3D printed boat, Empire State makeover, ‘Stranger Things’ mall: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Montgomery: The state said $30 million is available for cities and counties across Alabama to use on road and bridge projects. The money announced Thursday is coming from a 10 cent-a-gallon increase in the state gas tax that lawmakers passed this year at the urging of Gov. Kay Ivey. Twenty-eight projects were selected in all for a total of $30.1 million in funding from the state. The largest amounts of $2 million each are going to the cities of Saraland, Springville and Houston County. Some local governments are providing about $9.5 million total to assist with the work. A statement from Ivey’s office said every citizen will see benefits from infrastructure spending. The law passed earlier this year requires at least $30 million annually for local governments under the tax hike.

Alaska

Anchorage: The Alaska Journal of Commerce reported Wednesday that Alaska Airlines mileage plan members will not be able to earn miles on American Airlines international flights beginning March 1. Officials said Alaska Airlines passengers will also no longer be able to use miles for award travel on American flights. The airlines said Alaska plan holders will still be able to earn mile-for-mile value on American flights with Alaska flight numbers to locations in the Midwest, the East Coast and parts of Canada. Before the announcement, American Airlines was Alaska’s final domestic mileage plan partner, meaning Alaska plan members will not have another major carrier on which to use miles.

Arizona

Phoenix: There have been 16 deaths in Arizona this year attributed to the West Nile virus, nearly half of the 35 deaths reported nationwide. Arizona has had not only more deaths but more total cases of West Nile infection than any other state in the nation this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Maricopa County is driving the high case numbers and deaths. All but one of the 16 deaths statewide were in Maricopa County. In 2018, the state health department recorded six deaths from the West Nile virus. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. Infected mosquitoes then spread the West Nile virus to people and other animals by biting them, the CDC said. Investigators are looking at the local ecology, bird and mosquito populations, rainfall and disease patterns, among other factors. The total case count of West Nile virus in Maricopa County is 153 this year, which is a 750% jump over the same time last year, county data showed. Other mosquito-borne diseases were also up in Maricopa County this year. St. Louis Encephalitis, Dengue and Chikungunya infections have all increased over last year's case count, county data says.

Arkansas

Pine Bluff: Officials in this economically struggling city are redirecting tax money meant for a revitalization plan to bolster city budgets. Residents passed a sales tax in 2017 that was projected to generate almost $32 million in seven years. The City Council voted Monday to divert $2.1 million of its projected $4.5 million in extra annual revenue, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. It includes allocating $300,000 each to the Police Department, youth and community resources, the convention center, in addition to $200,000 to the Fire Department. Another $1 million will be allotted to drainage needs. Nonprofit organization Go Forward Pine Bluff, established in 2015 and governed by an independent committee, is working with the city government to improve the town and economy. Unless Mayor Shirley Washington vetoes the resolution, the group could lose around $10.5 million in subsidies.

California

Sacramento: Hotels in the nation’s most populous state will have to stop giving guests small plastic shampoo bottles under a new law set to take effect starting in 2023. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday he signed a law banning hotels from giving guests plastic bottles filled with shampoo, conditioner or soap. It takes effect in 2023 for hotels with more than 50 rooms and 2024 for hotels with less than 50 rooms. Violators could be fined $500 for a first offense and $2,000 for subsequent violations. The law follows similar actions by some of the world’s largest hotel chains. Marriott International has said it plans to stop using small plastic bottles in its hotel rooms by December 2020. IHG, which owns Holiday Inn, Kimpton and other brands, said it will eliminate about 200 million small bottles by 2021. Last year, Walt Disney Co. said it would get rid of small plastic shampoo bottles at its resorts and cruise ships. The law comes as California officials are trying to reduce the amount of plastic waste. The state already bans grocery stores from giving customers single-use plastic bags without charging a fee. Last year, former Gov. Jerry Brown passed a law allowing restaurants to hand out plastic straws only upon request. The Personal Care Products Council opposed the legislation, arguing it would hurt personal care product manufacturers.

Colorado

Denver: A group opposed to hydraulic fracturing announced a lawsuit seeking to halt new oil and gas drilling permits until updated regulations are in place. Colorado Rising attorney Joe Salazar said the Denver District Court complaint alleges the state is issuing drilling permits under rules made obsolete by a new law. The law requires the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to put public health and safety ahead of production in considering permits. It’s devising rules to comply. A group of Broomfield residents contends, in part, that the agency didn’t afford them the right to raise health and environmental objections afforded them under the new law as the agency considered a well location permit. Commission spokeswoman Megan Castle noted that the agency repeatedly has advised the public that it will conduct business, including considering permit applications, under the new law while it devises new rules.

Connecticut

Killingly: Students at Killingly High School have chosen a replacement for their Native American-themed athletic mascot. Superintendent Steve Rioux told The Norwich Bulletin that about 80% of students who voted selected Red Hawks to replace Redmen. The other finalist was Razorbacks. The new nickname is subject to approval by the town’s Board of Education. The change is the culmination of a yearslong process that began with citizen complaints to the board about the offensive nature of the former mascot. The board decided to make a change during the summer, when the Nipmuc Tribe, based in the area, stated their opposition to it. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation also condemned the mascot as “racist and stereotypical.”

Delaware

Wilmington: Officials on Thursday recovered the body of a 6-year-old boy who went missing when an SUV carrying five young people plunged into the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal on Sunday morning. There was only one survivor in the accident, a 16-year-old girl. The bodies of three boys – two brothers and their cousin – were recovered shortly after, but officials had been searching for the body of 6-year-old Ethan Lindsey since then. He was found at about 8:45 a.m. Thursday, police said. State police said they received a 911 call from someone who saw the body in the water near the north bank of the canal, about a quarter-mile from the west end of the William V. Roth Jr. Bridge. Ethan's father, Willis Lindsey Sr., posted an update on Facebook, saying the boy had been located. Willis Lindsey said he and his family were traveling from Wilmington to Easton, Maryland, in separate cars for a youth football game when both vehicles took a wrong exit and ended up on a gravel road along the C&D Canal. It is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and used to access the waterway and bridges to perform maintenance and repairs. Lindsey was driving with his wife; 10-year-old son, Donald; and 2-year-old daughter to Donald's football game. In the other car, his eldest son, Willis Jr., 18, was driving a 16-year-old female friend; his brothers Kyree, 16, and Ethan, 6, and their 12-year-old cousin, Eric Lindsey. The elder Lindsey, 40, said he and his son turned their vehicles around and were headed back to the main road when he lost sight of his son's car after rounding a slight bend. Lindsey Jr. helped the female passenger get safely to shore, and jumped back in to try and rescue the three boys. Authorities found Lindsey Jr.'s body in the water near the site of the crash. They found the bodies of Kryee and Eric just before 5 p.m. Sunday, when the vehicle was removed from the water.

District of Columbia

Washington: The D.C. Council has voted to temporarily change the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. WTOP-FM reported the council on Tuesday passed the “Indigenous Peoples’ Day Emergency Declaration Act of 2019.” Supporting Councilman David Grosso told lawmakers that the federal holiday honors Christopher Columbus despite him having “enslaved, colonized, mutilated and massacred thousands of indigenous peoples.” He called the legislation overdue, saying D.C. struggles with respecting indigenous people and referencing the Washington Redskins. The legislation requires Mayor Muriel Bowser’s signature to go into effect. It also requires congressional approval to become permanent. Without it, the holiday will revert to Columbus Day next year. Councilman Jack Evans, who’s under federal investigation, abstained from the vote, saying he supports Indigenous Peoples’ Day, “but not replacing Columbus Day.”

Florida

Palm City: Authorities said they arrested a man who provoked a small alligator into biting his arm and poured beer into the animal’s mouth. News outlets reported 27-year-old Timothy Kepke and 22-year-old Noah Osborne were charged last week with unlawfully taking an alligator. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers began investigating in August following a complaint of Osborne catching the alligator in Palm City and handing to Kepke. Kepke appears in a video to let the reptile bite his forearm. The video also shows Kepke feeding the alligator beer as it struggles. When officers interviewed Kepke last month, he reportedly acknowledged that he was in the video and said the gator was alive when they released it. The men were released on bond. Jail records didn’t list attorneys for them.

Georgia

Duluth: Most of the mall heavily featured in the latest season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” is going up for sale. News outlets reported Moonbeam Capital Partners is ready to sell its portion of the long-struggling Gwinnett Place Mall, which has been so empty that a body went unnoticed near the food court for about two weeks in 2017. A senior vice president for real estate firm Colliers International Atlanta, Tony D’Ambrosio, said no asking price has been set for the mall’s interior retail portion and much of its parking lots. The mall’s anchor tenants and their surrounding parking spaces, including Macy’s and a now-shuttered Sears store, are owned separately.

Hawaii

Wailuku: Hawaii will consider whether to restrict access to a nature reserve where rock-climbing activities are threatening native plant species, officials said. The state Board of Land and Natural Resources is expected to consider restricting portions of the West Maui Natural Area Reserve, The Maui News reported Wednesday. The state Division of Forestry and Wildlife asked the board to limit access to cliff areas in the Lihau section of the reserve for up to two years. The board is expected to consider the request during its meeting on Friday in Honolulu. Rock climbers have installed hardware and footholds in cliffs in the area, officials said. Modifying geological features including chipping rock for footholds is prohibited under state law, according to land and natural resources board documents. The changes affect threatened and endangered plants such as the Maui chaff flower and the Menzies’ schiedea. Climbers hiking to the rock walls also are affecting West Maui’s only known population of yellow hibiscus, which is in danger of trampling or breakage, officials said. The dry cliff ecosystem is home to vegetation that grows on steep slopes in areas receiving less than 75 inches of rainfall per year, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The forestry and wildlife division proposed installing signs explaining to rock climbers why the activity threatens the rare plants.

Idaho

Boise: An early deep freeze has potato and onion farmers rushing to harvest crops or hoping the buried vegetables will survive the frozen nights this week. Travis Blacker with the Idaho Potato Commission said an estimated 15% to 20% of Idaho’s potato crop remained in the ground Wednesday. The Idaho Department of Agriculture said onion growers are in similar straits and working overtime to finish the harvest. Other crops at risk include sweet corn and dry beans. Blacker said harvesting during freezing temperatures can hurt the quality of the potatoes, and rushing can lead to accidents. National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Wojcik said a low-pressure system from Canada is causing the high winds, low temperatures and snow. He said Boise’s temperatures were about 20 degrees below average on Wednesday.

Illinois

Chicago: A preservation group is struggling to find a developer to save a historical coal-fired power plant the owner said is deteriorating and presents safety concerns. Preservation Chicago is making its last attempt to prevent the demolition of Union Station Power House, which sits along the Illinois River in the South Loop. The power plant was built in the 1930s to supply the massive amount of energy needed to run Union Station and its surrounding infrastructure. The Amtrak-owned plant closed in 2011 when that power was no longer needed. Ward Miller, who heads the preservation group, told the Chicago Sun-Times that the power house is an example of the city’s industrial roots and a monument to its history as a transporter of people and freight. Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said that although the company hasn’t made its final decision on what to do with the building, the structure is deteriorating rather quickly and has safety issues. He noted that Amtrak has made significant progress in planning for the demolition, but because preservationists have expressed an interest in reusing the structure, the company is open to preservation proposals, though there have been none.

Indiana

Crawfordsville: Wabash College, which has handed out sheepskin diplomas to its graduating seniors for 187 years, is going to end the practice. College administrators said the quality of the diplomas has deteriorated while the prices have soared.Year 188 will bring paper. Wabash College President Gregory Hess told the Indianapolis Star last week in a written statement that the availability of sheepskin diplomas and timely delivery have been an issue for years. The diplomas cost the college $28,000 to $32,000, depending on the size of the graduating class, which ranges from 175 to 200 graduates. The diplomas would cost about $160 each. James Amidon, the college’s Director of Strategic Communications, said the college will look for museum-quality, archival grade paper, but it's not yet clear how much that will cost.

Iowa

Cedar Rapids: City officials gathered with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leaders and members of Iowa’s congressional delegation for a groundbreaking ceremony of a new flood gate to protect part of downtown from Cedar River flooding. The 4-foot-thick gate will be 14 feet tall and 67 feet long and will hide behind a flood wall when not in use, the Gazette reported. It can be rolled into place within about 30 minutes to protect the New Bohemia business district when the river rises. A contract to complete the $2.4 million gate was signed last week, and construction will likely begin later this year or next spring, said Jason Smith, a program manager with the Corps. The city has been slowly assembling a $550 million flood control system since devastating floods ravaged Cedar Rapids in 2008. Last year, the Corps announced the approval of $117 million federal funding for flood protection in Cedar Rapids. Of that, $41 million must be repaid by the city. City officials have estimated the full east side system would cost $245 million.

Kansas

Wichita: A new water plant planned for Wichita is behind schedule, delaying a City Council decision on keeping a nearly $524 million contract that has prompted an investigation of the mayor. The Wichita Eagle reported the contract gave Wichita Water Partners until Oct. 4 to submit a cost estimate for a part of the plant it is designing. The council had planned to decide at the end of October whether the group could start construction. But on Oct. 3, City Manager Robert Layton approved the group’s request for a 75-day extension. The Dec. 18 deadline is after the Nov. 5 mayoral election. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett opened an investigation after The Eagle reported that Mayor Jeff Longwell steered the contract to the group and it includes friends of his.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Kentucky’s Court of Appeals has appointed its first female clerk. Rebecca Combs Lyon assumed the post Oct. 1. She has worked with the court for more than 30 years and has become the first woman in the role since Kentucky’s modern court system was created more than 40 years ago. The court said in a news release that Lyon has worked as an appellate staff attorney, civil motions panel attorney, deputy chief staff attorney and chief staff attorney. As clerk, she’s now responsible for custody, control and storage of all appellate records. Lyon succeeds Samuel P. Givens Jr., who retired last month after 30 years with the court system.

Louisiana

Opelousas: A large cross has disappeared from the wreckage of an African American church in Louisiana that was burned down in an arson case. News outlets reported the white fiberglass cross belonged to Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas. It was one of three historic churches set ablaze in arson attacks earlier this year. The Rev. Gerald Toussaint told The Acadiana Advocate he noticed the cross was missing Friday after a meeting with architect Stephen Juan Ortego. Ortego said the congregation wanted to use the cross as a relic of the destroyed church. On Facebook , Ortego asked anyone with information to message him. Toussaint said he’s hesitant to file a report because it might be a “fruitless effort.” Holden Matthews was indicted in June on federal arson and hate crimes charges.

Maine

Orono: The world’s largest 3D printer and the largest object ever printed have been unveiled at the University of Maine. The university showed off a 25-foot, 5,000-pound boat Thursday that researchers think is just the beginning of the type of product that companies can bring to the market faster with 3D printing. The boat was printed at the university’s Advanced Structures & Composite Center. The school and Oak Ridge Laboratory in Tennessee are collaborating on the project, which aims to help businesses innovate with larger, faster prototypes. The university said Guinness World Records confirmed it’s the world’s largest 3D-printed boat, the largest 3D-printed object and largest prototype polymer 3D printer.

Maryland

Secretary: A wastewater treatment plant on Maryland’s Eastern Shore has received a $5.8 million federal grant for an upgrade. U.S. Rep. Andy Harris made the announcement Wednesday. The Twin Cities wastewater treatment plant is shared by the towns of Secretary and East New Market in Dorchester County. The grant will be accompanied by a loan of about $1.1 million. The money will be used to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant for enhanced nutrient removal. The U.S. Agriculture Department said it will correct a health and sanitary problem at the existing treatment plant, due to its deteriorating condition.

Massachusetts

Worcester: The Telegram & Gazette reported that the Worcester Planning Board voted Wednesday to give definitive site approval to the Polar Park project and associated private development. The Worcester Redevelopment Authority is overseeing construction of a minor-league ballpark and municipal parking garage, and Madison WG Holdings LLC is doing the private development. The ballpark will be home to the Boston Red Sox’s Triple-A affiliate, currently located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. To meet deadlines to get the ballpark open by 2021, the city will be approving development in phases and will approve details such as landscaping, lighting and architectural elements at a later date.

Michigan

Spring Lake: The remains of a Michigan soldier who went missing during the Korean War’s fierce Battle of Chosin Reservoir are being returned home after DNA testing confirmed that he died in that battle nearly 70 years ago. U.S. Army Sgt. David Alexander Feriend was 23 in December 1950 when he was listed as missing in action, after the 17-day siege near the Chosin Reservoir in eastern North Korea. Feriend’s remains were among 54 boxes of human remains that North Korea turned over to the U.S. after a June 2018 summit in Singapore between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced in August that Feriend had been “accounted for.” DNA testing verified that the remains in box number 36 were those of Feriend, WOOD-TV reported. Feriend’s sister, Irene Arbogast, said her parents had hoped for years that he was a prisoner of war. Feriend will receive full military honors when his remains arrive at Gerald R. Ford International Airport near Grand Rapids late Friday. Patriot Riders and the Michigan State Police are expected to accompany his remains to a Traverse City-area funeral home.

Minnesota

St. Paul: Enbridge Energy has offered the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa at least $24 million to settle a lawsuit the tribe filed to shut down and remove the Line 5 pipeline from its reservation. But, tribal leaders said their position against the pipeline remains unchanged. Line 5 carries up to 540,000 barrels of oil and natural gas liquids each day from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario. Minnesota Public Radio News reported Enbridge is offering $12 million to settle claims over expired easements on tribal land, as well as $10 million that would follow the start of a new Line 5 route outside the reservation. Enbridge, based in Calgary, Alberta, would also pay the tribe $2 million annually until the pipeline’s operation is no longer in use on the reservation.

Mississippi

Jackson: Hunters who use dogs to pursue deer could see reduced access to national forests in Mississippi. A report for the U.S. Forest Service found few large continuous tracts of national forest land in Mississippi judged suitable for hunting with dogs. Adjoining landowners often complain when dogs enter their property. Forest Service spokesman Mario Rossilli told the Clarion Ledger that officials will meet with interested groups to discuss possible changes. But David Smith, president of the Mississippi Dog Hunting Association, said if the Forest Service would open closed forest roads, allowing hunters to catch dogs before they leave public lands. He said roads are opened for hunters in Alabama and Georgia. Smith also questions the validity of the report because University of Georgia researchers didn’t come to Mississippi before issuing it.

Missouri

Springfield: Officials are planting small flags in piles of abandoned dog poop as part of a campaign to get residents to clean up after their pets downtown. The Police Department in Springfield posted photos of the flags in use on its Facebook page Wednesday. The flags contain messages such as, “Is this your turd? ‘Cuz that’s absurd” and “This is a nudge to pick up the fudge.” The campaign started this week and the department noted on Facebook that leaving behind a pet’s mess in many cases violates a city ordinance. The flags are made of bamboo and recycled paper. The city said it picks up nearly 25 pounds of poop a week from downtown parks and parking lots, with the work costing $7,500 annually.

Montana

West Glacier: More than 488,000 people visited Glacier National Park in September, a 12.5% increase over the same month last year. The Flathead Beacon reported that the National Park Service said 2.9 million people have come to the park this year, a 3.5% jump over 2018. The strong September numbers come on the heels of a busy August, when more than 771,000 people visited Glacier. Just two months ago, year-to-date visitation was down more than 3%, with 1.6 million people coming to the park between January and July. One likely reason for the spike in August and September visitation is that for the first time in three years, the park did not have a major wildfire.

Nebraska

Chadron: A winter storm system has dropped nearly a half-foot of snow in northwest Nebraska, making roads and highways treacherous. The National Weather Service said 5 inches had been dumped on Chadron, where schools and Chadron State College canceled classes for Thursday. The service said 3.4 inches accumulated in Scottsbluff, and more is expected. Schools in Gordon, Hay Springs and Hemingford planned to delay the start of Thursday classes. The eastbound system has brought an inch so far to Valentine. The weather service said blowing and drifting snow are making travel hazardous and said the low temperatures could pose a danger to people working outdoors and livestock. Gusts could approach 35 mph.

Nevada

Reno: Backup plans are being considered for an avalanche control system in Nevada near a year-round highway pass amid concerns about reliability, transportation officials said. The remote-operated Gazex system uses propane-powered blasts to trigger controlled avalanches on state Route 431, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported Monday. The system has been in place near Mount Rose since 1992 and the building that houses the propane and oxygen tanks is about 12 years old. The building receives annual inspections. The next is scheduled for this month. The human-triggered avalanches clear the snow load from slopes overhanging the highway, making the roadway safer for drivers once the debris is cleared, officials said. The Gazex system covers the zone at the summit of the mountain at the highest risk for sliding. Alternatives could include contracting companies licensed and trained to use hand-thrown explosives to trigger controlled avalanches, a common method at ski resorts, said Meg Ragonese, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Transportation. The department has also announced plans to add as many as six new snowblowers for use on the highway in the coming two years, she said.

New Hampshire

Concord: Kimberly Piper-Stoddard, an English teacher who instructs inmates in the state prison system, has been named the New Hampshire Teacher of the Year. Piper-Stoddard was honored Wednesday at a ceremony at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men in Concord. She’s a teacher at Granite State High School, which is located within the walls of the men’s and women’s prisons. Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said Piper-Stoddard teaches students who have gone down the wrong path but are working to turn their lives around. One student said Piper-Stoddard is excited and enthusiastic about what she teaches, and that’s created “an overwhelming positive change in me.” Other finalists were Jeremy Brown, Littleton High School; Sarah Grossi, Con-Val Regional High School; John “Drew” Groves, Bow High School; Barbara Milliken, Oyster River High School; and Christine Stilwell, Robert J. Lister Academy.

New Jersey

Fredon Township: A lost hiker and his dog are safe after a state trooper was lowered by rope down a cliff to reach the man who was holding on to a tree. The rescue happened Monday night in the dark and rain after the hiker called 911 to say he was trapped on an incline along a trail in Fredon Township. Troopers Russell Cahn and Sean Sullivan located the man and the dog. The troopers were worried about hypothermia. Body camera video shows Cahn and firefighters lowered Sullivan by rope to reach the man. The hiker’s dog was hoisted to safety before the man was raised by the rope and was treated at the scene by EMS. The rescue took nearly two hours.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: Officials said 18 small fires discovered burning near each other in the Carson National Forest last week were caused by people. The Albuquerque Journal reported U.S. Forest Service is still investigating the exact cause of the fires, which collectively are being called the Maton Fire. A soaking rain on Friday helped firefighting crews contain the blazes, keeping them more than 80% contained by the weekend. Carson National Forest spokeswoman Denise Ottaviano said investigators found 18 points of ignition, and it will take time to determine the cause for each one. She said it was unusual for that many fires to start at one time.

New York

New York City: The observatory atop the Empire State Building has a dizzying new look with floor-to-ceiling, 360-degree windows 102 floors above New York City. The remodeled observatory opens to the public on Saturday. It was unveiled to the media on Thursday. More than 4 million annual visitors will get a bird’s-eye view of the city and nearby states. The $58 cost to get to the observatory at 1,250 feet above Fifth Avenue has not changed. The building also has remodeled its famous open-air observatory on the 86th floor. The highest new perch also contains fresh exhibits on the way up. It was a four-year project costing $165 million.

North Carolina

Lewisville: Officials said an overheated and smoldering Chromebook caused about 600 children to be evacuated from Lewisville Elementary School, whose district is now recalling about $4.2 million-worth of district-issued laptops. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools’ chief technology officer Kevin Sherrill told reporters at a Wednesday news conference that the children were evacuated that morning after the 2015 laptop began to smoke. District spokesman Brent Campbell said a third-grader reported the laptop was getting hot, and it then started to smoke. He said the classroom and building were evacuated, and the laptop was sprayed with a fire extinguisher. Sherrill said the laptop likely suffered a battery-related issue. The district is now recalling all 20,000 of its 2015 Chromebooks, which Sherrill said are each valued at about $210.

North Dakota

Devils Lake: Police are investigating several reports of laser pointers targeting aircraft at the local airport, which is a dangerous crime. KFGO reported authorities said the latest incident happened Sunday night and involved a medical helicopter. There have been similar reports in recent weeks involving aircraft arriving at the Devils Lake airport. When a laser is pointed at an aircraft and enters the cockpit, it has the potential to blind the pilots often at a crucial time – when they’re landing. Interfering with a flight is a federal crime. Police said anyone providing information that leads to an arrest might qualify for a reward through Devils Lake Crimestoppers.

Ohio

Cincinnati: The Great Ohio River Swim has been canceled because of a harmful algal bloom that could endanger swimmers’ health. Organizers canceled the event Tuesday after it was postponed from late September to Oct. 13. The race is scheduled to return in 2020. The event website thanked participants for their patience through the rescheduling and cancellation and said they can request a refund by email. Greater Cincinnati Water Works said the ongoing bloom of blue-green algae does not endanger residents’ drink water. The city’s health department said anyone swimming, boating or fishing could potentially be at risk of exposure. Health officials have warned that people encountering the harmful algae can have an array of reactions including irradiated skin and eyes as well as cause stomach cramps, headache and difficulty breathing.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: An ornate conference-room table where the late oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens made billion-dollar deals and hosted VIPs in his Dallas office is heading to the Oklahoma Capitol. Officials at Oklahoma State University announced Wednesday that the 24-foot-long table and 22 leather chairs will be loaned to the governor’s office for the next 10 years. A university donor purchased the four-pedestal desk, inlaid with golden cherry and walnut wood, and donated it to the university. Oklahoma’s new Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt is a graduate of Oklahoma State and had inquired about the desk after visiting with Pickens, who died last month at age 91. The governor’s office is being renovated as part of a $245 million project to overhaul the state Capitol.

Oregon

Newport: The Oregon Coast Aquarium has announced a fundraising campaign for an $18 million expansion effort. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Wednesday that the aquarium plans to remodel existing facilities and add a marine rehabilitation center and an outdoor play area. Aquarium officials said the project would be the first major remodeling since the facility opened to the public in 1992. The attraction, located 133 miles southwest of Portland, draws more than 420,000 visitors annually and has hosted 15 million people overall. Aquarium CEO Carrie Lewis said the original facility was not designed to accommodate current visitor numbers. The renovation plan includes a rehabilitation facility for endangered marine animals such as sea turtles, seals and snowy plovers. Officials said those animals are now cared for in a repurposed warehouse.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Trump administration officials said the Navy will name a ship that has yet to be built after the city of Harrisburg. The naming of the future USS Harrisburg was announced Thursday in the Capitol Rotunda at an event that included federal, state and local officials. The $800 million amphibious landing platform dock will be built in Mississippi and is expected to be ready for service in about two years. Officials said the 684-foot USS Harrisburg will be used for amphibious and special operations efforts, as well as humanitarian missions. A previous USS Harrisburg served as a troop transport during World War I.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state’s largest school district is now giving every student access to free breakfasts and lunches without having to apply for a free or reduced-priced lunch program. The Providence Journal reported that the Providence School Board gave the new policy first passage at its meeting Wednesday night. Board President Nina Pande said removing the application process for reduced-price lunches helps eliminate the stigma for students who are eligible. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 60% of Providence students meet the criteria. Providence Public Schools spokeswoman Emily Martineau said the city is expected to receive about $16 million in reimbursement from the federal government for the program. The school board will take the new policy up for second and final passage at its next meeting.

South Carolina

Columbia: Much of one of the state’s largest counties was left without water after a 70-year-old pipe broke, sending a torrent of water over a main highway and closing schools, businesses and county offices. A 20-inch iron pipe that carries water from Rock Hill’s treatment plant into the water system in York County, just south of Charlotte, broke Wednesday afternoon because of old age, Deputy City Manager Jimmy Bagley said. The pipe was fixed about 1 a.m. Thursday and water was again running through the system, but officials said it would take hours to restore pressure. About 30 million gallons – enough to fill more than 45 Olympic-size swimming pools – of treated water spilled, Bagley said. About 125,000 customers, including residents, schools and businesses, were left without water and forced to close. Many remained closed Thursday. The torrent of water also shut down U.S. Highway 21. York County residents will need to boil their water until at least Friday afternoon to give state health officials time to test it for safety, Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys said Thursday. City crews were opening fire hydrants to flush out mud and sediment that entered the system through the break and Gettys later asked residents to wait for that process to finish Thursday before washing clothes or taking showers. York is South Carolina’s seventh-most populous county, with 260,000 people, and one of the state’s fastest-growing areas.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: The Sioux Falls School District on Tuesday held its largest full-scale active shooter training session since 2014. The district had been planning for the training since January 2018, a month before a shooting at a Parkland, Florida, high school left 17 dead. School District Risk Manager Bob Bray coordinated the training, and assistant superintendent Jamie Nold walked emergency responders and district officials through various exercises at a simulated command center set up at the district's Instructional Planning Center. No one portrayed the role of the shooter in the exercise. However, 10 student names were listed as “injured” during the training. None of those students participated in the event, district spokesperson Carly Uthe said. Bray said the purpose of the execise was to spot potential pitfalls, future concerns and any security gaps that need to be addressed and adjusted.

Tennessee

Knoxville: The copyright owners of the “Charlie Brown Christmas” theme song have sued Dollywood in federal court for copyright infringement. News outlets reported the complaint said the East Tennessee theme park named for country star Dolly Parton has used the song without permission in live Christmas performances since 2007. The lawsuit said Los Angeles-based Lee Mendelson Film Productions owns the copyright and is asking for $150,000 for every time the song has been used. According to the suit, “Christmas Time is Here” was written by Lee Mendelson and Vince Guaraldi for the 1965 television special “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Dollywood said it is aware of the lawsuit but declined to comment on pending litigation.

Texas

Laredo: Officials in this border city have lifted a boil-water notice 1½ weeks after low chlorine levels in the municipal drinking water supply prompted its issuance. In a statement issued Wednesday, Laredo officials said the city’s tap water was safe and could be used for any purpose. An investigation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is underway to determine what caused the variable chlorine levels that had fallen to insufficient levels in some parts of the city of about 260,000 residents. The boil-water notice issued Sept. 28 had applied to all consumption, including for cooking, personal washing and brushing teeth.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Cans of beer have littered the parking lot of a church of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after a semi-trailer crashed that was carrying cases of brew banned by the faith. Sandy Police Stg. Jason Nielsen said the semi-trailer veered and fell from a road and into the church’s parking lot after it was hit by a pickup truck that ran a red light on Thursday. Beer cans were strewn across the empty church parking lot. One of the faith’s key rules is a ban on members drinking alcohol. Nielsen said the semi-trailer driver suffered nonlife-threatening injuries. The pickup truck driver wasn’t injured. Authorities haven’t determined if he will be cited. The church building wasn’t damaged.

Vermont

Montpelier: The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is warning motorists to be on the lookout for moose crossing roadways this time of year. Officials said it’s breeding season for moose, so they are on the move and more likely to cross roads, particularly after dark or early in the morning. State Game Warden Major George Scribner said drivers hit 57 moose on Vermont highways last year and 36 so far this year. Among the highways that moose frequent are Route 105 from Island Pond to Bloomfield; Route 114 from East Burke to Canaan; Interstate 89 from Bolton to Montpelier; and Route 12 from Worcester to Elmore. Officials said 19 people have died in vehicle collisions with moose on Vermont highways since 1985.

Virginia

Richmond: State health officials have issued an advisory because of elevated mercury levels found in blue catfish caught in the Nottoway River. The Virginia Department of Health said Thursday that recent fish tissue sample results from the river show mercury levels in blue catfish exceed the amount considered safe for long-term human consumption. The department advises people to eat no more than two meals a month of blue catfish taken from the river. Fish consumption advisories alert people to contaminants present in affected fish species but do not prohibit people from eating fish. Pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children should not eat fish from this advisory area to avoid ingesting mercury.

Washington

Spokane: The cold weather that struck eastern Washington this week is causing worries for apple growers. The cold front is expected to last through the weekend, and calls for lows in the 20s in the Spokane region. The Spokesman-Review said cold temperatures in October could hurt what is projected to be the second-largest apple harvest in state history. Jim DeVaney, president of the Washington Tree Fruit Association, said the harvest is about half complete. He said the crop could withstand some loss from cold weather and still be very large. The potential for damage depends on factor like an orchard’s location and elevation.

West Virginia

Charleston: The mayor of West Virginia’s capital city reversed a decision to change the name of the annual holiday parade after intense backlash from church leaders and conservatives. Mayor Amy Goodwin announced on Monday that she planned to rename the “Charleston Christmas Parade” the “Charleston Winter Parade” to demonstrate that Charleston is an inclusive city. Officials from several churches quickly criticized the decision and said they wouldn’t attend. State Senate President Mitch Carmichael, a Republican, issued a statement saying the renaming was the handiwork of “Charleston’s elite liberals.” Under pressure, Goodwin publicly withdrew the name change on Thursday. In a Facebook post, she said “the kind of vitriol that has come forth” over the secular parade title has been “disappointing and hurtful.”

Wisconsin

Madison: The state Assembly has passed a resolution supporting new F-35 fighter jets in Madison despite concerns about noise. Defense officials are considering stationing two F-35 squadrons at Truax Field. The planes would replace the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s aging F-16s. But Truax neighbors are worried about noise from the jets. An environmental impact statement said the noise would render more than 1,000 homes incompatible for residential use. The state Assembly on Thursday approved a resolution supporting F-35s at Truax on an 87-9 vote. The Senate passed it on Tuesday. The resolution’s main authors, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Rep. Tony Kurtz, argued that placing F-35s at Truax will ensure the base remains open and noise concerns are exaggerated.

Wyoming

Laramie: Leaders of three more tribes have signed a treaty guiding restoration of buffalo populations in the U.S. and Canada. The International Buffalo Treaty was the first cross-border tribal treaty in more than 150 years when it was established in 2014. The treaty now has more than 30 signatories. This week, the Eastern Shoshone Tribe of Wyoming, Oglala Lakota Tribe of South Dakota and Frog Lake First Nation of Alberta, Canada, joined during a meeting in Chico Hot Springs, Montana. Jason Baldes with the Eastern Shoshone told Wyoming Public Radio the treaty reconnects buffalo to indigenous people and helps ensure buffalo are treated with “utmost respect.” An Eastern Shoshone herd established on Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation in 2016 has grown from 10 to 33 buffalo.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 3D printed boat, Empire State makeover, ‘Stranger Things’ mall: News from around our 50 states