Across the USA

News from every state

Alabama: Birmingham— The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved grants to fund 1,159 new storm shelters at homes in the state following the deadly tornadoes last April. The grants pay for up to 75% of the cost of a private shelter, but not more than $ 4,000.

Alaska: Juneau — The architect for the new state Library, Archives and Museum building says construction can start in July. Brian meissner of ECI/ Hyer said the project still needs $ 90 million in appropriations but there’s enough money in hand to make it happen. The project will consolidate the functions of the state libraries, archives and museum into one facility.

Arizona: Nogales — Unless you get cremated, those who have not bought plots already at Nogales City Cemetery will have to look elsewhere for a final resting spot. “There are no longer new plots available,” said Parks and Recreation Director Marcel Bachelier. The site was officially established in1905.

Arkansas: Fort Smith— An Air Force plan would remove the A- 10 aircraft mission from a Fort Smith- based fighter wing in 2013 and possibly replace it with one involving remotely piloted aircraft. The proposal would make the 188th Fighterwing anmq- 1/ 9 Remote Split Operations Squadron that would be made up of unmanned aerial vehicles commonly referred to as drones.

California: Vallejo — A five- alarm fire engulfing a vacant warehouse at a onetime Navy shipyard sent up plumes of smoke visible across the San Francisco Bay Area. The fire erupted around10 a. m. Sunday on Mare Island. No injuries were reported in the blaze at the condemned wooden structure at the north end of the island.

Colorado: Denver— More than 3 feet of new snow that has fallen in the high country has increased the probability of large avalanches. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center said weekend snow fell on weak layers. Humantriggered slides could break down into deep layers, producing large avalanches.

Connecticut: Hartford — Department of Social Services Commissioner Roderick Bremby has spent the past year identifying problems. Connecticut is ranked last among the states for processing applications for the federal food stamp program in a timely manner. The state could also face sanctions if it doesn’t improve its error rates.

Delaware: Wilmington — The Delaware Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals after June 30 will no longer provide animal- control services for the city after 120 years. As the nonprofit organization shifted to a no- kill policy, its contract with the city has become unprofitable, losing more than $ 100,000 on the contract last year.

D. C.: The non- profit Washington Empowered Against Violence has closed after providing legal and counseling services to domestic violence victims since 1997, citing difficult economic times. However, The Washington Post

reported the agency’s that city co- founders officials and said one the of agency major grants was closing because after of losing concerns two about funds. possible mismanagement of

Punta Gorda — Florida: County inmates picked 6,400 Charlotte pounds of homeless free oranges shelters for at their Peace jail River and Plantation. local Henny Bokrand Grove owners extended Waldemar the offer. and

Georgia: Elberton — Elbert County’s school of five board elementary is considering schools closingtwo amid declining has cut tax the revenue. school week The board to four already days. Schools Superintendent Rick Higginbotham said spending was cut by $ 4.8 million last year and may be slashed another $ 1.8 million.

Hawaii: Honolulu— The House Tourism committee is holding an informational briefing today on major tourism industry issues. Topics will include hotel room taxes, the new comped room taxed law, the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s marketing funding, and growth of general funding from the Transient Accommodations Tax.

Idaho: Grangeville — A plan by the U. S. Forest Service to relocate the Nez Perce- Clearwater National Forest supervisor’s offices from Grangeville and Orofino will hurt those communities, says County Commissioner James Rockwell. He says the communities will lose 45 jobs. The Forest Service has announced that moving the office to Kamiah will save $ 2 million a year.

Illinois: Springfield — The state Department of Veterans’ Affairs has launched the online Stand Up and Be Counted registry aimed athelping connect the state’s 1.2 million veterans to services. Veterans who register will be contacted by a local Veterans Service Officerwithin 48 hours.

Indiana: New Albany — Floyd and Clark counties plan publicmeetings on the idea of switching to centralized vote centers instead of traditional neighborhood polling precincts by 2014. Voters can cast ballots anywhere in the county and supporters said vote centers help save money because counties operate fewer polling sites and can hire fewer staff.

Iowa: Cedar Rapids — A fire at the city’s wastewater treatment plant has not disrupted the plant’s ability to take in solid waste. City utilities environmental manager Steve Hershner said residents can keep flushing and using city water as they normally would. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Kansas: Junction City — A woman has taken a $ 55 parking ticket to the Kansas Court of Appeals — and won. Mary Somrak got the ticket for parking over the line in her space at a townhome complex. Somrak said she fought the ticket through three courts and almost two years because she didn’t think it was right for the city to write tickets in a private parking lot at 2 a. m. — especially when the car she parked too close to was her own second car.

Kentucky: Paducah — State Transportation Cabinet spokesman Keith Todd said that amajor ice storm today

wouldn’t affect the region as dramatically as the one that hit on Jan. 27, 2009. He said crews have removed many trees that can fall and block roads and more generators, home emergency kits and food reserves are available.

Louisiana: Baton Rouge — Area tourism in rose in 2011: Hotel revenue was up 6% with nearly 94,000 rooms booked. The number of rooms increased by 3.6% with the opening of the Indigo and Renaissance hotels as well as other properties. This year, paddle- wheel river boats will return for the first time since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Maine: Augusta — The state Forest Service reported a survey crew has begun a search on Mount Desert Island for signs of an invasive insect, hemlock woolly adelgid. The crew also will work with national park and U. S. Forest Service staff to survey in Acadia National Park before moving on to coastal Waldo, Hancock and Washington counties.

Maryland: Baltimore — Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa will headline the Preakness Infieldfest onmay19 during festivities surrounding the 137th Preakness Stakes, the second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Maryland Jockey Club President Tom Chuckas said the fate of the crude centaur Kegasus featured in last year’s marketing campaign will be decided in the next couple of weeks.

Massachusetts: Boston — Former Ugly Betty staramerica Ferrera will visit Bunker Hill Community College on Feb. 16 to discuss how education helped her become successful and the importance of helping those in need. Ferrera’s visit is part of the school’s “Compelling Conversations” speaker series.

Michigan: St. Clair Shores — The Lake Shore school district has turned a former school into a dormitory for 55 Chinese students who will spend the rest of the year attending Lake Shore High School. The former school was renovated and renamed Taylor International School residence hall.

Minnesota: Red Wing — Nineteen cars left the track when a Canadian Pacific freight train derailed along the Mississippi River in Red Wing around 9: 40 a. m. Sunday. All the train cars were empty and no one was injured. The cause is under investigation.

Mississippi: Jackson — Prosecutors say the man accused of killing rookie Jackson police officer Glen Agee in 2010 won’t face the death penalty because an evaluation has found that he may be mentally disabled. Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith tells The Clarion- Ledger that Latwansmith can still stand trial on a capital murder charge. His trial is scheduled for Aug. 13.

Missouri: Joplin — The Joplin Board of Education is scheduled to takeuptoday a $ 62 million bond recommendation to help rebuild schools destroyed in the May 22 tornado, renovate elementary schools and build community safe rooms. The district estimates the total cost of all the projects at$ 185million. The bond issue could go to voters April 3.

Montana: Bozeman — The 12- member Bozeman Area Bicycle Advisory Board plans to day to present to the City Commission a list of bike lanes the group wants built to make city streets safer for bicyclists. Street Superintendent John Van Delinder and Public Works Director Debbie Arkell say putting bike lanes in would cost $ 84,300.

Nebraska: Lincoln — Grape growers and winemakers in Nebraska would be eligible for an income tax credit under a bill scheduled for debate in the Legislature’s Revenue Committee. Debate begins Feb. 13 on whether to grant a tax credit for up to three years on part of the equipment costs involved in producing grapes and wine.

Nevada: Reno — The Bureau of Land Management has efforts to remove “excess” wild horses from the range near Reno. Spokeswoman Lisa Ross said about 300 horses were gathered from the Flanigan, Dogskin Mountain and Granite Peak herd management areas. The BLM also ended a roundup of more than 80 mustangs from the Garfield Flatmanagement area.

New Hampshire: Portsmouth — The 2- million- pound lift span of the historic Memorial Bridge will be removed tonight and lowered onto a barge in the Piscataqua River. The removal is the first major event in the demolition of the Route 1 bridge. The new bridge is expected to open in July 2013.

New Jersey: Ringwood — The Department of Environmental Protection is closing Ringwood Manor, the historic museum in Ringwood State Park, for the winter after a furnace misfired and left a layer of soot covering priceless artifacts. The department will work with historical conservators to ensure careful cleaning.

New said they Mexico: arrested Albuquerque— a known gang member Police that Sunday left a man morning dead and after another a shooting person officers wounded. responding Sgt. Ferris to a shots- Simmons fired said call late victims, Saturday and one found later the died. two Gabriel shooting Ulibarri arrested. was identified as the suspect and

New of York: Environmental Albany — Conservation The Department is proposals asking for to expand public comment the range on of the its spruce endangered grouse, bird which list. The is on state the state’s wants to to 40- promote year- old maintaining spruce preferred stands by of 20- the grouse.

North Carolina: Wrightsville Beach — The town is refusing to release the names of three police officers placed on administrative leave, even though the state’s Freedom of Information law requires governments to release the names of employeeswhoare suspended, promoted or demoted. The probe began after a complaint from within the department in December.

North Dakota: Bismarck — lucky to worker be alive Jeff after Luptak accidentally said Construction he’s shooting nail Paul gun removed himself Wednesday. a 3- in inch the Doctors nail head from with in his St. a skull and repaired a vein. Luptak is expected

left leg, to but have otherwise some weakness should make in his a full recovery.

Cleveland — Ohio: delayedwork is part Wet of the weather reason that that a more bridge than project a month near behind Interstate schedule. 90 is Crews needed are for working the roughly on the $ 290 supports million span, bridge which is supposed will be12 to be stories ready high. for traffic The before October 2013.

Oklahoma: Sapulpa— A storm chaser featured on The Weather Channel died in a head- on collision between two vehicles on Turner Turnpike on Saturday afternoon. According to a statement on the channel’s website, Andy Gabrielson had been chasing storms in Texas andwasheaded home. He was from Minnesota.

Oregon: Portland — The Legislature is on track to add three no- fishing marine reserves off the coast. The Oregonian said that would amount to 38 square miles of ocean wilderness despite continued concerns from fishing groups. The bill calls for authorizing reserves and less- restrictive marine protected areas at Cape Falcon, Cascade Head and Cape Perpetua.

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia — Drexel University President John Fry announced details of a nearly $ 98 million retail and residential development for its students. Groundbreaking is scheduled for Feb. 21. Construction is expected to be completed by September 2013.

Rhode Island: Block Island — Residents took their annual headcount to determine how many “real” residents the island has. The final count of 948 is 46morepeople than last year. The tally is taken during the winter, when the island isn’t flooded with thousands of summer tourists.

South Carolina: Aiken — Some farmers are already reporting blooms on peach trees, which is very unusual for early February. Cold weather can help peaches, but freezes are devastating after the buds have opened. A late freeze in April 2007 ruined the peach crop in most of Aiken County.

South Dakota: Yankton — While fewer students are enrolled in the Yankton School District now than 40 years ago, the number of certified teachers is up 15%. Twenty one of the 24 additional staffers are special- education teachers. Former student services director Joyce Wentworth said students with disabilities are more likely to attend public schools than they were in decades past.

Tennessee: Nashville — Workers have begun stripping away Rymanauditorium’s 61- year- old oak floorboards, the first step in a two- week renovation that will leave the “Mother Church” of country music with a new Brazilian teak stage. An18- inch strip of the oak will be left at the front of the stage.

Texas: Austin — More and more Texans are finding themselves teetering on the edge of poverty. A study by the Corporation for Enterprise Development found that 27.7% of Texas households have no financial cushion in case of an emergency. When compared to

the rest of the country, Texas ranks 41st in financial security.

Utah: Salt Lake City — Three federal agencies are objecting to the expansion of the Alton strip coal mine near Bryce Canyon National Park. The Bureau of Land Management had set the stage for the move onto surrounding public range. The Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service and Environmental Protection Agency have raised objections. The BLM said a decision on the lease will take months.

Vermont: Williston — Vermont Technical Collegewill offer a four- year bachelor of science program in aviation. Applications for the fall semester are being accepted. Graduates will be eligible for direct access to jobs and internships at airports and Federal Aviation Administration facilities.

Virginia: Surry— Thepocahontas ferry across the James River linking Jamestown and Surry County will be back in service on Wednesday. The state Department of Transportation had pulled it from the fleet on Nov. 28 for routine maintenance and repairs.

Washington: Seattle — The city has been working behind the scenes for eight months with a wealthy hedgefund manager to bring an NBA team back to town — possibly as early as next fall if the Sacramento Kings fail to get a satisfactory deal for a new arena, according to documents obtained by

The Seattle Times. Christopher Hansen, 44, a Seattle native living in San Francisco, wants to build an arena south of Safeco Field, the documents show.

West Virginia: Charleston — Irene Mckinney, who served as the state’s poet laureate for18 years, has died. She was 72. Mckinney was appointed in January1994 by Gov. Gaston Caperton. Mckinney was the director of the creative writing program at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Wisconsin: Milwaukee — HarleyDavidson plans a year- long celebration in 2013 for its 110th anniversary. Officials at the Milwaukee- basedmotorcycle company plan to have a rally in Rome that June and a big party in Milwaukee over that Labor Day weekend. The official riding club of the company has1million members worldwide.

Wyoming: Fairview — A rancher whohad98horses seizedbywyoming Livestock Board officials and law enforcement last May will go on trial this week on six counts of animal cruelty. The horses seized at James Ridge’s ranch had allegedly been neglected and starved for months. If convicted, Ridge could receiveupto three years in jail and a $ 4,500 fine.

U. S. territory: Puerto Rico — The island’s government announced plans to kill as many iguanas as possible and export their meat in hopes of eradicating an imported species that has long vexed residents and entertained tourists. Puerto Rico has roughly 4 million iguanas. Officials said the plan economically benefits the island.