Fur seal pups, big balloon fest, runaway bull: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Auburn: Gov. Kay Ivey said South Korean auto parts manufacturer Shinhwa Group is investing $42 million in a facility and will create 95 jobs in Auburn, the company’s first manufacturing facility in the United States. Construction is already underway. Phase 1 of the project is expected to be finished by the summer. Shinhwa will initially make driveshafts for vehicles built by Hyundai Motor Manufacturing’s plant in Montgomery, as well as for Kia Motor Manufacturing’s plant, just across the state line in West Point, Georgia. Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said the company is a “welcome addition” to the state’s network of “high-caliber auto suppliers.”

Alaska

Anchorage: Northern fur seals have declined at the world’s largest rookery in Alaska’s Pribilof Islands, but they’re thriving at an unlikely location. Numbers of fur seals continue to grow on Bogoslof Island, a tiny landmass at the tip of an active undersea volcano in the Aleutian Islands. The volcano two years ago spewed ash into the path of jetliners. Hot mud, steam and sulfurous gases continue to spit up from vents on the island. Fur seals give birth and raise pups along the beach of the island that’s only about one-third the size of New York City’s Central Park. Tom Gelatt of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said biologists in 2015 estimated there were 28,000 pups on the island. He said the 2019 estimate likely will be more than 36,000 pups.

Arizona

Phoenix: The Arizona Game and Fish Department is investigating the poaching of a bull elk north of Heber in late August and is asking for the public’s help finding whoever killed the animal. The agency said Tuesday the poacher left the bull elk’s meat to waste west of Forest Road 153 near Point and Javelina water catchments. Agency officials said in a press release they believe someone has information about the case because the poaching incident occurred during a time when many hunters were scouting the area for upcoming hunts. Other recreationists are also believed to have been in the area at the time of the crime, the agency said. Hunting elk and other types of game in Arizona is regulated by the department. Hunters are required to draw permits, which are limited in number and allow them to hunt a limited number of game. Hunting can take place only in designated areas during designated periods. Most elk hunting takes place during the fall season in Arizona, although there are a few locations designated during other times of the year, according to the Game and Fish website. Anyone with information about the poaching incident should call the department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at 800-352-0700 or visit www.azgfd.gov and refer to case #19-003199. Callers can remain anonymous upon request and might be eligible for a reward of up to $1,500 upon an arrest. The Arizona Elk Society and Arizona Deer Association are each offering an additional $2,500 reward upon the arrest and conviction of the poachers, according to a press release from the department.

Arkansas

Pine Bluff: The Saracen Casino Annex, the largest tourism investment project in Arkansas, opened Tuesday morning. The annex is part of the $350 million Saracen Casino Resort project owned and operated by the Oklahoma-based Quapaw Nation. The casino resort is expected to open next June. About 10,000 guests have visited the 300-slot-machine annex since Friday’s surprise “soft opening.” Quapaw Nation officials said they plan to employ 1,100 people permanently at the Saracen Casino Resort. More than 200 are employed at the annex and a new nearby convenience store and gas station. Most hires came from Pine Bluff. The project is expected to feature 2,000 slot machines and 50 gambling tables, along with a 300-room hotel with a fire safety and an emergency services facility.

California

Los Angeles: Residents had a chance to see a mini-air show as the Royal Air Force Red Arrows aerobatic team tours California. The team flew past the famed Hollywood sign Wednesday afternoon and headed south to the Port of Long Beach to fly over the retired British ocean liner Queen Mary, which is now a tourist attraction and hotel. On Tuesday, the Red Arrows’ jets flew over San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate bridge. This weekend, they will join the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and other performers at the Great Pacific Airshow over the surf at Huntington Beach.

Colorado

Colorado Springs: A falcon that has served as the mascot for the U.S. Air Force Academy for the past 23 years has died. KCNC-TV reported the passing of the falcon named Aurora was announced by the academy on Wednesday. The academy said in a statement that the falcon was the longest-serving live mascot in the school’s 65-year history. Aurora was reported to have recovered after suffering injuries to its wings in November 2018 during a prank abduction before the annual football game against the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York. The Air Force Academy uses several falcons during home games and Aurora attended most road games to greet fans. The academy described her as a “feisty, spirited bird who commanded respect.”

Connecticut

Groton: The Pentagon said the USS Oregon, the Navy’s newest attack submarine, will be christened Saturday at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton. U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, an Oregon Republican, said he will attend as the keynote speaker. He said the submarine will be christened with water from Crater Lake and wine from Oregon. Oregon, a Virginia-class submarine, is the third U.S. Navy ship to honor the state. Virginia-class submarines are built to conduct anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface ship warfare; strike warfare; special operation forces support; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions. The Pentagon said they have stealth, endurance, mobility and firepower.

Delaware

Fenwick Island: State environmental officials might soon lease public parkland to an offshore wind energy company in exchange for millions of dollars in new amenities at Delaware’s southernmost beach. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has signed an initial memorandum of understanding with Ørsted, an offshore wind company based in Denmark, to discuss leasing up to 1.5 acres at Fenwick Island State Park. Ørsted would use park property to build an interconnection facility that will connect power generated by the yet-to-be-built Skipjack Wind Farm to the electrical grid. In exchange for leasing the public land, the company would fund improvements at the park, with the state now suggesting more than a dozen projects worth upward of $18 million. Those projects could include a two-level parking garage, a pedestrian overpass that allows foot traffic to cross Coastal Highway from the ocean side to the bayside, connections for a trail or sidewalk system, two additional bathrooms, an amphitheater and a new local Chamber of Commerce building that would house the park’s visitors center, a small nature center and more.

District of Columbia

Washington: A museum dedicated to journalism and the First Amendment is set to close its doors near the National Mall by the end of the year. WTOP-FM reported the Newseum announced its impending closure Tuesday, citing yearslong financial issues. A company statement said that despite more than 11 years of service and nearly 10 million visitors, continued operations have proved to be unsustainable. The statement said the museum’s founder and primary funder, the Freedom Forum, remains committed to its mission to champion the five freedoms guaranteed under the First Amendment. It said efforts to increase public awareness about the importance of a free press are needed now more than ever. Visitors are welcome through Dec. 31. Tickets purchased online include a 15% discount, with prices now starting at about $12.

Florida

Tallahassee: Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan said Wednesday that he will be the majority investor in the nation’s only 24-hour news network aimed at African American viewers, giving the network a deep pocket as it launches next month. The network has been in the works for years and an announcement about its launch was made earlier this year. But Khan’s backing gives it a substantial boost. He declined to say how much he would invest initially but said it would be enough to keep the network running for a long time. Khan is worth an estimated $8 billion and made his fortune in the auto equipment industry. As well as the Jaguars, he owns Fulham Football Club of the English Football League, Four Seasons Hotel Toronto and All Elite Wrestling. Former Republican U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts, who was a star quarterback at the University of Oklahoma in the 1980s, will be chairman of the new network. It will be available via cable and satellite viewers in 33 million households. The network has agreements with Charter Communications, Comcast and DISH and will be carried in major African American markets such as New York, Atlanta, New Orleans, Chicago and Los Angeles. The network is to begin broadcasting in November and will be based in Tallahassee, Florida’s capital, with bureaus across the country, Watts said.

Georgia

Adel: A hospital and nursing home in south Georgia has moved into a new $40 million facility. The Adel hospital began operating from its new home Tuesday. What had previously been Cook Medical Center is now called Southwell Medical. The 20-bed hospital, 95-bed nursing home and physicians’ offices are operated by Tift Regional Health System. Tift Regional Health System President Christopher Dorman told WALB-TV that the new complex just off Interstate 75 was renamed to help attract patients from beyond Cook County. The new hospital doesn’t have an emergency room but does have a walk-in clinic. The health system borrowed about 70% of construction costs through a U.S. Department of Agriculture rural development loan. Cook County and Adel government agencies provided the remainder. The old hospital’s new use remains undetermined.

Hawaii

Wailuku: A post-mortem examination of two pygmy killer whales that were found stranded on a Maui beach suggested they were fighting an infection. The Maui News reported Wednesday that the adult males had inflamed lymph nodes when they stranded themselves at Sugar Beach last month. The infection was also found in pygmy killer whales that stranded themselves at the same beach in August. An official from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the whales were afflicted elsewhere and there is no indication of an environmental toxin at Sugar Beach. The animals were euthanized after tests indicated little chance for survival at sea. Researchers said unusual food items, including excess plant material found in the animals, indicate they were not feeding normally.

Idaho

Boise: A judge said she agrees that fulfilling public records requests can put a big burden on governmental resources, but she expressed skepticism about the number of completely redacted pages provided to four Boise-area journalists by Ada County officials this year. Fourth District Judge Deborah Bail made the comments during a hearing on a lawsuit between the Idaho Press Club and Ada County Commissioners on Wednesday afternoon. In the lawsuit the Idaho Press Club and the four journalists contend county officials repeatedly violated the state’s Public Records Act by wrongly denying access to some documents, over-redacting others and otherwise mishandling public information requests. In court Wednesday, Ada County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney James Dickinson said the judge has all the evidence she needs in the form of the unredacted documents. Dickinson said some of the redacted documents require context to understand why they should be kept from release but said he can’t discuss it in open court lest he reveal private protected information.

Illinois

Fairview Heights: Planned Parenthood has quietly been building a new abortion clinic in Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, as women concerned about the uncertain future of Missouri’s sole abortion clinic flock across the state line. The 18,000-square-foot in Fairview Heights, 12 miles east of St. Louis, will provide abortion services, as well as family planning, when it opens in mid-October, Planned Parenthood officials said at a news conference Wednesday. Planned Parenthood has been fighting Missouri’s health department for months to try and keep open its St. Louis clinic. The state has refused to renew its license to perform abortions, citing concerns that include “failed abortions” that required additional surgeries. Missouri’s Administrative Hearing Commission is deciding the fate of the St. Louis clinic. During an annual inspection of the St. Louis clinic in March, Missouri health investigators cited numerous concerns, including reports of failed abortions. Planned Parenthood said it has already addressed those concerns and defended its clinic. It claims the state is using the licensing process as an excuse to stop abortions.

Indiana

South Bend: More than 2,200 sets of preserved fetal remains found in the Illinois garage of a late Indiana abortion doctor have been returned to Indiana. Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill said Thursday that the fetal remains found last month at Dr. Ulrich Klopfer’s Will County, Illinois, home were transferred Wednesday to the St. Joseph County coroner’s office for “safekeeping.” Hill said at a news conference in South Bend that investigators determined the remains came from abortions performed in Indiana in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Authorities are still investigating where the abortions occurred. Klopfer performed abortions at clinics in Fort Wayne, South Bend and Gary. Relatives cleaning out Klopfer’s garage after his Sept. 3 death found the remains. Hill said they will be “given the decency of a burial that they deserve.”

Iowa

Dubuque: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said it plans to collect as many deer samples in northeastern Iowa as it can this hunting season to test for chronic wasting disease after the first case in Dubuque County was confirmed in January, the Telegraph Herald reported Thursday. Chris Ensminger, the wildlife research section supervisor for the department, said officials want to collect at least 250 samples from an area in which the diseased deer was killed and at least 250 samples from elsewhere in Dubuque County. Samples also will be collected from surrounding eastern Iowa counties. The disease attacks the brains of deer and elk and is always fatal. No human cases have been recorded, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to not eat meat from infected animals. The disease has become increasingly prevalent in parts of the Midwest, including Wisconsin and Minnesota. Nearly 400 of the 1,060 deer that tested positive for the disease in Wisconsin from April 2018 to the end of March were in Iowa County in southwest Wisconsin. Other cases came from surrounding Crawford, Grant and Lafayette counties.

Kansas

Linwood: A plan to build a village of foster care homes in northeast Kansas has gotten the OK, although the project has been scaled down. The Kansas City Star reported that the nonprofit Joy Meadows initially sought to create a development with up to 10 homes that could house large sibling sets on a 23-acre property in the Linwood area. Instead, the Leavenworth County Commission voted Wednesday to limit the first phase of development to four total homes, including one that is located there. The nonprofit would be allowed to add three more in a future phase, upon review from the county. Foster care advocates and the Kansas Department for Children and Families voiced support for the residential development. But the project faced opposition from neighbors.

Kentucky

Ludlow: Fire and police units are at the scene of a barge accident that set several boats adrift or sinking in the Ohio River. The barge hit the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club on Wednesday morning hard enough to partially submerge the marina’s bar and grill. Steve Hensley, Kenton County’s Director of Homeland Security and Management, told news outlets six boats were knocked loose. Hensley said there was one person on the barge and one person on one of the boats, but neither was injured. Officials said the restaurant and patio of the yacht club were heavily damaged with some of it attached to the barge that struck it. Ludlow Police Chief Scott Smith said the Coast Guard is investigating and the barge operator was being questioned.

Louisiana

Gonzales: The federal government has bought out an entire flood-prone neighborhood in Louisiana, prompting all its residents to move to higher ground. News outlets reported the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program financed the buyouts on along Silverleaf Street in Gonzales, which was carved out of a wetland in the 1980s and has frequently flooded since. Chief city engineer Jackie Baumann said the federal agency is buying the homes at preflood market value, and Restore Louisiana is offering to make up shortfalls in the purchasing price for some residents, as long as their next home isn’t in a flood zone. The 2017 offer required all 41 residents to agree to the deal, and the last resident agreed last month, enabling the government to restore the wetland.

Maine

Lubec: American fishermen are expected to get a little more fishing quota under terms of an agreement with Canada. The countries are home to fisheries for economically important species that cross international boundaries, such as cod and haddock. They reach an agreement every year about how to divide catch on eastern Georges Bank, a crucial fishing area off New England and Canada. The New England Fishery Management Council said the U.S is scheduled to get 29% of the 1.4 million-pound total allowable catch of cod on eastern Georges Bank in 2020. It’s also set for 54% of the 66 million-pound total allowable catch of haddock in the area. The figures are subject to federal approval. They represent a 2.6 million-pound bump for haddock and about the same figure for cod compared to 2019.

Maryland

Baltimore: A 1,600-pound bull escaped from a truck into the streets of Baltimore for several hours. The Baltimore Sun reported that it took three tranquilizer shots and a crew of zoo officials to recapture the animal on Wednesday. The purebred Angus breeding bull broke out of a truck while it was stopped at a red light. A crowd gathered and watched as the animal was corralled. Baltimore Police spokeswoman Det. Nicole Monroe told the newspaper that the “owner of the bull said he doesn’t have the best disposition.” The bull was from Hedgeapple Farm in Buckeystown. Executive director Scott Barao said the animal was very expensive and thanked the police for not shooting it. He said the bull is “extremely valuable to us and we’re just glad to have him alive.”

Massachusetts

Worcester: State wildlife officials said a moose that was struck by two cars and had a broken leg has been euthanized. Marion Larson, a spokeswoman for the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, told The Boston Globe that Worcester police were called about a bull moose that was hit by a car Monday morning and Monday night. The moose was spotted in a pond Tuesday morning, and the state Environmental Police responded to the scene. Several boats were deployed so the moose did not approach Interstate 290, and to maneuver the animal into a suitable darting area. Larson said the 3 ½-year-old moose would not have survived its injuries. Another moose spotted in a Worcester cemetery Monday was tranquilized and freed at a state park.

Michigan

Battle Creek: A fourth Michigan resident has died from a rare mosquito-borne virus that has been recorded across the southern half of the state. WWMT-TV reported that 79-year-old Stan Zalner of Battle Creek died Wednesday after contracting eastern equine encephalitis. Ronna Bagent told the television station that her father was hospitalized in September with severe flu-like symptoms before doctors were able to confirm the illness through blood tests. Nine cases have been confirmed in six southern or southwestern Michigan counties. More than 30 animals – including 18 horses – in more than a dozen counties also have died from the disease. State health officials say low-flying aircraft were expected to spray pesticides Wednesday in Calhoun and 10 other counties. The pesticides kill adult mosquitoes on contact.

Minnesota

St. Paul: A federal judge has rejected challenges by several environmental groups to a land swap needed for the planned PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota. U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen dismissed the four lawsuits late Monday, ruling that the groups lacked the necessary legal standing to block the land exchange between PolyMet and the federal government. She said the groups couldn’t establish that they had been harmed. PolyMet traded 6,650 acres of federal land in the Superior National Forest at the mine site near Babbitt and Hoyt Lakes for a similar amount of private land last year. Several environmental groups sued to challenge various aspects of the deal, saying it undervalued the federal land and violated other laws, including the Endangered Species Act. PolyMet disputed those claims and persuaded the judge to dismiss the lawsuits. Ericksen dismissed the lawsuits without prejudice, meaning the groups could refile them at some later point. They could also appeal to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals

Mississippi

Hattiesburg: At least 22 soldiers training at Champ Shelby were injured during a night parachuting exercise. U.S. Army spokesman John Pennell told WDAM-TV that at least 15 people were treated by medics and another seven were hospitalized. Staff Sgt. John Healy said none of the injuries is considered to be life-threatening. Camp Shelby Cmdr. Col. Bobby Ginn said the troopers belong to the 4th Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division stationed at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Pennell said about 89 paratroopers were on the plane for the Wednesday night exercise. Ginn said the soldiers jumped from a C-130 aircraft and were blown off-course from their intended landing zone and into a group of pine trees. Several were entangled in the trees and had to be rescued. Healy says about 650 soldiers were involved in the exercise. About 3,000 troops from the Alaska base are at monthlong training at Camp Shelby called “Operation Arctic Anvil.”

Missouri

Kansas City: A compromise has been reached after Kansas City-area defense attorneys complained that their underwire bras were setting off jail metal detectors, forcing them to remove their lingerie for screening if they wanted to meet with their clients face-to-face. KCUR reported that the solution reached last month allows attorneys who set off metal detectors at the Jackson County Jail to be wanded or patted down. Attorneys protested after the jail rolled out a new security protocol in May. Jail officials initially responded by offering to allow attorneys to have noncontact visits, in which they talked to their clients by phones separated by glass, without clearing metal detectors first. But attorneys continued to push for change. Attorney Tracy Spradlin said she is thankful the issue was resolved without a lawsuit.

Montana

Missoula: U.S. Senator Jon Tester of Montana has announced plans to build a larger veterans affairs clinic in Missoula. The Missoulian reported that Tester, Democrat, announced Tuesday a location was chosen for a new community-based outpatient clinic. Officials said the clinic will be three times larger than the current clinic, which serves more than 6,000 veterans. It will have expanded primary care, mental health and specialty services. Tester said the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act that passed in 2017 set aside about $7 million in federal funding for the project. The clinic is expected to open in 2022. The current clinic will continue to serve patients until the new clinic opens.

Nebraska

Lincoln: A bobcat that wandered into a Lincoln building has been captured and released back into the wild. Staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs campus in south Lincoln called the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on Tuesday to report the animal had been spotted inside one of its buildings. Commission staffers set a cage trap and baited it with raw fish. The estimated 20-pound bobcat bit on the bait and was caught. It was freed outside of town Wednesday. Bobcats are common in Nebraska and can be found at the edge of Lincoln, sometimes coming inside to hunt. Sam Wilson with the commission said bobcats are common but rarely seen.

Nevada

Reno: A firefighter suffered burns and a woman was hospitalized after she jumped from a second-floor window at a motel that was on fire just east of downtown Reno. Police closed part of East Fourth Street for about three hours Tuesday afternoon before firefighters knocked down the blaze at the Lucky Motel. Fire officials told KRNV-TV the blaze destroyed two units at the weekly motel. One firefighter was being treated for burns to his leg. The woman was transported to a local hospital after she jumped from the window onto a car. She also suffered smoke inhalation. There was no immediate information available on their conditions Wednesday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Reno Fire Department chaplain and motel owner were working to relocate displaced residents to a nearby motel.

New Hampshire

Bedford: A young moose that got stuck in a swimming pool has been successfully coaxed out. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department biologists and conservation officers were called to a Bedford home Tuesday to help remove the young bull. He was in the water for several hours. Officers said he was unable to get himself out of the pool, so they put in a set of wooden steps. The department posted a video of the moose looking back and forth as the team held a rope and coaxed him out. He scampered away. Col. Kevin Jordan suggested it had to do with it being moose breeding season. He told television station WMUR that “the younger moose will wander long distances struggling to find a female.”

New Jersey

Forked River: The state has created an oversight panel to evaluate the process of dismantling the former Oyster Creek nuclear plant. Gov. Phil Murphy said it will ensure the “proper protocols” are in place throughout the process. Oyster Creek is being decommissioned after it was permanently shuttered in September 2018. Its spent fuel is also being put into safe storage. The panel’s formation was announced Wednesday. It plans to meet at least twice a year and will allow the public to share their concerns. Its members include the state’s Environmental Protection Commissioner, state police superintendent, homeland security director and the president of the Board of Public Utilities. Oyster Creek is located about 60 miles east of Philadelphia. It produced enough electricity each year to supply about 600,000 typical homes.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: Hundreds of hot air balloons will lift off from the New Mexico desert over nine days as part of one of the world’s largest festivals dedicated to the sport of ballooning. In its 48th year, the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is scheduled to kick off Saturday with a mass ascension. More than 580 balloons are registered, 17 countries are represented and tens of thousands of spectators from around the world are expected to turn out for the opening weekend. Albuquerque has played host to the fiesta since its inception in 1972. Troy Bradley, one of the ballooning world’s most prolific record-setters, said, “There’s just nothing like it in the world, to see that much color going into the sky.”

New York

Albany: Homeowners hurt by record flooding along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River have until the end of this month to seek state funding. People living in Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence and Wayne counties can apply for up to $50,000 to offset damages sustained this year to their primary residences. The window for applications opened Tuesday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office said $20 million is available through the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Flood Relief and Recovery Program.

North Carolina

Asheville: State health officials said 116 people have been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease since an outbreak was reported in September. The Asheville Citizen Times reported the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services released the figures Wednesday, adding that there was one death. The department also said 65% of those diagnosed had to be hospitalized. DHHS expected the number of confirmed cases to continue to climb as diagnostic tests are processed. Health officials aren’t sure if the illness originated from last month’s Mountain State Fair. Legionnaires’ disease is bacterial pneumonia that develops when someone breathes in mist or water that contains the bacteria into their lungs.

North Dakota

Bismarck: A pipeline spill has released produced water into a small creek and a stock pond in western North Dakota. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality was notified of the spill, which happened Tuesday in Dunn County. The pipeline is part of a gathering system operated by Marathon Oil. The spill happened about 1.5 miles northeast of Manning. Authorities don’t know what caused the leak. An estimated 21,000 gallons of produced water were released, impacting the creek and stock pond within pastureland. The creek discharges into the Knife River, but no impacts have been detected in the river. Produced water is a by-product of oil and gas development. State inspectors are checking the site and will continue to monitor the investigation and remediation.

Ohio

Oxford: An investigation into alleged hazing by a fraternity at Miami University has led to misdemeanor charges of hazing and assault against more than a dozen fraternity members. A student reported in March that members of the Delta Tau Delta chapter at the university in Oxford hazed him during initiation. The student said he was beaten with a spiked paddle, kicked and forced to drink lots of alcohol. The Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News reported Oxford police confirmed that a Butler County grand jury’s recent indictments of the 18 men stemmed from an investigation into hazing. Miami suspended the fraternity in August for 10 to 15 years after its investigation determined violations of the school’s Code of Student Conduct. Delta Tau Delta’s national headquarters revoked the chapter’s charter in June.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: Some of the 44 death row inmates housed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester will soon be moved from the prison’s maximum-security H-Unit to another unit to give them more benefits and access to the outdoors, the state’s new prisons boss said. In a letter released by the agency on Thursday, the Department of Corrections’ Interim Executive Director Scott Crow told officials with the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma that the agency plans to move “qualifying inmates” to its less restrictive A-Unit by the end of October. The ACLU had threatened legal action over what it said are potential constitutional violations of the rights of death row inmates, mostly by confining them to their cells for 23 hours per day. Crow said the agency also plans to begin “contact” visitation for some of the moved death row inmates, who are allowed only noncontact visits behind Plexiglas and over a telephone.

Oregon

Bend: The City Council has agreed to discuss whether to impose a ban on feeding deer and elk that wander city streets. KTVZ-TV reported councilmember Chris Piper, who with Bruce Abernethy proposed considering such a ban Wednesday, said the plans were brought to him and other councilmembers by neighborhood associations. Piper said dozens of collisions involving vehicles and deer were reported in the city last year. Piper said cities including Sunriver and Sisters have seen positive results from similar wildlife feeding regulations. There is a similar ban on feeding geese in Bend that can result in a $372 fine. Although that ban is isolated to Mirror Pond, the potential deer and elk feeding ban would be citywide.

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh: Another alligator has turned up in Pittsburgh, the seventh this year. George DeSavage told WTAE-TV he and his girlfriend spotted it along the Allegheny River as the sun was setting on Tuesday. He said he grabbed it and it “went kind of limp and calm.” He said it seemed like it was handled by somebody. Police took it to Humane Animal Rescue, which named the gator Gus. The shelter shared photos on its Facebook page. The shelter believes the reptile was a pet. It’s not illegal to own an alligator in Pennsylvania.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state’s high school students scored significantly lower on the SAT than the national averages. The Providence Journal reported Thursday that the state’s Class of 2019 scored an average of 483 points on the English portion of the standardized college entrance exam; the national average was 531. On the math section of the test, Rhode Islanders scored an average of 474; the national average was 528. The numbers also showed a gap between white students and students of color, with white students scoring about 70 points higher in English and math. The Rhode Island Department of Education said SAT scores were flat statewide. State Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green called on district leaders to develop action plans to increase test participation and overall scores.

South Carolina

Greenwood: A man who set a fire at a Walmart to divert attention as he stole a case of beer has been sentenced to the maximum of 15 years in prison. Solicitor David Stumbo said 34-year-old Russell Geddings pleaded guilty Tuesday to third-degree arson – the same day his trial was set to start. Stumbo said Geddings set a clothes rack on fire at a Greenwood Walmart on Dec. 5 then stole the beer in the chaos. Stumbo said in a statement no one was injured, but $1.2 million worth of damage was done to the store and merchandise. Stumbo said Geddings deserved the maximum sentence for putting so many people at risk to steal beer. Geddings’ attorneys did not answer an email from a reporter seeking comment.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: A Delta commercial airplane made an emergency landing in Sioux Falls on Thursday morning for a passenger who had a medical emergency, officials said. The Delta flight, scheduled around 7:30 a.m. from Chicago to Seattle, was diverted when a 63-year-old male passenger started to experience emergency medical symptoms, said Dan Letellier, executive director for the Sioux Falls Regional Airport. The flight was over Pierre when its pilots diverted to Sioux Falls, he said. The airplane landed around 8:30 a.m. and the passenger was transported to a local hospital, Letellier said. The passenger was alert and conscious, but Letellier didn’t comment any further on the man’s condition. “Based on our location in the country, there are thousands of flights that go overhead each year,” Letellier said. “We get at least one or two medical diversions a month. It’s a matter of where we fit in the country.”

Tennessee

Collierville: Dozens gathered Tuesday to welcome home fallen soldier Maj. Trevor Joseph. The 33-year-old died Sept. 26 in an aviation accident at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He is survived by his wife, Erin. “Trevor was the greatest individual who was truly just so humble,” family members said in a text. “He would be so embarrassed by all this heroic attention, but this is exactly what he deserves.” Funeral arrangements are pending. Joseph, a soldier from the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk’s 1st Battalion, 5th Aviation Regiment, was killed during a JRTC rotation in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter within the training area, according to a Facebook post from JRTC and Fort Polk. Three other 1st Battalion, 5th Aviation Regiment soldiers were injured. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Texas

El Paso: A truck driver from California was killed Wednesday when his semi crashed into an overpass support column on Interstate 10 in downtown El Paso. The fatal crash closed westbound lanes for several hours Wednesday morning. Harjot Singh Goraya, 32, of Riverside, California, was driving when he veered off the road and crashed into a support column shortly before 1 a.m. by the Mesa Street exit ramp. Traffic Police said that the road was wet from an earlier rainstorm but that the Special Traffic Investigations Unit has yet to determine how the driver lost control. The crash closed all westbound lanes early Wednesday. Drivers were urged to find alternative routes into downtown or West El Paso, including Paisano Drive, Montana Avenue and Trans Mountain Road. Traffic was directed off the highway at the downtown exit, police said.

Utah

Salt Lake City: The state Department of Health has confirmed the state’s first human death from West Nile virus this yer. Authorities said Saturday that a central Utah resident at least 65 years old died from the disease carried by mosquitoes sometime between Sept. 21 and Sept. 28. Information about the victim including name and gender have not been released. Utah health officials have confirmed 19 human cases West Nile virus this year. The total is higher than last year, when 11 residents contracted the virus and one person died. State health officials have said a wet spring this year created more standing water habitats for mosquitoes, attracting species that can transmit West Nile virus to Utah. Symptoms include headaches, joint pains and a high fever.

Vermont

Bennington: Residents of a town along the route of the Appalachian Trail have taken the first steps toward filing an application to become a designated Appalachian Trail Community. Local and county officials in Bennington met with state counterparts and community organizers recently to discuss plans to apply for the designation. Officials said the label as an Appalachian Trail Community will bring greater publicity and boost local business. The Appalachian Trail stretches about 2,200 miles, through 14 states and 40 communities. More than 100 miles of the trail runs through Vermont and a portion of it is just east of Bennington. The Bennington Banner reported that in addition to publicity, the move could bring stakeholders together to improve the trail system locally for hikers.

Virginia

Richmond: A popular nature center will soon be closing temporarily for a $2.3 million renovation. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Maymont’s Robins Nature & Visitor Center will close Nov. 1 and open in March. The center houses fish, turtles, otters and other animals found within the James River and Chesapeake Bay. It attracts roughly 45,000 people each year. The animals will have upgraded habitats with lighting and heating systems and will be more visible to guests when the center reopens.

Washington

Spokane: A late cold snap last winter has cut the production of Washington apricots in half. The Washington State Fruit Commission said the state usually produces 5,000 tons of apricots a year. But The Spokesman-Review reported that the yield this year is only about 2,500 tons. Washington produces about 20% of the nation’s apricots. The commission said frost in February, when apricot trees had bloomed, hurt production. Apricots produced in Washington are shipped across the country.

West Virginia

Charleston: Federal officials said drought conditions in West Virginia are worsening as unusually high heat continues to beat down on the region. The U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday showed large swaths of southern West Virginia in a severe drought, a designation that includes the likely loss of crops and water shortages. The map also classified the entire northern part of the state as abnormally dry. Officials said nearly 50% of the state’s population is now in a drought. The National Weather Service marked last month as one of warmest and driest Septembers on record in multiple West Virginia cities. Less than 1 inch of rain was recorded in the month. Temperatures measured on Oct. 1 also surpassed record highs for the month in five cities.

Wisconsin

Madison: U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said during a stop in Wisconsin that he doesn’t know if the family dairy farm can survive as the industry moves toward a factory farm model. Perdue told reporters Tuesday following an appearance at the World Dairy Expo that it’s getting harder for farmers to get by on milking smaller herds. Perdue’s visit comes as Wisconsin dairy farmers are wrestling with a host of problems, including declining milk prices, rising suicide rates, the transition to larger farms with hundreds or thousands of animals and international trade wars. Wisconsin, which touts itself as America’s Dairyland on its license plates, has lost 551 dairy farms in 2019 after losing 638 in 2018 and 465 in 2017, according to data from the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The Legislature’s finance committee voted unanimously last month to spend an additional $200,000 to help struggling farmers deal with depression and mental health problems.

Wyoming

Jackson: Hunters have killed more mountain goats in Grand Teton National Park than expected. The National Park Service began allowing hunters to pursue mountain goats this year to rid the park of the nonnative species. Biologists warned the mountain goats could spread disease to native bighorn sheep. Some 100 to 150 mountain goats inhabit the park and nearby areas. Forty-eight hunters won a lottery for licenses to kill goats in the park. Wyoming wildlife managers thought the hunters would take no more than 15 mountain goats over the 2¹/₂-month season. Hunters recently surpassed that number, with six weeks left. The Jackson Hole News & Guide reported some hunters killed mountain goats only to see the animals fall off cliffs and out of reach.