Across the USA

News from every state

Alabama:

Anniston — A rash of robberies at fast- food restaurants and convenience stores in east Alabama has police searching for suspects. Police have arrested four suspects and are searching for a * fth. Investigators say 28 robberies since late June in Anniston, Oxford, Talladega and Jacksonville * t a pattern. The latest came at lunchtime Sunday at a restaurant in Anniston. “ They’re getting bolder,” police Lt. Rocky Stemen said. Alaska:

Anchorage — Of * cials at Anchorage’s main airport are trying to kill weeds at a lake used by 6oat planes. Workers this week will drain a couple of feet from Lake Hood, hoping that freezing temperatureswill kill the weeds. Hawaii:

Honolulu— Librarian Steven Fredrick is putting up for auction his collection of rare 16mm Hawaii-themed * lms. Fredrick suggests an opening bid of $ 87,500. Among the collection is a 1925 silent Western in which sur*ng great Duke Kahanamoku plays an Indian chief. Arizona:

Tucson — A City Council member is using instant messaging to communicate with residents who aren’t at council meetings but are watching them on live television. Using a laptop, Councilman Fred Ronstadt can send and receive instant messages via the Internet. “ We’re still calling it an experiment,” said Ronstadt. “But it’s one more avenue for people to engage with city government.” No other council members in Tucson are using IM in this way. Arkansas:

Searcy — White County of * cials say they hope they have * xed a water leak under the jail that has been costing taxpayers thousands of dollars a month for the last 1½ years. The county hired a leak-detection * rm that guided plumbers to the source of leaking water under the jail 6 oor. Inmates have complained of having only cold water because of the leaks. Illinois:

Chicago — The City Council has enough votes to pass a smoking ban Connecticut:

Norwalk —

Norwalk police will likely upgrade charges against Victor Henriquez, 19. He’s accused of harming his girlfriend’s baby by shaking the child. The medical examiner’s of * ce ruled that the 5- month-old boy’s death last week was a homicide, and the result of blunt force trauma to the head. Delaware:

Newark —

Municipal property owners would face a 22.9% increase in the property tax rate under the proposed $30 million city budget. Most of the increase is earmarked for city streets, park maintenance and public safety programs. Five of * cers would be added to the police department. The City Council has scheduled a public hearing on the budget Nov. 14. D. C.:

Hoping to improve on its fourthplace ranking among U.S. tourism destinations, the nation’s capital plans to promote attractions that theme parks can’t offer. A regional campaign will focus on “ American Originals” offered at the city’s cultural attractions. The National Archiveswill feature a new multimedia history exhibit, and the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery are expected to reopen next summer after a six- year renovation. Florida:

Fort Walton Beach — Okaloosa County Judge T. Patterson Maney, an Army Reserve brigadier general, says he’s gradually improving from injuries sustained two months ago in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan. Maney, a civil affairs of * cer and adviser to the U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan, was one of three Americans injured when the bomb detonated under their sport-utility vehicle near Kabul. Maney, 57, and his wife are staying in the Washington area while he receives outpatient treatment and therapy for back, neck and head injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Georgia:

Commerce — Authorities say a man fatally shot by a police of * cer had pointed a handgun at of * cers who were chasing him. Witnesses told television reporters that Aaron Tarpkins, 22, was shot in the back. However, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said he died of a chest wound after being ordered to drop his gun. Idaho:

Coeur d’Alene — A tuberculosis scare led to nearly 1,500 students and 100 staff members being tested at a northern Idaho high school. The tests at Coeur d’Alene High School came after an unidenti * ed studentwas diagnosed with the disease last week. Of * cials with the Panhandle Health District say they believe the student contracted TB while outside the USA. California:

Santa Maria — The cost of * ghting mold at Pioneer Valley High School is nearing $2 million. The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District said mold- related problems continue at its $60 million campus, which opened a year ago. The district has * led suit against the contractor but costs could soar if the matter goes to trial, district superintendent Jeff Hearn said. Colorado:

Denver — Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald said she won’t run for governor next year. That leaves Democratswith a single candidate in their bid to take control of the Capitol once termlimitedRepublican Gov. Owens leaves of* ce. The announcement caught many in her party by surprise, since she had said she would wait to decide until after the Nov. 1 election on a measure asking voters to give up as much as $3.7 billion in tax-surplus refunds over the next *ve years. at all indoor public places, despite stalling tactics by the restaurant industry, Alderman Patrick O’Connor said. The measure sparked a debate pitting health advocates’ concerns over secondhand smoke against the food and beverage industry. Indiana:

Lowell — A costumed teen tripped as he tried to scare visitors to a pumpkin farm and was fatally run over by a tractor pulling a hay wagon, family members said. Travis Duncan, 16, died hours after he fell under the tractor’s wheels at Norm’s Pumpkin Patch in southern Lake County, his mother said. Duncan, who was dressed as a monster, was a seasonal employee at the farm, where he had worked for three seasons. Iowa:

Des Moines — State of * cials are proposing a $ 5 million project to restore a century-old building and create a gateway to the Capitol. The Carriage House, near the Statehouse, could be turned into a visitors’ center and transportation museum. Planners envision exhibits that show how transportation has changed since lawmakers across Iowa * rst traveled by horse to Des Moines. Kansas:

Olathe — Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison announced he will switch parties and seek the Democratic nomination for Kansas attorney general next year. Morrison hopes to challenge Republican Phill Kline, who hasn’t announced his plans. Morrison was re-elected in 2004 and wouldn’t face re-election for the district attorney’s of * ce until 2008. Kentucky:

Louisville —

The Vatican has removed a fourth Louisville man from the priesthood and ordered three elderly priests to live out their days in prayer and penance. Ousted priest Joseph Herp had been accused of sexual abuse in four lawsuits in 2002 and 2003. The Louisville Archdiocese also reports that Robert Dollinger, Irvin Mouser and Edwin Scherzer will not be allowed to perform public ministry, present themselves as priests or have unsupervised contactwith minors. Maine:

Brunswick — Airboats can now be operated on Sundays on the remote 6 ats of this coastal town. Some residents opposed the Sunday use of airboats, saying they’re too noisy. Airboats are used to give clammers access to hardtoreach areas of the mud 6 ats. The town council also voted to allow clammers to dig on Sundays year round. Louisiana:

New Orleans— The 152year- old Touro In*rmary will cut 500 jobs because the number of patients after Hurricane Katrina does not justify the current staff. The cuts will not involve doctors and only a few nurses will lose their jobs on Oct. 31, said Les Hirsch, Touro’s chief executive of * cer. The cuts will reduce the overall pre- hurricane staff by about a third, Hirsch said. Missouri:

Jefferson City — The director of the state Children’s Division has resigned, of *cials said. Fred Simmens was appointed in 2003 and served as the * rst director of the state Children’s Division under the Department of Social Services. The state’s child welfare system was revamped following the 2002 death of a 2- year- old foster child. An agency spokeswoman said Simmens’ departure wasn’t related to any particular event. Maryland:

Towson —

Denise Lechner, 26, pleaded guilty to child abuse in the death of her 3- year- old son. Roy Lechner Jr. died in March, about four months after the unexplained death of his infant brother. Baltimore County social workers visited the family more than 150 times in the two years before the older boy died. Prosecutors plan to seek the maximum 30- year prison sentence. Massachusetts:

Boston —

The commander of the Massachusetts Air National Guard wants Otis Air National Guard base to take over an intelligence unit. The move could offset the 505 jobs that will be lost when the 102nd Fighter Wing and its F- 15s are transferred to the air guard station at Barnes Municipal Airport across the state in West* eld. Military of * cials say adding the intelligence unit could bring up to 500 jobs to the Cape Cod base. Michigan:

Lansing — Sen. Liz Brater introduced legislation to bar Michigan juveniles from being sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. The Ann Arbor legislator says children who commit violent crimes deserve a second chance. The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan says 306 prisoners in the state are serving life sentences for crimes committed before age 18. Montana:

Helena — The state Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a state district judge from Ravalli County for driving drunk and violating a court order. Judge Jeffrey Langton apologized for his actions during a brief appearance before the court. Langton pleaded guilty in March to a drunken-driving charge. Less Minnesota:

St. Paul — Counties seekingways to pay for roads and bridges are considering a $5-per-vehicle tax, known as a wheelage tax. The Association of Minnesota Counties is sponsoring ameeting where of * cials from the sevencounty metro area will discuss the tax. Property taxes have soared to help pay for roads and bridges. Supporters say the taxwould ease the burden. Mississippi:

Jackson — John Chambers, the president and CEO of Cisco Systems, said the company would make a $ 40 million donation to schools in Mississippi and other states affected by Hurricane Katrina. The announcement came during the fall meeting of the state’s chamber of commerce. Katrina caused billions of dollars in damages when it struck Aug. 29. than four months later, he was found passed out near a hotel room in Missoula, violating conditions of his sentence on the earlier charge. Nebraska:

Lincoln —

A would-be pharmacy robber turned and ran when the pharmacist called him by name and asked whether the robbery was a joke. The pharmacist later told police he recognized the man’s voice as that of a former customer. Police later tracked down and arrested a 44- year-old former convict on suspicion of attempted robbery. Nevada:

Carson City— Tax increases, budget cuts and layoffs may be needed to save a rural Nevada county from insolvency by mid- 2006. White Pine County’s $ 7.2 million budget could be almost $452,000 in debt by the June 30 end of the current * scal year, a state audit found. Most of the county’s 9,000 residents live in and around Ely, about 240 miles northeast of Las Vegas. New Jersey:

Trenton —

The * rst state subsidies to help doctors worst hit by rising medical malpractice premiums are being distributed, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance said. Payments of nearly $ 11,000 each are being made to about 1,200 medical specialists, neurosurgeons, obstetricians and radiologists who read mammograms. North Dakota:

West Fargo —

The School Board decided to eliminate a cash incentive that encouraged teachers to retire as soon as they were eligible. West Fargo Superintendent Chuck Cheney said the emphasis now is on keeping experienced teachers. Under the current policy, retiring teachers could apply for a cash incentive from the district that varied in amount by years of service. The policy is to be canceled in July 2007. Ohio:

Canton — Authorities say a drug smuggler bragged he drove his truck with marijuana hidden in it through * ve drug checkpoints from Texas to Ohio before Stark County deputies found it. Sheriff Timothy Swanson said the alignment of the tailgate and the bed didn’t look right so of * cers drilled a hole through the truck bed and smelled marijuana. Oregon:

Sandy — After 18 months of a bitter contract dispute, teachers went on strike, the * rst to do so in Oregon since 1999. The strike began at 6 a. m., an hourandhalf after a marathon overnight negotiating session ended with no substantive agreement. Teachers and the school board in the Oregon Trail School District remain far apart on several key issues, including salary, guidelines for teacher evaluations and health care costs. New Hampshire:

Concord —

The Audubon Society of New Hampshire is reshaping its focus from education to conservation. The society laid off eight staff members lastweek as part of the restructuring. Spokesman Iain MacLeod said the society plans to focus on land protection as more open land is threatened with development. New Mexico:

Albuquerque —

The University of New Mexico and the city of Albuquerque are arguing over city water conservation rules. Albuquerque contends the university owes nearly $ 17,000 in * nes for violating city prohibitions on wasting water. UNM attorneys say the school lies on state land and the city’s rules don’t apply. New York:

Albany— Smoking in the state declined to an all- time low of 18.1% last year, a study showed. Adult cigarette use declined from 20.8% in 2003 to 18.1% in 2004, compared with a national reduction from 21.6% to 20.9%. Cigarette use among high school students in New York declined from 27.1% to 18.5% from 2000 to 2004. Oklahoma:

Oklahoma City — The last six monthswere the driest for southeast Oklahoma since record- keeping began in 1921, the Oklahoma Climatological Survey says. From April 27 through Sunday, that * ve-county area received 12.69 inches of rain, breaking the old record of 13.10 set in 1956. The dryweather has withered * shing grounds and farms and reduced fall foliage. Rhode Island:

Providence — A jury was selected to hear a federal civil rights case brought by the mother of a slain Providence police of * cer. Sgt. Cornel Young Jr. was off-duty and in plain clothes when he ran outside a dinerwith his gun * ve years ago to help break up a disturbance. Two police of * cers mistook Young for a suspect and opened * re. South Carolina:

Myrtle Beach — Police arrested the parents of a baby abandoned at a drugstore in Surfside Beach over the weekend. Stephanie Woods, 20, and Ekkatuth Gordon, 32, were charged with unlawful neglect by a legal custodian, said Detective Joe Matyjasik with the Surfside Beach Police. Gordon gave the infant to two women at a drugstore, police said. The boy, who weighed about 5 pounds, could have North Carolina:

Raleigh — Gov. Easley unveiled a plan to raise public school teachers’ salaries above the national average by 2008, giving educators a $600 raise for the rest of this year as a down payment. According to the National Education Association, North Carolina teachers on average earned $ 43,313 during the 2004-05 school year. The U.S. average was $ 47,750. Pennsylvania:

Wellsville — The Northern York County School District will give a 19th- century school to the Wellsville Area Historical Society, which will replace the rotting 6 oor, install some historically accurate desks and bring children on visits. The one-room school in the town of 300 people was built between 1860 and 1890. been slightly premature but has no other health problems, the detective said. South Dakota:

Rapid City — The Forest Service wants to thin timber on thousands of acres in parts of the Black Hills National Forest where mountain pine beetles are killing trees. The project could be held up by appeals from environmentalists who dispute the service’s theory that logging and non-commercial thinning can slow infestations. Tennessee:

Jackson — An attack helicopter unit of the Tennessee Army National Guard was activated and sent to Fort Hood, Texas. The unit has approximately 40 soldiers and will join 100 soldiers from Chattanooga’s 196th Field Artillery in Afghanistan. The deployment isn’t expected to exceed 18 months. Texas:

Fort Worth —

Kevin Wood, 31, was fatally shot in an exchange of gun * re with police after a 20- mile chase that began when he was stopped for a minor traf * c violation. Wood died in a shootout at the parking lot of the Wise Regional Health System in Decatur.

. . . Mission— A truck driverwas killed when she drove through a stop sign and collided with a propane tanker and her vehicle burst into 6ames. Martha Villarreal died at the scene, police Lt. Mario Lopez said. The driver of the propane truck had minor injuries. Utah:

Salt Lake City— A former teacher who claimed she was * red because she was non-Mormon and female lost her lawsuit against a school district. The jury returned the verdict against Erin Jensen after 9½ hours of deliberation. Jensen worked as an English teacher at South Sevier High School for three years before she was * red in 2003. School of * cials testi * ed theywere concerned about SAT scores in English. Vermont:

Montpelier — The Vermont chapter of the AARP is trying to pressure the governor and Legislature to take action toward health care reform. The group launched an ad campaign promoting the need for improving the way care is delivered and funded. AARP also released the results of a poll that shows people are increasingly worried about losing adequate health insurance. Virginia:

Charlottesville — A political candidate in Albemarle County lost his free- speech argument in a trespassing case. The judge indicated he was sympathetic to Richard Collins’ defense but found him guilty and * ned him $ 50. Collinswas arrested May 7 while handing out political literature at a shopping center. Collins argued that private shopping centers have now become public centers in lieu of town squares where free speech, especially political speech, is protected under the state’s constitution. Washington:

Seattle — The City Council has approved two pedestrian skybridges to cross busy streets and connectwith a new sculpture garden on the waterfront. The Seattle Art Museum’s 8.5-acre sculpture park is expected to open next summer. West Virginia:

Wheeling — The state Racing Commission is developing a rule aimed at protecting racing greyhounds. Itwould require kennels that receive money from a state breeder development fund to submit to inspections. The proposal follows a kennel * re Oct. 16 in Brooke County that killed 73 greyhounds. Wisconsin:

Madison —

Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager announced her of * ce will sue the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for more than 2 billion gallons of sewage over6ows in spring 2004. Lautenschlager said last year she planned to sue the sewage district and the 28 municipalities that discharge sewage into its system. She is still negotiating with the municipalities. Wyoming:

Cheyenne — Wyoming added 8,700 jobs from September 2004 to September 2005, of *cials say. State statistics show 2,100 new jobs in mining and natural resources and 1,700 new construction jobs. The government added 1,000 jobs. Other sectors gaining jobs were education and health services, retail, * nancial activities and manufacturing. U. S. territory:

Puerto Rico — Federal authorities may be called to investigate the disappearance of 35 weapons from a city police station in central Puerto Rico. The weaponswere to be issued to police in the city of Utuado to replace their current * rearms. The Associated Press