Fallen hero honored, manatees rescued, rabid bats on campus, hungry bears not hibernating: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Huntsville: The state’s preservation agency is investigating whether pottery shards, bone fragments and spearheads found near where a subdivision is being built might be evidence of an ancient settlement. Al.com reported that the Alabama Historical Commission is reviewing reports of nearby residents and an Army archaeologist who raised concerns about items found near a development called Flint Crossing, located in Huntsville near the Flint River. Jeff Benton Homes began building the subdivision last year, but nearby residents reported finding items that could be linked to a former Indian settlement in and around the site. They contacted Ben Hoksbergen, post archaeologist at the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal, who said he informed the developer and the city about the finds in mid-2019. Jeff Benton, owner of Jeff Benton Homes, said in an email the company had no prior knowledge of “significant artifacts” or human burials on the site. But Hoksbergen said he found an assessment conducted by a private archaeological firm in 2010 that showed significant evidence of a Native American village at the site from roughly 500 to 900 AD. People who live near the site have sent him photos of what appeared to be bones, he said. Some bones found at the site were most likely those of deer, Hoksbergen said, but some appeared to be fragments of a human leg bone, skull and teeth. Hoksbergen said he informed the developer and the city the construction might violate laws protecting human burial or historic sites but construction continued. He also told the Alabama Historical Commission, which is conducting a review. The Alabama Historical Commission said it couldn’t comment on an active investigation, but law requires that construction stop if human remains are found at a site. Hoksbergen said an assessment of the site conducted a decade ago by Tennessee Valley Archaeological Research found a large number of artifacts.

Alaska

Juneau: The U.S. Navy will collect public comment about its proposal for permits to again use the Gulf of Alaska for training exercises, a spokeswoman said. “Anytime the Navy wants to do any sort of action, they have to go through an Environmental Impact Statement,” said Julianne Stanford of Navy Region Northwest. Exercise Northern Edge is a major Army, Navy and Air Force exercise held every two years across Alaska, the Juneau Empire reported. The supercarrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its escorts took part in exercises last year. The public has expressed concern about Navy sonar and explosive ordnance disturbing marine life. The environmental review, Stanford said, is about hearing concerns so that the Navy can avoid negatively affecting marine mammals such as humpback whales, gray whales and Steller sea lions. The Gulf of Alaska has been a training ground for more than three decades, Stanford said, and best practices have been put in place to minimize disruptions. The Navy and regulatory agencies have not noted changes in marine mammals numbers in training areas, she said. “The Navy has developed numerous mitigations that include navigating away from marine mammals, implementing exclusion zones to cease activities or power down and shut down equipment if marine mammals are in proximity to training,” Stanford said.

Arizona

Scottsdale:The school board ended its yearslong superintendent search Saturday, unanimously naming Scott Menzel its permanent leader. The decision came after 18 hours of deliberations that started Friday morning. Five groups composed of teachers, students, parents and residents, administrators and staff members in the Scottsdale Unified School District interviewed three finalists and provided feedback to the board. Menzel currently serves as superintendent of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was one of three finalists who had been narrowed from 29 applicants. The other finalists included Kimberly Guerin, the district’s assistant superintendent of educational services, and Shelley Redinger, superintendent of Spokane (Washington) Public Schools. Menzel has led Washtenaw for eight years, according to his LinkedIn profile. He earned doctorate degrees in philosophy and educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University. He was a finalist in Peoria Unified School District’s superintendent search, which concluded in December. The Scottsdale board deliberated all day Friday and for six hours Saturday about the decision, according to spokeswoman Amy Bolton. The board chose to meet Saturday to ensure continuity of discussions and to not prolong the decision, she said. Current Superintendent John Kriekard’s contract runs through June 30. District officials hope Menzel could begin on July 1. Kriekard came out of retirement to provide the district a steadying hand when Denise Birdwell resigned in April 2018 after more than a year of controversy.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The head of the state lottery said he opposes a measure a group is trying to get on the ballot that would allow thousands of coin-operated “amusement machines” across the state to raise money for the lottery program. Lottery Director Bishop Woosley announced his opposition with the leaders of a group formed to campaign against the constitutional amendment vying for a spot on Arkansas’ ballot. Supporters of the proposal have until July 3 to gather nearly 90,000 signatures from registered voters to qualify for the November election. The amendment would require the lottery to issue 50 licenses to own and lease the machines that would award noncash prizes such as lottery tickets or vouchers for merchandise valued at less than $5. Each licensee would be allowed to operate up to 300 machines. Twenty percent of net receipts from the machines would go toward the state’s lottery. But Woosley said the machines would ultimately result in a loss to the state, with the lottery facing additional costs for licensing and oversight. He also criticized the measure for prohibiting any local limits on the machines. Arcade Arkansas, the group behind the expanded gambling proposal, has raised more than $360,000 and spent nearly $359,000 on its campaign. A spokesman for the group said Woosley was entitled to his opinion but believed opponents were mischaracterizing the proposal, noting it wouldn’t allow cash prizes. The measure is vying for the ballot months after Arkansas implemented a voter-approved amendment legalizing casinos in four counties. Casinos have opened at a West Memphis dog track, a Hot Springs horse track and another location in Pine Bluff under the amendment. Protect Arkansas Communities, a group launched to oppose the proposed amendment, hasn’t received any money from the casinos but has reached out to them, campaign consultant Robert McLarty told reporters.

California

Brentwood: A bomb used to get rid of gophers might have started a brush fire in a Northern California suburb, authorities told the East Bay Times. The fire that started about 2:30 p.m. Friday burned seven acres in Brentwood in Contra Costa County, Firefighters put out the blaze two hours later, the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District said. If the fire is determined to have been started by a gopher bomb, it would be reminiscent of a scene in the 1980 movie “Caddyshack” in which a frustrated groundskeeper played by Bill Murray used dynamite in a futile effort to get rid of a burrowing rodent. No injuries were reported in connection with the fire. “We would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone to be mindful of their conditions and this early season fire should be a reminder of what can happen very quickly,” the East Contra Costa fire district wrote on Facebook, calling the blaze accidental.

Colorado

Fort Collins:Police are looking for a person who broke into a woman’s apartment and stole her underwear last week – and they are asking anyone with a similar situation to report it. The victim came home from work on Feb. 10 and reported someone had ransacked her apartment and stolen her underwear, according to a news release from police. Police have not identified any suspects. Because of the potential sexual motivation of the crime, police are asking anyone with information or other unreported incidents to come forward. “We know that people typically don’t call police if an item of clothing is missing,” Sgt. Heather Moore, who leads the Crimes Against Persons Unit, said in a video statement. “If you’ve had personal items disappear from your home and you suspect they may have been stolen, please contact police. In any situation that just feels off, trust your instincts and give us a call. Your tip may be our best lead.” Anyone with information is asked to contact officer RJ Tutle at 970-416-2825 or email tipsline@fcgov.com. People who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 or www.stopcriminals.org.

Connecticut

Hartford: Puerto Rico residents looking to relocate to Connecticut after recent natural disasters are getting financial assistance to help with housing. Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday that $75,000 in state funding will be allocated to provide housing support for Puerto Rican residents coming to the state after recent earthquakes on the island territory. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin told a news conference Friday that when news of natural disasters reaches the state, thousands of residents wonder if their family members are going to be all right. He added that many in Puerto Rico also look to Connecticut as a place of refuge and a possible new home. Connecticut already has a large population of Puerto Rican descent. The money will be used to make security deposits or help with paying rent and will be distributed to nonprofit organizations like Alpha Community Services in Bridgeport, Casa Otoñal in New Haven, and the San Juan Center in Hartford, among others. Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruna noted in a release that over the last few years Puerto Rican families have suffered devastating natural disasters including the recent earthquakes. Hurricane Maria – a Category 5 hurricane – struck the island in 2017.

Delaware

Magnolia:A 9-year-old girl stricken with cancer appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Feb. 20, according to the Love 4 Layla Facebook page dedicated to her cancer fight. A preview of the segment posted online showed Layla Mosley and several other children with cancer surprised by an appearance by rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs. Mosley, who is fighting an extremely rare form of bone cancer called Ewing’s Sarcoma, appeared on the program in coordination with Fighting All Monsters, a nonprofit group supporting children facing life-threatening illnesses. The group had been leading an online campaign for Combs to dance with their children. The children even made a dance video to Combs’ “Bad Boy for Life” to entice the entertainer to join them. In the “Ellen” preview clip, Combs surprised the children and Mosley told DeGeneres about how her trip to California had been. “So far it’s been great. I’m just so excited to be here to see you because I watch your show all the time. I love your ‘Game of Games’ show and I just love everything about you,” she tells a smiling DeGeneres, eliciting applause and “aws” from the audience. With eight children seated in front of her, DeGeneres responds with a deadpan joke: “Look, I hate to pick favorites, but she is mine.” When Combs appeared after faking out the audience with a taped video apologizing for not attending, Mosley leapt off the couch and was the first child to run across the stage and jump in his arms. Her segment was apparently filmed on Feb. 19 with Love 4 Layla posting, “She had the most incredible day!! Lots more pictures to come!! Layla is having the best time ever out in Hollywood!”\ Mosley’s cancer fight isn’t her first. In 2016, she was first diagnosed with metastatic Ewing’s Sarcoma at the age of 5, which affects only about 200 children and young adults in the United States annually. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for the Stage 4 cancer, completing a 16-month fight. But after two years, she relapsed in May and has been fighting ever since with help from her friends and family, who have set up a GoFundMe page and have held fundraisers and raffles for her.

District of Columbia

Washington:The DC Board of Elections confirmed that some mailers went out with the wrong primary date, WUSA-TV reported. The correct primary date is June 2. The District actually has two elections coming up before the general election. The primary is first on June 2. A couple of weeks later, on June 16, DC is holding a special election for Jack Evans’ former position, the Ward 2 council seat. The Board of Elections said some people received voter registration cards with a different election date listed. Ladawnae White, a spokeswoman for the D.C. Board of Elections, said some of the cards listed the primary as the third Tuesday in June. White said the mix-up happened, because of an earlier template created before the primary date was changed to June 2. She said the template has been updated to reflect the June 2 date, and all future mailings will have the correct date printed. In a statement released on Twitter, the Board of Elections said in part, “We regret the error and will correct it in all future communications ... We have planned a number of future communications about important events in this election cycle, and voters will be well-informed about when and where to vote.”

Florida

Fort Lauderdale: A female manatee named Marlin and its calf were rescued after wildlife specialists found them injured in Florida waters. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported the pair was being treated for wounds and infections at the Miami Seaquarium. The mother was found Saturday with boat strike wounds. The female calf has a wound on her underside. On Tuesday, rescuers initially spotted the mother swimming sideways, which indicates lung damage. On Wednesday, the manatees swam away and disappeared under a low bridge in Fort Lauderdale. After Saturday’s rescue by experts from SeaWorld in Orlando and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, both were started on antibiotics. Marlin will be scheduled for a procedure where veterinarians will drain liquid or air from its chest. The newspaper said boats and other watercraft were the biggest cause of manatee deaths statewide last year, causing at least 136 of the 606 animal deaths.

Georgia

Savannah: Health officials said students at Savannah State University have been warned after a rabid bat was found on campus. The Chatham County Health Department said the bat tested positive for rabies after it was taken to a veterinarian. It was found Feb. 18 on the rear porch of the school’s College of Business Administration building. The health department said in a news release it was interviewing students who had contact with the bat to determine whether they needed treatment. Rabies is a potentially fatal disease that can be spread from infected animals to humans through bites, scratches and other contact. Health department officials said people should be aware of the risk of possible rabies exposure before getting close to wild animals such as bats, foxes and raccoons.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Oahu experienced its hottest year on record in 2019, according to federal officials and municipal authorities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the island reached its highest temperatures last year and the National Weather Service said 273 daily temperature records were tied or broken across the state,Hawaii Public Radio reported Thursday. A separate study by the City and County of Honolulu also found the state experienced its hottest recorded day last year. The city’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency performed the first Community Heat Assessment on Aug. 31. The study found the maximum heat index in several Oahu communities was more than 100 degrees, with Waimalu Plaza Shopping Center recording the highest temperature at 107.3. “By all indications, that’s the new normal,” said Josh Stanbro, Honolulu’s chief resilience officer. “So that’s why we have to take action immediately to try to reverse that trend. We have to completely slam on the brakes in terms of burning carbon fuels for our energy source.” Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Wednesday that increasing the city’s tree canopy is expected to help cool communities. City officials advised residents to protect themselves from high temperatures, especially children and the elderly. Honolulu Emergency Services Director Jim Howe urged residents to not leave children or pets in locked cars on hot days and advised surfers and stand-up paddleboarders to drink a liter of water before heading onto the water. “The time you need to be most prepared is between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.,” Howe said. “Every one of our lifeguards here knows that when you’re out at the beach, the first place you go is you go for the shade. So you want to stay in the shade and you want to stay well-hydrated.”

Idaho

Boise: Companies that are responsible for checking the quality of Idaho’s road materials have altered the results of their asphalt tests thousands of times, government documents showed. Those changes might have allowed contractors that repair and build Idaho’s highway infrastructure to get bonus payments when they should have been penalized for substandard work – or even forced to tear up the asphalt and replace it. For decades, Idaho has paid private contractors to repair and build the state’s vast system of highways, roads and bridges, the Idaho Statesman reported. They are trusted to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and to ensure the state’s infrastructure is built to last and is safe for drivers. Although roads are under construction, Idaho and other states require contractors to take samples of the asphalt they’re using and run it through a series of tests. Those tests determine whether the asphalt is high quality and the right kind of material for that road. Can it withstand the winter snow and ice in northern Idaho? Can it withstand all the drivers and truckers who travel Interstate 84 in southern Idaho? Front-line workers for several companies involved in road construction throughout Idaho were recorded in 2018 changing their test results before submitting the results to the state for payment, a Statesman analysis of government records found. A Statesman analysis of four highway projects completed in 2018 found that Idaho paid contractors about $8 million, including about $190,000 in bonuses, for asphalt whose test results were altered dozens or hundreds of times. Internal documents from the Idaho Transportation Department say such changes might have allowed construction companies to receive more money than the asphalt was worth. For Idaho taxpayers, that would mean more funds went to private contracting firms and less went to other projects to fix potholes, strengthen highways and improve the state’s crumbling transportation network.

Illinois

Belleville: Cancer-causing chemicals used over the years at Scott Air Force Base in southern Illinois might have leaked into local water supplies, according to a report from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The state’s EPA said an expanded site inspection is set to begin this summer for signs of the class of substances known collectively as PFAS, which are dubbed “forever chemicals” because they take thousands of years to degrade, the Belleville News-Democrat reported. The newspaper obtained the agency’s report through requesting records under the Freedom of Information Act. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said the Air Force contacted his office this month with preliminary details on the contamination at the base and his office has reached out to local elected officials to determine next steps. In recent days, officials started contacting those potentially affected. There is no reason for concern if a person uses tap water from a municipal supply, according to Col. Joseph R. Meyer, vice commander of the 375th Air Mobility Wing at Scott AFB. However, people should worry if they live near the base and drink from a private well. The Air Force Civil Engineer Center is locating and contacting anyone who uses a well within one mile southeast of the base. The center’s officials have identified five people who do so. The Air Force will test well water for PFAS levels, Meyer said. The EPA considers levels below 70 parts per trillion, which equates to roughly a drop of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool, to be safe for consumption. If tests of well water reveal PFAS levels above EPA standards, individuals who use those wells should immediately stop drinking the water. High levels can cause cancer and birth defects, among other health problems, the EPA said. The Air Force will provide free bottles of water as it develops a long-term solution, Meyer said.

Indiana

Indianapolis:An Indiana woman who had given birth just a few days earlier said her instincts kicked in when she stopped along a highway to help save a driver who was on fire after his tanker truck loaded with jet fuel burst into flames. Holly McNally, 35, had just left a hospital’s neointensive care unit Thursday afternoon with her mother after they checked in on her son Connor, who was born Monday. They saw the overturned truck and flames along an Interstate 465 bridge that crosses over Interstate 70 on Indianapolis’ far east side. McNally said she slowed her car and was stunned to see the 59-year-old driver on fire after he managed to get out of the truck on his own. McNally, who has three other children, ages 8, 11 and 15, said that despite the risk to herself, she knew she had to help. Running toward the driver, McNally crossed paths with another man who was bringing a blanket to help extinguish the flames and cover the driver, whose clothes had burned off. As they began walking him away from the fire, an explosion rocked the overturned truck, which the driver told them was loaded with 4,000 gallons of jet fuel. A second explosion then caused the fire to spread and follow the three of them down the embankment. and the driver, who appeared to be in shock, began to slow down. Luckily, another man ran to the embankment and helped move the driver to safety. Another Indiana State Police trooper drove down the highway embankment to meet the three rescuers and the driver. He used clothing from his gym bag to cover the man until emergency medical technicians arrived, Indianapolis Fire Department Battalion Chief Rita Reith said. The driver remained hospitalized in critical condition Friday morning, Reith said. Trucking company Jet Star Inc. released a statement Friday, thanking those who helped save the driver, which it identified as Jeffrey “Duke” Denman.

Iowa

Des Moines:Dozens of South Sudanese Iowans and allies gathered at the state Capitol on Saturday for a peaceful rally protesting recent violence that left more than 30 dead and 15 children abducted in Abyei, a long disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan. Both countries – that after years of civil war split into independent nations in 2011 – claim the Abyei region in east Africa for ethnic and economic reasons. As a result, clashes between South Sudan’s ethnic Dinkla villages, and Misseriya, a nomadic tribe from Sudan, occur regularly in the region. The United Nations has more than 5,300 peacekeepers – known as the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei – deployed in the region to ease tensions and protect civilians. But on Jan. 22, a suspected Misseriya attack on the Dinkla village of Kolom left at least 32 people dead, dozens wounded and 15 children abducted. Six children have since been recovered. Protesters at Saturday’s rally said children have been abducted and placed into slavery. South Sudan’s government claims the UN failed to protect Kolom and South Sudanese Iowans have expressed anger, as well. During the rally, Abyei community leaders educated attendees on the history of the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan and the status of Abyei. Protesters chanted “Justice, justice for Abyei! Justice, justice for Kolom! Shame, shame UNISFA! Abyei is bleeding and the world is watching!” Some held signs showing graphic images reportedly from the attack last month.

Kansas

Topeka: Lawmakers are considering blocking the sale of raw milk or requiring farmers to include warning labels on packaging after the state abandoned a law prohibiting farmers from advertising raw milk outside their farm. The state stopped enforcing the ban after Shepherd’s Gate Dairy operators Mark and Coraleen Bunner filed a lawsuit against the state in October, The Wichita Eagle reported. Attorney General Derek Schmidt and the state Department of Agriculture settled the lawsuit in November resulting in the end of the ban. Schmidt admitted the law was “plainly unconstitutional.” Pasteurized milk undergoes a heating process to kill pathogens. Raw milk that comes straight from a cow or goat is much more likely to carry salmonella, E. coli and other bacteria, according to the Food and Drug Administration. But those who drink and sell raw milk think of it as an all-natural product that brings people closer to the source of their food. The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee endorsed a bill Thursday that would allow the on-farm sale of raw, unpasteurized milk, so long as each container sold labels it as such. It goes next to the Senate for debate, possibly next week. It remains unknown how the Legislature as a whole would vote. A bill to ban the sale of raw milk have also been proposed.

Kentucky

Frankfort:Gov. Andy Beshear signed legislation Friday to require that law enforcement officers carry weapons when assigned to provide security at schools. The measure won strong bipartisan support in the legislature. It’s a follow-up to last year’s sweeping school safety law stemming from a 2018 fatal school shooting in Kentucky. Beshear had until Friday to either sign the bill, veto it or let it become law without his signature. In announcing his decision, the governor repeated concerns that the bill’s supporters made for arming school officers – that other law officers couldn’t respond quickly enough to a school shooting. Beshear said he considers the presence of armed officers at schools as a potential deterrent. Republican Sen. Max Wise, the bill’s lead sponsor, said the governor’s action signing the measure into law will go down as an “incredibly important day” for the state. The measure is crucial to the state’s efforts to bolster school safety, Wise said. Last year’s school safety law did not specify whether school police officers – known as school resource officers – needed to carry a weapon. The issue of arming school-based officers has sparked intense debate in the state’s largest school district, which includes Louisville. Beshear said Friday he hopes concerns about arming school officers can be alleviated through the officers’ training.Executive Cabinet Secretary J. Michael Brown said Beshear’s administration welcomes suggestions from the bill’s critics on shaping curriculum and training for school officers. The school safety efforts are in response to the 2018 shooting at Marshall County High School in western Kentucky, where two 15-year-old students, Bailey Holt and Preston Cope, were killed and more than a dozen others were injured when another student opened fire.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: The state can soon start spending $1.2 billion in federal cash to fortify communities against future flood risks, after the governor’s office announced Friday that federal officials have approved the state’s plan for the funds. The dollars, overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will bolster an effort that Gov. John Bel Edwards has pushed since the 2016 floods to use regional approaches to flood mitigation and drainage improvements around Louisiana. “HUD’s approval of our plan confirms that Louisiana is headed in the right direction,” Edwards said in a statement. “We have taken proactive steps and served as a blueprint for other states preparing their own flood mitigation plans to use these federal funds in ways that prioritize data, science and regional collaboration to build resilience in the face of future flooding.” The federal aid will be spread across projects in 46 Louisiana parishes identified through the governor’s Louisiana Watershed Initiative as most flood-prone and impacted by water. Edwards’ office said the state expects the federal dollars to be available by the spring.

Maine

Bar Harbor: Seasonal ferry service between Maine and Nova Scotia is scheduled to resume this summer. Bay Ferries, the Canadian ferry company, said service is expected to begin by June 26, the Bangor Daily News reported Friday. The Cat, a high-speed catamaran, will sail between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, to Bar Harbor until Labor Day, said Bay Ferries CEO Mark MacDonald. Crossings will then run six days a week – every day but Wednesdays –until the season ends on Oct. 13. The ferry company has to finish its $6.5 million renovation of a Bar Harbor terminal before service can resume, MacDonald said. The company needs to finish installing U.S. Customs and Border inspection booths and renovating the interior of the building.

Maryland

Salisbury:Salisbury University said a suspect has been identified in the investigation into racist graffiti on campus, but that person’s identity has yet to be made public. The case is being referred to the Wicomico County state’s attorney’s office for prosecution, according to a Friday news release. The only identifying information about the suspect released so far is that the person is not believed to have an “immediate connection to the campus.” The release does not state if the person is a suspect in one or multiple incidents. The investigation began after the discovery in October and November of vandalism in Fulton Hall involving racist and sexually explicit language that escalated to a threat of violence. More racist graffiti was found on campus on Feb. 19, first in Henson Hall and then in Fulton Hall. That same day the university announced the FBI had been aiding campus police in the open investigations. Administrators canceled classes Thursday for a day of healing, during which various gatherings were scheduled to support students and faculty.

Massachusetts

Norton: Authorities have identified a man killed in what authorities said appears to be an explosion caused by a meth lab in Massachusetts. The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office identified the man on Sunday as 38-year-old Edward Rooney. Authorities said Rooney died Saturday after an apparent meth lab explosion in his Norton apartment. Police said they were called to the apartment complex around 1 a.m. and found damage believed to have been caused by the explosion. Police said Rooney had fled the home before first responders arrived. A short time later, authorities were called to an Attleboro home to help a man who was experiencing a medical emergency, officials said. Authorities said residents of the home were awoken in the middle of the night by a man outside who was screaming for help. Officials said the residents let Rooney inside the home, where he collapsed. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Michigan

Vanderbilt: The state’s 108,000-acre Pigeon River Country State Forest is getting a nearly 600-acre addition in a land deal valued at more than $2 million, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources. The property purchase, completed last month, added the Elk Forest at Black River, which is in Montmorency County, to the state’s public lands. The area is surrounded on three sides by existing state-managed land and includes public access to Walled Lake. The money came from the state’s Forest Legacy Program with matching funds from the agency’s Land Exchange Facilitation Fund and a $75,000 donation from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, according to state officials. “This spectacular place adds a gem to the crown of Michigan’s public lands,” said Debbie Begalle, DNR forest resources division chief, in a statement. “The land will be open for hiking, hunting, fishing, elk viewing, skiing, snowshoeing, bird watching, mushroom hunting and berry picking, to name just a few activities.”

Minnesota

Minneapolis:The state on Friday shut down a metal recycling company where a fire burned for days and sent up plumes of smoke. The state cited “imminent and substantial danger” to the public, the Star Tribune reported. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an administrative order prohibiting Northern Metal Recycling from accepting any scrap metal at its plant in Becker, the site of the fire. The order also prohibits the company from accepting scrap metal at its previous facility in north Minneapolis, where it still has many junked cars stored. On Friday, Gov. Tim Walz said he is considering placing a30-day hold on Northern Metal’s recycling permit. Speaking at a forum organized by the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Walz said he is looking at ways to hold Northern Metal responsible for pollution caused by last week’s fire. Walz told the audience that he does not trust Northern Metal “to do the right thing,” KMSP-TV reported. The Democratic governor said state regulators would make the decision on a 30-day hold. On Feb. 11, a week before the fire erupted, fire inspectors cited Northern Metal’s former facility in north Minneapolis for a variety of code violations related to its outdoor storage practices, the Star Tribune reported, citing inspection records. A state fire marshal investigator was at the scene Friday. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Police said Thursday that firefighters had the blaze under control, but the fire flared late Thursday, sending more smoke over Becker. Classes in Becker were canceled Thursday but resumed Friday. On Friday, police said firefighting efforts have been turned over to a private company hired by Northern Metal. The fire has been reduced to a few smoldering areas and could be extinguished by the end of the weekend, police said. Residents of the city of 4,500 people have not been asked to evacuate but should stay away from the immediate area of the fire, police said. Becker is about 50 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Northern Metal moved its shredding operation from Minneapolis to Becker last year after the Pollution Control Agency ordered it shut down because of high levels of air pollution and inaccurately recorded pollution.

Mississippi

Satartia:Authorities said they’re testing the air quality after a pipe ruptured, prompting the evacuations of more than 300 residents and sending dozens of people to hospitals. The Mississippi Department of Emergency Management said 46 people were treated at area hospitals after the Saturday night rupture, but all of them had been released by late Sunday morning. Authorities said the 24-inch pressurized pipe ruptured in a heavily wooded area near Satartia, about 40 miles northwest of Jackson. They said the pipe contained carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide and that residents in the area complained of green gas and a noxious odor. Residents were expected to be able to return to their homes soon, emergency officials said in an update late Sunday morning. It appears the ground caved into a ravine, damaging the 24-inch pipe, the state agency said.

Missouri

St. Louis: Missouri might have shed its unwanted image as the meth lab capital of the U.S., but the dangerous and addictive drug remains a major problem, a top Drug Enforcement Administration official said Friday. The depth of the problem became clear Thursday when the DEA announced a methamphetamine crackdown called Operation Crystal Shield, which will focus on eight “transportation hubs” where high levels of Mexican meth are being seized. The St. Louis Division, which covers all of Missouri and Kansas as well as southern Illinois, is the northernmost of the eight targeted areas. The others are Atlanta, Dallas, El Paso, Texas, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Phoenix. The targeted DEA divisions accounted for more than 75% of all meth seizures last year. The St. Louis Division includes hundreds of miles of major roadways through the three states, including interstates 35, 70, 44 and 55, providing a pipeline not only to the central U.S. but the upper Midwest and the Northeast. William J. Callahan, special agent in charge of the St. Louis Division, said the targeted operation will allow better coordination of intelligence about trafficking routes, the types of vehicles being used, and other information. For many years, meth was a two-pronged problem: Much of it came from Mexico, but thousands of users across the U.S. made their own drug in home labs or by mixing the dangerous concoction in a 2-liter soda bottle. In 2004, more than 24,000 meth labs were seized across the U.S., including nearly 3,000 in Missouri, which for years was atop the list of states for lab seizures.

Montana

Billings: U.S. Interior Department officials are seeking to bolster their case for easing restrictions on energy development, mining and grazing in Western states inhabited by a declining bird species. A federal judge in Idaho blocked Trump administration plans last year over concerns that they could harm greater sage grouse, a ground-dwelling bird. Assistant Interior Secretary Casey Hammond said a new set of environmental studies published Friday clarified the steps the government will take to conserve the bird’s habitat. The Interior Department opened a 45-day public comment period on the studies that cover millions of acres of public lands in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and California. Sage grouse have been in decline for decades because of habitat loss and other factors, and their numbers dropped sharply last year across much of their range. Sage grouse territory in Montana, Washington and the Dakotas was not impacted by the proposed changes. The legal dispute over the administration’s proposal is before Judge B. Lynn Winmill In Idaho. The case dates to 2016, when environmental groups sued the Obama administration over a previous set of rules that they described as insufficient to protect grouse from heading toward extinction.

Nebraska

Lincoln: The U.S. Department of Transportation said it’s awarding $10.7 million in airport safety and infrastructure grants to 18 airports in Nebraska. The grants include $750,000 to go to parking lot improvements and construction of an access road at Blair Municipal Airport. The department is sending Lincoln Airport $360,000 to buy snow removal equipment and $450,000 to update the airport master plan. Hartington Municipal Airport is getting $549,000 for runway rehabilitation, and Hebron Municipal Airport will receive $315,000 to fund the sealing of apron pavement surface and joints, plus the sealing of taxiway pavement.

Nevada

Reno:Four Nevada firefighters recently returned from Australia, and three more will be deployed in the coming weeks to help with fire suppression efforts, according to the Bureau of Land Management. Firefighters Brian Holmes, Eric Tilden and Joe Miller returned to Nevada on Feb. 5. Another firefighter, Justin Cutler, also returned on Feb. 10, officials said in a news release. Holmes, who usually serves as an engine captain in the Southern Nevada District, worked as a task force leader and crew member in Australia. Tilden, a fire helicopter supervisor in the Elko District, also served as a task force leader and crew member. Miller, an air tank base manager at the Battle Mountain District, served also served as an air tanker base manager in Australia. He also provided other aviation assistance, officials said. Cutler, an assistant superintendent for the Silver State Hotshots based out of Carson City, served as an aerial tactical supervisor. The BLM also deployed two more firefighters to Australia, and three more will be sent in a few weeks. In total, 11 firefighters were deployed to assist in the fire suppression efforts. The two firefighters who were recently deployed and the three others expected to fly oversees are set to return in March. Since 2000, Australia has deployed fire management specialists six times to the United States. Meanwhile, the U.S. has sent firefighters and fire managers to help with the fire season in Australia four times since 2003. The two countries have exchanged techniques, policies, and information as far back as 1964.

New Hampshire

Manchester: State wildlife officials warn that bears are more active this winter because of mild weather combined with limited snowfall. New Hampshire Fish and Game officers said bears are encouraged to remain active because of the amount of available food, WMUR-TV reported Friday. Bears typically hibernate from November to April, but in a mild winter, that period can be shortened to December or January until March. “Bears aren’t actually true hibernators,” said Daniel Bergeron, of New Hampshire Fish and Game. “So, they can wake and go back out and get food and go back in and den up for an extended period of time. So just because they’re up doesn’t mean they’re up for good.” Vermont wildlife officials voiced similar concerns about bear activity earlier this month. Wildlife officials in New Hampshire and Vermont have recommended moving any potential outdoor food sources to prevent attracting bears.

New Jersey

Trenton: Wildlife authorities and utility officials have been taking aim at one of the leading killers of bald eagles in New Jersey – electrocution on power lines. There is growing concern about protecting the endangered birds from getting electrocuted by power lines when they nest in suburban and urban areas following a spike in the eagle population, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Between 2015 and 2019, electrocution was the top cause of death of raptors found injured or killed, according to data compiled in annual reports by the New Jersey Bald Eagle Project, a partnership overseen by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and Conserve Wildlife Foundation. In addition to the 34 eagle deaths, crashes into vehicles left 29 eagles dead and fights with other eagles killed 14. The cause of 29 other deaths remains unknown, and officials said some deaths are undocumented.Kathleen Clark, supervising zoologist for the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, said an electrocuted 4-year-old eagle was found on a recent Sunday near Pickle Factory Pond in Belleplain State Forest. Cristina Frank, a biologist and raptor specialist who manages avian protection for Atlantic City Electric, said utilities can’t realistically bury all distribution lines, so they install protective equipment or build-in protections on new lines. The measures can include cross-arms on existing lines to spread wires farther apart, insulated conductors, or covering energized or grounded equipment. Some utilities also install barriers to prevent birds from perching and mark lines with colored tape or reflectors to warn birds from flying into them.

New Mexico

Las Cruces: The funeral service for Sgt. 1st. Class Antonio Rey Rodriguez of Las Cruces, who was killed in action on Feb. 8 while serving in Afghanistan, was held Friday afternoon at Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There wasn’t an empty seat in the church as hundreds of residents, military members and veterans joined Rodriguez’s family and close friends to honor the fallen hero. Students from Valley View Elementary, which is across the street from the church, also paid tribute to the soldier before and after the ceremony by waving American flags. During the service, Rodriguez was described by many as a hero, warrior, an inspiration and a child of God who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and to save others. Rodriguez, 28, was born and raised in Las Cruces and was affectionately known as “Rod.” He graduated from Mayfield High School in 2009. According to the Department of Defense, a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha from 7th Special Forces Group was ambushed in Afghanistan on Feb. 8 by a rogue Afghan policeman in the Sherzad district of Nangarhar Province, located in eastern Afghanistan. It resulted in the deaths of two American operators, including Rodriguez and Sgt. 1st Class Javier Jaguar Gutierrez of San Antonio. Six others were wounded. Rodriguez joined the Army in October 2009, according to a news release from U.S. Army Special Operations Command. After completing the Basic Airborne Course and the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, he was assigned to the 3rd Ranger Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He deployed eight times with the 75th Ranger Regiment and twice with 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, part of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. During his military service, Rodriguez earned the Bronze Star Medal-2, Joint Service Commendation Medal-1, and Expert and Combat Infantryman Badge. Rodriguez posthumously earned the Purple Heart, Combat Action Badge, Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC) and Meritorious Service Medal.

New York

West Nyack: An Orthodox Jewish man credited as a hero for attacking a knife-wielding man who stabbed five people during a Hanukkah celebration north of New York City is refusing to take a $20,000 reward from established Jewish groups because he considers them Zionists, according to a rabbi who knows him. Officials with the Jewish Federation and the Anti-Defamation League told The Journal News that they were caught off guard by Josef Gluck’s decision to turn down the reward, the newspaper reported Friday. “The reward would have been for anybody who offered information that would lead to an arrest,” said Miriam Allenson, spokesperson for the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Rockland County. “That was what was on our minds.” Allenson said that there were no strings with the money and that the groups had “no idea” regarding Gluck’s decision to turn away the funds. The reward presentation event was scheduled for Feb. 6, but Gluck said he had a family emergency, Allenson said. Rabbi Dovid Feldman of Monsey said Gluck’s decision stems from the discomfort he and some other Hasidic and ultra-Orthodox Jews have with organizations like the Jewish Federation and Anti-Defamation League. Feldman said Gluck was preparing to notify the groups in writing to explain in more detail his reasons for declining the reward. Rabbi Feldman is a leader of Neturei Karta International. Its Orthodox Jewish members believe “the entire concept of a sovereign Jewish state is contrary to Jewish Law.” Gluck is credited with throwing his body in front of the machete-wielding man and using a wooden table to try and stop the Dec. 28 assault in Monsey, the newspaper reported. He then lured the attacker outside and documented the attacker’s license plate number and alerted police.

North Carolina

Charlotte: The body of a 6-month-old boy who had been reported missing has been found in a North Carolina cemetery and his mother is under arrest, authorities said Saturday. Law enforcement officials said the body of Chi-Liam Cody Brown-Erickson was found about 4 a.m. Saturday at Sharon Memorial Park in Charlotte. The boy’s body was found about six hours after Tamara Jernel Brown, 30, was arrested by Charlotte police for common law robbery and two counts of assault on a government official. She reportedly refused to tell police where her son was. Brown and the boy had been reported missing Thursday night. Authorities had said before Brown’s arrest that she might be suffering from a mental health disability and was last seen walking in uptown Charlotte around noon Friday

North Dakota

Bismarck: The Bismarck Park Board has voted to keep the name of Custer Park, despite efforts to change it because of the eponym’s history with Native Americans. Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer fought against Native Americans on the Great Plains in the 1860s and 1870s. Two Bismarck women led the effort to change the name. Three Affiliated Tribes member M. Angel Moniz said that to some, Custer is a reminder of violence and genocide. The Bismarck Tribune said commissioners Thursday adopted a formal process to rename city parks and to install an educational marker at Custer Park. Under the new process, there can’t be another proposal to rename Custer Park for 15 years. In 1868, Custer launched an attack on Chief Black Kettle’s Southern Cheyenne Village near present-day Cheyenne, Oklahoma, in which Native American women were raped and killed in an assault known as the Washita Massacre. Custer spent several years stationed at Fort Abraham Lincoln in Mandan before his death..

Ohio

Massillon: A family thinks an unmarked grave might hold the answer to the mystery of a relative’s disappearance 50 years ago. Russell Brunner was 31 when he disappeared from his home at the former Massillon State Hospital in 1970, where he had been committed as a teen because of a diagnosis of schizophrenia, his sister, Rita Tod, told The Repository. Although the hospital allegedly told his family that Brunner had been discharged, a body was found in 1972 in a barn on the grounds where Brunner worked, the paper said. Although the coroner at the time apparently suspected the body was Brunner’s, the coroner didn’t identify him as Brunner and the body was declared an “unknown male” before it was buried in the city cemetery in Massillon in northeastern Ohio, according to The Repository. Brunner was known to have worked in the same barn, the remains fit his description and state hospital-issued items were found on the body, the paper said. An investigation into existing records by The Repository along with its interviews with Brunner’s surviving siblings indicated the body is most likely Brunner and that he died by killing himself. The current county coroner agreed with the paper’s findings. Because there was no evidence of foul play, the family would need a court order to exhume the remains and would have to pay that cost and any testing, the coroner said.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed one regent on Friday to the governing boards of each of the state’s top two public universities. Stitt named Anita Holloway of accounting firm Ernst & Young to the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, which oversees OU, Cameron University in Lawton and Rogers State University in Claremore. He also named western Oklahoma rancher and banker Jimmy Harrel to the Oklahoma A&M Colleges Board of Regents, which oversees Oklahoma State University and four other regional universities. Both appointments will require Senate confirmation. Holloway replaces outgoing OU Regent Leslie Rainbolt-Forbes, whose term ends March 21. Harrel replaces Lou Watkins, whose term ends in April. Rainbolt-Forbes served as chair of the OU Board of Regents during an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against longtime OU President David Boren, who retired in 2018.

Oregon

Salem:The main Oregon highway connecting Salem and Bend reopened Saturday after a tanker crash and gas spill forced a weeklong closure. The double tanker trunk spilled an estimated 7,800 gallons of petroleum products into the soil at the crash site east of Idanha, the Statesman Journal newspaper in Salem reported. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said in a prepared statement that water quality tests done on the North Santiam River show the concentration of petroleum levels is below federal safe drinking water levels except for in the immediate vicinity of the crash. The agency said there is no impact to nearby cities’ drinking water, and workers will continue to test the water quality in the area periodically. Cleanup crews dug up and hauled away about 6,200 tons of contaminated soil. Workers also added a new guardrail near the site of the crash. The area has had two major tanker crashes and spills into the North Santiam River in the last three years.

Pennsylvania

Chambersburg:A military repair depot in central Pennsylvania has announced plans to lay off or reassign hundreds of contract employees because of an anticipated decrease in workload. Letterkenny Army Depot said the reduction will affect 323 contract personnel, nearly half of its contract positions. Up to 75 positions will be cut on or about March 10, and up to 248 additional workers will lose their jobs by September, although some workers could be reassigned. Officials said the reduction will affect about 15% of its total workforce of approximately 2,200 employees. Spokeswoman Lisa Baker said nearly one-third of all employees are contract personnel, while the others are federal employees. Letterkenny, which is north of Chambersburg, is one of Franklin County’s top employers, with workers repairing tactical missile systems, route clearance vehicles, electrical generators and other items. Letterkenny Munitions Center on the depot stores rockets and ammunition.

Rhode Island

Providence: Rhode Island’s motor vehicles division is temporarily opening its headquarters on some Saturdays so residents can upgrade their driver’s license to meet federal requirements that will affect air travel. The Cranston office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on select Saturdays of each month, as the October deadline for the federal REAL ID program approaches. Appointments must be made online first. Current Rhode Island licenses aren’t compliant with the federal program, which was enacted after the Sept. 11 attacks to strengthen rules for identification. The federal law requires state driver’s licenses and ID cards to have security enhancements and to be issued to people who can prove they are legally in the United States. Beginning in October, noncompliant IDs won’t be sufficient for boarding a plane or entering secure federal facilities or military bases. The weekend service is limited to REAL ID transactions for those obtaining or renewing passenger-vehicle driver licenses and state IDs. Appointments for commercial driver license services, including REAL ID, are available on weekdays.

South Carolina

Charleston: The Coast Guard plans to consolidate its facilities across the South Carolina coast to an old naval shipyard near Charleston and plans to base national security vessels at the new site, Adm. Karl Schultz said. The moves are linked with dredging of Charleston Harbor, which when competed in 2021 will make it the deepest harbor on the East Coast. The Coast Guard is looking to add three national security cutters to the two already stationed in Charleston and also place a group of offshore patrol cutters that might soon be built, Shultz said. That could double the Coast Guard population in the area to about 2,000 people, Shultz said. “A community like Charleston understands just how important our defense contributions are to the nation. And for generations, the people of this great port city have also appreciated the importance of maritime commerce to our nation,” Shultz said. The Coast Guard has property in Charleston from the tip of the city’s peninsula through North Charleston. They will all be consolidated at the old Naval Shipyard in North Charleston on the Cooper River, Shultz said.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls:The city plans a makeover at its namesake park, and officials hope infusing some friendly competition between companies in the architecture and design world will lift the project to new heights. In the last two decades, the city has added dozens of acres to the boundaries of Falls Park through land acquisitions and parcel redevelopment. And it has become the destination for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. That’s why officials with the Parks and Recreation Department said the walkways and layout of the pedestrian elements of the park campus are no longer adequate and need to be upgraded. With that in mind, City Hall last week announced it will use a design competition to gather ideas for expanding and improving the infrastructure at Falls Park in the coming years. A design competition is an alternative to a more typical process used by the city, where one architecture firm is hired to create a design before a construction company is hired. Instead, the city will put out a call for designs in hopes of spurring wide-ranging ideas for how to improve and enhance the park. Eventually, all ideas the city receives will be considered by a selection committee before the architects with the best four ideas will each be given a $10,000 stipend to continue working through their concepts and even incorporate other ideas the city in the first phase of the competition. The winning design elements could see implementation through construction as early as 2021.

Tennessee

Memphis:Federal authorities conducted searches Friday at the home and business addresses of Democratic state Sen. Katrina Robinson, the FBI said. FBI spokesman Joel Siskovic confirmed that agents executed search warrants at two locations in Memphis. They are listed as addresses for Robinson’s residence and her nursing school, Healthcare Institute Inc. The FBI declined to discuss any additional details of the searches and the U.S. attorney’s office in Memphis said it “will not comment on the nature or progress of any FBI activities before charges are publicly filed.” No one responded Friday to a knock on the door of the school, which sits in a strip mall in southeast Memphis. Robinson didn’t immediately return phone and email messages seeking comment. Her legislative office forwarded a request to a Senate Democratic Caucus spokesman. “We’ve been made aware of the investigation and have received no indication that it relates to the legislature or her legislative service,”said Brandon Puttbrese, spokesman for the Senate Democratic Caucus. “Because the investigation is ongoing, we will not be making additional statements and will defer any further questions to Sen. Robinson’s attorney.” Puttbrese also said the caucus’ thoughts are with Robinson and her family. Robinson was elected to the state Senate out of a Memphis district in 2018. Edward L. Stanton II of Butler Snow LLP emailed a statement saying only that he had been retained by Robinson “in connection with today’s events.” The school’s website said it received a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a certified nursing assistant program focused on geriatric populations and educational programs. The school was founded in January 2015. Its certified nursing assistant program was introduced that July. The school also includes phlebotomy and electrocardiographic technician instruction.

Texas

San Saba: A man fatally stabbed three people, including a 13-year-old girl, Friday before leading officers on a car chase and eventually being arrested, police said. Sheriff’s deputies in San Saba, a community of about 3,000 people 100 miles northwest of Austin, received a call around 4:30 a.m. from an 18-year-old woman who said she was one of four people stabbed inside a home, said Sgt. Bryan Washko of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Officers arrived to find a 62-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman and the girl dead, Washko said. He could not provide the names of the victims or the 22-year-old suspect. He also said it’s unclear how they are connected and that no motive is known at this point. The Texas Rangers were investigating. The girl was a seventh-grade student at a local school, which was open and offering counseling, said San Saba Independent School District Superintendent Wayne Kelly. “It’s hit us pretty hard, “ Kelly said. ”When there are only 200 kids in the junior high they tend to know each other.” Kelly described the stabbings as a “domestic situation” but said he could not elaborate. He declined to name the student. Moments after the stabbings, Washko said, the suspect fled in a car belonging to one of the victims. Police gave chase and followed him for 20 miles into the city of Goldthwaite, where he crashed into the wall of a senior citizen center and was arrested, he said. No one, including the suspect, was injured in the crash. Anthony Wayne Pierce was being held Friday in the Mills County jail in connection to the stabbings, jail employee Disa Purcell said. She said the 22-year-old is charged with aggravated assault on a public servant and evading arrest, and that more charges could be filed. The woman who survived the stabbing was hospitalized in critical condition, Washko said.

Utah

Provo: A proposed public park and nature reserve on the shores of Utah Lake would provide restoration habitat for ospreys, bald eagles and waterfowl, as well as walking trails, fishing spots and bird-watching towers. The 1,000-acre park would be nestled between Provo, Orem and Vineyard on land where Ute Chief Colorow Ignacio Ouray Walkara once brought his tribe to hunt and fish, the Daily Herald newspaper in Provo reported last week. A coalition of 25 government entities, civic groups and private landowners are working on a proposal they’re calling the Walkara Way Project. They plan to ask state lawmakers for $5.6 million for the project. The park has been discussed for a long time and would be a great place for families to enjoy nature, said Doug Robins, assistant director of the Provo Parks and Recreation Department. The plans call for 2.8 miles of trails, towers so people can watch bald eagles, and fishing areas and picnic areas. The trails would connect with other regional trail systems. The area where the park and preserve would be created is commonly known as the Powell Slough. Jake Holdaway, whose family has owned much of the land, said his family will get cattle grazing rights for perpetuity. He said that cows are the best way to keeping weeds from overgrowing. Taxpayer money is now used to mow the weeds or spray them with weed killer. Holdaway is planning on building an education center for children.

Vermont

South Burlington: Concerns from the Federal Aviation Administration that a five-story hotel planned for the Burlington International Airport could interfere with the airport’s radar system is forcing developers to relocate the proposed hotel. The FAA’s objection came as officials were preparing to begin construction of the hotel, planned for near the entrance to the South Burlington airport. Airport planners are now hoping to build the $14 million hotel just north of the airport’s parking garage on what is now a parking lot. MyNBC5.com reported the new site is larger, allowing for a slightly larger hotel with about 110 rooms, conference space and a limited service bar and restaurant. Airport officials said they hope for expedited approval from the FAA and local design review boards in order to begin construction this summer.

Virginia

Richmond: Dominion Energy said a reduction in fuel rates should save its Virginia customers an average of $6 a month later this year under a new proposal. The state’s largest electricity supplier announced Friday that a proposed fuel rate adjustment would result in roughly a 5% reduction in the average residential bill. Industrial customers would see an even greater rate drop of about 10% because the fuel rate makes up a bigger part of a typical industrial bill. The reduction would go into effect May 1 if approved by the State Corporation Commission. Dominion said that improved efficiency at its natural gas plants and increased solar generation are fueling the rate drop.

Washington

Tacoma: Spring chinook salmon could return on the Columbia River in the second-lowest numbers in 21 years, according to Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife. This year’s forecasted return of 81,700 upriver spring chinook is up 12% from last year’s return of 73,100, which was the lowest since 1999, the News Tribune in Tacoma reported Sunday. The record low return was just 12,000 fish in 1995. The projected return this year is just 43% of the 10-year average for chinook returning to hatcheries and spawning areas upriver from the Bonneville Dam. Poor ocean conditions continue to play a significant role in lower projected returns, said Ryan Lothrop, Columbia River policy coordinator for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. New fishing regulations for the Columbia River – from about 6 miles below the The Dalles Dam upstream to the Oregon and Washington state line above McNary Dam – set the season at April 1 through May 5. Anglers can retain either two hatchery steelhead or a hatchery chinook and a hatchery steelhead per day. Hatchery fish have a clipped adipose fin, which is just above the tail fin. Barbless hooks will be required. The expected harvest is about 340 adult chinook above the Bonneville Dam and 2,500 below it. Fishing regulations have yet to be set for this year for spring chinook on the Snake River, but the catch is expected to be similarly constrained.

West Virginia

Charleston: President Donald Trump has increased the federal share of costs to help West Virginia recover from floods that ravaged the state in June 2016. Gov. Jim Justice’s office said Friday that Trump approved his request to increase the federal share from 75% to 90% for public assistance projects. A recent award of $131.7 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to rebuild two Nicholas County schools helped the state meet the threshold for a cost-share increase, the governor’s office said. Covered costs include emergency expenses, debris removal and infrastructure repair. The increase falls under a major disaster declaration by former President Barack Obama in 2016 after the floods killed 23 people and damaged hundreds of buildings in the state.

Wisconsin

Onalaska:Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, will stop in Wisconsin for a campaign event in March. The Pences will be in Onalaska, near La Crosse, at noon March 5 for a “Women for Trump” event at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center, 3060 S. Kinney Coulee Road. They will also appear later that day at an event in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mike Pence held a rally last month at the Wisconsin State Capitol to promote private voucher and charter schools.

Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park: Yellowstone National Park plans to replace dozens of decades-old trailers used by park workers, part of an initiative to upgrade employee housing. About half of the Yellowstone’s 800 employees live in park housing, according to park spokeswoman Morgan Warthin. She described the quality of the accommodations as “fair to poor.” Over the next two years, park administrators plan to replace 64 trailers built between 1960 and 1983 with cabin-style modular houses. The number of new houses has not been determined. They would be placed in already-developed areas. The park also plans to add new housing, rehabilitate historic homes in Fort Yellowstone and other areas, and upgrade 150 nontrailer housing units, including with new flooring and better insulation and heating systems. Warthin told Montana Public Radio that there’s not enough housing, and the housing crunch hurts workforce recruitment as park visitation has jumped 45% since the year 2000. Costs for the work will run into the tens of millions of dollars, with funding coming from 2020 federal appropriations legislation, Yellowstone administrators said.