Dancing in the Street, Dior, Doug the Pug: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Montgomery: Hundreds of demonstrators marched to the Capitol on Sunday to protest the state’s newly approved abortion ban – the most stringent in the nation, making performing an abortion a felony, with no exception even for rape or incest – chanting “my body, my choice!” and “vote them out!” Similar demonstrations were held in Birmingham and Huntsville on Sunday. Alabama is part of a wave of conservative states seeking to mount new legal challenges to Roe v. Wade. None of the laws has actually taken effect, and all are expected to be blocked by the courts as the legal challenges play out with an ultimate eye on the Supreme Court. Amanda Reyes, who runs Yellowhammer Fund, a nonprofit that provides funding to help low-income women obtain abortions, says donations have begun streaming in since the bill’s passage.

Alaska

Homer: Supporters of Storyknife Writers Retreat attended groundbreaking ceremonies this month for a main house and cabins that will house visiting female authors, the Homer News reports. Storyknife founder Dana Stabenow turned the first bit of earth at the property just north of Homer on May 4. Stabenow, the best-selling author of the Kate Shugak mystery series, spoke of being inspired to start a residency program just for women after attending the nation’s only other such facility, Hedgebrook on Whidbey Island, Washington. When Storybrook is finished, there will be six cabins and a main house, Eva, named after poet Eva Saulitis, where writers will congregate after a day’s work. The complex is expected to be ready by next spring, when the first group of writers attends. For more information on Storyknife, visit www.storyknife.org.

Arizona

Phoenix: The Diamondbacks have recruited their cutest, furriest player yet – Brenly, a 6-month-old golden retriever working to become a certified therapy dog and raise awareness of issues faced by abused, neglected and at-risk children, according to a statement from the baseball team. Brenly was named after sportscaster and former Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly, says his trainer, Blake Blackman-Woody from Gabriel’s Angels, which provides pet therapy for at-risk children. The pup drew a crowd at the ballpark Sunday and proved cool and collected when swarmed by groups of children and fans at Chase Field’s Phoenix Children’s Hospital Sandlot. Brenly will be at the ballpark spreading love and comfort for six Sunday games this season to help prepare him for his certification test, says Debbie Castaldo, vice president of corporate and community impact for the Diamondbacks.

Arkansas

Little Rock: Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said he will hire an Indiana company to operate five state youth prisons, despite lawmakers’ concerns about the company’s operations in other states. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports the Arkansas Legislative Council voted 9-5 Friday against a contract with Youth Opportunity Investments LLC, but the governor has said he will override that vote. Lawmakers say Youth Opportunity has been issued more than a dozen written citations for poor performance in other states, and they criticize what they say was a cursory review of the company. Gov. Hutchinson says that he was “disappointed” with the lawmakers’ decision and that youth facilities are monitored closely to ensure children are cared for “properly and safely.” Youth Opportunity will begin operating facilities in Dermott, Harrisburg, Lewisville and Mansfield on July 1.

California

Corona: A new assessment by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers raises concern about the potential for failure of the spillway of a flood control dam on a Southern California river where 1.4 million people live downstream. The Corps says it has changed the risk characterization of Prado Dam from moderate urgency to high urgency. Prado Dam is located on the Santa Ana River in Corona, about 35 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The 96-mile river begins in the San Bernardino Mountains and runs through inland Southern California and Orange County to the ocean. It typically has little water flow except during winter, when storms can turn it into a raging torrent that historically caused serious floods. The dam, which otherwise is typically dry, was designed in the 1930s and constructed in 1941.

Colorado

Denver: U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse is calling for an investigation to be reopened into allegations that the National Park Service tried to remove references to human-caused climate change from a University of Colorado researcher’s report. The Denver Post reported Sunday that the Colorado Democrat is urging the U.S. Department of the Interior’s inspector general to relaunch the probe that was closed when the park service ultimately published Maria Caffrey’s report, which examined projected sea level rise at coastal parks, without edits last year. Neguse says the incident raises questions about whether department researchers are “able to do their work free from political influence.” Caffrey declined comment, citing involvement in legal negotiations. The newspaper could not reach National Park Service and Department of Interior officials Friday.

Connecticut

Hartford: Lawmakers are collecting clothing donations for veterans looking to join the workforce. Democratic state Rep. Dorinda Borer of West Haven and Sen. James Maroney of Milford, the co-chairs of the General Assembly’s Veteran Affairs Committee, have joined forces with other state lawmakers, the nonprofit Save-A-Suit organization and the Max Cares Foundation to hold the fourth annual Save-A-Suit Drive at the state Capitol in Hartford. The May 30 event will be held from 9 a.m. to about 5 p.m. Donations of gently used, dry-cleaned or new clothing will be accepted outside the state Capitol building, weather permitting. Organizers say they’re looking for men’s suits, blazers, pants, shirts, ties, sweaters, coats, belts, shoes and accessories. For women, they’re seeking suits, tops, pants, dresses, skirts, bags, shoes and scarves.

Delaware

Wilmington: Cabot, a 533-pound white shark that recently appeared off the state’s coast, is likely among the early-bird crowd of sharks that will be heading north along the East Coast as southern waters begin to warm. Besides making local headlines, Cabot’s recent First State rest stop also marks some great news for big-fish fans who care about the health of the ocean, says Chris Fischer, founder and expedition leader of the OCEARCH research and education team, which he brought on an expedition in the Delaware Bay two years ago. “What we learned there is that the sharks are likely just kind of passing through,” he says. “It’s a fantastic sign for your bay if the sharks are coming by and pausing there. It means there’s abundant life, and you’re doing a good job managing resources.”

District of Columbia

Washington: The Metro will start running all Yellow Line trains to Greenbelt, Maryland, this Saturday, a month ahead of schedule, WUSA-TV reports. The change comes as the system begins a giant improvement project that will close six Yellow and Blue line stations south of Reagan National Airport. “By making this change now, we can better serve our customers impacted by the summer-long closures,” Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a release. Metro said a recent weekend simulation of what this summer will look like showed officials that extending all Yellow Line trains to Greenbelt would improve train spacing, reduce congestion and “maintain Metro’s commitment to operate normal service outside of the shutdown area.” The unprecedented three-month shutdown aims to fix crumbling outdoor station platforms that have been worn away by the elements.

Florida

Orlando: A federal judge says 32 more counties in the state must provide election materials and ballots in Spanish. A recent order from U.S. District Judge Mark Walker expanded a temporary injunction that he granted ahead of last fall’s elections. Under Walker’s latest order, election supervisors in the 32 counties must provide ballots in Spanish by March 2020, when the presidential primary election is held. Fifteen counties already do so. Walker’s order would raise the total to almost four dozen of Florida’s 67 counties. If a county holds an election before then, elections supervisors must provide sample ballots in Spanish. The order also says election supervisors must have a bilingual hotline to assist Spanish-speaking voters during early voting, provide information in Spanish on their website and recruit bilingual poll workers.

Georgia

Ellijay: A north Georgia community has come up with a unique approach to emergency medicine. WABE Radio reports that Gilmer County residents were concerned about three years ago when the local hospital prepared to close, as not having a hospital can jeopardize the health of residents and can also scare off business owners who consider locating there. The CEO of Piedmont Mountainside Hospital about 20 miles away saw an opportunity in the local facility’s closing. By opening a free-standing emergency room in Gilmer County, officials could take pressure off Piedmont Mountainside’s ER and hold on to their 30-35% market share in Gilmer County. The emergency room opened about a year after the old hospital closed. WABE reports it’s among the first of its kind in the region.

Hawaii

Hilo: Staff from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory are settling into another temporary office in Hilo, their third move since the Kilauea volcano eruption forced the evacuation of their headquarters in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports Tina Neal, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s chief scientist, says the relocation should be complete by the end of the month and expects no glitches in the monitoring of active volcanos. The agency is awaiting congressional approval of a bill that would allocate disaster recover funds to construct new headquarters. Neal says Hawaii Island will remain its base, even if some staffers relocate to Oahu, which she says is being considered for additional technical capacity. The former headquarters on Kilauea was heavily damaged during numerous collapses and earthquakes last year.

Idaho

Idaho Falls: A former Idaho State University professor wants to solve a 1970s death mystery and is raising money to find additional clues. The Idaho Falls Post Register reports Amy Michael is raising money for DNA testing on cut-up human remains found in Buffalo Cave, also known as the Civil Defense Cave, in east Idaho near the Montana border. A family searching for arrowheads found a male torso in 1979. The arms and legs were found 12 years later. The head has not been located. Clark County Chief Deputy John Clements says cuts on the body parts indicate someone dismembered the man with a saw. Michael hopes new forensic DNA testing can help identify the dead man and says she needs $2,300 to perform the tests. She had raised $470 as of Wednesday.

Illinois

Chicago: A wildlife biologist has taken prairie chickens from Kansas, which has a more robust population, and released them in Illinois in an effort to boost the population of the endangered birds. The Chicago Tribune reports that the birds once numbered in the millions across the Prairie State, but there are now just about 200 left. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services published a pioneering scientific report last week on biodiversity that found that 1 million species, including the prairie chicken, remain imperiled. Illinois Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Bob Gillespie says a recent translocation project that captured prairie chickens from Kansas and freed them into the Prairie Ridge preserve has helped the birds stave off extinction.

Indiana

Huntertown: A conservation group says it planted 55,000 native hardwood saplings this spring on more than 100 acres of marginal farmland. ACRES Land Trust says the reforesting efforts at three of its nature preserves represent the most trees it’s planted in a single year. The organization credits planning, donors and volunteer support for its brisk tree-planting pace. The Journal Gazette reports that the group reforested 80 acres of the Walter H. and E. Marie Myers Nature Preserve near the northern Indiana community of Chili, 17 acres of the James P. Covell Nature Preserve near Auburn and 9 acres at the James M. & Patricia D. Barrett Nature Preserve near Huntertown. Since 2016, the nonprofit has reforested 165 acres by planting nearly 100,000 trees at six nature preserves.

Iowa

Des Moines: An unmarked street curb has cost city taxpayers nearly $1.7 million after cyclists involved in bike crashes there sued the city over their injuries. The city has settled two such cases and now faces a third. Des Moines installed the curb in March 2017 at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Southwest 16th Street. It was part of an intersection redesign to direct pedestrians to a brick crosswalk across the road just south of downtown. In several lawsuits filed against the city, cyclists claimed they were injured after striking the unmarked curb while riding east on the trail. The 6-inch curb, which has since been removed, cut off what was previously a straight path for cyclists using the Martin Luther King Jr. Trail, forcing them to veer left to reach the ramp at the crosswalk.

Kansas

Garden City: Hispanic residents make up more than half of the population in Ford, Finney and Seward counties, but there is only one Hispanic elected official in all three southwestern Kansas counties and their three largest cities. KCUR-FM reports that some groups want to recruit more Hispanic candidates so residents can choose leaders who truly represent them. Karem Gallo, president of the Liberal chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, says the group has been working to let Latino residents know they have support to seek public office. Garden City School Board member Tim Cruz says money and time remain the biggest hurdles, while Finney County Commissioner William Clifford points to the county Republican Party’s failure to recruit immigrant groups. Clifford, who chairs the party, says immigrants deserve representation.

Kentucky

Louisville: Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has lashed out at protesting teachers and ridiculed judges during a tumultuous term steering the commonwealth on a conservative course. Now the pugnacious governor faces the first test of his re-election campaign in a race that could offer clues about the electorate’s mood heading into a presidential election year. Voters get to speak Tuesday in a state where the GOP has recently dominated but Democrats see an opportunity to win back the governorship. Three prominent Democrats, including the son of Bevin’s predecessor, are competing for the chance to challenge Bevin. The leading Democrats are Attorney General Andy Beshear, ex-state auditor Adam Edelen and longtime state Rep. Rocky Adkins. Beshear’s father served two terms as governor. Bevin has three Republican primary challengers, including state Rep. Robert Goforth.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: The state’s debt load has declined for the first time in a decade, a notable benchmark as Louisiana tries to get a handle on its finances after years of budget gaps and record borrowing. But the amount Louisiana owes for every man, woman and child still outstrips the national average. An updated debt report presented to the State Bond Commission shows Louisiana’s per capita, tax-supported debt dipped to $1,497 in 2018. That’s down $61 per person from $1,558 a year earlier, as the state works to shrink its outstanding obligations for construction projects. It was the first drop in the debt load since 2008, after years of continued rises. Louisiana owes an amount per state resident that is lower than in 2014, when it hovered slightly above $1,500.

Maine

Portland: With recreational marijuana legalization in sight, the state is looking to learn from mistakes its counterparts have made in legalizing the drug. The state’s proposed marijuana rules will be the subject of a public hearing in Portland on Thursday that officials expect will be well attended. It’s the latest step on the road to a legal framework that pot lovers and state officials say they hope will weed out problems such as oversupply and underage use that have cropped up elsewhere. Maine voters chose to legalize adult use marijuana in 2016, but the legal sales haven’t started because of trouble implementing laws as political squabbles slow the process. The state now has draft rules in hand that could govern subjects such as licensure and cultivation, and the Legislature must approve them.

Maryland

Ocean City: Assateague Coastal Trust is bringing back its internationally recognized Swim Guide water quality monitoring program to monitor and report on the health of area waterways. Swim Guide is a smartphone app that enables users to find safe beaches and swimming areas to recreate and enjoy the waterways through a simple platform that relays local area water quality, according to a news release. The app is available at the Apple App Store, Google Play and Theswimguide.org. The program will run through Labor Day weekend. This year the organization is monitoring 10 locations throughout Herring and Turville Creek, Isle of Wight Bay, Assawoman Bay and the St. Martin River, according to a news release.

Massachusetts

Boston: A letter written by Alexander Hamilton in 1780 to the Marquis de Lafayette that was stolen from the state archives decades ago has been found, and now an effort is underway to return it. The U.S. attorney’s office in Boston filed a forfeiture complaint in federal court last week asking a judge to order the Revolutionary War-era letter returned to its rightful owner. Hamilton’s letter was stolen by an archives employee sometime between 1937 and 1945, according to the government. “The theft, which also involved original papers of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere and Benedict Arnold, among others, was not discovered for several years,” the federal complaint says. Most of the other documents were recovered, but Hamilton’s letter remained missing. The letter to the French aristocrat who served as a general in the Continental Army appears to detail the movements of British forces.

Michigan

Detroit: The Motown Museum has created a park that was unveiled Sunday in conjunction with a celebration of its founder, Esther Gordy Edwards. Thousands headed to Hitsville, U.S.A., to salute the homegrown music legacy. Dancing in the Street Park was officially inaugurated with a spirited “Dancing in the Street” by Martha Reeves in a rare public reunion with the original Vandellas, Rosalind Ashford-Holmes and Annette Beard. Young performers from the museum’s summer-camp programs stepped up for often-impressive renditions of Motown classics by Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and the Temptations, as Reeves sat nearby keeping time with a handheld shaker. Mayor Mike Duggan was among those on hand for the opening of the cozy plaza next to the Hitsville building, located in the former home of Motown Records’ offices and studio. The lot had sat vacant since 1971, when the office-house there was destroyed in a fire.

Minnesota

St. Paul: Department of Health officials say the state needs more community paramedics to assist residents leaving the hospital in managing chronic health conditions at home. Minnesota Public Radio News reports that the state agency says there are 127 certified community paramedics, nearly half working in the Twin Cities. Regions Hospital in St. Paul has partnered with the city’s fire department and a health clinic on a three-year community paramedic program. The project made nearly 1,000 home visits to help people manage diabetes and high blood pressure. Nearly half of the program’s hypertension patients lowered their blood pressure to a healthy level, while almost 80% of diabetic patients reduced blood sugar levels. Aaron Burnett, who oversees the program, says patients are coming back to the hospital less and are more satisfied with their care.

Mississippi

Tupelo: The Tupelo/Lee County Hunger Coalition is gearing up for a summer nutrition program to help needy families. The group is extending its weekend backpack program that provides food for families of children who qualify for free and reduced-price school meals. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports that the coalition aims to feed up to 800 students this summer through its Break Box program. Coalition director Jason Martin says 20% of Lee County residents are considered to be food insecure. Summer food boxes are filled with shelf-stable items, including milk, juice, canned vegetables and fruit, and protein, like chicken and tuna. The boxes will also include meals that children can heat in a microwave, plus snack items. The coalition will distribute boxes monthly in June, July and August.

Missouri

El Dorado Springs: Scientists are preparing to end a seven-year program that has reintroduced the first federally endangered species to the state because the beetles are showing signs they could survive on their own. The St. Louis Zoo has been working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Nature Conservancy to restore American burying beetles in Missouri since 2012. The program has released more than 2,800 American burying beetles in the soil at Wah’Kon-Tah Prairie near El Dorado Springs. Merz tells the Joplin Globe that the program has seen “positive trends that indicate it is time to see how the beetles are doing on their own.” Merz says scientists will continue to monitor the species, but the beetles will have to find their own food sources.

Montana

Helena: The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest has grown with the acquisition of about 620 acres. The Independent Record reports that the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has transferred ownership of the Green Mountain National Trails property to the U.S. Forest Service, opening the land to the public. Foundation chief conservation officer Blake Henning says the land about 35 miles east of Lincoln is within the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail corridor and the Continental Divide Grizzly Bear Recovery Area. The land also contains part of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. The foundation says the trail was rerouted out of the private property to public lands several years ago, but the trail will now be restored to its historic route.

Nebraska

Norfolk: Ten artistic additions to the city have been installed as the inaugural Norfolk Sculpture Walk officially began this month. The 10 sculptures that will be featured this year include lifelike bronze statues, steel creations up to 7 feet high and intricate works of stone. Traci Jeffrey, director of the Norfolk Area Visitors Bureau, told the Norfolk Daily News there’s something everyone will enjoy. Those partaking in the sculpture walk are encouraged to vote for a favorite online. The winner will be announced at the Riverpoint Arts Festival in September. Each sculpture is also for sale. The Norfolk Sculpture Walk was inspired by other such walks around the region and brought to the city by a committee of area residents, artists and the Norfolk Area Visitors Bureau in partnership with the City of Norfolk, the Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce, the Norfolk Arts Center and numerous sponsors.

Nevada

Reno: The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has approved $75,000 for a contractor to assess hazards and clean up waste at a site north of the city that’s polluted with ammunition casings left by target shooters. Kurt Miers, an environmental protection specialist for the agency, says the piles of casings have contaminated the soil with lead. He says the contamination is as much as four times what’s considered the maximum allowable level for lead in residential areas. The site near Chimney Road at the north end of Sun Valley is near hundreds of homes and a middle school under construction. Target shooting is allowed on most public lands but illegal within 5,000 feet of homes.

New Hampshire

Lincoln: An analysis says the Hobo & Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad in the state accounts for more than $17.4 million in total economic impact annually. The report released by Stone Consulting of Warren, Pennsylvania, says that amount affects nearly 380 full- and part-time jobs in the restaurant, hospitality and retail sectors. The railroad operates excursions from Lincoln, Meredith and Weirs Beach. The report says last year, 61% of its passengers traveled from outside New Hampshire, resulting in $8.8 million in additional spending while visiting. In 2018, the railroad welcomed more than 260 bus tours, which accounted for nearly 12,000 additional guests to the region, and more than 50% stayed overnight after traveling on the railroad.

New Jersey

Newark: Oprah Winfrey announced she’s giving $500,000 to an initiative at a high school that’s aimed at keeping kids off the streets. Principal Akbar Cook’s “Lights On” program keeps West Side High School in Newark open on Friday nights from 6 p.m. to midnight. WPVI-TV reports kids can play basketball, shoot pool, play video games or even use a recording studio. Winfrey’s gift will help the program operate three nights a week over the summer. She told hundreds of cheering students Friday during a surprise visit that she was inspired by “all of the great things that are happening here.” Cook also garnered headlines last fall for installing washing machines so students who couldn’t afford to wash their clothes wouldn’t miss school because they were being bullied for wearing dirty clothes.

New Mexico

Hobbs: Two counties in the state remain among the top oil-producing counties in the U.S., according to new federal numbers. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that Lea County was the No. 2 oil-producing county in January, behind North Dakota’s McKenzie County, The Hobbs News-Sun reports. Lea County produced 14.6 million barrels of oil in January, the report says. Meanwhile, New Mexico’s Eddy County was listed as the No. 6 top oil-producing county. It produced 10 million barrels during the same month. In November, a group of major oil and gas companies with plays in the Permian Basin announced the formation of an energy alliance, collectively committing more than $100 million over the next several years to spur additional private-sector investment in the region.

New York

Southampton: The U.S. Coast Guard says work is underway to extract oil from a British tanker sunk by a German U-boat off Long Island during World War II. The Coast Guard says in a news release that a team has been at the site of the tanker, named Coimbra, since April 29 and has pumped more than 62,000 gallons of oil from its tanks since May 11. Initial dive operations found the tanker was leaking small amounts of oil. The Coimbra was torpedoed in January 1942, killing 36 officers and crew members about 30 miles off Long Island’s south shore. It’s now about 180 feet deep. German U-boats sank 148 petroleum tankers and countless other ships near the U.S. Gulf and East coasts.

North Carolina

Hatteras: Long-awaited passenger-only ferry service between two popular Outer Banks destinations is finally sailing. The Department of Transportation says runs between Hatteras and Ocracoke villages began Monday with two free preview days. It costs $1 per person starting Wednesday. Currently space will be first-come, first-serve. State ferries already transport people and their vehicles for free between the southern end of Hatteras Island and northern tip of Ocracoke Island. Motorists then drive 12 miles to reach Ocracoke Village. The passenger-only ferry will run three times daily through Sept. 5. There’s no extra charge for bicycles. Passenger-only service was supposed to begin last year but got delayed by boat construction issues.

North Dakota

Fargo: The state is once again tops in the nation in the production of honey. The Agriculture Department says producers with five or more colonies totaled 38.2 million pounds of honey in 2018, up 13% from the previous year. That led the nation for the 15th consecutive year. The number of honey-producing colonies in North Dakota was up 16% to 530,000. Average yield was down 2 pounds, to 72 pounds per colony. The total value of honey produced in the state was up 12%, to $71.7 million. Nationally, honey production was up 2%, to 152 million pounds. Montana produced the second-most honey, followed by California, South Dakota and Florida.

Ohio

Cleveland: The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is expanding its Eastern black rhino exhibit to more than twice its current size to accommodate its herd of five rhinos. A zoo release says the $1.5 million expansion will be paid for by the Cleveland Zoological Society and Cleveland Metroparks. It also will include an expanded viewing deck for guests. Other renovations will add an indoor rhino barn, a wallowing pool, and shading and misting areas to cool the rhinos. Zoo Executive Director Chris Kuhar says expansion of the exhibit in the zoo’s African Savanna area will allow staff to better care for the herd. He says the Eastern black rhino is one of the world’s most endangered species. Construction will begin this fall and is expected to finish in the spring of 2020.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Officials monitoring the state’s Department of Human Services have said the agency’s child-welfare system has had its best performance to date but have also warned it needs to increase the number of foster homes for children who require therapeutic care. The Tulsa World reports that the biannual assessment released Friday says the department made “good faith efforts” in 29 of the 31 criteria measuring child welfare. The oversight panel also says the department has seen a 77% decline in specialized foster homes for children in state custody who need therapeutic care. The reports are issued twice a year by monitors as part of a 2012 settlement that alleged foster children were victimized in state care.

Oregon

Salem: A multifaceted gun control bill pushed by Democrats in the Legislature may be dead this session, but advocates and opponents alike are confident it will return. Senate Bill 978 was a casualty of the deal that got Senate Republicans to end their four-day walkout and return to the Capitol, allowing Democrats to pass a multibillion-dollar education revenue bill May 13. The move to include SB978 in the trade disappointed gun control advocates inside and outside the Capitol. The measure would have required safe gun storage; placed liability on gun owners if a gun is stolen, but not reported, and used to injure a person or property; outlawed untraceable and undetectable firearms; granted local authorities the power to regulate firearm access in public buildings; and allowed retailers to set higher minimum purchasing age restrictions.

Pennsylvania

York: The state has the nation’s highest debt among its recent college graduates, according to Peterson’s financial aid survey, an annual voluntary survey of four-year colleges and universities. The survey uncovered that the average loan debt is $36,193 for a 2017 graduate of a Pennsylvania school, compared to the national average of $28,288. Michael Brown, a data analyst for LendEDU, studied the numbers and found that schools in the Northeast consistently ranked among the highest in the nation for debt per student. “I think, just in general, the cost of living in this part of the country is just more expensive than it is in other parts of the country,” Brown said. Loans may cover everything the student can’t afford to pay, including tuition, housing, food and transportation costs.

Rhode Island

Richmond: The state has created breeding wetlands to support the endangered Eastern spadefoot toad. The Westerly Sun reports that the state Department of Environmental Management, the University of Rhode Island and several conservancy organizations have teamed up for “Operation Spadefoot RI” in Richmond. The project aims to build new breeding grounds in areas where the toads are already known to be. Eastern spadefoot toad populations have declined dramatically in the state in recent decades. The toads require specialized wetlands that are vulnerable to disturbance, and much of their habitat has been lost or degraded because of human development. The new wetlands are located on land protected jointly by the Richmond Rural Preservation Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy.

South Carolina

Columbia: It has been a historic year in the Legislature. This is the first time in the state’s history that nine African American women have served simultaneously in the House of Representatives, a monumental moment shared among a sisterhood of women who say their primary mission is to serve. The African American women serving in the House are Reps. Wendy Brawley of Hopkins, Gilda Cobb-Hunter of Orangeburg, Chandra Dillard of Greenville, Rosalyn D. Henderson-Myers of Spartanburg, Patricia Henegan of Bennettsville, Annie E. McDaniel of Winnsboro, J. Anne Parks of Greenwood, Leola Robinson Simpson of Greenville and Krystle Simmons of Ladson. And whether it is their first year or their 28th year in the Legislature, the lawmakers say they are passionate about their service and the difference they can make.

South Dakota

Rapid City: Bronze statues of Presidents George W. Bush and Harry S. Truman have been returned to their spots in downtown Rapid City – and local leaders have picked a spot for the 44th president. The statue of Barack Obama will join 43 other presidents who stand at street corners throughout downtown. Obama’s likeness will be unveiled in a ceremony July 13. The City of Presidents tourist attraction project began in 2000 to honor the legacy of the American presidency. The Rapid City Tribune says the Truman and Bush statues were damaged when they were hit by vehicles. They sustained some dents and scratches and required a new bronze finish from Spearfish sculptor James Michael Maher.

Tennessee

Nashville: Local canine celebrity Doug the Pug had a big day Monday, as Mayor David Briley has declared May 20 “Doug the Pug Day.” Briley designated the date for the local holiday because it’s the birthday of Music City’s furry friend. Monday was also National Rescue Dog Day, which seeks to bring attention to the benefits of adopting a four-legged friend. Doug’s owner, Leslie Mosier, encouraged all of the pug’s fans to engage in “chillin’ hard” and eating “lots of pizza” during the holiday. Doug currently has 2.8 million followers on Twitter and 3.8 million on Instagram, plus more than 6 million likes on Facebook.

Texas

Dallas: The more than 70 years of fashion created by the famed House of Dior will be examined in an exhibit in the city that features almost 200 dresses. “Dior: From Paris to the World” opened Sunday at the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibit profiles the Parisian fashion house’s founder, Christian Dior, along with subsequent artistic directors, who include Yves Saint Laurent and John Galliano. The show also explores Dallas’ link to the fashion house’s history: Christian Dior visited the city in 1947 to receive luxury retailer Neiman Marcus’ award for distinguished service in fashion. That was the same year Dior presented his first collection, which became known as the New Look. The exhibit was previously at the Denver Art Museum. Dallas is its only other U.S. stop.

Utah

Ogden: Students interested in science and technology will soon be able to attend class in an old military plane. The Standard-Examiner reports a Vietnam-era cargo plane has been converted into a classroom for science, technology, engineering and math students and attached to a museum at the Hill Air Force Base near Ogden, about 40 miles north of Salt Lake City. Crews renovated a plane that had been stored at The Hill Aerospace Museum and Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah for decades and connected it to the building. The classroom was dedicated in a May 14 ceremony. Museum education instructor Mark Standing told The Standard-Examiner that the classroom will be used for aerospace lessons, science experiments, competitions and other activities.

Vermont

Montpelier: A high school prankster who damaged school property is finally paying the price – and then some – just in time for his 25th reunion. As a Montpelier High School senior, Michael Burzycki painted and stitched together tarps to create a 60-by-16-foot banner that read “LIVE LONG AND PROSPER CLASS OF 1994.” He and a classmate lugged it up to the school’s roof and triumphantly hung it up outside the auditorium. But water bottles they used to weigh down the corners ended up breaking a window. Principal Peter Clarke didn’t punish him. Instead he handed him a bill for $1,994, due at Burzycki’s 25th reunion. Burzycki told WPTZ-TV that he has the money but wanted to do more, so he started a GoFundMe page for the school that has raised more than $5,000.

Virginia

Melfa: The president of a foundation seeking to establish a four-year university on the state’s Eastern Shore has asked officials to consider committing land at the county industrial park in Melfa to the project. A four-year university could grow to about 2,000 students and result in 1,000 jobs and up to $100 million per year in cash flow, according to the foundation. Terry Malarkey, president of the University of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Foundation, told the Accomack County Board of Supervisors the group wants to recruit “a high-quality” science, technology, engineering, mathematics and health university to set up a branch on the shore. He said if Virginia were considered and ranked as two separate education entities – the Rural Horseshoe and the urban corridor – “rural Virginia comes in 50th in the United States,” while the urban section ranks second, behind only Massachusetts. Combined, Virginia ranks sixth.

Washington

Vashon Island: This idyllic island near Seattle known for its counterculture lifestyle and low immunization rates is seeing an increase in the number of children vaccinated for measles and other diseases. Advocates attribute the rising vaccination numbers on Vashon Island to increasingly visible pro-vaccine information, expanded access to shots, and media coverage of measles outbreaks in the Pacific Northwest and New York this year. Public health officials say the number of fully immunized kindergartners in the Vashon Island School District jumped by 31% in the past six years, from 56% to nearly 74% in the 2017-18 school year. While the gains are notable, the district still has some of the lowest vaccine rates in the U.S. It’s far below the 95% target needed for herd immunity that a majority of schools across the country hit.

West Virginia

Charleston: State lawmakers have reconvened for their special session but are pushing back debate on education measures that caused a two-day teacher strike earlier this year. The House of Delegates and the Senate met Monday to take up bills that were vetoed for technical reasons. Legislators were supposed to focus on education this week, but Republican Senate President Mitch Carmichael says the GOP is still working on its proposals. Republicans are expected to push for charter schools and school vouchers, which drew strong opposition from teachers and led to a strike. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have debuted eight education bills that include measures to raise teachers’ pay and put mental health professionals in schools. The extra session comes after lawmakers failed to compromise on education when the regular session ended in March.

Wisconsin

Madison: An industry expert says the impending bankruptcy of a major frac sand mining company signals the financial woes that could cripple more mines based in the state due to a nationwide oversupply of sand. Wisconsin Public Radio reports that Emerge Energy Services entered into a debt restructuring deal with its lenders last month. The company owns Superior Silica Sands. CEO Rick Shearer says restructuring negotiations are ongoing. The company may file for bankruptcy if a settlement isn’t struck out of court. An energy consulting director at analytics firm IHS Markit says up to 75% of Wisconsin mines that supply oil and gas producers might have to close. Samir Nangia says the oversupply is due to companies building more mines near oil fields in Texas and Oklahoma.

Wyoming

Mammoth Hot Springs: Yellowstone National Park is proposing to add more housing for seasonal workers employed by private companies operating inside the park. Park administrators are taking public comment on plans to construct six modular houses and up to 14 RV sites at the Canyon Campground and up to 25 RV sites and a bathhouse near the park’s west entrance. The projects would be paid for by two park concessionaires – Delaware North Corporation and Xanterra. More than 3,000 people work for Yellowstone concessionaires during the peak summer tourist season. A study of the proposals says they would have minimal negative effects on the environment and visitor experiences. Park officials are taking comment on the housing projects through June 14.

From staff and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dancing in the Street, Dior, Doug the Pug: News from around our 50 states