana. The median home price in Jasper is $148,200, compared to Indiana's median home price of $126,500.

Jasper residents are much less likely to struggle with money than the average Indiana resident. Statewide, 15 percent of Indiana residents live in poverty. In Jasper, the poverty rate is less than half that, at 7.1 percent.

15. Le Mars, Iowa

• Population: 9,826

• 5 yr. population change: +1.0 percent

• Median home value: $139,400

• Median household income: $56,851

Le Mars, Iowa, is among the most affordable cities in the United States. Goods and services in the city cost about 15 percent less on average than they do nationwide. Housing is particularly inexpensive, with the typical household spending $8,124 a year, about $4,000 less than the average annual housing cost nationwide.

The city also has its share of attractions. Home to a Blue Bunny ice cream manufacturing plant, Le Mars churns out more ice cream from a single company than any other city, earning the nickname "The Ice Cream Capital of the World." The city and surrounding area also boast a history museum, an art museum, a golf course, a campground, and of course, an ice cream museum.

16. McPherson, Kansas

• Population: 13,212

• 5 yr. population change: +0.0 percent

• Median home value: $135,800

• Median household income: $54,057

The median household income in McPherson, Kansas of $54,057 a year is just below the national median of $55,322. However, a dollar goes a long way in McPherson as goods and services are 14 percent less expensive than they are on average nationwide. Indeed, extreme financial hardship is relatively rare in the city. Just 7.3 percent of residents live in poverty compared to 13.3 percent of the Kansas population.

McPherson residents also have many options when it comes to entertainment and recreation. The city has a far greater than typical concentration of restaurants, fitness centers, museums, golf courses, and movie theatres.

17. Edgewood, Kentucky

• Population: 8,703

• 5 yr. population change: +0.5 percent

• Median home value: $204,300

• Median household income: $89,073

The best city to live in in Kentucky, Edgewood is both wealthy and affordable. The typical household in Edgewood earns $89,073, nearly double the $44,811 median income across the state as a whole. Additionally, goods and services are about 11 percent less expensive in Edgewood than they are nationwide on average.

Overall quality of life in Edgewood is boosted by two large public parks and an easily accessible hospital and medical care center within city limits. Located about seven miles south of Cincinnati across the Ohio River, Edgewood – like many cities on this list – is in commuting distance of a major metropolitan area.

18. Youngsville, Louisiana

• Population: 10,878

• 5 yr. population change: +41.5 percent

• Median home value: $222,300

• Median household income: $94,564

Youngsville is a relatively prosperous city in one of the poorest states in the country. The typical Youngsville household earns about $95,000 a year and just 5.5 percent of the population live in poverty. Meanwhile, the typical Louisiana household earns less than $46,000 a year and nearly one in five state residents live in poverty. A dollar also goes farther than typical in Youngsville, as goods and services are about 7 percent less expensive than they are on average nationwide.

Youngsville residents have benefitted from a 70 acre, multimillion dollar sports complex since its completion in 2014 and a recreation center that opened in 2016. The facility boasts 10 tennis courts, six soccer fields, five baseball fields, batting cages, a fishing pond, a one-mile walking path, and a playground.

19. Bath, Maine

• Population: 8,334

• 5 yr. population change: -3.6 percent

• Median home value: $164,600

• Median household income: $42,275

Bath is the best place to live in Maine. Bolstered largely by Bath Iron Works, a shipbuilding plant operated by defense giant General Dynamics, the city's job market is relatively strong. Annual unemployment in the city, located near the mouth of the Kennebec River, stands at 3.2 percent, well below the 4.4 percent national rate. Many residents also benefit from the city's walkability as more than one in 10 commuters in Bath walk to work, more than triple the comparable national share. The city is also relatively safe, and also has a high concentration of restaurants, fitness centers, museums, and libraries.

Despite its advantages, Bath is one of only a handful of cities on this list to be shrinking in size. Over the last five years, Bath's population declined by 3.6 percent, even as the total U.S. population grew 3.9 percent.

20. Bowie, Maryland

• Population: 57,633

• 5 yr. population change: +5.7 percent

• Median home value: $303,900

• Median household income: $106,098

Just a short commute from Washington, D.C., Bowie, Maryland, provides easy access to high-paying jobs in and around the nation's capital. Most households in Bowie earn more than $106,000 per year – over $30,000 higher than Maryland's state median household income. Just a small share of Bowie residents live in poverty. Its poverty rate is just 3.3 percent, just one-third of the state's poverty rate.

In order to qualify for these high-level jobs, many of Bowie's residents are well-educated. Nearly half of all adults living in Bowie hold at least a college degree, as compared to 38.4 percent of Maryland residents overall.

21. Winchester, Massachusetts

• Population: 22,491

• 5 yr. population change: +6.1 percent

• Median home value: $796,500

• Median household income: $149,321

Winchester is the best-educated place in Massachusetts and one of the most highly-educated in the entire country. Nearly three-quarters of adults in the area have at least a bachelor's degree. This college degree attainment rate is well above that of Massachusetts, which sits at 41.2 percent.

This high level of education, coupled with the fact that Winchester is just outside of Boston, can make it easier for residents to find jobs. Winchester has the lowest unemployment rate, at 2.7 percent, of anywhere in the state. Massachusetts' unemployment rate is a full percentage point higher. This high level of employment likely helps drive down the poverty rate in Winchester. Just 2.4 percent of Winchester residents live below the poverty line, the lowest share in Massachusetts.

22. East Grand Rapids, Michigan

• Population: 11,297

• 5 yr. population change: +5.2 percent

• Median home value: $303,400

• Median household income: $118,393

East Grand Rapids is one of the wealthiest cities in both Michigan and the United States. The typical area household earns over $118,000 a year, compared to the $55,322 the typical household earns nationwide. City residents also benefit from a low cost of living as goods and services are 7 percent less expensive in East Grand Rapids than they are on average nationwide.

In addition to entertainment and cultural attractions in nearby Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids has 10 parks, including a lake with a boat launch, miles of trails, playgrounds, and a baseball field.

23. New Ulm, Minnesota

• Population: 13,279

• 5 yr. population change: -1.6 percent

• Median home value: $133,100

• Median household income: $52,244

Residents of New Ulm, Minnesota, are more likely to work and be financially secure, on average, than most other Americans. The town's poverty rate of 8.5 percent is well below the national poverty rate of 15.1 percent. Also, the town's five-year average unemployment rate of 2.6 percent is 4.8 percentage points below the comparable nationwide rate.

These numbers are better than the comparable national figures despite the fact that New Ulm residents tend to not be especially wealthy. The town's median household income of $52,244 a year is several thousand dollars lower than the U.S. median household income. Unlike almost all other places on this list, New Ulm's population shrank over the past five years. During a time when the U.S. population grew 3.9 percent, New Ulm's population dropped 1.6 percent.

24. Madison, Mississippi

• Population: 25,473

• 5 yr. population change: +7.1 percent

• Median home value: $243,500

• Median household income: $100,978

Madison, a city located along a reservoir less than 20 miles north of the state capital, ranks as Mississippi's best city to live in. Madison is a relatively wealthy community, with a median income of $100,978 – more than double the $40,528 median income statewide. The average cost of living in Madison is also about 8 percent lower than it is nationwide.

Madison residents have access to several public parks with amenities that include an archery range, baseball and soccer fields, walking trails, batting cages, and an outdoor learning center.

25. Ladue, Missouri

• Population: 8,579

• 5 yr. population change: +1.1 percent

• Median home value: $771,500

• Median household income: $186,371

One of the wealthiest cities in Missouri, Ladue's median household income of $186,371 a year is more than triple the national median income of $55,322. Not only is Ladue a wealthy city, but it is also inexpensive. Goods and services are 11 percent cheaper on average in Ladue than they are typically nationwide.

With easy access to jobs in nearby St. Louis, Ladue residents who want a job generally have no trouble finding one. Over the last five years, unemployment stood at just 2.0 percent in the city, a fraction of the national rate of 7.4 percent. In addition to cultural attractions and entertainment venues in St. Louis, Ladue residents enjoy a greater than typical concentration of restaurants, fitness and recreation centers, golf courses, and museums within their own city limits.

26. Miles City, Montana

• Population: 8,667

• 5 yr. population change: +3.6 percent

• Median home value: $130,100

• Median household income: $47,383

Miles City is the least expensive place to live in Montana. The city has the lowest property taxes at just $1,480 per year, as well as the least expensive median monthly housing cost at $655. Though Miles City's $47,383 median household income is one of the lower such figures in Montana, a relatively small share of residents are impoverished. The area's poverty rate of 13.5 percent is one of the lowest in the state, and well below Montana's statewide poverty rate of 14.9 percent.

Miles City ranks as Montana's best city to live in part because it is the safest place in the state. Its violent crime rate of 104 reported incidents per 100,000 residents is less than half the rate of the next safest place in the state. Miles City also has Montana's lowest property crime rate.

27. Norfolk, Nebraska

• Population: 24,398

• 5 yr. population change: +1.9 percent

• Median home value: $123,200

• Median household income: $45,401

Norfolk is a small city of just under 25,000 in northeastern Nebraska. A relatively safe city, Norfolk's violent crime rate of 148 incidents per 100,000 residents is less than half the national rate of 383 per 100,000. Though the typical household in Norfolk earns just $45,401 a year, about $10,000 less than the typical American household, a dollar goes a long way in Norfolk. Goods and services in and around the area are about 14.5 percent less expensive than they are nationwide on average.

28. Elko, Nevada

• Population: 20,078

• 5 yr. population change: +11.0 percent

• Median home value: $215,100

• Median household income: $76,826

Elko has by far the highest median household income of anywhere in Nevada. No other area in the state came within $20,000 of Elko's median household income of $76,826. Although Elko residents tend to earn a relatively high amount, it is the least expensive place to live in Nevada. The cost of living in Elko is just 83.9 percent of what it costs in the typical American city.

Elko is the fastest-growing place in Nevada by a wide margin. In the past seven years, its population increased 18.7 percent to just over 20,000 people. During that same timeframe, no other place in the state had a population increase of more than 10 percent.

29. Hanover, New Hampshire

• Population: 8,482

• 5 yr. population change: +0.0 percent

• Median home value: $469,300

• Median household income: $96,406

Hanover has numerous advantages over other places in New Hampshire cities. Its median household income of $96,406 is more than $26,000 higher than the next closest city and well ahead of the statewide median, which is $68,485. Hanover is also the best educated place in the state, as 83.1 percent of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No other city in New Hampshire comes close to that share. For comparison, the state's bachelor's degree attainment rate is 35.5 percent.

With a population of 8,482, Hanover is a smaller city. As such, many residents are able to walk to and from work. Walking not only provides numerous health benefits, but also helps decrease road traffic and reduce pollution. Some 40 percent of Hanover residents commute by walking – by far the highest rate in New Hampshire and the second highest rate of any U.S. city.

30. Haddonfield, New Jersey

• Population: 11,444

• 5 yr. population change: -1.3 percent

• Median home value: $487,700

• Median household income: $135,700

Haddonfield is one of the most economically prosperous places in New Jersey and the United States as a whole. The typical Haddonfield home earns $135,700, nearly $62,000 more than the typical New Jersey household. Haddonfield lies just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, providing its residents access to the jobs that city offers.

Compared to the rest of the state, Haddonfield residents are not likely to struggle with poverty. The area has a poverty rate of just 2.9 percent, well below New Jersey's poverty rate of 10.9 percent. Though Haddonfield's cost of living is 11 percent more than that of the average American city, it is still one of the lowest in New Jersey.

31. Los Alamos, New Mexico

• Population: 11,733

• 5 yr. population change: -2.9 percent

• Median home value: $277,700

• Median household income: $101,535

Los Alamos, New Mexico is flush with history, cultural amenities, and parks. These include a science museum, a theatre, nearly 100 public art installations, a network of over 90 miles of hiking trails, and the Manhattan Project National Historical Park – a monument to the city's critical role in World War II and development of the atomic bomb. Los Alamos also has one of the best public high schools in New Mexico, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Many living in the area work at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a facility run by the U.S. Department of Energy with a $2.6 billion budget primarily allocated to weapons development.

32. Croton-on-Hudson, New York

• Population: 8,209

• 5 yr. population change: +2.8 percent

• Median home value: $519,400

• Median household income: $117,656

Croton-on-Hudson is a small village on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, less than 40 miles north of Manhattan. The village is on a train line that goes directly into the city, and largely as a result, more than one in every four workers in Croton-on-Hudson commute using public transit. The village's proximity to New York City contributes to high property values as most homes in the community are worth over half a million dollars.

Croton-on-Hudson is one of the safest communities in New York. There were just 48 violent crimes for every 100,000 village residents in 2017, about an eighth of the national violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000.

33. Morrisville, North Carolina

• Population: 22,600

• 5 yr. population change: +30.5 percent

• Median home value: $291,400

• Median household income: $92,769

Morrisville is situated in the middle of North Carolina's "Research Triangle." The cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill are each home to a major scientific research university – North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, respectively – and several major research-intensive industries have developed in the area.

Morrisville offers close access to each of the three universities, as well as the companies that are located nearby. Morrisville is one of the fastest-growing communities in the entire country. In the past five years, its population grew more than 30 percent, from just over 13,000 to 22,600.

34. Mandan, North Dakota

• Population: 20,613

• 5 yr. population change: +14.2 percent

• Median home value: $175,400

• Median household income: $60,034

Residents of Mandan, North Dakota benefit from a low cost of living – 13 percent lower than average nationwide – a five-year average unemployment rate of 2.0 percent, and a violent crime rate that is less than half the national rate. Mandan residents also have access to jobs, entertainment, and cultural attractions in Bismarck, the state capital located on the opposite side the Missouri River.

Recently, business leaders, elected officials, and ordinary citizens established a committee to form a comprehensive plan to improve Mandan over the coming decade. The committee's accomplishments include broadened business support and incentives, the creation of annual festivals and events, public education improvements, and increased communication regarding local elections.

35. New Albany, Ohio

• Population: 9,384

• 5 yr. population change: +25.3 percent

• Median home value: $492,400

• Median household income: $191,375

New Albany, Ohio, is one of the most affluent cities in the country. The median household income of $191,375 is one of the five highest of U.S. cities. Wealthier areas tend to have a number of livability advantages over low-income cities, including lower crime rates. There were just 36.9 violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents in New Albany, less than a tenth of the nationwide crime rate. New Albany also has many amenities for residents, including over 600 acres of parks and sports fields.

There are a number of factors that can draw people to certain towns, including jobs, schools, and amenities. New Albany excels in many of these aspects, and its population growth rate reflects that. The town's population grew by more than 25 percent over the past five years, compared to the national growth rate of just 3.9 percent.

36. Newcastle, Oklahoma

• Population: 9,030

• 5 yr. population change: +21.0 percent

• Median home value: $180,300

• Median household income: $78,144

Newcastle is a small city of less than 10,000 just outside Oklahoma City. One of the fastest growing cities in the state, Newcastle's population spiked by 21 percent in the last five years. As in other cities on this list, Newcastle residents are actively engaged in bettering their community. The city's resident-driven Bridge to 2020 initiative launched in 2007 to develop a long-term strategic plan for the community. In addition to nearby amenities in Oklahoma City, Newcastle boasts seven golf courses, six movie theatres, access to four hospitals, and two shopping malls.

A relatively affluent city, Newcastle's median income of $78,144 is about $30,000 higher than it is statewide and goods and services are about 17 percent less expensive than they are nationwide.

37. Sherwood, Oregon

• Population: 18,965

• 5 yr. population change: +7.5 percent

• Median home value: $313,000

• Median household income: $86,111

Sherwood is a small city about 15 miles southwest of Portland. In addition to amenities, attractions, and employment opportunities in the nearby city, Sherwood itself boasts over a dozen parks and a community recreation center and pool.

Quality of life in Sherwood is also bolstered by a low violent crime rate and relative financial stability. There were just 82 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents in Sherwood in 2017, less than a quarter the national violent crime rate. Additionally, Sherwood's 4.7 percent poverty rate is less than a third of both the state and national poverty rates of 15.7 percent and 15.1 percent, respectively.

38. Franklin Park, Pennsylvania

• Population: 14,228

• 5 yr. population change: +7.9 percent

• Median home value: $312,200

• Median household income: $121,661

Franklin Park, Pennsylvania, is a borough just outside of Pittsburgh. The area has a relatively high share of residents with high educational attainment. A whopping 70 percent of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree, one of the higher college attainment rates among U.S. cities. Those with college degrees are more qualified for specialized jobs that tend to have higher salaries. In Franklin Park, the median household income of $121,661 a year is one of the highest in the country.

Like many affluent, well-educated areas, Franklin Park is relatively safe. The violent crime rate of 14 incidents per 100,000 people is one of the lowest in the country. Nationwide, there were 383 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2017.

39. Newport, Rhode Island

• Population: 24,570

• 5 yr. population change: -0.1 percent

• Median home value: $382,200

• Median household income: $59,794

Newport, Rhode Island is by far the best educated city in the state. More than half – 50.9 percent – of adult residents completed at least their bachelor's degree. No other major Rhode Island community exceeded the state's college graduation rate of 32.5 percent. This high educational attainment qualifies many of the city's residents for highly skilled jobs and likely helps drive down the unemployment rate. Newport's unemployment rate is just 3.8 percent, the lowest of anywhere in the country.

Though Newport's median household income is close to that of Rhode Island as a whole, homes in the area tend to be much more valuable than those in the rest of the state. Newport's median home value is $382,200, well above Rhode Island's $238,200 median home value.

40. Tega Cay, South Carolina

• Population: 9,026

• 5 yr. population change: +23.3 percent

• Median home value: $301,200

• Median household income: $120,346

Tega Cay ranks as one of the best cities to live in part because of its relatively high income and the many associated benefits that come with affluence. The city's median household income of over $120,000 is more than double the U.S. median. In a city with a high percentage of affluent households, there are also very few residents struggling with serious financial hardship. Just 0.9 percent of residents live in poverty.

Tega Cay lies near the border of the Carolinas and Lake Wiley. The water access gives residents a chance to swim, boat, and fish. As a tourist destination, the city has a high number of bars and restaurants per resident. Tega Cay is growing quickly. It was home to fewer than 5,000 people in 2009. As of 2016, more than 9,000 people lived there.

41. Pierre, South Dakota

• Population: 13,959

• 5 yr. population change: +2.2 percent

• Median home value: $164,900

• Median household income: $54,868

Most American homeowners spend more than $12,000 per year on housing. In Pierre, South Dakota, most spend less than $8,500 annually. Overall, the cost of living is lower in Pierre, as goods and services are 15 percent less expensive than they are on average nationwide.

Pierre, South Dakota's capital, is home to many outdoor amenities largely thanks to its proximity to the Missouri River. Nearby Farm Island and LaFramboise Island offer residents the opportunity to take part in outdoor activities like swimming and hiking.

42. Atoka, Tennessee

• Population: 8,917

• 5 yr. population change: +11.9 percent

• Median home value: $172,400

• Median household income: $87,047

Many cities and towns on this list are in close proximity to a major metropolitan area. About 25 miles northeast of Memphis, Atoka is one of them. In addition to attractions and amenities in Memphis, Atoka itself has several parks featuring playgrounds, sports fields, picnic areas, and a fishing pond.

A safe community, Atoka's violent crime rate of 152 incidents per 100,000 people is less than half the national violent crime rate. Safe streets and proximity to a major city make Atoka an attractive place for new residents and families, and in the last five years, the city's population expanded by 11.9 percent, triple the comparable 3.9 percent national growth rate.

43. West University Place, Texas

• Population: 15,318

• 5 yr. population change: +4.0 percent

• Median home value: $917,800

• Median household income: $220,868

A wealthy suburb of Houston, West University Place ranks as the best city to live in Texas. A wealthy city, the median household income of nearly $221,000 a year is nearly four times the income the typical American household earns. A dollar also goes far in the city as goods and services are about 5 percent less expensive than they are nationwide on average. In addition to entertainment and culture in nearby Houston, West University has a far greater concentration of restaurants, bars, fitness centers, museums and theatre companies than is typical nationwide.

West University is also a safe city with a strong job market. The city's violent crime rate of 64 incidents for every 100,000 people is among the lowest in the nation, as is the five-year average unemployment rate of 2.7 percent.

44. Woods Cross, Utah

• Population: 10,930

• 5 yr. population change: +15.5 percent

• Median home value: $226,200

• Median household income: $78,750

Just north of Salt Lake City, Woods Cross provides easy access to Utah's largest city, as well as the Great Salt Lake to the west and Grandview Peak to the east. The proximity to Salt Lake City affords Woods Cross residents a short commute to the city, which may help bolster the city's labor force participation rate. More than three quarters of Woods Cross adults, 77.4 percent, participate in the labor force, the most of any Utah community.

This high labor force participation likely helps drive up the median household income. The typical Woods Cross household earns $78,750 each year, well ahead of Utah's $62,518 median household income.

45. South Burlington, Vermont

• Population: 18,704

• 5 yr. population change: +6.2 percent

• Median home value: $271,900

• Median household income: $66,728

Sitting along Lake Champlain, South Burlington is adjacent to Burlington, the largest city in Vermont. With access to a number of nearby colleges, including Champlain College and the University of Vermont, South Burlington's population is well educated. Over half of all the city's adult residents have a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the 30.3 percent national bachelor's degree attainment rate. There are a range of employment opportunities in the area, including the University of Vermont Medical Center. Just 2.0 percent of workers in South Burlington were unemployed in 2017, below both the 3.0 percent state and 4.4 percent national unemployment rates.

A strong job market bolsters the financial security of area residents. Just 6.2 percent of South Burlington's population live in poverty, less than half the 15.1 percent national poverty rate.

46. Waynesboro, Virginia

• Population: 21,366

• 5 yr. population change: +1.7 percent

• Median home value: $158,800

• Median household income: $45,097

Waynesboro, an independent city in Virginia, is notable for its affordability, safety, and scenic beauty. Goods and services in the city are about 7 percent less expensive than they are nationwide on average. Additionally, the violent crime rate of 182 incidents per 100,000 people is less than half the U.S. violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000.

Located in the Shenandoah Valley, Waynesboro offers easy access to the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail. The South River cuts through the city, providing a water trail for residents to fish and enjoy by boat. Waynesboro also has a higher than typical concentration of restaurants, movie theatres, and museums.

47. Snoqualmie, Washington

• Population: 12,510

• 5 yr. population change: +28.3 percent

• Median home value: $471,800

• Median household income: $131,453

Snoqualmie, Washington, is one of the safest places in the country, with just 15 violent crimes for every 100,000 city residents in 2017. The town's property crime rate of 1,077 incidents per 100,000 residents is also less than half the national rate.

Areas with higher median household incomes tend to have less crime than lower income areas. The median annual household income in Snoqualmie, which is within commuting distance of Seattle, is $131,453 a year, one of the higher incomes among American cities. In addition to the culture and entertainment Seattle has to offer, Snoqualmie has a higher than typical concentration of restaurants, bars, museums, and movie theatres.

48. Bridgeport, West Virginia

• Population: 8,364

• 5 yr. population change: +3.9 percent

• Median home value: $199,000

• Median household income: $80,462

In Bridgeport, 45.3 percent of adults have graduated from college, nearly the highest share of cities in the state. The high college attainment rate has likely contributed to the town's relatively high median household income of $80,462 a year. Not only is Bridgeport wealthy, but it is also inexpensive. Goods and services are 15 percent less expensive than average in the city.

When it comes to culture and entertainment, Bridgeport residents have options. The city is home to a far higher concentration of restaurants, bars, recreation centers, golf courses, and movie theatres than is typical nationwide.

49. Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

• Population: 14,088

• 5 yr. population change: +0.4 percent

• Median home value: $350,700

• Median household income: $105,156

Whitefish Bay, a Milwaukee suburb along the shore of Lake Michigan, ranks as the best place to live in Wisconsin. The high quality of life in Whitefish Bay is partially the result of a strong job market. The area's average unemployment rate over the last five years stands at just 3.2 percent – less than half the comparable nationwide rate of of 7.4 percent.

Whitefish Bay is also one of the safest communities in the country, with a violent crime rate of just 36 incidents per 100,000 people. For reference, there were 383 violent crimes per 100,000 people nationwide in 2017.

50. Jackson, Wyoming

• Population: 10,279

• 5 yr. population change: +7.6 percent

• Median home value: $573,400

• Median household income: $70,517

The resort town of Jackson ranks as the best place to live in Wyoming. Jackson boasts a high concentration of restaurants, bars, museums, and movie theatres, as well as access to Jackson Hole, one of the most famous ski resorts in the United States.

Incomes are relatively high in Jackson. The typical area household earns $70,517 a year, about $11,000 more than the typical Wyoming household. Higher incomes are not enough to offset the area's high cost of living, however, as goods and services are about 35 percent more expensive in Jackson than they are on average nationwide. Housing is particularly expensive as most area homes are worth over half a million dollars.

Methodology

To identify the best cities to live in every state, 24/7 Wall St. created a weighted index of 26 measures that fall into one of four categories: affordability, economy, quality of life, and community.

In the affordability category, the ratio of the median home value to the median income was given full weight. Cities where the median home value is closer to the median household income were rewarded. Cost of living, as determined by the average cost of goods and services in an area relative to the nation as a whole, was given a full weight. Property taxes are largely levied at the local level, and cities where residents pay more property taxes as a percentage of their home value were penalized. Property taxes were given a one-quarter weighting.

In the economy category, we gave median household income full weighting. The unemployment rate was also given a full weight. We used five-year average unemployment due to lack of comparable annual data at local levels. Two-year employment growth and share of the total working age population with a job were each given a half weight, favoring areas with more and growing jobs opportunities.

In the quality of life category, the poverty rate was given a full weight, penalizing cities where serious financial hardship is more common. The share of the population that struggles to put food on the table either due to low income or distance from a grocery store, known as the food insecurity rate, was given full weight. A city’s mortality rate, calculated as the number of people who died while in hospital care per hospital by city, was also given full weight. In cases where city-level data was not available, mortality rates were imputed from county-level data.

The drug overdose mortality rate was given a one-quarter weighting, as was the hospital readmission rate, or the share of those released from the hospital who were readmitted within 30 days. Distance from the center of the city to the nearest hospital was given full weight.

Measures used in the community category include the average travel time to work, which was given full weight. The violent crime rate – the total number of rapes, robberies, murders, and aggravated assaults per 100,000 people – was given full weight. So too was the property crime rate, which is the total number of burglaries, larcenies, motor vehicle thefts, and incidents of arson per 100,000 people.

The share of commuters either walking, cycling, or taking public transit to work was given half weight. The total number of colleges in the area and the number of restaurants, bars, museums, theatre companies, movie theatres, libraries, and parks per capita were each given a one-quarter weighting.

The number of hospitalizations that would have been prevented by regularly scheduled doctor visits for every 1,000 Medicare enrollees – known as the preventable hospitalization rate – was given half weighting.

Median household income, median home value, average travel time to work, poverty rate, population, employment-to-population ratio, median property taxes paid, and average unemployment rate are all five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and are for 2016. Overall cost of living is for 2014 and comes from data analysis and aggregation company ATTOM Data Solutions.

The population-adjusted number of entertainment and cultural venues like restaurants and museums comes from the Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns data set, and is for 2016. The number of colleges comes from the Department of Education College Navigator and is as of the 2017-2018 school year.

Violent and property crime rates are from the FBI’s 2017 Uniform Crime Report. Drug overdose mortality rates are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are for the years 2014-2016. Mortality rates and hospital readmission rates are from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and are as of June 2015. Preventable hospitalizations are from the latest release from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program.

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

50 States

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Birmingham: A female lion was fatally injured while being introduced to a newly acquired male companion at the Birmingham Zoo. Akili, who was born in 2005 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and had been at the Birmingham Zoo since 2007, couldn’t be saved after being injured by a lion named Josh, who had been at the zoo since April. The slow process of introducing the lions to each other had begun previously, the zoo said in a statement, and Akili was badly injured within minutes of a meeting on Monday. The introduction was done on a day the zoo was closed so no visitors were present, said Jennifer Ogilvie, a spokeswoman. Josh was brought to the zoo as replacement for another male lion that died in 2021, the statement said. Dozens of people expressed sorrow over Akili’s death in response to an announcement by the zoo on social media.

Alaska

Juneau: The wreckage of an airplane reported overdue last week has been located, and the pilot, the only person onboard, found dead, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. The department in a statement identified the pilot as 38-year-old Andy Andersen of Sutton. An Alaska Army National Guard helicopter and crew on Thursday afternoon located the wreckage and Andersen at the top of Thompson Pass about 1,000 feet off the Richardson Highway, the statement said. Alaska State Troopers identified the pilot and his body was recovered. The body will be taken to the state medical examiner’s office, the statement said. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating.

Arizona

Phoenix: Heat-associated deaths in Maricopa County, Arizona’s largest, have hit a half-year record as more homeless people live unprotected outdoors in the arid desert city while summer temperatures soar well into triple digits. The most recent data from the Maricopa County Department of Health showed 17 heat-associated fatalities were registered this year through the first week of July, with another 126 under investigation. About two-thirds of the deaths involved people who were outdoors. That number is far greater those recorded during the same period in past years. There were 11 such fatalities in the first six months of 2021 with 107 more under investigation; four during that period in 2020 with another 48 under investigation; and three in 2019 with 27 more under investigation. The health department reported 339 heat-associated deaths in Maricopa County for all of 2021.

Arkansas

Little Rock: Gubernatorial hopeful Chris Jones called for increasing Arkansas teacher salaries, following a push by fellow Democrats to put teacher pay raises on the agenda for a legislative session next month. Jones endorsed a proposal that Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson made earlier this year to increase minimum teacher salaries in the state to $46,000 a year. Hutchinson, however, has said he won’t put the proposal on the agenda for next month’s session because of a lack of support in the majority-GOP Legislature. Jones is running against Republican nominee and former White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, who is heavily favored in the November election in the solidly red state. Hutchinson is barred by term limits from seeking reelection. Sanders’ campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Lawmakers are meeting next month for a special session focused on tax cuts after the state ended the fiscal year with a $1.6 billion budget surplus. Republican legislative leaders have said the special session isn’t the right time to take up the issue because the Legislature hasn’t completed its annual review of education funding required by law. That review is used to recommend increases in school funding and includes a look at teacher salaries.

California

Los Angeles: Two motorists had to be rescued from a swamped car when a water main break flooded a Hollywood street early Wednesday. Los Angeles firefighters extended a ladder out to two women who climbed onto the top of a swamped car. The incident occurred before dawn near the U.S. 101 freeway, east of the Hollywood Bowl.

Colorado

Fort Collins: WildEarth Guardians and 13 other conservation and wildlife organizations are calling for a minimum of 150 packs or 750 wolves to be established for four consecutive years in Colorado before state officials consider delisting the animals from protected status. The wolf population threshold was part of a plan the group will present to the Colorado Wildlife Commission before Thursday’s commission meeting in Edwards. The commission is in charge of developing a plan for wolf reintroduction and recovery by next year. A news release by the groups Monday said 750 wolves is “not a cap, but a minimum requirement for future state delisting from ‘threatened” to “nongame status.” That number is five times higher than a recommendation by a group selected to help the state establish a reintroduction and recovery plan.

Connecticut

Norwich: The suspension of a state dental clinic’s free services means local families will need to travel an hour or more to get dental care for severely disabled family members. In March, the Department of Developmental Services dental clinic in Norwich stopped seeing patients. Months later, parents, SEIU 1199 union staff and others are concerned about how long it will take to reopen. DDS spokesman Kevin Bronson said in an email the department wants better staffing for the center and there isn’t a set time for reopening. With the Norwich clinic closed, Michelle Drake was told to take her son to a facility in Bridgeport, more than an hour away. The Norwich clinic suspension contributes to a lack of care for severely disabled people in eastern Connecticut, outside of the school systems, said Drake, who works for The Arc Eastern Connecticut.

Delaware

Wilmington:The State Fair returns Thursday, and there are some posh new attractions this year, including a butter sculpture, along with a stacked and diverse concert lineup on the M&T Bank Grandstand. Genres include rock, rap, county, contemporary Christian and Latin music. This summer marks the first time in the fair’s 102-year history that it will feature a Latin artist (Fank Reyes) as a headliner. Nelly will be the first rapper at the State Fair since Flo Rida in 2009. Fairgoers can witness live butter sculpting daily in the Exhibit Hall from noon to 8 p.m. For more information on the fair, visit delawarestatefair.com or call (302) 398-3269.

District of Columbia

Washington:Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.’s delegate to the U.S. House, said she plans to introduce a bill to provide additional funding for FEMA’s food and shelter program designated for humanitarian assistance to migrants, including those bused to the District by Texas and Arizona, WUSA-TV reported. The busing of migrants to D.C. will also be a point of discussion at a Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments virtual meeting Friday.

Florida

St. Petersburg: Fewer manatee deaths have been recorded this year in Florida compared to the record-setting numbers in 2021, but wildlife officials cautioned chronic starvation remains a dire and ongoing threat to the marine mammals. Between Jan. 1 and July 15, about 631 manatee deaths have been confirmed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. That compares with 864 during the same period last year, when a record number of manatees died mainly from a lack of seagrass food, which was decimated by water pollution. The five-year average of manatee deaths in that time frame is 481. Despite some glimmers of hope, wildlife officials said during a news conference Wednesday that manatees continue to face dwindling food options and many survivors have been severely weakened by malnutrition, which leaves them more vulnerable once cold weather sets in. How manatees fare this summer when more food is available will determine how they survive in the winter, said Martine de Wit, a veterinarian overseeing necropsies and coordinating rescues of ill manatees for the state wildlife commission. There are about 7,500 manatees in the wild in Florida, according to wildlife commission figures. They have long struggled to coexist with humans. Seagrass-killing pollution and boat strikes are now the main threats facing the creatures.

Georgia

Marietta: The rollout of a new logo for an Atlanta-area elementary school has been paused after parents noted similarities to a Nazi symbol, though a school district said the design was based on a U.S. Army colonel’s eagle wings. The Cobb County School District said it has halted distribution of the new logo for East Side Elementary School in Marietta after it drew condemnation on social media. The logo depicts an eagle, the school’s mascot, over the school’s initials ES. The Nazi eagle, which was developed in the 1920s and later became a symbol for white supremacists, depicts an eagle holding a swastika in its talons. Georgia’s second-largest school district announced plans to delay the new logo while “immediately reviewing needed changes.”

Hawaii

Honolulu: The National Science Foundation said it plans to conduct a study to evaluate the environmental effects of building one of the world’s largest optical telescopes on a site selected in Hawaii. The agency published a notice in the Federal Register of its intentions to prepare an environmental impact statement for the $2.65 billion Thirty Meter Telescope. The telescope’s supporters have pursued plans to build it on their preferred site on the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s tallest mountain and one of the world’s best locations for viewing the night sky, for more than a decade. But there is strong opposition from Native Hawaiians who consider the mountain’s summit sacred. The National Science Foundation plans to host four meetings on the Big Island of Hawaii in August. It said it won’t decide on whether to fund the telescope until after it considers public input, the environmental review, the project’s technical readiness and other factors. Protesters blocked construction crews in 2015 and 2019, saying building a new telescope there would further defile a site that they said has been harmed by a dozen other observatories. The TMT International Observatory, the international consortium of scientists behind the project, has selected the Spanish island of La Palma off Africa’s western coast as an alternate if it cannot build in Hawaii.

Idaho

Boise: The Idaho Endowment Fund that distributes money to public schools and other entities lost $400 million in the fiscal year that wrapped up at the end of June, state officials said. Investments Manager Chris Anton told the Idaho Land Board the fund lost about 13% of its value, dropping from $3.1 billion to $2.7 billion during what has been a tough stretch for investors. However, the fund is up 5.9% over the last three years and 8.3% over the last 10 years. Anton said his primary concern going forward was federal monetary policy aimed at controlling inflation without causing a severe recession. Anton noted that in fiscal year 2021, the endowment fund grew by nearly 30%, gaining about $750 million. The fund is spread out into various equity markets, as well as fixed income and real estate. Real estate is the only investment in the portfolio that went up in the last fiscal year, climbing nearly 28%. But only about 8% of the fund is invested in real estate.

Illinois

Springfield: City treasurer Misty Buscher said she will run for mayor next year, making her the first person to step in opposition to incumbent Jim Langfelder for his fight for a third term. Buscher, 51, has served as city treasurer since 2015 after more than 20 years in the city’s banking industry. Although city elections are nonpartisan, Buscher ran for city treasurer with the endorsement of the Sangamon County Democratic Party, which proved to be problematic the next year, when she identified as Republican and endorsed Donald Trump in his first run for the presidency. That earned her criticism from her opponent in 2019 for the treasurer’s chair, Jennifer Notariano, who had been active in local Democratic politics. Buscher, however, won in a landslide, getting nearly three-quarters of the vote for re-election. If elected, she would be the second woman to serve as mayor, after Karen Hasara served two terms from 1995 to 2003. She is the fifth woman to serve in elected city office and the second to serve as treasurer, with Judy Madonia serving in the role from 1987 to 2003. The other two women to serve in city office are Cecelia Tumulty, who was city clerk from 2003 to 2015 and her predecessor Norma Graves, who served from 1987 to 2003.

Indiana

Indianapolis: An Indiana law aimed at prohibiting abortions based on gender, race or disability is going into effect after a federal judge lifted an order first issued six years ago blocking its enforcement. U.S. District Judge Tonya Walton Pratt granted an order Monday removing her injunction that was sought by the Indiana attorney general’s office after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last month to allow states to make laws regarding abortion. The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana had successfully sued to block the law after it was adopted by Indiana’s Republican-dominated Legislature in 2016, but it conceded defeat in light of the Supreme Court ruling.

Iowa

Janesville: Fairbank Mayor Gregory “Mike” Harter, 71, died when a vehicle he was in driven by a 14-year-old driver’s education student collided with another vehicle, authorities said. Harter died at the scene of the crash Monday morning on U.S. 218 near Janesville, city officials said. Police said the vehicle being driven by a 14-year-old from Waterloo went onto the shoulder. The driver overcorrected, crossed the highway and median and collided with an oncoming car, police said. The driver and another 14-year-old in the car, and the driver of the second vehicle, were injured, police said. Harter was mayor of Fairbank since 2018 after serving for two years on the City Council, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported. He was a former educator who retired nearly a decade ago as a school superintendent.

Kansas

Topeka:A couple that moved to Mississippi a month ago finally got their possessions back, 28 days after movers left Topeka with them. Jean St. Felix, the owner of Miami-based JM Moving Co., returned those possessions early Tuesday night at a storage facility in Ocean Springs, Miss., where Craig and Linda Wright now live, Linda Wright said. Almost everything the couple owned was packed into a 26-foot U-Haul trailer driven by St. Felix, which left June 21 from their North Topeka storage unit, ostensibly en route to Ocean Springs. The Wrights said they paid St. Felix $3,500 up front before he left Topeka with their possessions in a U-Haul that surfaced empty days later. After that, Linda Wright said she touched base with St. Felix every third day to get a progress report.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Gov. Andy Beshear and mental health advocates in Kentucky expressed hope Monday the launch of the 988 mental health crisis hotline will help remove the stigma of reaching out for assistance. The hotline went live nationally on Saturday, offering quick help for suicidal thoughts and other mental health emergencies. People taking the calls are trained counselors. Beshear noted suicide is the second-leading cause of death among youth and young adults in Kentucky. Counselors can link Kentucky callers to other mental health and substance abuse services, providing a “strong safety net” in communities, said Audra Hall, coordinator of emergency services for Pennyroyal Center in Hopkinsville.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: Amid worsening problems at a south Louisiana juvenile detention facility – including a weekend escape that allegedly ended with a violent carjacking – Gov. John Bel Edwards said some of the youths will be temporarily moved to the state penitentiary at Angola. Edwards said about half of the 50 or so juveniles at Bridge City Center for Youth will be housed in coming weeks at a “secure, independent housing unit” at the penitentiary at Angola which once served as a reception center. The governor said the youths “will not, under any circumstances, have contact with adult inmates.” Simultaneously, construction crews will begin renovating a section of the Jetson Center for Youth in Baker. Once that work is complete, the juveniles relocated to Angola will be transferred there, he added.

Maine

Portland: The deaths of dozens of seals off the coast of Maine has been deemed an “unusual mortality event,” sparking a federal investigation into strandings that appear linked to avian influenza. The seal strandings began in June and 159 have been reported through Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. Most of the seals were found dead. The NOAA gave the strandings, which have affected harbor and gray seals, the “unusual” designation Friday. That authorizes a federal investigation to try to determine the cause and minimize deaths. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed samples from four stranded seals tested positive for avian flu, which has been found in more than 40 states since it was detected in the winter of 2021. The risk to the public from the occurrence of avian flu in seals is low, but beachgoers should take precautions anyway, NOAA representatives said.

Maryland

Princess Anne: More than 1,000 locations across Somerset County in the lower Eastern Shore are scheduled to be connected to broadband internet because of federal and state funding. On July 8, Gov. Larry Hogan announced $100 million in internet infrastructure grants to jurisdictions across the state with money received through the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Massachusetts

Boston: Two police unions want to roll back limits on when they can use tear gas, pepper spray and other less-than-lethal crowd control methods, which the City Council implemented last year. The unions are asking a judge to rule on whether the City Council ordinance is valid and enforceable, and also on the validity of an independent board to investigate allegations of police misconduct created in January. The Boston Police Superior Officers Federation and the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society filed the suit Monday in Suffolk County Superior Court. The ordinance came about after Boston police were criticized for some of their crowd control measures during a June 2020 protest, amid nationwide demonstrations sparked by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. The unions said the use-of-force rules are based on politics and put public safety at risk.

Michigan

Lansing: An effort by Republicans in the Legislature to weaken minimum wage and sick-leave laws was declared unconstitutional Tuesday. A judge on the Court of Claims threw out changes made late in 2018 as Republican Gov. Rick Snyder was near the end of his term and Democrats were preparing to take over top statewide posts. Advocates had turned in enough signatures to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2022 and eliminate a lower tipped wage in the restaurant industry. The minimum wage now is $9.87 an hour; less for tipped workers. There was also a successful petition drive to expand sick leave opportunities. The Legislature adopted both in 2018 – a possible step – instead of letting voters have their say. But lawmakers then returned a few months later and watered them down by a simple majority vote. Appeals are likely. Wendy Block of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce said businesses could suffer with the sudden changes.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: State government employees who are unvaccinated for COVID-19 are no longer required to take weekly tests for the virus in order to stay in the workplace. The requirement that went into effect in September meant thousands of employees took tests each week. Those that didn’t comply were subjected to suspensions or other discipline. A state official said the requirement was rescinded because of the evolving nature of the virus. Patrick Hogan, a spokesman for the Department of Minnesota Management and Budget, said agencies can still adopt their own procedures. And, a small number of state workers in health care settings are still bound by federal vaccination rules that took hold in January. Without publicity, Gov. Tim Walz’s administration rescinded the policy in late May, Minnesota Public Radio News reported.

Mississippi

Jackson: A county-owned Mississippi hospital system that wants to put itself up for sale said one of its main financial challenges is the decision by the state’s elected officials not to extend Medicaid to provide insurance coverage for the working poor. Singing River Health System is owned by coastal Jackson County. The system operates hospitals in Pascagoula, Gulfport and Ocean Springs. It also has about three dozen clinics and more than 3,500 employees. Trustees of the system announced June 1 that they had voted to put it up for sale or to seek a merger with another health system.

Missouri

Springfield:Missouri State University completed the purchase of its newest residence hall, built through a partnership with a private developer. Matt Morris, vice president for administrative services, confirmed the purchase price of $24 million. The seven-story, 402-bed hall on the west side of campus at 811 S. Holland Ave. sits on less than an acre. It is expected to open in August with every bed taken. It includes a four-story parking garage with 285 spaces. The residence hall rooms are on the upper floors. There is dining and retail space in the building. An executive committee of the MSU Board of Governors was expected to vote Wednesday to name the building Heitz House.

Montana

Billings: The Montana Republican Party platform opposes nearly all abortions after a vote of those attending the party’s platform convention over the weekend. Party members on Saturday approved a platform that opposes all elective abortions. They rejected a proposal to allow exceptions for rape or incest, Montana Public Radio reported. “What makes this language even harder for me is in the case of rape and incest, because I do not believe that the baby should be responsible for the sins of another person,” Rep. Jedediah Hinkle of Belgrade said during the meeting in Billings. The platform does allow abortion care in cases of miscarriage or threats to the life of the mother, Republican lawmakers told the Montana State News Bureau, although the allowable circumstances are not completely known. Party spokesperson Alden Tonkay did not return an email seeking comment on Tuesday. No one answered the phone at the Montana Republican Party headquarters in Helena. In Montana, access to abortion care is protected by the privacy right guaranteed in the state Constitution, according to a 1999 Montana Supreme Court ruling. Republican lawmakers passed several bills regulating abortions during the 2021 legislative session. Three of the new laws are temporarily blocked by an injunction that the state has asked the Montana Supreme Court to vacate.

Nebraska

Lincoln: The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department reported 656 COVID-19 cases last week, about a 2% decline from the 671 cases from the previous week, the Lincoln Journal Star reported. But as of Monday, there were 57 COVID-19 patients in Lincoln hospitals, the highest number since Feb. 20, although that number dropped to 44 as of Tuesday.

Nevada

Boulder City: A transformer exploded Tuesday at Hoover Dam, one of the nation’s largest hydroelectric facilities, producing a thick cloud of black smoke and flames that were quickly extinguished. No one was injured in the explosion near the base of the dam, an engineering marvel on the Colorado River that straddles the border of Arizona and Nevada. Electricity produced at Hoover Dam continued flowing to the 8 million people in Arizona, Nevada and Southern California who rely on it, the Western Area Power Administration said. The cause of the fire was under investigation and officials were working to determine the extent of damage to the transformer, one of 15 at the complex that control the voltages for power sent to customers. “There is no risk to the power grid,” said Jacklynn Gould, a regional director for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

New Hampshire

Portsmouth: Construction of the city’s new skateboard park off Route 33 could begin as soon as next spring. Mayor Deaglan McEachern said the project, which will also include a multipurpose playing field, a bicycle pump track and parking, is something “we’d like to see started as soon as possible.” His comments came Tuesday after the City Council voted last week to approve a bond issue of $1.8 million for the new park, which will be located at what is known as the city’s stump dump. McEachern said the project will likely be built in phases, with the skatepark being completed first, followed by the multipurpose field.

New Jersey

Red Bank: An air conditioning failure at Riverview Medical Center’s emergency room prompted a partial evacuation Wednesday morning, even as the Jersey Shore faces a stretch of miserably hot and humid weather. Several units “went offline,” according to a statement from Tony Perry, a spokesman for Hackensack Meridian Health, which operates Riverview. Emergency workers from the New Jersey EMS Task Force, Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management and EMS coordinators and Neptune Township Office of Emergency Management responded to the hospital, setting up six air conditioning units, according to a Facebook post from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office. Medical ambulance buses from Middlesex and Monmouth counties also responded.

New Mexico

Carlsbad: A transmission line will send wind power generated in southern New Mexico 550 miles west into Arizona, where it could serve urban markets there and in California. The SunZia Transmission project was acquired by Pattern Energy and will combine with the company’s existing plans to develop wind power in the region. The line starting near the border of Lincoln and Torrance counties will have a capacity of 3,000 megawatts – enough to meet energy needs of 2.5 million Americans, per a report from Pattern. Together, the wind and transmission projects marked an $8 billion investment by the company, and construction was planned to begin in 2023.

New York

New York City: Former Mayor Bill de Blasio said he is ending his campaign for a U.S. House seat in New York, dropping out after two months by saying it’s clear “people are looking for another option.” The Democrat was running in a crowded primary for a deep-blue congressional district that includes his Brooklyn home and parts of southern Manhattan. He considered running for governor of New York but opted not to challenge incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul. He also had a short-lived run for president in 2019, which lasted two months longer than this year’s congressional campaign. Recent polling had placed de Blasio near the bottom of the field of 13 Democrats seeking to represent New York’s 10th Congressional District. Jerry Nadler represents New York’s 10th district now but will no longer live in it after redistricting.

North Carolina

Raleigh: A former interim head of North Carolina’s community college system will return to the position while its governing board seeks a permanent replacement for President Thomas Stith III, who abruptly resigned this week. The State Board of Community Colleges voted Wednesday to appoint Bill Carver as interim president, a position he held in late 2020 while the board decided to choose Stith to succeed Peter Hans. The board announced Tuesday it accepted Stith’s resignation, effective Friday, after barely 18 months on the job. His departure came days after the board met privately in part to consider Stith’s performance. Board members also have been concerned about high personnel turnover at the system office in Raleigh.

North Dakota

Bismarck: The operators of an ethanol plant in North Dakota said the state’s first carbon capture and storage project is up and running. Carbon emissions from Red Trail Energy’s plant near Richardton are injected thousands of feet into the earth as a way to fight climate change, as less carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. Red Trail CEO Gerald Bachmeier said after six years of research, development and investment, the company is celebrating the achievement which “establishes a trail for other industries in the state to follow.” North Dakota’s Industrial Commission approved the project last fall, the Bismarck Tribune reported. Gov. Doug Burgum, who leads the commission, has a goal of making North Dakota carbon-neutral by 2030, which involves striking a balance between the carbon dioxide released from within the state and the amount of emissions contained or offset in some way.

Ohio

Columbus: The City Council approved a new jobs growth incentive agreement Monday night estimated to deliver $1.53 million over five years to Aware, a Columbus-based software firm that designs systems for employers to monitor and analyze their workers’ electronic communications and interactions. The seven-member Council approved the Aware tax-sharing agreement unanimously. It gives the software firm 25% of the municipal income tax collected on new employees, and 30% if those employee live within the city, for the next five years. The city stands to make more than $4 million over five years for its cut of the new employee taxes, according to a city Development Department analysis.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: A federal audit report sharply criticized Oklahoma officials for a lack of transparency, oversight and accountability in the use of coronavirus relief funds that were intended for education. The state, which received nearly $40 million in pandemic assistance for the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief, or GEER, Fund, has returned more than $919,000 that was unspent from the program. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General report dated Monday recommended the state return nearly $653,000 more that was spent on noneducation-related items such as televisions and Xbox gaming systems by families that received grants. The document also called for the state to audit another $5.4 million for possible refund of misspent funds, and develop better management and internal controls of the spending. A spokesperson for Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, Kate Vesper said the report is being reviewed.

Oregon

Salem: Oregonians will decide in November whether people wanting to purchase a gun will first have to qualify for a permit, after one of the strictest gun-control measures in the nation landed on the ballot. Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s elections division determined Monday the gun-safety campaign delivered enough verified signatures of registered voters to put Initiative 17 on the ballot for the Nov. 8 election. Election officials said 131,671 signatures were validated, more than the minimum 112,080 that were needed. The measure would ban large-capacity magazines of more than 10 rounds – except for current owners, law enforcement and the military – and require a permit to purchase any gun. To qualify for a permit, an applicant would need to complete an approved firearm safety course, pay a fee, provide personal information, submit to fingerprinting and photographing and pass a criminal background check. The state police would create a firearms database. Applicants would apply for the permit from the local police chief, county sheriff or their designees.

Pennsylvania

Stroudsburg: Pocono Raceway and the NASCAR Foundation kicked off race week with a surprise visit from Tricky the fox at the Pocono Family YMCA on Monday morning. Pocono Raceway President Ben May and Tricky handed out Speediatrics Fun Day Festival Kits to the children in attendance. The kits were packed with gear for the children to complete the weeklong program, which is geared toward inspiring children to lead a healthy lifestyle through the lens of NASCAR. Supplies included an activity book with colored pencils, a water bottle, a pedometer watch, sunglasses and more. The program will culminate in the inaugural Speediatrics Fun Day Festival at Pocono Raceway on Friday.

Rhode Island

Providence: Anthony Silva, Gov. Dan McKee’s former chief of staff, did not break the law by involving himself in efforts to secure approval to develop wetlands in which he had a financial interest but he did show “poor judgment,” state Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a report released Wednesday. Although Silva’s dealings with state Department of Environmental Management and Cumberland town officials were not criminal, his conduct undermined confidence in state government, the 22-page report concluded. Silva resigned in August when the issue became what McKee called a “distraction,” and the Democratic governor requested the investigation. Silva maintained he did nothing wrong.

South Carolina

Columbia: A House committee reviewing South Carolina’s abortion law suggested the state ban almost all abortions other than when the life of the mother is at risk. The state has a ban at roughly six weeks that includes exceptions for rape and incest. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, conservatives in the General Assembly started to look at whether they could join the growing number of states banning the procedure. The 12-member special panel voted 9-3 with all eight Republicans joining one of the House’s most conservative Democrats in approving the new bill.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: Patients enrolled in South Dakota’s medical marijuana program will have their first opportunity to buy cannabis from a state-licensed facility next week. It has been a year and a-half since state voters overwhelmingly approved medical marijuana. The co-owner of one dispensary, United Rd. in Hartford, said the business has secured the first initial inventory available to state-run stores and the showroom is ready for customers. The building was created with security in mind, said co-owner B.J. Olson. “We started with a vault and then built the building around the vault. We have 8-inch poured concrete walls, reinforced with rebar,” Olson said. Medical marijuana so far has only been available on tribal land in South Dakota, but next Wednesday, Unity Rd. will be the first state-licensed dispensary to offer cannabis.

Tennessee

Nashville: The Tennessee Human Rights Board of Commissioners has named Muriel Malone Nolen executive director to oversee the agency. Nolen was named executive director effective Monday after working with the agency since 2021, according to a news release. She previously worked as an assistant district attorney general in Shelby County for 18 years. Nolen replaces Beverly Watts, who stepped down in February after news outlets reported that a state investigation found she created a toxic work environment.

Texas

Georgetown: The city has attracted a new solar roof business with the help of a $3.24 million incentive package that includes property tax abatements and job credits. GAF Energy, a Standard Industries company, has begun building a 450,000-square-foot facility on the southeast corner of Interstate 35 and Southeast Inner Loop, according to a city news release. Construction is expected to be finished in June 2023. The company plans to hire 265 employees in high-tech jobs over the next 10 years, the city said. It said the total capital investment for the project is estimated to be more than $100 million in that time. The net 10-year economic impact to Georgetown is estimated to be $3.75 million, city officials said.

Utah

St. George:Police bomb squad members gave the “all clear” after checking on a bomb threat made at Utah Tech University late Tuesday. Campus police evacuated buildings in the vicinity of the Smith’s Computer Center on the university’s main St. George campus after dispatchers received a call reporting the threat at about 3 p.m. The buildings were swept by the bomb squad four times and then given the all-clear, according to Jordan Sharp, UT Vice President of Marketing and Communication. The search took roughly an hour to complete.

Vermont

Hinesburg: A Vermont family’s chicken is back home after hitching a ride in the undercarriage of their pickup truck and ending up 13 miles away in the state’s largest city late last month – a journey that included speeds of 65 mph on an interstate. Someone having coffee on Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace, an outdoor pedestrian mall, spotted the chicken and knew the bird was in a predicament, WCAX-TV reported. Witness Lo Fasano called rehabilitators, Shelburne Farms and the police. “They said they don’t do chickens,” Fasano said. So Fasano took the chicken home, gave her food and a place to nest, and turned to social media. A Facebook post led to finding the chicken’s owners in Hinesburg who were worried about the lost hen. The chicken is now home. Because of her adventurous spirit, the family changed her name from Bug to Amelia after Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean.

Virginia

Tappahannock: A fire that spread quickly through the downtown area damaged or destroyed part of a historic district, impacted businesses and displaced at least one family, officials said. The fire swept through downtown buildings in Tappahannock on Friday, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. Several firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion in the fire that began before noon in the back of a furniture store on Prince Street, a block south of the Downing Bridge that spans the Rappahannock River. Officials also said other nearby buildings in the town’s historic area, including several vacant homes, were damaged or destroyed, affecting an art gallery, real estate office, beauty parlor and café, as well as apartments above the businesses. Tappahannock Essex Fire Chief Paul Richardson estimated damage at close to $2 million, although more time will be needed to fully assess the situation. It’s not known how the fire started. To fight the fire, firefighters at one point had to draw water from the nearby Rappahannock River when the town’s water supply wasn’t enough, Richardson said.

Washington

Olympia: The state Department of Ecology has canceled the drought declaration for central and eastern Washington because of unanticipated cool, wet weather in May and June. Water supply conditions have been much better than expected, and as a result, no part of the state is experiencing drought conditions, Ecology officials said Tuesday in a statement. Washington had the second-wettest May-through-June since 1895, officials said. That has preserved snowpack which will support late-summer water supply needs, according to Jeff Marti, the department’s statewide drought coordinator. This year’s conditions are in stark contrast with the spring of 2021, which was the second-driest on record. An unprecedented deadly late-June heat wave in the Pacific Northwest then broke temperature records across the state.

West Virginia

Charleston: Interstate 64 in West Virginia reopened Wednesday, a day after a tractor-trailer carrying a hazardous material overturned. The truck rolled over early Tuesday on westbound I-64 in Charleston. No injuries were reported. About 600 gallons of an acetone-based material spilled, destroying the highway’s pavement, the state Department of Transportation said in a news release. A contractor repaved the site. Westbound lanes of I-64 at the split with I-77 were shut down for more than 24 hours before being reopened late Wednesday morning.

Wisconsin

Keshena: The Menominee Indian Tribe said it is relaunching its effort, in partnership with Hard Rock International, to open a casino and entertainment complex in Kenosha. The tribe will be the owner of the casino complex and Hard Rock will be the developer and manager. Hard Rock International had planned to partner with the Menominee tribe to develop an $800 million hotel and casino at the former site of Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha. The plan, approved by the City of Kenosha and Kenosha County, was rejected by then-Gov. Scott Walker in 2015. Menominee Chairman Ronald Corn, Sr. said the revived effort is aimed at providing necessary resources for the ongoing and growing needs of the tribe, which is ranked as one of the largest and poorest in Wisconsin.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: The Wyoming Supreme Court reversed the prison sentence of a Jackson woman now serving 20 years for aggravated vehicular homicide, concluding the judge in her case considered two constitutionally prohibited factors when he punished her last year, the Casper Star Tribune reported.

50 States

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Alabama

Montgomery:Now that flooding from the Alabama River is easing, Riverfront Park is on the verge of a soggy comeback Friday. The park has been off limits for a couple of months because of flooding and damage from a swollen Alabama River. When Riverfront Park reopens, it will join dozens of Montgomery’s other parks as an outdoor area for people enjoy while observing coronavirus safety restrictions. Several weeks of flooding had left the park's walkway, Riverwalk Amphitheater and a large chunk of the open grass area covered in sand, dirt and muck. One place that will remain high and dry is Riverfront Park’s splash pad. It's closed until further notice because of coronavirus restrictions. Montgomery remains under Gov. Kay Ivey's statewide stay-at-home order. One exception is that people are allowed to participate in an outdoor activity as long as there are fewer than 10 people and everyone can maintain a constant 6-foot distance from each other.

Alaska

Juneau: Businesses in parts of Alaska cautiously began reopening Friday as part of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s plan to restart segments of the economy affected by coronavirus concerns. Signs of the times were everywhere: barbers wore face masks, and notices warned of limits on customer numbers. In Juneau, whose downtown core typically hums this time of year, many storefronts remained dark. The city earlier Friday urged businesses to wait to commit to reopening until the Assembly on Monday considers whether to “moderate” Dunleavy’s reopening approach. In Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz outlined plans for reopening Monday largely consistent with Dunleavy’s approach. Alaska is among the first states in the West to begin reopening, allowing restaurants to resume dine-in service and retail shops, personal care services and other businesses that were classified as nonessential to operate, all with limitations. Dunleavy, a Republican, has said health considerations must come first and that officials feel good about Alaska’s numbers, health care capacity, equipment and ability to track cases. The state has reported fewer than 350 cases of COVID-19, which includes 208 recovered cases, and nine deaths.

Arizona

Marana: Hundreds of airliners idled by the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the travel industry and other circumstances crowd a southern Arizona airfield where workers are trying to make room for even more aircraft that might not take to the skies again soon. Pinal Airpark just off Interstate 10 between Casa Grande and Tucson as of last week was providing storage space for approximately 270 aircraft, and manager Jim Petty said most of them were there because of the pandemic. About 250 miles away in northwestern Arizona, officials at Kingman Municipal Airport hope to also attract some of the plane-storage business as airlines ground more aircraft and move others to longer-term storage locations. The region’s warm, dry climate is considered ideal for mothballing aircraft, the Arizona Daily Star reported. Airpark can probably accommodate an additional 100 planes, depending on how large they are, said Jim Petty, Pinal County’s airport economic development director. Workers recently have been clearing new areas to accommodate even more arrivals. The influx of aircraft began in March as travel restrictions and plummeting demand prompted carriers to slash service on many international routes.

Arkansas

Little Rock: No traditional in-person high school graduations can be held in Arkansas until at least July 1 because of the coronavirus pandemic, but schools that want to hold a ceremony earlier can explore virtual options, state officials said Saturday. “In some communities, they want to go ahead and do something in the normal time and in that case, we are going to allow them to create non-traditional, either by remote means, by digital means, by video,” state Education Secretary Johnny Key said. “There are a number of techniques that schools have already started exploring.” Key said that as they approach July 1, they will consult with health officials to see if the date needs to be modified. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he has received many calls asking about high school graduations. “I’m very sympathetic because I have a granddaughter who is a senior in high school this year but it’s really a risk whenever you bring thousands of parents and students together in one assembly,” Hutchinson said.

California

San Francisco: Two women have been charged with stealing items from a Walgreens in San Francisco and escaping by coughing at employees and claiming to have the coronavirus. Carmelita Barela, 36, and Rosetta Shabazz, 32, were charged with robbery affecting interstate commerce, federal prosecutors announced Friday. The San Francisco women were arrested Thursday. It wasn’t immediately clear whether they had attorneys who could speak on their behalf. A federal complaint said the women entered the store near the Civic Center on April 6, carrying empty bags. “After the store manager offered assistance, Shabazz allegedly began to cough without covering her mouth,” according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office. The store manager asked Shabazz to leave if she was sick. “Instead, Shabazz walked over to Barela and both defendants began to cough audibly while taking merchandise off the shelves and placing it into their bags,” the statement said. “The manager told the defendants to leave the store, to which they responded by saying, “We have COVID.’ ” The manager and a security guard didn’t want to go near the women, who filled their bags with about $90 worth of goods and left without paying, authorities said. If convicted, the women could each face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Colorado

Greeley: There won’t be a Greeley Stampede this summer because of concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus, organizers said Saturday. The popular rodeo and accompanying musical performances have been “postponed” and are unlikely to take place in 2020, marketing coordinator Kevin McFarling said. Those who had purchased tickets will be offered the choice of receiving a refund or a credit toward 2021 performances. Information on claiming a refund or credit will be available soon at GreeleyStampede.org. The Greeley Stampede is generally regarded as one of the premier rodeos in the country, making USA TODAY’s top 10 list in 2018 and 2019. It ranks among the top 20 in prize money on the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit. Musical performances this year were scheduled to include Chris Young, 3 Doors Down, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, LOCASH, Phil Vassar and Lecrae.

Connecticut

Hartford: The city is moving to increase testing for the new coronavirus, offer free transportation to testing appointments and launch a community education campaign to lessen the impact on black, Hispanic and low-income residents, who have been hit disproportionately hard in communities of color across the country. About 820 city residents have tested positive for the virus and about 72 have died as of Friday, but Mayor Luke Bronin said the true scope of the local outbreak is unknown because of the lack of widespread testing. The city will also be conducting outreach to families who have confirmed cases of the virus, as well as those with suspected cases and is putting together a public education campaign in English and Spanish that will promote social distancing, wearing masks and hand washing, as well as provide information on health services and other resources.

Delaware

Wilmington:Delaware residents are now required to wear face coverings in public settings, according to Gov. John Carney’s latest modification to his state of emergency declaration. The order, which goes into effect at 8 a.m. Tuesday, deems settings like grocery stores, pharmacies, doctor’s offices and public transportation as mandatory places to wear face coverings. This also includes outdoor public spaces like parks and golf courses, “if maintaining social distancing of six (6) feet between individuals of different households is impracticable,” according to the order. The directive does not apply to children 12 or younger. It also requires businesses to follow a number of additional requirements starting May 1, including requiring employees to wear a face covering while working in areas open to the public or when coming within 6 feet of other staff. Additionally, it requires businesses to provide face coverings and hand sanitizer to their employees, as well as deny entry to people who do not have a face covering.

District of Columbia

Washington:The National Capital Poison Center said calls from people being exposed to hand sanitizer and disinfectants have seen a surge since March compared to the same time period last year. The report came as bogus home remedies for the new coronavirus continue to be discussed on areas of social media and following controversial comments President Donald Trump made during a news conference on Thursday. Information obtained from the National Capital Poison Center showed a dramatic rise in calls dealing with human exposure to hand sanitizer and disinfectants in areas around Washington, Northern Virginia, Prince George’s County and Montgomery County. According to the report, the center has dealt with 314 calls for disinfectant human exposure since March 1. The number marked an 111% increase compared to the same time period last year. The poison center also reported that the group has seen 112 calls dealing with human exposure to hand sanitizer since March 1, marking a 24% increase from a year ago.

Florida

Tampa: Two of the state’s largest police departments said they would delay buying body cameras because of financial concerns spawned by the coronavirus outbreak. Tampa police said that it would put on hold the purchase of more than 600 cameras that were supposed to have been acquired by the end of the year, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Across the bay, the St. Petersburg Police Department said that a body camera testing program has been delayed indefinitely, which in turn is postponing a decision by Police Chief to seek funding for hundreds of cameras. The city of Tampa had signed a five-year, $5 million contract to purchase more than 600 blue-tooth activated cameras that would have been distributed by the end of the year to every uniformed officer through the rank of corporal. Of that cost, about $1 million would have come from this year’s budget, Police Chief Brian Dugan said. However, the department is proceeding with a $500,000 purchase of Tasers.

Georgia

Atlanta: Business owners who chose to reopen after Gov. Brian Kemp relaxed coronavirus-related restrictions gratefully welcomed back customers, while others remained satisfied in their decision to stay closed. Russ Anderson, who owns four Ink Addiction Tattoo Studio shops in south Georgia, said Saturday he was thrilled to finally reopen his doors a day earlier. “I felt like a little kid at Disney World,” he said. Gyms, tattoo shops, nail salons and barber shops were among the businesses that were allowed to open Friday after Kemp relaxed a monthlong shutdown despite of warnings from health experts and disapproval from President Donald Trump. Another round of reopenings is set for Monday, when limited in-restaurant dining can resume and movie theaters can reopen. All the businesses have to adhere to restrictions including separating workers and enhanced sanitation. Shawn Gingrich, CEO and founder of Lion’s Den Fitness, said he decided very soon after the governor’s announcement that he would not be reopening his gym in midtown Atlanta right away. As he listened to the news on the radio Friday about businesses that were reopening, he felt discouraged. “We’ve sacrificed so much already,” he said Saturday. “I feel like if we do this too soon, we’ll see a spike in cases and we’re back to square one.”

Hawaii

Honolulu: Gov. David Ige on Saturday extended the state’s stay-at-home order and the mandatory quarantine for visitors through May 31. “This was not an easy decision. I know this has been difficult for everyone. Businesses need to reopen. People want to end this self-isolation and we want to return to normal,” Ige said in a statement. “But this virus is potentially deadly, especially for the elderly and those with preexisting conditions.” Ige also announced that elective surgeries can now take place and beaches will be open for exercise. At a news conference to outline the moves, Ige pointed to alarming COVID-19 clusters on the Big Island and Maui, Hawaii News Now reported. “We still need to remain vigilant,” he said. In his statement, Ige warned of undoing Hawaii’s progress in containing the virus if public places open up too early. The governor also extended an eviction moratorium, which prevents any eviction from a residential dwelling for failure to pay rent, through May 31.

Idaho

Boise: The head of an economic recovery committee formed by Gov. Brad Little to help the state reopen for business while also fighting the new coronavirus said Friday he’s optimistic Idaho will rebound, but there’s hard work ahead. Idaho Power CEO Darrel Anderson said the state can recover and even be poised to thrive when the pandemic passes, but businesses might have to adopt new practices. “What I would say is that the people of Idaho always seem to find a way,” Anderson said. “Idaho has always shown up when the chips are down.” The committee has about 30 members and is comprised of a cross-section of small and large business owners, including billionaire Frank Vandersloot, founder of wellness shopping club Melaleuca. Representatives from Micron and Simplot are also on the committee, as are several elected officials, including Republican House Speaker Scott Bedke, a rancher.

Illinois

Waukegan: A biochemical research company has opened a new site in Illinois to sterilize used N95 medical masks with hydrogen peroxide gas as the need for them has increased because of the coronavirus pandemic. Columbus, Ohio-based Battelle started the cleaning process at the Waukegan sterilization facility earlier this month, the Chicago Tribune reported. Company officials said the site can clean up to 80,000 masks daily. Health care workers use the N95 masks to prevent the spread of the virus. But supplies have plummeted amid the outbreak. The facility is intended to serve hospitals and first responders for free, said Lewis Von Thaer, CEO of Battelle, a nonprofit with a long history of government contracting. The Illinois site has been sterilizing masks for Advocate Aurora Health’s Illinois and Wisconsin hospitals, according to Battelle. Battelle has six pilot sterilization facilities. The federal government has awarded the company a $400 million contract to build 60 more facilities across the country. It will hire more than 1,000 people. The masks are not soggy after the cleaning process because the hydrogen peroxide is in gas form. The chemical is odorless and leaves behind no toxic residue, the company said. Company officials said the fabric of the mask does not break down, but the elastic bands will after about 20 cleanings.

Indiana

Indianapolis:The cancellation of conventions, conferences and trade shows because of the coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on tourism in Indianapolis, a tourism official said. Indianapolis attracted a record-breaking 30 million visitors last year, according to Chris Gahl, the senior vice president of marketing and communications for Visit Indy. Gahl said his nonprofit, which promotes Indianapolis, is doing its best to salvage the 2020 events that have been called off. Typically around 70% of Indianapolis hotel rooms are occupied but hotels are currently at around 7% occupancy. More than 80,000 residents depend on tourism for a paycheck, according to Visit Indy statistics, which showed that visitors spend $5.6 billion in Indianapolis and generate $725 million in state and local taxes. Gov. Eric Holcomb on April 17 extended Indiana’s stay-at-home order to May 1. He has said he hopes to reopen parts of Indiana’s economy starting in May, though organizers of conventions, sporting events, concerts and other events that attract large crowds might have to wait longer.

Iowa

Des Moines:The state’s three major public universities are planning to resume in-person classes in the fall, but they are still working out the details of what that would look like during the coronavirus pandemic. Iowa Board of Regents President Mike Richards said the schools will follow state and federal health guidelines as they develop plans to bring thousands of students back to the campuses of the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and Northern Iowa University. Board of Regents spokesman Josh Lehman told the Des Moines Register that specific plans for the fall semester will be shared as they are developed. Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is beginning to ease some coronavirus restrictions even though COVID-19 is still spreading in Iowa. University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld said the school is taking a cautious approach to planning for the fall. Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen said in a letter to faculty and staff last week that the school is facing more than $80 million in losses and additional expenses since April 3 because of the pandemic. That total includes nearly $17 million in refunds to students and families for housing, dining and other fees. Wintersteen said she will continue to prioritize the health of students, faculty and staff as plans for the fall are developed.

Kansas

Belle Plaine: Gov. Laura Kelly said she has reached a deal that could resolve a lawsuit brought by two churches challenging her order banning religious gatherings of more than 10 people to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Under the deal, the two churches and the Democratic governor agreed to the extension of a temporary restraining order that allows the churches to disregard the 10-person limit. The court’s initial order let the two churches to gather in-person until May 2 as long as they complied with social-distancing measures, including keeping worshippers a safe distance from each other. The new proposal would extend that court order to May 16. The agreement, which a judge must still approve, essentially allows the churches to continue in-person services while the governor finalizes plans for her less restrictive statewide reopening orders that would take effect on May 4. The churches and their pastors filed a federal lawsuit earlier this month against Kelly, arguing that the directive violates their religious and free-speech rights, as well as their right to assembly. A religious freedom advocacy group, Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a news release that it reserved the right to continue litigating the matter if the governor does not follow through with “appropriately amending her mass gathering ban.”

Kentucky

Louisville:Nearly four dozen rural hospitals in Kentucky will receive help in fighting the coronavirus pandemic after they received a total of $3.8 million from the federal CARES Act, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Saturday. The University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health is getting $3,878,582 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, and the funds will go to 46 rural hospitals to support their efforts in fighting COVID-19, McConnell said in a news release. The emergency relief package aims to support American workers, families and industries facing health and economic challenges under the pandemic. The UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health, based in Hazard, was established by state legislation in 1990 to study and help fix health disparities in rural Kentucky. The CARES Act funding gives hospitals “maximum flexibility” in how they respond to COVID-19 within their communities, according to the release. The money could support testing and lab services, for example, and also purchase personal protective equipment for hospital staff working to treat COVID-19 patients. The Kentucky Office for Rural Health will oversee the disbursement of the federal funds to 46 rural hospitals across the state.

Louisiana

Reserve: A nursing home for veterans has one of the state’s deadliest coronavirus clusters, data showed. In the last month, there have been 43 deaths at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home in Reserve, though just more than half were attributed to the virus, said Brandee Patrick, a spokeswoman for the facility’s operator, the state Department of Veterans Affair. The home, which held around 150 veterans when the outbreak began, now has just 96 left, The New Orleans Advocate reported. Five of them are hospitalized. Of the rest, 47 have tested negative for the virus, 34 have tested positive and six had inconclusive results, Patrick said. St. John the Baptist Parish Coroner Christy Montegut has said it’s possible that some of those nursing home residents who died early in the outbreak could have had the virus. That comes after new evidence showed the virus was infecting Americans earlier than previously thought. The facility has been on lockdown for more than a month. Contact has been limited to phone calls and videoconferencing.

Maine

Augusta: More than a dozen Maine health care industry groups representing hospitals, nursing homes, doctors and others are asking Gov. Janet Mills for civil and criminal immunity during the civil state of emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The request asked Mills to suspend the laws holding health care providers and their employees responsible for death or injury during the state of emergency, the Bangor Daily News reported Saturday. Harm due to gross negligence would be an exception. Because Maine’s Legislature has adjourned, the action would need to come through an executive order from the governor. The governor’s office is still reviewing the request, Mills spokeswoman Lindsay Crete said. Jeff Austin, a spokesman for the Maine Hospital Association, said its members were particularly concerned about having to reallocate resources in the event of a surge in cases

Maryland

Annapolis:Gov. Larry Hogan said Maryland could be ready by early May to begin phase one of its recovery process if residents continue to stay home and abide by social distancing guidelines. Maryland isn’t ready to lift restrictions right away, but the governor said he’s optimistic in which he introduced the state’s recovery plan. The two key metrics officials are watching are the rate of hospitalizations and the number of patients being admitted to ICUs. The Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery takes into consideration the guidelines recently issued by the White House and the principles of the National Governors’ Association recovery plan, as well as input from experts. Recovery will be gradually rolled out in three phases. Hogan said the first phase will involve lifting the stay-at-home order, reopening many small businesses and restarting low-risk community activities. Certain counties with lower case concentrations will be allowed to reopen retail shops, golf courses, playgrounds and libraries, as well as begin recreational boating and fishing, tennis, outdoor fitness and religious activities. But social distancing would need to continue. As long as there’s no spike in deaths or admissions to intensive care units, Hogan said the state would then move on to phase two, which would allow for a larger number of businesses to reopen, including restaurants and bars, with significant safety precautions in place.

Massachusetts

Boston: A Massachusetts factory that usually makes some of the nation’s most beloved board games, including Monopoly, Risk and Candyland, has pivoted to making personal protective equipment for heath care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Charlie Baker said Saturday. The Cartamundi-owned Hasbro factory is making 50,000 face shields per week for hospitals in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the Republican said after a tour of the East Longmeadow facility. Making games and making personal protective equipment have the same goal, President and COO John Frascotti said. “It is our job to make the world a better place for children and their families,” he said. Baker also said an investigation into the high number of COVID-19-related deaths at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home is progressing, but there is no timetable for completion. Former federal prosecutor Mark Pearlstein has “free reign” to conduct his investigation, Baker said.

Michigan

Detroit: Foster child placement agencies are facing new challenges because the governor’s stay-at-home order has blocked most birth parents from visiting their children in wake of coronavirus outbreak. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s decision has prompted worries that families providing foster care or completing certification may stop because of health concerns or job losses. Janet Reynolds Snyder, executive director of the Michigan Federation for Children and Families, a Lansing-based association that has about 60 family support and child welfare service agencies in the state, said the directive supports good health, but it is important for foster children to have access to their biological parents. JooYeun Chang, executive director of Michigan’s Children’s Services Agency with the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, said discontinuing contact was a “painful” decision for the administration. Cynthia Johnson, an Oakland County resident who is caring for children ages 1, 5 and 6, is helping the two oldest with their school curriculum because the governor’s order has closed school districts. Johnson and her husband, Michael, keep contact with the children’s relatives frequently. “My job is to make sure that these kids are safe,” Johnson said. “We have to look out for ourselves, and we both have to look out for the kids.”

Minnesota

Minneapolis: City officials are putting an end to pickup basketball games and other outdoor recreation because people continue to gather in city parks and fields as the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continues to rise. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board announced Friday it will close courts, athletic fields, playgrounds and skate parks by May 1, the Star Tribune reported. The decision includes removing or blocking basketball rims, removing tennis and volleyball nets, and posting signs notifying park visitors that soccer fields, playgrounds and skate parks are closed. The city has received more than 125 complaints of large groups at parks, many playing sports such as soccer and basketball, officials said.

Mississippi

Greenwood: A school district in the Mississippi Delta should wait to try to borrow money because voters might be reluctant to support a bond issue during the coronavirus pandemic, said a retired educator who serves in two elected offices. David Jordan spoke last week at a board meeting for the Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District, the Greenwood Commonwealth reported He is a Democrat who serves in the Mississippi Senate and on the Greenwood City Council. The Greenwood Leflore district is considering a bond issue but has not specified how large it will be. It also has not set an election date. At least 60% of local voters must approve before a school district can borrow money through a bond issue. Jordan said reaching that margin can be difficult even without the financial uncertainty of the pandemic. Jordan mentioned a failed attempt to pass a 1998 bond issue that would have built a new Greenwood High School and a new elementary school. A less ambitious attempt by the Greenwood district four years later also failed. The Greenwood and Leflore County school districts have merged in the past two years. Jordan said the board should wait a couple of years for a bond vote. “I don’t think now is the time to do it because of what we have before us, the epidemic,” he said.

Missouri

O’Fallon: State health officials are hoping that a new testing strategy will help quickly identify people infected with the new coronavirus at meatpacking and food plants throughout the state. Outbreaks of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, have occurred at several U.S. meatpacking plants, where hundreds of people work next to each other on production lines and often share space in locker rooms and cafeterias. Several plants have been forced to temporarily close. In Missouri, at least 21 employees tested positive at Burgers Smokehouse, a smoked and cured meats plant in the small city of California. Forty-two of the 700 employees at a Conagra frozen meals plant in Marshall have also contracted COVID-19. And in St. Joseph, 16 workers at a Triumph Foods pork plant tested positive. Dr. Randall Williams, Missouri’s health director, said the state is deploying a new strategy to quickly test workers, including those who are asymptomatic, at plants where confirmed cases have occurred. The goal is to more quickly identify those who have the virus in the hopes of preventing it from spreading. Triumph Foods spokesman Chris Clark said all 2,800 employees of the St. Joseph plant will be tested, even those showing no symptoms.

Montana

Billings: The state took its first, halting step toward reopening on Sunday as churches were able to resume services and a general stay-at-home order expired. Although other states have been extending restrictions amid the continuing spread of the new coronavirus, Montana is among those that are beginning to loosen rules in hopes of restoring battered economies and regaining some normalcy. At Christ the King Lutheran Church in Billings, Pastor Ryan Wendt said the church was mixing faith with common sense precautions. Every other pew was being kept empty to comply with social distancing guidelines and elderly and medically vulnerable members of the congregation were advised to stay home. “This is God’s house. We are not doing frivolous, needless things. Not in a weird way, we simply trust that God is going to protect us and provide for us,” Wendt said. But some religious houses stayed shuttered as their leaders expressed worry that returning too soon could put people at risk. “We’ve been keeping our building clean and open and sanitized, but we’re not ready now. We just want to do a little more,” said Beth Rager with the Open Bible Christian Center in Billings, which plans to reopen in May. During the first phase of Montana’s reopening, which has no set timeline, people over age 65 and those with underlying health conditions are asked to continue to stay at home. Gyms, pools, movie theaters and bowling alleys will remain closed. Residents are still asked to minimize non-essential travel and to self-quarantine for 14 days after returning to the state.

Nebraska

Omaha: Business owners are starting to plan their comeback now that Gov. Pete Ricketts has unveiled his plan to ease coronavirus restrictions. Ricketts said Friday that he will relax restrictions in 59 counties, including those in the Omaha area. The new orders, effective until May 31, allow restaurants to reopen their dining rooms but require them to keep crowds at or below half of their capacity. Dining parties will be limited to six people, buffets will remain closed and bars will have to keep their dining areas closed. Ricketts’ plan also allows barbershops, tattoo parlors, salons and massage therapists to reopen, though they must adhere to social distancing precautions. Paul McCrae, owner of the Corner Kick Street Tacos and Tequila Cantina in Omaha, called the easing of restrictions a “life-saver,” especially with Cinco de Mayo the day after the reopening date. “That’s a big day for us,” McCrae told the Omaha World-Herald. But co-owners Kelsey Poulsen and Sarah Root of The Copper Pin Salon & Spa haven’t decided whether to open on May 4. About half of the 14-person staff don’t yet feel safe to return, they told the newspaper. “We’re thinking about taking the hit financially and keeping it closed until we can figure out how to safely operate,” Poulsen said. Ricketts, a Republican, didn’t order similar changes in the Lincoln area because that region’s public health restrictions don’t expire until May 6. The restrictions in the Omaha area were set to expire April 30.

Nevada

Reno:Hundreds of people gathered in Reno on Saturday for a second straight week of protests against Gov. Steve Sisolak’s sweeping efforts to contain the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The latest “Reopen Nevada” rally, like last week’s march to the Capitol in Carson City, was held in open defiance of statewide executive orders meant to encourage social distancing and prevent public gatherings of 10 or more people. Police estimated about 250 people showed up for the event. It also underscored the widening political divide over elected officials’ approach to fighting the pandemic, efforts protest organizers framed in starkly partisan terms. Monica Jaye – a conservative, Reno-based radio talk show host who headlined Saturday’s rally at Rancho San Rafael park – said officials had willfully inflated the virus’ death toll to push a leftist political agenda. She found plenty of sympathetic ears in a crowd dominated by supporters of President Donald Trump and organized by a group that has launched a bid to recall Nevada’s first-term Democratic governor. Jaye later said she had a better chance of being struck by lightning than dying of the coronavirus, a claim that won loud applause from the crowd.

New Hampshire

Concord: Officials have shut down more than 100 trail heads, shelters, picnic areas and other sites in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest. The U.S. Forest Service said Friday said the decision was based on federal, state and local guidance for physical distancing and to ensure the health and safety of employees, visitors and volunteers. It comes after officials reported an unseasonably high number of visitors who were “not able or willing” to follow social distancing recommendations. Trails remain open to those who can get to them on foot, but the state is under a stay-at-home order and officials have urged people to stay local for outdoor recreation.

New Jersey

Carteret:Mayor David Reimen is calling for the temporary closure of an Amazon warehouse following a report of a number of employees infected with the new coronavirus. NJ.com reported that after Business Insider quoted an employee as saying there were more than 30 cases of COVID19 at the Carteret Amazon fulfillment center, Reimen called on Middlesex County and state health officials to shutter the facility until all workers can be tested and the facility can be sanitized. An Amazon representative confirmed that there were cases but declined to tell NJ Advance Media how many employees at the Carteret facility tested positive for the virus. Spokeswoman Rachael Lighty said the company is “supporting the individuals who are recovering” and taking “extreme measures” to ensure the safety of workers. Reiman also called on the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to make sure there were proper protective supplies at the million-square-foot facility that employs 1,600 people. An advocacy group, Make The Road New Jersey, called on the governor to use his executive authority to shut down the warehouse, alleging that “it’s clear this outbreak is beyond Amazon’s control.”

New Mexico

Las Cruces: The City Council has extended Mayor Ken Miyagishima’s citywide emergency declaration order over the coronavirus pandemic. At a special Friday meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to extend the declaration, which was first proclaimed April 7, extended by council vote on April 10 and ran until April 24. The city plans to run the emergency proclamation concurrent with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s stay-at-home public health order, which lasts until May 15. The city council could, however, vote to rescind it before that order expires. The council approved an emergency powers provision for the mayor last month because the city previously had no mechanism for the mayor to declare an emergency. Miyagishima declared the citywide emergency April 7 to make it easier for the city to receive federal aid reimbursements for expenses incurred by the city as it fights the effects of the pandemic.

New York

New York City: Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday he hopes to have a road map by June 1 on how to rebuild the city after the coronavirus threat subsides. The mayor, a Democrat, said at a news conference that city leaders he has invited to help plan the city’s recovery should give him the road map by then. He said a full rebuild will take about 20 months. He also said the latest statistics on people being treated for COVID-19 continued to be stable or decline. The number of people in the city’s hospital intensive care units had dropped from 785 to 768. De Blasio said the city can’t begin reopening until decreases continue for 10 to 14 days. He said such a fall would signal it was time for the first steps in opening up. “The health indicators have to give us the all clear,” de Blasio said. “We restart when we have evidence. There’s no on-off switch here. It’s a series of careful, smart moves.”

North Carolina

Welcome: NASCAR team owner Richard Childress is auctioning one of the cars driven by the late Dale Earnhardt to raise money for coronavirus relief efforts. The Charlotte Observer reported that this is the first time Childress has sold or given away an original Earnhardt car from his personal collection. A news release Thursday from Richard Childress Racing officials doesn’t specify which of Earnhardt’s trademark No. 3 race cars is up for auction. Childress tweeted Friday that parting with one of his cars is “a small sacrifice” for him to make. Earnhardt died in a crash during the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in 2001. The eBay site for the auction doesn’t list a deadline for bidding on items.

North Dakota

Bismarck: The state’s largest manufacturer, Doosan Bobcat, has resumed operations after daylong shutdown to clean the factory after an employee reported symptoms of the new coronavirus. Doosan Bobcat public affairs director Stacey Breuer said in a statement the factory in Gwinner reopened Saturday night. The employee has tested positive for COVID-19, she said.

Ohio

Cincinnati:Parkers Blue Ash Tavern is closing permanently, according to a recent announcement on its website. Although the message is no longer on its site, an employee confirmed the business was closing because of the coronavirus pandemic. “It is with heavy hearts that we must announce the permanent closure of Parkers Blue Ash Tavern,” read a statement on the restaurant’s website. “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the restaurant industry and Parkers, in particular, has proven insurmountable for us to reopen.” The company said it will give refunds for issued gift cards. Gift card reimburses will be given once the corporate office is reopened. Email your contact information, gift card number and return mailing address to info@selectrestaurants.com. “We will always value the relationships we’ve formed over the years and will forever cherish our times together with you, the Blue Ash community.”

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Some businesses are reopening in parts of Oklahoma after Gov. Kevin Stitt eased restrictions put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, salons, spas and barbershops were allowed to reopen in much of the state, despite concerns from medical professionals. Those businesses have been told to adhere to social distancing standards, have employees wear masks and frequently sanitize equipment. Some of the state’s largest cities, including Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, decided to keep their bans in place until at least the end of the month, but other municipalities that had bans in place lifted them to align with the governor’s authorization. The mayors of Tulsa and Oklahoma City announced they would lift their stay-at-home orders next Friday, when Stitt, a Republican, has said that restaurants, movie theaters, gyms and places of worship can reopen. Teri Stevens, owner of The Barber Shop in the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow, told the Tulsa World that she was back at work cutting hair. She said her face was hot from wearing a mask and the atmosphere was “a little weird” because there’s usually “a little more camaraderie and people being out in the waiting area and everybody talking and socializing.” But Stevens said it was good to be back to work.

Oregon

Albany: The National Frozen Foods plant in Albany has shut down production because of an outbreak of COVID-19 that has sickened 10 people, Linn County Public Health announced Friday. Of the illnesses linked to the plant, eight are workers and two are associated with those employees, The Albany Democrat-Herald reported. The county worked with the plant to temporarily close the facility, said Linn County Sheriff’s Capt. Michelle Duncan, the county’s coronavirus pandemic spokeswoman. Steve Schossberger, general counsel and vice president of National Frozen Foods, said the shutdown started Friday and will continue at least through the weekend. A deep cleaning of the Albany plant will be done with the oversight of Linn County Public Health, he added. “We’ll look at opening back up on Monday, but only on automated lines. … That’s still yet to be determined,” Schossberger said. On the automated lines, workers would be at least 20 feet apart, he said. Employees will be notified by National Frozen Foods about how to receive testing and the next steps of the process. National Frozen Foods opened its Albany plant in 1982 and puts out millions of pounds of frozen produce each year. The plant processes beans, cut corn, squash, vegetable purees and cream-style corn, according to the company’s website.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: The state said 160 companies in 43 counties are getting help from a second round of state loan funding to help firms during the coronavirus pandemic. The state Department of Community and Economic Development said the companies have received a total of $13.5 million in loans as part of the COVID19 Working Capital Access Program. More than $23 million total has been awarded so far to businesses such as restaurants, wellness centers, wineries and breweries, consulting firms, salons and spas, officials said. Officials said the loans will help businesses quickly access capital to address critical needs while they follow shutdown and closure orders from the state.

Rhode Island

Providence: Even in the midst of the fight against the new coronavirus, Gov. Gina Raimondo is thinking about the budget process. Much depends on aid coming from Congress, she said Saturday. “Everything is on the table,” she said. “It’s going to be a brutal budget to balance.” She said layoffs and furloughs are inevitable. The state is “redeploying as many people as possible” to jobs where they are most needed now, such as contact tracing, she said. Department of Administration Director Brett Smiley said the Moody’s ratings service might have significantly underestimated Rhode Island’s revenue losses this year and next, The Providence Journal reported.

South Carolina

Columbia:In accepting delivery of 1.5 million surgical masks from China, officials in South Carolina took an opportunity Sunday to express appreciation for the supplies needed to stem the coronavirus outbreak but to also call for a lessening of U.S. reliance on the foreign country. “We want the masks made in the United States,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said during an availability on the tarmac of the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport after watching the unloading of the masks from a Boeing aircraft. “We don’t want to ever have to rely on China or anyone else for our basic health care needs.” Throughout the outbreak, Graham has repeatedly called for a draw-down of U.S. reliance on China, tweeting earlier this month he wanted the U.S. response to COVID-19 to be “so overwhelming China will change its behavior.” The Republican also told Fox News he felt the U.S. “should send China a bill for the pandemic.” Noting he expected a resurgence of the virus in the fall, Graham said Sunday he wanted the U.S. to be “much better prepared” in terms of needed supplies by the time that happens. U.S. Rep. William Timmons echoed Graham’s comments, saying of the necessity of a mask shipment from China: “This will not happen again.” The 1.5 million masks delivered Sunday are enough to equip PRISMA hospitals in South Carolina for one month, according to CEO Mark O’Halla. Of the shipment, 100,000 are being sent to the Medical University of South Carolina, he said.

South Dakota

Rapid City: Bars and restaurants are among the city businesses that could reopen under a plan that would require social distancing precautions to guard against spreading the new coronavirus. The City Council is scheduled to vote Monday on Mayor Steve Allender’s proposal, the Rapid City Journal reported. It would require bars and restaurants to maintain a minimum of 6 feet between tables, chairs and bar stools. Establishments would be allowed to have a maximum of 10 people, or for larger buildings, one customer for every 125 square feet of space. Food service employees would also be required to wear masks. Tony Demaro, owner of Murphy’s Pub & Grill and Kol, said he has been working with his staff to practice social distancing at the pub and is excited about the possibility of reopening next week. Takeout and delivery at his two businesses haven’t generated enough revenue to sustain being closed much longer, Demaro said. Justin Henrichsen, owner of Independent Ale House, said it would be difficult to make money under the proposed capacity restrictions.

Tennessee

Nashville:A federal appeals court has ruled that Tennessee must continue allowing abortions amid a temporary ban on nonessential medical procedures during the COVID-19 outbreak. The ruling followed a U.S. District judge’s order last week that abortions could proceed during the pandemic. The Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, based in Cincinnati, issued its opinion Friday. The justices wrote that courts must give governments flexibility to respond to a crisis. “Affording flexibility, however, is not the same as abdicating responsibility, especially when well-established constitutional rights are at stake, as the right to an abortion most assuredly is,” the court wrote in the 33-page opinion. Tennessee’s attorney general had argued that abortions are not being singled out but treated like any other procedure that is not necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury. Gov. Bill Lee issued an emergency order April 8 banning nonessential procedures for three weeks.

Texas

Dallas: As Texas eases restrictions put in place to fight the coronavirus pandemic, one clothing store owner said Saturday that most of her customers so far are sticking to having orders shipped even though retail “to go” is now allowed. Allison Scott, who along with her parents owns a franchise of the clothing store Apricot Lane in Dallas, said though that she thinks the “to go” offering does provide some happiness to those “who are just itching to go somewhere.” As of Friday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, allowed retailers to sell items for curbside pickup. Also last week, he reopened state parks and is allowing doctors to perform nonessential surgeries. But appointments at salons and dine-in restaurant service, for instance, are still not yet allowed. At Galleria Dallas, the shopping mall where Scott’s Apricot Lane store is located, shoppers can now pull up and their purchases are placed in their vehicle. Scott said that on Friday they took five orders down to customers, and none on Saturday. She said that as much as she would like to see things return to the way they were and people be allowed to shop in person again, she said she thinks it’s too risky health-wise right now.

Utah

St. George:To raise the spirit of residents and rekindle the importance of community bonding during the coronavirus pandemic, the City of St. George’s Leisure Services department has invited all residents to participate in the no-cost Stay Brighter Campaign from April 30 through May 30. The campaign is a 60-minute daily challenge that encourages citizens to stay active, stay kind and stay smart every day with 20 minutes allotted for each of the three disciplines. Examples include staying active by going for a walk or bike ride in the neighborhood, staying kind by doing things such as mailing a card to a grandparent or donating to a local food bank and staying smart by reading a book or learning something new. “We want to continue to spread joy and to work together — though we are physically apart — to show love, concern and support for others,” Michelle Graves, St. George Deputy Director of Arts and Events, said. “This time is a gift to stay sharp, creative, giving and healthy. We encourage St. George citizens to be a positive change in our city.” All residents are urged to participate and the daily challenge log, as well as more examples of each of the three disciplines, can be found online at www.sgcity.org/staybrighter.

Vermont

Barre Town: City officials plan to hold a “drive-thru” election rather than have voters cast ballots by mail in its annual election in June. The town pushed the election back from May to at least June 2 amid Gov. Phil Scott’s stay-home order in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Last week, the Select Board unanimously approved the drive-thru voting system and sending voters postcards about the election, The Times Argus reported. Town Clerk Donna Kelty had recommended that the election be held by mail but some select board members had concerns with that. Voters can still request a ballot and vote by mail

Virginia

Richmond: Dozens of students from a Virginia medical school are doing their part in the fight against the new coronavirus by volunteering to care for the children of health care workers. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that nearly 100 students from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Medicine have joined a new student organization called the VCU Childcare Co-op. Co-founder Annie Yang, a first-year medical student, said the student volunteers already have donated more than 250 hours to help more than 20 families, including those with a parent caring for COVID-19 patients. The students are caring for children, as well as pets. “Even as students, we can step up and make a small difference in our community,” Yang said. The COVID-19 pandemic has closed down many child care centers across Virginia. Gov. Ralph Northam announced earlier this month that Virginia is using $70 million in federal aid to help health care workers and others with child care.

Washington

East Wenatchee: Dozens of farm workers at a Central Washington orchard have tested positive for COVID-19, though they weren’t experiencing symptoms, according to a newspaper reported published Saturday. Stemilt Ag Services, which operates the orchard, and local health officials tested the farm workers in East Wenatchee after some fruit packaging warehouse workers tested positive, The Spokesman-Review reported. The company said it decided to expand testing to orchard workers as a precaution. Of the 71 agricultural workers who were tested, 36 were positive for COVID-19, Stemilt reported this week. Despite social distancing measures in place at the orchards, there were a high number of positive cases, said Barry Kling, administrator at Chelan-Douglas Health District. Some people who have COVID-19 showed no symptoms. Stemilt was one of the first companies in the region to test a group of workers that was asymptomatic, but the company is still evaluating its next steps, said Roger Pepperl, Stemilt marketing director, in an email. Stemilt has been following Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention recommendations for social distancing. Workers who tested negative will be retested and are in isolation, according to a Stemilt press release. All workers who were tested are work visa holders and arrived around February. United Farm Workers and other advocates filed a lawsuit about a week ago against Washington state, arguing that farm workers do not have adequate protections. The groups called on the state departments of Health and of Labor & Industries to update safety guidelines. United Farm Workers is a union but does not represent the Stemilt workers who were tested.

West Virginia

Huntington: Fire Capt. Scott Leep said he had prepared for the last day of his 22-year career at the department to be a quiet affair. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there would be no way the 42-year-old could have a retirement party with his friends, family and co-workers. He had loaded his gear onto the fire truck for the last time before he heard honking and cheering. Leep’s friends at the department, along with coordination from his wife, held a surprise retirement parade for him as they drove by Fire Station 4 on April 22. Leep said he doesn’t plan to stay retired for long. This week, he will begin a new career as a power line worker for American Electric Power.

Wisconsin

Madison: Gov. Tony Evers’ office was flooded with hundreds of emails in the hours surrounding his decision to extend Wisconsin’s stay-at-home order, accusing him of destroying the state’s economy, begging him to let business reopen and warning that voters will punish him, an Associated Press review found. One woman pleaded with Evers to let her visit her husband in hospice before he dies of brain cancer. Other people demanded he let youth baseball resume and allow hair salons to reopen. A hairdresser wrote that Evers’ hair looks so good on TV he must be using a stylist in violation of his own order. Asked about the messages during a video conference, Evers acknowledged people and businesses are struggling but said the best way forward is to attack the virus. He said his order isn’t as restrictive as other states’ stay-at-home mandates. Evers issued a stay-at-home order in March that closed schools and nonessential businesses and mandated social distancing in an effort to slow the coronavirus. The order was supposed to lift Friday, but Evers on April 17 extended it until May 26, the day after Memorial Day.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: Legislative leaders began crafting two bills Friday morning that grant some abilities to Gov. Mark Gordon and state agencies to respond to Wyoming’s numerous needs that have emerged in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The Legislature’s Management Council, which consists of leaders from both chambers and parties, met virtually Friday in preparation for a special session that could come as soon as late next month, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported. The council did not vote on the two pieces of legislation, which touch on everything from hospital funding to low-income housing. Instead, legislators prepared the bills for a final vote at their next meeting on May 1. The first bill worked by lawmakers would set up a COVID-19 relief fund for a preliminary, partial distribution of the $1.25 billion Wyoming has received through the federal coronavirus relief bill. Gordon has the ultimate authority on how to use those funds, but through the legislation, the pot would be divided into a few separate sections to address various needs. Federal rules also prohibit the relief funds from being used to replace lost state revenues, forcing state officials to get slightly more creative with how they use the money.