Lighthouse in peril, Wizard Rock, cable a la carte: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Dothan: An event that bills itself as the world’s largest celebration of the peanut is underway in the city. The National Peanut Festival opened Friday and continues through next Saturday with rides, exhibits, music and agricultural competitions. Now in its 76th year, the festival began in 1938 as a three-day event with an appearance by agricultural scientist George Washington Carver of Tuskegee. It has been held each year since except during the 1940s, when organizers took a break for World War II. The festival now lasts 10 days and draws an estimated 200,000 people annually. The festival site isn’t hard to find if you make it to Dothan: A 24-foot-tall peanut marks the entrance.

Alaska

Fairbanks: A local teacher has been named 2020 Alaska Teacher of the Year, an honor revealed in a surprise ceremony at West Valley High School. Amy Gallaway walked into the gym Oct. 25, as the school had been told they’d be filming an assembly for another activity, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports. Students and teachers competed for a moment in a hopscotch activity before Principal Sarah Gillam called in a “VIP team” of legislators, school district staff, and members of the Department of Education and Early Development, including Education Commissioner Michael Johnson. Johnson announced there was one more person on his team: Amy Gallaway, the 2020 Alaska Teacher of the year. The students erupted into applause as Johnson noted Gallaway was selected for many reasons, one of them because “she doesn’t just teach democracy; she has you do democracy.” Gallaway is a Kid’s Voting liaison. She teaches the We the People government class and has encouraged students to participate in the national “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” program.

Arizona

Prescott: A boulder that mysteriously disappeared two weeks ago from a national forest is back, and authorities aren’t asking any questions. Prescott National Forest officials said a forest employee on patrol Friday noticed that the 1-ton boulder dubbed “Wizard Rock” had been returned to a site along State Route 89. The much-admired boulder is black with streaks of white quartz running through it. District Ranger Sarah Clawson said forest officials were thrilled that the rock was returned and “grateful that whoever took it was conscientious enough to give it back to the public.” According to forest officials, heavy equipment would’ve been needed to move the boulder. Permits are required to gather and remove most forest products, including rocks, plants and trees.

Arkansas

Little Rock: Markers to 12 men convicted of murder and sentenced to death, before eventually being released, in connection with the Elaine Race Massacre will be placed along the Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock said a marker to each of what is known as the “Elaine 12” will be located along the trail from the Old State House Convention Center to the William J. Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock. They are to be unveiled Tuesday. The men were black sharecroppers convicted and sentenced by an all-white jury following the 1919 massacre in eastern Arkansas during what is known as “Red Summer,” when hundreds of African Americans nationwide were slain by white mobs. More than 200 people died in Elaine, mostly black men, women and children.

California

Los Angeles: Authorities say a dam could fail during an extreme storm and send water flooding into Mojave Desert communities that are home to about 300,000 people. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Friday that it’s changed its risk characterization of the Mojave River Dam from low to high urgency of action. The earthen dam was built in the 1970s near the San Bernardino Mountains. It has never breached, but an assessment last year found that during an extreme storm, water could flow over the top and erode the dam. That could threaten Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville, Barstow and even the tiny town of Baker, more than 140 miles downstream. Officials say the chances of such a storm are small – about 1 in 10,000 – but they’re working with communities on emergency preparations anyway.

Colorado

Aurora: A middle school dean has pleaded not guilty after authorities accused him of bringing a handgun to school and threatening administrators in April. The Sentinel reports 31-year-old Tushar Rae was charged Oct. 21 with three felonies and one misdemeanor in Arapahoe County. The Aurora West Preparatory Academy dean also pleaded not guilty to two additional felony and three misdemeanor charges filed against him Oct. 3 in connection with a Denver case accusing him of making threats against an administrator weeks earlier. School officials say Rae remains on paid leave.

Connecticut

East Hampton: A police officer has retired after a civil rights organization raised concerns about his membership in a far-right group known for engaging in violent clashes at political rallies, a town official said Friday. Officer Kevin P. Wilcox retired from the East Hampton Police Department on Oct. 22, according to Town Manager David Cox. That was one week after the Associated Press reported that Wilcox had been a Proud Boys member and made online payments to a group leader. Wilcox had been an East Hampton police officer since 1999. His retirement was a “revision” of a previously planned retirement date in December, Cox wrote in an email. In September, East Hampton Police Chief Dennis Woessner had told the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law that Wilcox’s Proud Boys membership didn’t violate department policies.

Delaware

Blades: Federal officials are recommending that a residential area in this town where high levels of toxic chemicals were discovered in municipal wells be added to a national priority list of environmental cleanup sites. State and federal officials plan to hold an informational meeting in the Blades area next month regarding the proposed Superfund listing. Officials announced in February 2018 that concentrations of perfluorinated compounds above the human health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion were found in all three of the town’s drinking water wells. The sampling was part of an effort to identify areas where certain chemicals used in textiles, food packaging, firefighting foams and metal plating may have been released. Blades has been home to two metal plating businesses, one of which is still operating.

District of Columbia

Washington: The song “Baby Shark” blared over loudspeakers and a wave of red washed across this politically blue capital Saturday as Nationals fans rejoiced at a parade marking Washington’s first World Series victory since 1924. “They say good things come to those who wait. Ninety-five years is a pretty long wait,” Nationals owner Ted Lerner, who is 94, told the cheering crowd. “But I’ll tell you, this is worth the wait.” As buses carrying the players and team officials wended their way along the parade route, pitcher Max Scherzer at one point hoisted the World Series trophy to the cheers of the crowd. At a rally just blocks from the Capitol, Scherzer said his teammates grinded their hearts out to “stay in the fight.” And then, after backup outfielder Gerardo Parra joined the team, he said, they started dancing and having fun. And they started hitting. “Never in this town have you seen a team compete with so much heart and so much fight,” he said.

Florida

Tallahassee: A commission investigating the Parkland school shooting wants state lawmakers to boost funding for mental health services. The commission is sending its second report to lawmakers, 10 months after an initial report urged immediate improvements to school safety following killings of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last year. Lawmakers have already responded by enacting a package of school-safety measures, including raising the legal age for gun purchases, requiring armed security officers on every campus and adopting a “red flag” law. The 389-page document released Friday advocates new laws that would allow authorities to act more quickly against threats of violence. It calls for more funding and better coordination of mental health services for children.

Georgia

Plains: Former President Jimmy Carter taught a Bible lesson on life after death Sunday, less than two weeks after breaking his pelvis in a fall. Using a walker, the 95-year-old Democrat slowly entered the crowded sanctuary at Maranatha Baptist Church in the southwest Georgia town of Plains. “Morning, everybody,” he said cheerfully. With help, Carter sat on a motorized lift chair at the front of the room to teach a 45-minute lesson based on the Old Testament book of Job. Referring to a cancer diagnosis that resulted in the removal of part of his liver in 2015, Carter said he is “at ease” with the idea of dying and believes in life after death. More than 400 people were on hand in the main hall and smaller, overflow rooms where the lesson was shown on television.

Hawaii

Wailuku: Hundreds of fish died in Maui’s Wailuku River last week as the state was implementing measures to improve their habitat. The Maui News reports the die-off occurred as officials installed a ladder to help fish climb a 22-foot, man-made wall in the river. Officials arranged for river flows to be diverted to create safe working conditions during the installation. State officials say the reduced flows and low rainfall contributed to the deaths. On Thursday, residents who frequent the river mouth scrambled to rescue ’o’opu floundering on dry stream beds and puddles of warm water below the project site. Small piles of dead fish and shrimp were strewn about the riverbed. Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Suzanne Case said her agency regrets the situation and offered its sincere apologies.

Idaho

Lewiston: The University of Idaho has anticipated more budget cuts as tuition revenue is estimated to drop $8 million by 2022. The Lewiston Tribune reports the Moscow university has already imposed $14 million in budget reductions this year that are set to become permanent. University officials say current enrollment trends reflect a tuition revenue decline, and the university has also routinely spent more than what it is bringing in, citing low reserves and no expected revenue increases. Officials say budget cuts could include layoffs, not renewing contracts, salary reductions, elimination of academic programs, early retirement and outsourcing services. They say the university’s goals include balancing revenue and expenses while rebuilding and maintaining reserve funds.

Illinois

Chicago: A city official says hundreds of overdue books have been returned in the three weeks since the city eliminated overdue fines at public libraries. Library Commissioner Andrea Telli told City Council members Wednesday that the number of returned books has increased by 240%. On Oct. 1, Chicago became the nation’s largest major city to eradicate overdue library fees. Telli said people who owe fines can be afraid to go to the library because they can’t afford to pay them. She said fines lead to loss of books and patrons. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 2020 budget includes an $18 million property tax increase to fund adding Sunday hours at all 81 libraries, which will gradually roll out throughout the city.

Indiana

Oxford: An autopsy has determined that a woman found with an 8-foot-long python wrapped around her neck was killed by the reptile. State Police said Friday that the autopsy found 36-year-old Laura Hurst’s cause of death was “asphyxiation due to strangulation by a snake.” Those findings are pending a final toxicology report. The Battle Ground, Indiana, woman was found unresponsive Wednesday on the floor of a snake-filled home in the northern Indiana town of Oxford. The reticulated python was wrapped loosely around her neck. Medics were unable to revive her. The home contained about 140 snakes, about 20 of which were owned by Hurst, who police said apparently kept them there and visited the home about twice weekly. The home’s owner had renovated it to house a snake collection.

Iowa

Ankeny: A state board has approved post-traumatic stress disorder and intellectual disability with aggression to the list of medical conditions that can legally be treated by medical marijuana but rejected two other conditions petitioners had requested. The Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board voted Friday not to allow patients with opioid dependency and those with Alzheimer’s disease to have legal access to medical marijuana. Board members expressed concern over lack of studies or other evidence that medical marijuana would help those conditions. The Iowa Board of Medicine must agree with the addition of PTSD and intellectual disability before they can be added to a list of diagnoses for which medical marijuana can be prescribed. The conditions would join seizures, Crohn’s disease, AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease and Parkinson’s disease as approved conditions.

Kansas

Topeka: The state is reporting it collected nearly $37 million more in taxes than anticipated in October. The Department of Revenue said Friday that the state collected $553 million in taxes during the month when its official revenue forecast predicted $516 million. The surplus was 7.1%. Gov. Laura Kelly called the better-than-expected tax collections “a positive sign.” For the four months since the start of the state’s 2020 fiscal year in July, the state collected nearly $2.3 billion in taxes and exceeded expectations by nearly $85 million, or nearly 3.9%. Tax collections also are running 4.1% ahead of collections for the 2019 fiscal year. They have exceeded expectations 28 of the past 29 months.

Kentucky

Mayfield: A prominent painter whose works capture the state’s rural, small-town culture is turning 100. Helen LaFrance visited a church in Mayfield on Saturday to celebrate her birthday with an unexpectedly large group of friends and family. A documentary about her also was shown at a separate church in town. According to a press release, LaFrance’s paintings are housed in museums in the U.S. and Europe and in the collections of Oprah Winfrey and Bryant Gumbel. The self-taught, African American painter’s works show people at church, family gatherings, funerals and other aspects of small town life in western Kentucky. One of her first known public works is a mural in the St. James AME Church in Mayfield, completed in 1947. LaFrance also has worked in wood carving and quilting.

Louisiana

Lafayette: A man was sentenced to probation Friday for killing one of the state’s oldest whooping cranes. Gilvin P. Aucoin Jr., of Ville Platte, shot the endangered whooping crane in July 2018 in Evangeline Parish. In a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol B. Whitehurst, Aucoin changed his plea to guilty for a misdemeanor violation of the International Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Whitehurst sentenced Aucoin to two years’ probation, during which time he cannot hunt or fish, and 120 hours of community service to be served with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Aucoin, 53, also must complete a hunter education course. Whooping cranes are among the world’s most endangered birds. About 850 are alive, with about 660 of them in the wild. Nearly all of Louisiana’s birds, like the one killed in 2018, were raised by people in crane costumes so that the birds will stay wary of humans.

Maine

Portland: A federal judge is considering a request to put on hold a state law requiring cable companies to offer channels on an a la carte basis. Comcast, joined by Disney, Fox Cable and NBC/Universal, is seeking a temporary restraining order to delay the law. The Portland Press Herald reports District Judge Nancy Torreson didn’t provide a timetable for her ruling after hearing arguments Friday. The state law requiring cable companies to offer channels individually took effect in September. Comcast contends enforcement of the law would mean limited choices and higher prices than the current packages it offers to consumers. The newspaper reports that Maine would become the first state in the country to require a la carte cable selections if the law is upheld.

Maryland

Baltimore: A community vigil, art workshops and a poetry-writing workshop were among many peace-themed events aimed at promoting nonviolence during “Baltimore Ceasefire” weekend. The first ceasefire weekend was held in 2017 by organizers who urged that it be seen as a 72-hour period when no murders are committed in the violence-plagued city. The weekends are held every three months. The hopes of Erricka Bridgeford and other founders of the ceasefire weekends are often dashed, as they were Saturday afternoon when two men were shot. A 24-year-old man was pronounced dead, becoming Baltimore’s 286th homicide victim of the year. But the ceasefire weekends do seem to have some effect. The Baltimore Sun reports a study conducted by Bridgeford’s organization found an average 52% reduction in shootings on ceasefire weekends.

Massachusetts

Boston: Contests that involve the hunting of predator or fur-bearing animals like coyotes would be banned under a proposal being considered by state wildlife officials. Critics of the contests say that they’re cruel and that randomly killing coyotes won’t prevent conflicts with people, pets or livestock. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife is planning to hold a hearing Tuesday evening at the Richard Cronin Building in Westborough to hear from the public. Wildlife officials say the current level of coyote hunting doesn’t reduce the population, nor would hunting have an appreciable impact on coyote populations. They say despite the presence of coyotes, deer populations are thriving in Massachusetts.

Michigan

Mount Pleasant: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is ordering state agencies to step up collaboration with Native American tribes. Whitmer signed an executive directive Thursday affirming commitment to the sovereignty and right of self-governance of Michigan’s federally recognized tribes. The document outlines a process for communication between tribes and state departments and agencies on matters of mutual concern. It also makes a first-time requirement of training on tribal-state relations for all state employees who work on matters with direct implications for tribes. Whitmer issued the directive during a meeting with the state’s tribal leaders in Mount Pleasant.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: Environmental groups and activists in Minneapolis and Duluth are advocating for a new strategy on plastic bag restrictions. Minnesota Public Radio News reports advocates are pushing for fees for paper and plastic bags in the two cities. They want customers to think about whether they’re needed. Bag It, Duluth and other environmental groups pivoted to this tactic after Minnesota prohibited cities from banning plastic bags in 2017. The ordinances would place a nickel fee on both paper and plastic disposable bags. But Duluth’s council revised the ordinance there to apply only to plastic bags. The efforts in the two cities are part of a nationwide movement to reduce the use of plastic bags.

Mississippi

Jackson: A federal judge ruled Friday that he will not immediately block the state’s unique, multistep process for electing a governor and other statewide officials, which was enacted at a time of Jim Crow segregation to maintain white rule. U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III said he would not issue a preliminary injunction to prevent the system from being used in Tuesday’s elections. However, he left open the possibility of further considering the case later. Mississippi’s 1890 constitution requires a statewide candidate to win a majority of the popular vote and a majority of the 122 state House districts. If nobody wins both, the election is decided by the House, and representatives are not obligated to vote as their districts did. African American plaintiffs who sued the state this year have argued that the system unconstitutionally violates the principle of one person, one vote.

Missouri

St. Louis: A bill requiring gun dealers to alert police when a firearms purchase is denied because of a criminal background check is the latest step in addressing violence in a city beset by gun crimes. St. Louis aldermen unanimously gave final approval to the bill Friday. Supporters say 30% of criminals who try to purchase guns but fail to do so because of background checks are arrested within five years. The bill awaits Democratic Mayor Lyda Krewson’s signature. Missouri’s big cities, St. Louis and Kansas City, have among the highest homicide rates in the nation. Both are seeking to address the problem through tougher local gun laws, as statewide legislation is unlikely in the conservative-led state, where Republican Gov. Mike Parson has pledged “to protect the rights of the Second Amendment for law-abiding citizens.”

Montana

Billings: An environmentalist has found plastic pollution in half of the water samples collected statewide this summer. The Billings Gazette reports Environment Montana Research & Policy Center director Skye Borden traveled across the state collecting 50 samples at fishing access sites. Borden says the results are meant to start a conversation on how to reduce plastic consumption and raise awareness. Borden says plastic reduction options include phasing out single-use plastics, reusing plastics and encouraging businesses to eliminate unnecessary plastics. Borden says communities could also initiate cleanup programs. A 2016 federal report found that millions of metric tons of plastic made their way into the food chain and contaminated drinking water. Scientists say long-term effects of plastic ingestion are unclear, but plastic chemicals could build up over time.

Nebraska

Lincoln: A former superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol wants to carry a concealed firearm and is suing the patrol to get it. Bradley Rice was fired by Gov. Pete Ricketts in June 2017 amid a review that found evidence that high-ranking patrol staffers interfered with the agency’s internal investigations. The lawsuit filed Wednesday says Rice asked the agency this past April for an identification card to allow him to carry a weapon. Federal code lets qualified retired law enforcement officers carry concealed firearms with proper identification. The lawsuit says the current patrol superintendent, John Bolduc, denied Rice’s request on grounds that Rice did not depart the agency in good standing. Rice’s lawsuit says he has concerns for his safety in public places because of his work in law enforcement.

Nevada

Reno: A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to outlaw the state’s legal brothel industry. Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda Du dismissed the lawsuit Tuesday, ruling that the allegations made against the state were insufficient “on their face to invoke federal jurisdiction.” In her court order granting the dismissal, Du said the plaintiffs relied on federal criminal statutes that prohibit illegal prostitution and sex trafficking across states. In February, Reno attorney Jason Guinasso filed the suit against the state on behalf of Rebekah Charleston, who claimed she was a victim of sex trafficking in brothels. The lawsuit additionally named two other women who also claimed they were trafficked in Nevada. The suit sought to end ordinances that allow legalized prostitution in Lyon, Elko, Lander, Mineral, Nye, Storey and White Pine counties.

New Hampshire

Concord: The state’s congressional delegation is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to level the playing field for producers of biomass energy. The four-Democrat delegation wants electricity in the Renewable Fuel Standard program in time for biomass power producers to participate in the 2020 market. They say New Hampshire’s biomass power industry has been directly threatened by the agency’s failure to include electricity in the program. The program was created by Congress in 2005 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector and expand the nation’s renewable fuels sector, which includes electricity produced by biomass. The letter signed by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas says the omission puts rural jobs and local government infrastructure at risk in farming, forestry, logging and waste-to-energy.

New Jersey

Maurice River: State environmental officials are moving to protect a lighthouse on Delaware Bay considered one of the most vulnerable in the nation to rising seas and storm surges. The Department of Environmental Protection said Friday that it will begin this week to protect the East Point Lighthouse with giant, sand-filled synthetic fabric tubes meant to temporarily keep the waves and tides at bay until a long-term solution can be found. The project will cost more than $460,000 at the lighthouse in Maurice River Township in Cumberland County, using a grant from the National Park Service. The two-story brick structure was built in 1849 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It sits just 90 feet from the mean high-water mark, but during storms the surf pounds against an earthen wall just 10 yards from the lighthouse’s front steps.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: Many state lawmakers say they want to build up the government workforce, but the vacancy rate in the state’s executive branch has clung to about 22% even after pay raises and increased recruitment efforts. The Albuquerque Journal reports state agencies are competing with strong demand in the private sector for workers, especially in southeastern New Mexico, where an oil boom is generating high-paying jobs. Officials say low pay in some state departments and the reputation of state government itself after years of belt-tightening also are factors. State Personnel Director Pamela Coleman says she’s optimistic the vacancy rate will fall as the new administration’s priorities take hold. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham took office Jan. 1, when the vacancy rate in state government was also about 22%.

New York

New York: New York City voters used to picking one candidate per race may soon be marking their ballots for up to five. A measure on the city’s ballot Tuesday will let voters rank their choices in primaries and special elections for mayor, city comptroller, public advocate, borough president and City Council starting in 2021. The system is known as ranked-choice or instant-runoff voting. It is in effect in U.S. cities including San Francisco, Minneapolis and Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well as throughout Maine. Backers say ranked-choice voting forces candidates to broaden their appeal beyond a narrow base in hopes of being chosen second or third by voters whose favorite is someone else. Critics of the system call it unconstitutional or confusing.

North Carolina

Asheville: Cold weather is hitting western North Carolina, but fewer homeless shelters are allowing men inside. The Asheville Homeless Coalition called a “code purple” for Friday. That means organizations will open shelters from the cold. But in recent years, a number of shelters have said they would no longer host men. The shelters cite growing security concerns and an inability to ensure the safety of women and children. They also said they need more support from local police. A yearly census of the homeless in the area found that more than 70% were men.

North Dakota

Bismarck: Gov. Doug Burgum is asking for federal help for farmers and ranchers struggling with wet harvest conditions. State Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says unusual and relentless wet weather has been overwhelming for agricultural producers. Excessive rain, an early October snowstorm, widespread flooding and high winds have caused hundreds of millions of dollars in commodity losses in North Dakota. Burgum is asking for a secretarial disaster designation, which would make federal loans available to farmer and ranchers. To qualify for a secretarial designation, a county must have experienced a minimum 30% production loss of at least one crop due to natural disaster. In North Dakota, 45 of the state’s 53 counties report meeting that threshold.

Ohio

Cincinnati: An analysis has found a growing number of small towns in the state have disbanded in recent years. The analysis of statewide election results found 12 small towns have gone defunct in the past 15 years. The number of small towns dying has increased as costs go up and revenues decline. Residents of Newtonsville and Amelia in southwestern Ohio’s Clermont County will vote Tuesday on whether to dissolve those villages. They would be absorbed by surrounding townships if voters approve dissolution. The imposition of a 1% tax on residents’ income in each town has spurred some supporters of dissolution, while opponents argue villages provide a personal touch not found in townships. Newtonsville has about 400 residents. Amelia has about 5,000.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: A former four-term Democratic congressman from the Sooner State is quitting his position as a member of the National Rifle Association’s 76-member board, citing the organization’s “mounting troubles.” In his resignation letter obtained by the Associated Press, Dan Boren suggests some current and past NRA members have lost trust in the group, which has been roiled by infighting that included severing ties with Ackerman McQueen, its longtime Oklahoma-based public relations firm. In the letter to the organization’s Secretary and General Counsel John Frazer, Boren also said he was ending his NRA membership. The 46-year-old Boren is part of one of Oklahoma’s most powerful political families. He’s the son of ex-Gov. and U.S. Sen. David Boren and the grandson of ex-congressman Lyle Boren.

Oregon

Salem: Many users of natural gas will see an increase in their bills starting in November. The Oregon Public Utility Commission has approved rate hikes for the state’s three gas utilities, only the third time in the past ten years. The increase in the wholesale cost of natural gas is blamed on a pipeline explosion last winter that affected regional gas supplies, according to a statement from the Public Utility Commission. An overall increase of $15.142 million was approved for NW Natural, which serves nearly 670,000 customers in the Willamette Valley and on the Oregon Coast from Astoria to Coos Bay. Typical residential customers of NW Natural using 54 therms per month will see their bill increase by $2.31, or 4.4%, from $52.43 to $54.74.

Pennsylvania

Pocono Manor: Authorities said Saturday that firefighters were still looking for hot spots at a wind-whipped fire that has destroyed much of a century-old Poconos resort. No injuries were reported in the blaze reported at 6 a.m. Friday at the Pocono Manor Resort, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Officials say guests in about 25 rooms were safely evacuated. They believe the fire started in a dining area and quickly spread. The Monroe County resort, known locally as “the grand lady of the mountains,” was built by Quakers in 1902 and designated a historic site in 1977. The inn had been set to close later this month for a two-year renovation. The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau said several properties offered alternatives for overnight guests, groups and weddings booked through this month.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state has officially taken control of the city’s struggling school district. State officials authorized the takeover shortly after researchers at Johns Hopkins University released a scathing report in June that found the district beleaguered with low test scores, crumbling infrastructure and widespread dysfunction, labeling it among the worst in the nation. The takeover, which began Friday, is expected to last at least five years. State Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green, who controls the school budget, program and personnel, says it’s a new chapter for Providence schools, students and families. A website was launched to provide updates. Infante-Green is searching for a superintendent to manage the turnaround.

South Carolina

Charleston: Officials have confirmed seven more cases of mumps at the College of Charleston, bringing the total number of cases to 18 since the state declared an outbreak in September. News outlets report the new cases of the viral disease at the school were confirmed Thursday. College spokesman Mark Berry says the college will operate normally “regardless of the number of positive mumps cases.” The state Department of Health and Environmental Control said the first case was confirmed Sept. 17. It said the cases involve both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Officials say some of the cases aren’t infectious, but students should monitor themselves. Vaccination is also recommended. Mumps can be transmitted through air droplets from coughs and sneezes.

South Dakota

Pierre: Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline in the state are pointing to a significant oil spill in their neighbor to the north to help make their case. A handful of water permits were up for consideration last week before the state water management board in Pierre. The meetings were contentious enough that the process will be extended to additional meetings in December. As those meetings were underway, a spill of about 383,000 gallons was reported along the Keystone pipeline in northeastern North Dakota. Faith Spotted Eagle, a member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe, said it was a sharp contrast to assertions that the Keystone XL in South Dakota would be safe. A spokeswoman for TC Energy, developer of both pipelines, said it’s unfortunate opponents are using the North Dakota spill to claim the Keystone XL would be unsafe.

Tennessee

Nashville: Three condemned inmates in the state have chosen to die in the electric chair in the past year, claiming the state’s lethal injection method is even worse. Tennessee is one of six states that allow inmates to choose electrocution. Courts in Georgia and Nebraska have found the electric chair unconstitutional, and the U.S. Supreme Court has never fully considered its constitutionality. The Tennessee inmates argued in court that the state’s midazolam-based lethal injection method causes feelings of burning and suffocating. But their court challenge was dismissed when they failed to prove a more humane method was available. Tennessee has three executions scheduled and nine more in the works. Unless something changes, it is likely the three inmates who opted for the electric chair won’t be the last.

Texas

Austin: The University of Texas chapter of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity has been shut down following a university investigation into hazing allegations. The investigation found that during the 2018-19 school year, fraternity pledges were shot with airsoft guns and forced to eat spicy soup made with ghost peppers and cat food. Officials said pledges competed in relay races where they would run back and forth between the chapter house and a nearby apartment building while chugging milk mixed with hand soap, laundry detergent or vinaigrette. The chapter officially closed Tuesday. Fraternity CEO Mark E. Timmes said shuttering the chapter was the “only appropriate action.” Fraternity officials say the students involved have been placed on disciplinary alumni status. It’s the third hazing allegation in the chapter in the past eight years.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Gov. Gary Herbert has asked the White House to send more refugees to the state. The Republican governor sent a letter to President Donald Trump last week. Herbert says Utah has the resources and space for refugees. In the past, Herbert says Utah has been able to accept 1,000 refugees per year, but the numbers of those settling in the state have decreased. Herbert sent the letter as the Trump administration prepares to reduce the number of refugees accepted into the country, while allowing states more say over whether they will accept them. Herbert says the compassion to welcome refugees is a part of the culture of Utah, where members of The Church of Latter-day Saints found refuge generations ago. He says Utah’s refugees contribute to the communities where they resettle.

Vermont

Killington: The town is going to have to repay the federal government more than $137,000 it received to help pay for repairs caused by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene. But Killington won’t have to repay an additional $197,000 after it won an appeal to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Rutland Herald reports the issue stems from the replacement of two large culverts that washed out during Irene in 2011. The town replaced them with concrete bridge structures. FEMA says it felt the town went beyond the scope of the agreed-upon work and wants the money back. Select Board Chairman Steve Finneron says the town appealed FEMA’s ruling, which took several years. The final decision came down at the end of October.

Virginia

Roanoke: Nearly 5,000 acres of woodlands in northern Botetourt County are to become part of the Jefferson National Forest. The Roanoke Times reports the U.S. Forest Service used money from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund to buy the property in what it calls one of the largest purchases for conservation in Virginia. The $5 million purchase was made possible earlier this year by a vote in Congress to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a $900 million program that uses royalties from offshore oil and gas drilling to pay for protection of unspoiled lands. The land, which includes 14 freshwater springs, borders Craig Creek and also includes the Grace Furnace, a historic pig iron facility that likely provided iron ore for munitions during the Civil War.

Washington

Snoqualmie: The Snoqualmie Tribe has purchased the Salish Lodge & Spa and the acreage surrounding Snoqualmie Falls, marking a major victory in the tribe’s pursuit to reclaim land it considers sacred. The Seattle Times reports the Snoqualmie Tribe purchased the Northwest landmark and land from the Muckleshoot Tribe for $125 million, according to a news release. The total area is about 45 acres. The purchase does not include Snoqualmie Falls itself, but the tribe said it plans to discuss ownership of the underlying aquatic lands with the state. Puget Sound Energy holds the license to two hydroelectric generating plants at the falls. The Snoqualmie Tribe has spent years fighting against development near Snoqualmie Falls. Tribal members believe that the mists of the falls carry prayers to their ancestors, who used the site as a gathering place.

West Virginia

Huntington: Marshall University says it plans to open a commercial compost facility in January. The university said in a statement that it’s working to obtain funding for the last piece of equipment needed to make the site fully functional. The facility is being developed by the university’s Sustainability Department, and sustainability manager Amy Parsons-White says most of the waste produced at Marshall can either be recycled or composted. Marshall President Jerome Gilbert says it’s a way for the school to help the environment and give back to the community. The statement says compost produced by the facility will be used on the Huntington campus and sold to the public.

Wisconsin

Madison: Gov. Tony Evers says it’s “astonishing” that Republicans want to fire his agriculture secretary. Evers appointed Brad Pfaff to lead the agency in January, but the Senate has not voted to confirm him. Pfaff angered lawmakers when he criticized the Legislature’s Republican-controlled budget committee for not releasing $200,000 to help with farmer mental health programs. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald’s spokesman Alec Zimmerman says there aren’t enough votes in the Senate to confirm him. He says Fitzgerald asked Evers to withdraw the nomination. Evers said in a statement that removing Pfaff would “create even more uncertainty and instability” for farmers and rural communities. The Senate is scheduled to vote on Pfaff on Tuesday.

Wyoming

Cody: Yellowstone National Park officials say that despite the challenges of managing visitors eager to photograph wildlife in the park, the number of conflicts involving humans and bears was low in 2018. Yellowstone biologist Kerry Gunther says in the park’s annual bear report that it was a considerable challenge to manage visitors who stopped to view and photograph bears foraging in roadside meadows, creating what she called “large bear jams.” The Cody Enterprise reports rangers were notified of 1,627 grizzly and black bear sightings in the park between March 10, 2018, the first sighting of bear activity of the spring, through Dec. 20, 2018, the last black bear sighting of the year. Yellowstone officials predict bears will become more habituated to humans as the park welcomes more visitors.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lighthouse in peril, Wizard Rock: News from around our 50 states