Record grapefruit, light rail win, Snake Road: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Birmingham: The mayor has promised that any graduate from the city’s public school system will “have the opportunity” to attend any in-state public college for free starting next year. Randall Woodfin tweeted the pledge late Tuesday with the hashtag #BirminghamPromise. Al.com reports Birmingham Promise is a public-private partnership that promised in June to provide funding for 20 rising Birmingham seniors or graduates to work in the city for seven weeks. At least one student from each city high school was included. Woodfin has said that program would offer scholarships for city graduates to attend college. The mayor didn’t provide specifics about the college promise, including sources of funding or possible limitations. He later tweeted that he wanted to clarify that in-state college for city graduates “will be funded.”

Alaska

Anchorage: Add salmon to the list of species affected by the state’s blistering summer temperatures, including the hottest July on record. Dead salmon have shown up in river systems throughout Alaska, and the mortalities are probably connected to warm water or low river water levels, says Sam Rabung, director of commercial fisheries for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The department has not quantified past heat-related fish deaths because they tended to be sporadic and inconsistent, Rabung says. But department scientists this year will analyze fish deaths, summarize observation and record effects. The deaths should not be a surprise because climate models have for years forecast unhealthy Alaska river temperatures for salmon, says Peter Westley, assistant professor of fisheries conservation and fisheries ecology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Arizona

Phoenix: A fall groundbreaking for an extension of a light rail system in the nation’s fifth-largest city is back on track after voters soundly rejected a referendum that would have killed any future expansion, transit officials say. Mayor Kate Gallego said the vote underscored that residents want a modern, sustainable city that respects mass transit and urban development. She said the city is already scheduling community meetings to discuss the upcoming extension’s design with residents and business owners. The total number of ballots cast was 180,636, the highest ever in a city special election involving only ballot measures. Proposition 105 would have immediately stopped the rail’s extension into the working-class Hispanic and African American communities of south Phoenix, as well as other future extensions linking far-flung areas around the region.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The governor is forming a committee to promote statewide participation in the 2020 census. Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday issued an executive order establishing the Arkansas Complete Count Committee, a panel of 30 volunteer members appointed by the governor from state and local government. The panel will also include representatives from the private sector. Fort Smith Mayor George McGill is serving as the committee’s chairman. Hutchinson directed the committee to establish a public awareness campaign to promote census participation and to provide recommendations on how best to reach hard-to-count communities within the state. The panel is required to submit a progress report to Hutchinson by Nov. 1.

California

Sacramento: Schools in the state may soon allow parents to administer medical marijuana to their children on K-12 campuses. The California Assembly approved a bill this week that lets school boards decide whether parents can give their kids the medicine on school campuses. It would allow the use of marijuana in non-smoking form. Current law prevents marijuana on school campuses, meaning children who use medical cannabis to treat seizures have to go off campus to get their medication. Supporters of the bill say that’s a dangerous and onerous requirement. Opponents worry about allowing the drug on campus and question whether medical marijuana regulations for children are strong enough. If it passes the Senate in a final vote, it will go to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. His predecessor, Jerry Brown, vetoed a similar proposal last year.

Colorado

Denver: A private security guard who officials say accidentally wounded a student during a school shooting that left one teen dead wasn’t supposed to be armed, an online news outlet reports. Emails obtained by The Colorado Sun show the suburban Denver charter school had requested an unarmed guard from BOSS High Level Protection about a year ago. In a statement, STEM School Highlands Ranch said it didn’t know the guard was armed until the shooting occurred May 7 on the campus that includes students from kindergarten through high school. “While it is more common to have armed security personnel at high schools, it is uncommon at elementary schools,” the statement said. “Given the diverse population at our school, we made the decision to request an unarmed guard in an effort to balance these different interests.”

Connecticut

Enfield: The state is changing the way it handles visits between prisoners and their children. The reintegration center at the Willard-Cybulski prison in Enfield is one of five sites in a pilot program called Family Connections, designed to help inmates become better parents both behind bars and once they are released. The inmates are taking parenting classes, and guards are receiving training on how to interact with children to create a more welcoming environment. The prison’s visiting room is undergoing a makeover to allow contact visits and will now include toys and games. On Monday night, the prison hosted a family dance. Prison officials say about 5 million children in the United States have a parent in prison, and research shows fostering better relationships can lower recidivism.

Delaware

Wilmington: Local law enforcement officers will be conducting checkpoints throughout the state over Labor Day weekend. The DUI checkpoints will be on U.S. 40 in Newark, U.S. 13 in Camden and Del. 24 in Millsboro. Police will be conducting the checkpoints from 10 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday. The effort is part of a national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. In addition to the campaign, the Office of Highway Safety is continuing with its highway safety signs program, which aims to display cleverly crafted safety reminders for drivers. According to the Office of Highway Safety, there have been four DUI fatalities in 2019. There have been more than 600 DUI-related crashes and 300 DUI-related injuries this year.

District of Columbia

Washington: Black golfers are hoping a gift from NBA star Stephen Curry to fund Howard University golf teams will spark a resurgence in the sport at historically black colleges and universities. Curry’s donation to help the prominent Washington school relaunch its men’s and women’s teams is bringing new attention to collegiate black golf. It is also spotlighting the harsh budget constraints that HBCUs face in keeping their programs alive. Black colleges and universities are a crucial pipeline to increasing diversity in golf at a time when few African Americans are playing the sport at the college and professional levels. Craig Bowen, president and founder of the Black College Golf Coaches’ Association, says only about a quarter of the more than 100 HBCUs have golf teams. Howard abandoned its golf program in the 1970s.

Florida

Bartow: A prosecutor says he is dropping criminal charges against an estranged couple known after the wife’s arrest for taking two guns from the husband’s apartment and turning them over to the police. State Attorney Brian Hass said in a case disposition that Courtney and Joseph Irby agreed to participate in a 12-month program that includes anger management classes. Courtney Irby was originally arrested in Bartow for theft and burglary but later charged with trespassing. Joseph Irby faced an aggravated battery charge for hitting his wife’s vehicle with his. The couple is divorcing. Hass says the offer came after prosecutors found Courtney Irby illegally installed a tracking device in her husband’s car. He says contradictions in her testimony have affected her credibility.

Georgia

Atlanta: Residents near two plants that have emitted toxic gas say they’re furious that the government did not alert the public about a federal report on potential health dangers. Hundreds of people packed two recent town hall meetings in Marietta and Covington, where the two companies use ethylene oxide to sterilize medical devices. The meetings followed news stories about a 2018 report that identified Census tracts near the two businesses where residents could face health risks. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chose not to issue press releases about the study or take other steps to inform the public about it. The EPA did provide Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division with talking points about the report in case someone stumbled upon it on the EPA’s website and asked questions.

Hawaii

Hilo: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory officials have started a search for a new site. The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports a federal disaster relief bill signed in June has enabled the observatory to begin exploring new properties. The previous observatory in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park overlooking the Kilauea volcano was abandoned due to earthquake damage. The quakes were part of the prolonged eruption of Kilauea, which began in May 2018 and destroyed more than 700 homes in lower Puna. The $19.1 billion Big Island relief package includes $49 million for a new observatory, which is part of the U.S. Geological Survey. There is also a $20.1 million appropriation for ongoing operations in a rented, transitional facility in the Hilo Iron Works building and for instrument and equipment replacement.

Idaho

Boise: Officials are increasing logging on state lands by more than 30% and plan to build a seed orchard in northern Idaho to plant trees to replace those cut down. The Idaho Land Board has voted to ramp up harvest on the state’s forests over a four-year span to bring in about $20 million more annually for beneficiaries, mainly public schools. Officials with the Idaho Department of Lands told Gov. Brad Little and other Land Board members that a better method of inventorying the state’s timber holdings found significantly more timber available for cutting. The Lands Department says cutting mature stands will reduce the risk of loss due to disease, insects and wildfires. The board also approved a $165,000 plan by the Lands Department to start a seed orchard near Lewiston to provide western larch and Douglas fir seed.

Illinois

Jonesboro: Snake Road is closing to cars so snakes can cross without getting run over. The Southern Illinoisan reports that the road winding through the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois will close to vehicles beginning Sunday. The road, more than 2 miles long, will stay closed until late October. And it’s not just snakes: Frogs, turtles, newts and salamanders are also starting to migrate across the road from swamps to limestone bluffs where they’ll spend the winter. Some are endangered, so the Forest Service goes the extra mile to ensure their safety. People can still walk the road while it’s closed to cars but are prohibited from collecting or handling the species. The road will be closed again in March as the animals head back to the swamp.

Indiana

Vincennes: A replica of an early Confederate flag has been removed from a flagpole near a Civil War monument after a county official says “misunderstandings” kept it flying. Knox County Commissioners President Kellie Streeter says the commissioners “weren’t fully aware” of the flag’s nature, but it’s been replaced with an Indiana state flag outside the county courthouse in Vincennes. She says “misunderstandings” about its origins kept it flying among seven different flags near the war monument. The Confederate flag isn’t the one most would think of but is instead the Confederacy’s first official flag, which flew for a year starting in early 1861. The Vincennes Sun-Commercial reports that flag features a circle of white stars against a blue background and a white stripe flanked by two red stripes.

Iowa

Waterloo: A public radio station that was founded to serve black listeners is seeking help to stay on the air. Officials at Afro-American Community Broadcasting Inc. told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier they need $100,000 quickly to handle overdue payments for the station, KBBG-FM 88.1, and have set a fundraising target of $400,000 over the next year. Community outreach director Edyce Porter says the station is “in dire straits right now.” Her father, Jimmie Porter, founded KBBG in 1977. KBBG officials say the financial crisis stems from equipment failures, lost federal support and declining donations as its older patrons pass away and aren’t replaced by younger listeners. KBBG accountant Candice Lanning says KBBG originally was a station for black people but no longer is just for the black community.

Kansas

Kansas City: A proposed settlement has been reached with inmates whose conversations with attorneys were taped at Leavenworth Detention Center. KCUR reports the agreement calls for the private operator of the prison and the phone provider to pay $1.45 million into a settlement fund for inmates. After payments to attorneys, the money will be distributed to about 539 current and former Leavenworth inmates. The settlement with CoreCivic, which runs the prison, and Securus Technologies, which provided the phone and video services, needs court approval to become final. On Aug. 15, a federal judge ruled that prosecutors in the U.S. attorney’s office in Kansas City, Kansas, improperly listened to the recorded conversations and willfully violated court orders during an independent investigation. The ruling could affect hundreds of federal convictions and sentences.

Kentucky

Louisville: A Christian theme park with a 500-foot-long Noah’s Ark is not paying enough in property taxes, according to a county school board. Grant County’s school board filed a lawsuit against the Ark Encounter after losing an administrative appeal. The school board alleges the theme park has been undervalued by county officials. The park in northern Kentucky preaches a literal interpretation of the Bible’s Old Testament. The centerpiece is a massive wooden ark that houses exhibits telling the biblical story of Noah, who built the giant boat to survive the flood. The lawsuit by the school board says the county’s property valuation administrator assessed the park’s worth at $48 million in 2017. The school board argued the Ark Encounter is worth much more, perhaps up to $130 million, meaning it is paying thousands less in property taxes than it should. County schools are funded by property taxes.

Louisiana

Slidell: A basketball-sized grapefruit has brought two world records to a local couple. The giant citrus grew in the yard of Mary Beth and Doug Meyer. The Guinness Book of World Records says it’s the world’s heaviest and largest in circumference. It weighed 7 pounds, 14.6 ounces and measured 28 ³/₄ inches around. That’s almost as big as an NBA basketball. The grapefruit was 13.6 ounces heavier and 1 ¹/₄ inches bigger around than the 2006 record, set in Brazil. State Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain presented a Guinness certificate to the couple Tuesday in Baton Rouge. His department provided the equipment for the official weighing and measuring in January.

Maine

Portland: U.S. lobster exports to China have fallen off a cliff this year as new retaliatory tariffs shift the seafood business farther north. China, a huge and growing customer for lobster, placed heavy tariffs on U.S. lobsters – and many other food products – in July 2018 amid rising trade hostilities between the Chinese and the Trump administration. Meanwhile, business is booming in Canada, whose fishermen catch the same species of lobster as American lobstermen, who are based mostly in Maine. The loss of business has brought layoffs to some Maine businesses, such as The Lobster Co., of Arundel, where owner Stephanie Nadeau has laid off half the 14 people she once had working in wholesale. “They picked winners, and they picked losers, and they picked me a loser,” Nadeau said. Lobster exports to China have seen a more than 80% drop since last year.

Maryland

Annapolis: The state has narrowed the possibilities for a potential new crossing over the Chesapeake Bay to ease traffic congestion to three areas near the current twin spans of the Bay Bridge, state officials announced Tuesday. The Maryland Transportation Authority also announced a fourth option of not building a new bay crossing. Data indicates the three construction proposals are the only ones that sufficiently meet the purpose and need in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, officials said. The proposals narrow the possibilities from 14 that were first considered. Jim Ports, the executive director of the transportation authority, said while all four proposals are being included for further study, traffic models indicate that building a third crossing near the current bridge “would have the most positive impact on reducing traffic.”

Massachusetts

Boston: Gun safety advocates contend further steps are needed in a state acknowledged to already have some of the toughest firearms laws in the country. A legislative committee heard testimony Wednesday on dozens of gun-related bills filed for the current two-year session. The proposals include barring 3D-printed firearms and so-called copycat assault weapons, as well as requiring all gun owners to carry liability insurance. Boston Police Commissioner William Gross told lawmakers that “one homicide is too many,” while arguing for a crackdown on illegal trafficking in firearms. Jim Wallace, executive director of the Gun Owners Action League of Massachusetts, disputed that current state laws – which include an assault weapons ban – have saved lives or made residents safer. Instead, he argued they burden law-abiding gun owners with high costs and onerous regulations.

Michigan

Paw Paw: Officials have reversed course and won’t cover up courthouse paintings that have nude figures and bare-breasted women. WOOD-TV says Van Buren County commissioners heard from people on both sides Tuesday and decided to leave the paintings alone. One painting in a stairwell shows a bare-breasted woman holding a decapitated head and a spear. Another painting above a judge’s bench shows a nude man and nude woman begging a woman for mercy. Breasts are exposed on one woman. One painting could be more than 100 years old. Judge Kathleen Brickley says the paintings are contrary to efforts to “de-escalate trauma rather than revisit trauma.” But Rose Rook spoke to commissioners and asked, “Do we have to shelter everything?” She says there are attempts to get rid of everything that “makes us uncomfortable.”

Minnesota

Hanhassen: Prince’s estate will take over management of the late rock star’s studio complex near Minneapolis. Graceland Holdings, which runs Elvis Presley’s tourist attraction in Memphis, Tennessee, had been operating Prince’s Paisley Park in Chanhassen as a museum since October 2016. Prince’s oldest sibling, Sharon Nelson, says the family will manage Paisley Park because the contract expires at the end of September. She says the family is not unhappy with Graceland Holdings or making the decision because of economic reasons. The Star Tribune reports Nelson says there are differences of opinions among the heirs, so the estate’s administrator, Comerica, will be making the final decisions on how to operate the landmark. Prince died at age 57 of an accidental overdose of fentanyl at Paisley Park on April 21, 2016.

Mississippi

Jackson: Second-term Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves won the Republican nomination for governor, setting up a November general election showdown with Democrat Jim Hood, the state’s four-term attorney general. Reeves defeated retired Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. in a Republican primary runoff Tuesday. Reeves, 45, spent more than $6 million this year – the most of any candidate in the race, regardless of party. Waller, 67, spent about $1.4 million. Waller is a retired brigadier general in the Mississippi National Guard and son of the late Gov. Bill Waller Sr., a moderate Democrat who served from 1972 to 1976. Hood, 57, had spent about $1.1 million through the end of July. He said Tuesday that Waller ran a “gentlemanly race” and discussed quality-of-life issues. Hood said he hoped some Waller supporters would cross party lines to vote for him in November.

Missouri

Joplin: The Friends of Camp Mintahama group is getting ready to start raising money to purchase a former Girl Scout camp near the city. The Joplin Globe reports the property’s new owner approached the group this year with the chance to purchase about 140 of the camp’s 180 acres for about $1.25 million. The group has started the process of becoming a nonprofit corporation. Members have been attending public events, raising awareness of their upcoming campaign to raise $300,000 for a down payment on the property, which includes a spring-fed lake. A short documentary about the camp is under development and expected to be released next month. The friends group has targeted summer 2020 for its first camp programs for boys, girls and families.

Montana

Billings: Environmental officials are proposing approval of a major expansion of the state’s largest coal mine after it was recently sold through a bankruptcy auction. Jen Lane with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality said the 72 million ton expansion of the Spring Creek Mine near Decker will occur within the mine’s existing permit boundary. The expansion would extend the life of the mine by four years, to approximately 2031. Spring Creek in 2017 ranked as the 10th-largest coal mine in the United States, producing almost 13 million tons of coal. A bankruptcy judge last week approved the sale of Spring Creek and two Wyoming mines owned by bankrupt Cloud Peak Energy to the Navajo Transitional Energy Company. Company representatives said the sale will help keep the mines open.

Nebraska

North Platte: Students returning to Mid-Plains Community College campuses will find a new tool to help with their emotional health – and she’s furry. The college has added Shenzi, a black Labrador puppy, as the college’s therapy dog to help those going through a personal tragedy or loss. The college says Shenzi’s work began this month with the return of students for a new fall semester. Shenzi’s handler, Holly Andrews, says the pup is taking over the role that had belonged to Nestle, the college’s therapy dog for the previous five years. Nestle died in January after a battle with cancer. The college has its main campuses in North Platte and McCook and satellite campuses in Broken Bow, Imperial, Ogallala and Valentine. Shenzi will be available to students at all locations at various times.

Nevada

Las Vegas: The Clark County School District has gone to court to stop a teacher’s union from carrying out a threatened Sept. 10 strike if negotiators fail to agree on a new contract. The school district filed a court order Monday asking a judge to certify that it’s against state law for members of the Clark County Education Association to walk off the job next month. Teacher strikes are illegal under Nevada law, and if a judge issues an order against any strike, the union can be fined up to $50,000 a day, and striking employees can be punished or fired. The Clark County School District said in a statement Tuesday that the union has agreed to mediation talks, but the strike threat remains. The union says it believes the law making strikes illegal is unconstitutional.

New Hampshire

Concord: The state Fish and Game Department is offering advice to hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts as fall hunting season approaches. Sept. 1 is the beginning of fall hunting season, but it’s not just hunters who will be out in the woods enjoying cooler weather, fewer bugs and changing leaves. Fish and Game officials say people should remain aware of their surroundings and know the dates of hunting seasons in their area. They also advise hikers to stick to established trails, wear blaze orange clothing and make some noise – talking, singing or whistling – to make their presence known.

New Jersey

Trenton: The governor has signed a bill ensuring voters who got mail-in ballots in 2017 and 2018 will get them for future elections unless they opt out. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed the measure Wednesday after the Democrat-led Legislature quickly passed the legislation earlier this week. The measure updates a 2018 law that mandated voters who signed up for and got mail-in ballots for the 2016 general election would continue to get those ballots for future elections, unless they opt out. But lawmakers said the law failed to specifically address voters who requested 2017 and 2018 mail-in ballots. The new measure requires that those voters also get mail-in ballots unless they opt out. The bill also sets aside $2 million for counties to implement the law.

New Mexico

Santa Fe: State economists on Wednesday revised forecasts upward for government income amid surging oil and natural gas production, giving lawmakers greater leeway as they begin crafting a general fund spending plan for the coming fiscal year. The fiscal forecasts, announced at a legislative committee hearing in the mountain resort community of Red River, hold major financial implications for public school budgets, tax incentives for filmmakers, infrastructure spending, support for Medicaid and an array of state government services. Most of the windfall is linked to steadily growing fossil fuel production focused in the Permian Basin. Economists from three state agencies and the Legislature said state general fund income for the coming fiscal year that begins July 1, 2020, is expected to surpass current annual spending obligations by $907 million, a nearly 13% surplus. Legislators and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham are grappling with efforts to expand economic opportunity in a state with the highest rate of poverty in the western U.S. and to improve the quality of public schools.

New York

Albany: New York softened penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana and created a process for erasing certain past offenses in a state law that went into place Wednesday. The maximum penalty for possessing less than an ounce of pot has been lowered to $50. The legislation also turns an unlawful marijuana possession statute into a violation similar to a traffic ticket, instead of a criminal charge. The criminal statute was responsible for hundreds of thousands of arrests over the past four decades, according to state data. Advocates for marijuana legalization have argued the law is a positive step but falls short of addressing negative consequences that come with keeping the drug illegal. Under the law, they say people can still face immigration consequences and probation violations for basic marijuana possession.

North Carolina

Raleigh: The state’s Transportation Department is looking for volunteers to remove trash along roads during the Adopt-A-Highway Fall Litter Sweep next month. Each April and September, NCDOT asks volunteers to help remove litter from the sides of roads. Volunteers from local businesses, schools, nonprofits, churches and community groups often participate. In addition, NCDOT maintenance crews devote one week of their time during Litter Sweep to pick up trash and collect the bags that the volunteers have filled with trash. This year’s fall Litter Sweep will be held Sept. 14-28. The department provides cleanup supplies, including trash bags, gloves and safety vests.

North Dakota

Bismarck: State agricultural officials say there’s help available for the millions of dollars in crop damage caused by blackbirds each year. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program loans nonlethal management equipment to farmers to help disperse blackbirds that attack sunflower and grain crops. The USDA says of eight states with significant sunflower acreage that were surveyed, North Dakota ranked first in bird damage to confectionery and oilseed sunflowers. The study found the eight states lose a total of $29.5 million annually from bird damage to sunflowers.

Ohio

Cleveland: A state tourism bureau says a record-breaking 19.2 million people visited Greater Cleveland in 2018. Regional tourism bureau Destination Cleveland says the visitor numbers were up 3.9% from the previous year. The bureau says that rate of increase outpaced the rest of Ohio and the nation. The bureau defines a visitor as someone who travels at least 50 miles from home outside of a normal routine. The Plain Dealer reports Cleveland visitors in 2018 accounted for nearly $6.2 billion in spending, up 6.2% from 2017. The bureau says spending is likely up because of an uptick in people staying the night. Destination Cleveland president David Gilbert says he’s impressed with the numbers and hopeful the bureau will reach its goal of 20 million visitors in 2020.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The Oklahoma Second Amendment Association is challenging efforts that would put on hold a new permitless carry law until voters weigh in on the issue. The law passed earlier this year will allow residents to openly carry guns without a background check or training. It takes effect Nov. 1, but efforts are underway for a statewide referendum on the measure. The Oklahoman reports the association filed a legal challenge Monday to the wording of the referendum petition, calling it inaccurate and misleading. Second Amendment Association President Don Spencer called the statewide vote a waste of time. “Citizens of the state of Oklahoma have been waiting on this for over 112 years and it’s time for them to get their rights back,” he said. The measure’s backers have until 5 p.m. Thursday to collect nearly 60,000 signatures to get the measure on the 2020 ballot.

Oregon

Cascade Locks: One of the most popular hikes in the Columbia River Gorge has reopened almost two years after it was damaged by the Eagle Creek Fire. The Wahclella Falls Trail, near Cascade Locks and east of Multnomah Falls, features a 2.4-mile out-and-back hike through a slot canyon to a powerful waterfall. The main part of the trail has been cleared and stabilized, but the upper section remains closed because of a damaged bridge and washouts. The U.S. Forest Service says people should respect closure signs and stay out of areas that remain closed for their safety. The trail was one of those hit hardest by the Eagle Creek Fire, which ignited Sept. 2, 2017, after a teenager tossed a firework off nearby Eagle Creek Trail.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: State prison officials are planning to close another prison, as the inmate population continues to decline and prison costs rise. State Sen. John Yudichak said Wednesday that prison officials had just briefed him and Retreat state prison staff in northeastern Pennsylvania about its plans to close it. Gov. Tom Wolf’s office isn’t commenting. Retreat has about 400 employees and is at full capacity with almost 1,100 inmates. Pennsylvania’s state prison population is about 48,000, after reaching nearly 52,000 in 2012. Retreat is about 10 miles west of Wilkes-Barre. Wolf’s administration closed a state prison in Pittsburgh in 2017. Retreat’s original buildings date back to the 19th century, and it has the fewest beds of any of Pennsylvania’s 25 state prisons.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state approved tax credits Monday to lure a third major offshore wind company to the state as part of an effort to become a hub for the industry. The first U.S. offshore wind farm began operating off Block Island, Rhode Island, in late 2016, and Gov. Gina Raimondo wants the industry to grow in the state. The Rhode Island Commerce Corp. approved nearly $900,000 in tax credits over 10 years for Boston Energy, which plans to open its U.S. headquarters in Providence. The British company must maintain at least 52 full-time jobs in the state for at least 12 years. Raimondo said Tuesday that the development is “further proof that we’re well-positioned to be the hub for this growing industry.” She announced in June that another British wind turbine maintenance company, GEV Wind Power, will locate its U.S. headquarters in Rhode Island and create about 125 jobs.

South Carolina

Hilton Head Island: The island’s leaders are one step closer to banning long shovels and large holes in the sand to protect sea turtles and beachgoers. The Island Packet reports Hilton Head Island public planning committee members voted unanimously last week for the ordinance. The full council will vote on it Sept. 17. The proposal would ban shovels longer than 14 inches. It would also ban holes larger than 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide. A volunteer group called The Hilton Head Island Turtle Trackers says young turtles can get trapped in large holes after they hatch in dunes and head toward the sea. Beaufort County sheriff’s deputies would be able to ticket anyone who broke the rules. The volunteer group says enforcement could be difficult.

South Dakota

Rapid City: Federal regulators are holding a hearing on a uranium mine proposal that could help resolve a long-running dispute over the potential impact on places of Native American cultural, historical and religious significance. The Oglala Sioux Tribe argues federal regulators haven’t done enough to study the potential effects of the mine near Edgemont on Native American burials, artifacts and other cultural sites within the project’s boundaries. The Rapid City Journal says the hearing before the federal Atomic Safety and Licensing Board in Rapid City that began Wednesday could last through Friday. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission contends regulators have done everything within their power to study the potential impacts on tribal cultural resources. The company proposing the mine, Powertech, agrees.

Tennessee

Memphis: A prominent member of the sanitation workers union whose historic strike drew the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to the city where he was assassinated has died, close friends said Tuesday. Baxter Leach was 79. Gail Tyree, executive director of the Memphis Local 1733 chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said Leach’s daughter gave her the news of her father’s passing. Leach had been battling cancer, said his friend Calvin Taylor. Leach helped organize the 1968 strike that saw 1,300 sanitation workers walk out of their jobs and march on Memphis streets with demands of higher wages and better working conditions. They mobilized after two colleagues were killed by a malfunctioning garbage truck. Leach and other surviving sanitation workers received the National Civil Rights Museum’s Freedom Award last year.

Texas

Austin: Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey will join the University of Texas as a professor this fall, teaching in the university’s Department of Radio-Television-Film. McConaughey has been a visiting instructor at the flagship campus in Austin since 2015, and the university said in a statement Wednesday that the appointment recognizes his “outstanding work as a teacher and mentor.” He will continue teaching a Script to Screen film production class for which he developed the course curriculum. The university says McConaughey is respected for his “willingness to work with students beyond the classroom.” McConaughey earned a film degree from the school in 1993. He’s appeared in more than 50 films, including “Dazed and Confused,” “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Dallas Buyers Club,” for which he won an Oscar and Golden Globe for his leading role.

Utah

Eden: A proposed heliport at a ski resort is raising concerns about environmental impact and other issues. The Standard-Examiner reports SMHG Village Development has applied for a conditional use permit to operate a heliport at Powder Mountain. The facility would house a helicopter to haul skiers, mountain bikers and anglers to remote areas of the resort 59 miles north of Salt Lake City. The heliport would be operated by partner firm Whisper Ridge. One resident says the proximity of helicopters to the Middle Fork Wildlife Management Area south of Powder Mountain could disturb wildlife. Another cited risks posed by hauling helicopter fuel on the area’s narrow roads. The Ogden Valley Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the permit request next week.

Vermont

Burlington: Officers from the University of Vermont police department are investigating what they describe as “bias-motivated vandalism” on campus. Police say they received a report Tuesday of vandalism to a sign at the Davis Center off Main Street. Responding officers found locations where a person or people affixed stickers and posters with statements such as “Keep America American” and “Better Dead Than Red.” The name “Patriot Front” was on the bottom of the stickers. UVM police cited Burlington police who said earlier this year that the Patriot Front is a group “that espouses white supremacist views.” The group’s members have recently been associated with placing banners on bridges, buildings and overpasses in several states.

Virginia

Virginia Beach: Three months after a city employee killed 12 people in a mass shooting, the city’s executive resigned Wednesday following criticism from victims’ family members and others about his response to the rampage. In his resignation letter, City Manager Dave Hansen urged employees to work together without “pointing fingers.” “Our most recent tragedy will take all our energy, strength and patience so we can walk the long path of recovery ahead,” he said. Hansen worked for the city for 13 years, including more than three years as city manager, overseeing day-to-day operations of the city. Criticism of his leadership style has been long running, but the May 31 shooting and the city’s response brought heightened scrutiny. Family members of some of the victims have said he has not been responsive to their requests for information or treated them well.

Washington

Ridgefield: Work is underway to improve pedestrian access to a unit of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. The Columbian reports work began this summer on the project, estimated to cost $3 million to $5 million, which will create dedicated pedestrian and bicycle access to the refuge from existing sidewalks near Ridgefield city limits. The Federal Highway Administration will contribute about $3.1 million. The city, county and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Region also are contributing. Previously, pedestrians walked along a road in a ditch to reach the Carty Unit. Port of Ridgefield CEO Brent Grening says that was dangerous. The new walkway is expected to be finished by Oct. 3. Culvert improvements are also planned to help prevent water from backing up on sections of the road.

West Virginia

Charleston: Secretary of State Mac Warner says his office hopes there are at least 100 voter registration drives next month during National Voter Registration Month. Warner said in a news release that everyone should check their voter registration and make sure their voter information is correct. Any group interested in hosting a voter registration drive can submit a form to the secretary of state’s office. The National Voter Registration Day project provides access to promotional support and materials including an organizer’s toolkit, posters and social media graphics.

Wisconsin

Park Falls: More accurate weather forecasts could depend on each blade of grass, leaf and pine needle in a small, dense area in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers and students are trying to figure out how trees and other vegetation affect the atmosphere and influence weather. That means examining how plants suck up and release moisture and carbon dioxide and how that changes as the seasons evolve. The data collection involves numerous instruments on towers of varying heights, lasers, drones, weather balloons and low-flying aircraft. Ankur Desai, UW professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, dreamed up the project five years ago and has dubbed it Chequamegon Heterogeneous Ecosystem Energy-balance Study Enabled by a High-density Extensive Array of Detectors 2019 – CHEESEHEAD19.

Wyoming

Laramie: The University of Wyoming has set new minimum score requirements on college entrance exams for students to be admitted. The Laramie Boomerang reports university trustees voted this month to make changes to admissions requirements. For high school graduates with GPAs of 2.5 to 2.99, the university will require a minimum score of 17 out of 36 on the ACT or a score of at least 900 out of 1600 on the SAT. The university previously did not require the tests for students in this group. The university says it has admitted about 20 freshmen in the group annually, but only about half continue past their first year. For students with lower GPAs, the university still requires a 20 on the ACT or a 1020 on the SAT.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: News from around our 50 states