LOCAL NEWS FROM US STATES
Maine
1 Southwest Harbor - Two fishermen were rescued after their 40-foot boat sank in Frenchman Bay, and the skipper was later arrested after he failed drug and alcohol tests, the Coast Guard said. Skipper Malcolm Dow and crew member Tom Trip were rescued from a life raft Tuesday night. The cause of the sinking is under investigation.
2 Perry - Voters here narrowly agreed to plans by a liquefied natural gas developer. Quoddy Bay LNG wants to build an LNG terminal at the Passamaquoddy Tribe's Pleasant Point reservation, from where the gas would be transferred to storage tanks in Perry. The vote was 229 to 211 to host the tank farm in exchange for annual payments of $3.6 million for 25 years.
storage tanks- zbiornik
liquefied natural gas
narrowly - ledwie, ledwo, szczegółowo, badawczo
3 Acadia National Park - Peregrine falcons have returned to Acadia National Park, prompting rangers to close parts of it to the public. The area around Precipice Cliff will be closed until further notice after falcons were seen defending nesting territory, park officials said. State law lists the birds as endangered.
Falcons - sokół
Peregrine falcons-sokół wędrowny
Prompting - zachęcając, sugerować, podpowiadać, podsuwać (rozmówcy) powodować, doprowadzać (do czegoś), bezzwłoczny, natychmiastowy, szybki
Ranger - leśniczy, strażnik lasów i parków
Nesting terriotry - teren lęgowy
4 Augusta - Gov. Baldacci touted a $397 million bond package in his weekly radio address, saying it would be a catalyst for the state's economy. Of the total, $131 million would go toward highways, bridges and other transportation projects. The governor's push comes as the Legislature prepares for three days of hearings on bond issue proposals.
Tout - nagabywać (np. klientów), nakłaniać (do kupna), zachwalać (towary, usługi)
Catalyst - katalizator
Governor - gubernator, dyrektor, naczelnik, członek zarządu
Legislature - legislatura, władza ustawodawcza, zgromadzenie ustawodawcze
5 Augusta - A state Senate approved bill to make non-use of motor vehicle seat belts a primary offense was narrowly rejected by the House. The 70-67 House vote against the measure came a week after a 20-14 vote in favor of it in the Senate. The close House outcome left supporters of the bill believing they still have a shot at winning passage.
Approved - zatwierdzony, uznany
Bill - ustawa
Measure - sposób, środek, zabieg (krok podejmowany w jakimś kierunku), miara
Rejected - odrzucać, odrzucony (np. kandydat o pracę), nieprzyjęty (rekrut do szkoły)
Utah
6 Salt Lake City - Mayor Rocky Anderson plans to propose a ban on using cell phones while driving in the city, a spokesman said. The decision would be up to the City Council. Some council members said a city ban, as opposed to a state one, might be confusing.
7 Payson - Utah County health officials have confirmed at least 18 cases of campylobacter, a food-borne illness that can cause fever, diarrhea and cramping. The source appears to be raw dairy products sold by Woolsey's Dairy, officials said, though tests on recent samples from the dairy showed no sign of the bacteria.
Campylobacter -
food-borne - przenoszony przez pokarm; przenoszony przez żywność
diarrhea - biegunka
cramping - kurcz, skurcz (np. w mięśniach)
raw dairy - nabiał
officials - urzędnik, funkcjonariusz
samples - próbka (towaru w sklepie)
8 Beaver - The former Beaver County sheriff who acknowledged using jail inmates to remodel his home in 2000 is back on the public payroll. Ken Yardley, who was sheriff for two decades, asked the current sheriff, Cameron Noel, for a job and was granted one paying $13 an hour to oversee inmate labor three days a week. The FBI is still investigating Yardley's case.
Acknowledged - przyznać (się do czegoś)
public payroll - lista płac
oversee - nadzorować
labor - siła robocza
9 Ogden - Police here are after a puppy thief who is partial to Chihuahuas. For the second time in three months, a pet store was targeted for Chihuahua puppies. Two were stolen this weekend; in December, one Chihuahua was taken from the same store. Both times the thief passed up more expensive breeds.
be after Sb - ścigać kogoś, poszukiwać kogoś
be partial to sth - formal mieć słabość do czegoś
pass sth up - tracić coś, przepuszczać coś
breeds - rasa (zwierzęcia)
10 Ogden - Doctors performed emergency heart repair surgery on state Rep. Paul Ray, according to a statement from the Utah Legislature. The Republican chairman of the House Health & Human Services Committee had been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm. Ray, 40, is recovering at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, officials said.
performed - dokonywać, wykonywać (np. operację)
emergency - nagły wypadek
chairman - przewodniczący (np. komitetu, organizacji)
House Health & Human Services -
aortic aneurysm - tętniak aorty
California
11 Sacramento - Gov. Schwarzenegger is giving hefty raises to nearly 50 state administrators, saying the hikes are necessary to retain and attract managers. The largest raise will go to the director of Forestry and Fire Protection, a 27% increase to $169,500. Other raises range from 7% to 23%.
hefty raises - masywny, zwalisty
hikes -
12 Palm Springs - A plan to build about 50 new wind turbines near desert parkland spurred an outcry in an area already rife with them. Opponents say the wind energy industry has delivered only a quarter of the promised power and blighted the landscape next to Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Supporters counter that clean wind power helps slow global warming.
Spurred - zachęcać (kogoś do czegoś)
Outcry - głosy protestu, krzyk protestu
Rife - częsty, znajdujący się w wielkiej ilości, powszechny, pełny (czegoś), obfitujący (w coś)
Blighted - niszczyć, niweczyć, przekreślić (np. szanse)
Counter - odeprzeć, odpierać, odrzucić, odrzucać, przeciwdziałać, wstrzymać, wstrzymywać
13 San Francisco - A dozen fire rings designed by artists will be installed at Ocean Beach after residents and the National Park Service reached a compromise on a plan that would have banned bonfires altogether. The agency had tried to halt the tradition, which featured up to 100 bonfires a night, saying it did not have enough rangers to handle problems. Bonfire fans persuaded the agency to put in pits to contain the number and location of fires. Artists are building the rings out of steel, concrete, glass and other materials.
Dozen - tuzin (12 sztuk)
Bonfires - ognisko
Altogether - zupełnie, całkiem
featured up - cechować, uwypuklać, wyróżniać, uwydatniać
concrete - beton
Texas
13 Austin - Gov. Perry signed into law a bill that gives Texans a stronger legal right for self defense with deadly force in their homes, cars and workplaces. The law removes a provision from previous state laws that in some cases required a person to retreat from the intruder before using deadly force. Police can still press charges if they feel deadly force was illegally used, sponsors said.
Provision - postanowienie, klauzula (w umowie)
Retreat - wycofywać się (o człowieku), ustępować (np. o śniegu)
14 Austin - A proposed bill would codify the practice of making counselors from the district attorney's office available to jurors. The bill comes at the request of Sharon Cave. Jurors had to view gruesome pictures of her daughter's dismembered body during a murder trial in January. Under the bill, jurors on difficult cases could call counselors for help.
Codify - kodyfikować, skodyfikować, ustalić, ustalać
Counselors - adwokat
attorney's - adwokat, obrońca
gruesome - makabryczny, okropny, straszny
15 Laredo - Jose Ramiro Arredondo, a Customs and Border Protection agent, was arrested on charges of aiding an immigrant smuggler by allowing him to bypass inspection booths. Arrendondo, 33, is accused of helping the man cross the border at least three times. Arredondo is on unpaid administrative leave, the CBP said.
Aiding - pomagać, wspierać
Smuggler - przemytnik
Bypass - omijać, ominąć, pomijać, pominąć
booths - budka
West Virginia
16 Morgantown - A judge decided that about 70 Monongalia County teachers will lose a day's pay for missing school on March 6, the day public schools were forced to close because teachers staged a sickout. The teachers wanted wage increases totaling 15% over three years; legislators eventually approved a 3.5% raise for one year.
staged a sickout -strajk chorobowy
wage - płaca, zarobki (wypłacane za wykonaną pracę, np. co tydzień)
17 Charleston - Howard Gentry, 59, of Newton, was charged Tuesday with destruction of property after driving through the West Virginia Veterans Memorial at the state Capitol Complex. Security video shows Gentry's vehicle barreling through the memorial on Sunday, with sparks flying as it scraped the monument's stone walls. Officials estimate about $200,000 in damage.
Barreling - zasuwać, mknąć (poruszać się szybko w niekontrolowany sposób)
Sparks - iskra
Scraped - ocierać, trzeć (coś o coś)
18 Charleston - More than $2.6 million in lottery proceeds will help finance 25 Fourth of July celebrations and at least 27 county fairs, according to figures in the new state budget. The budget also allocates money for festivals celebrating strawberries, pumpkins, apples, peaches, molasses, wine and coal. In all, West Virginia will host some 417 fairs and festivals next year.
proceeds - dochód, przychód, zysk, wpływy
county fairs - jarmark
New Mexico
19 Albuquerque - A judge upheld a $4.3 million verdict against Sandia National Laboratories in the case of a fired cybersecurity analyst who went to federal authorities with alleged national security breaches. Sandia plans to appeal. A jury last month ruled that Shawn Carpenter was fired in violation of public policy that favors reporting stolen security information.
Upheld - utrzymywać w mocy (np. ustawę, decyzję prawną)
Breach - naruszenie, pogwałcenie (prawa, zasad)
to appeal - apelacja (od wyroku sądowego)
violation - naruszenie, pogwałcenie, profanacja, wykroczenie
public policy - zasady
favors - popierać, sprzyjać, ułatwiać
20 Santa Fe - Sculptor Glenna Goodacre, 67, has regained consciousness about two weeks after suffering a head injury at her home. She was hospitalized after calling her husband to say something was wrong. Doctors determined she had a massive head injury, but it's not known how it happened.
Regained - odzyskać (coś straconego)
Consciousness - przytomność
21 Los Alamos - Millions of dollars in new tax money collected from Los Alamos National Laboratory will benefit this town and nearby communities. Los Alamos County officials committed $2.6 million dollars of their gross receipts tax revenues this month to regional transportation projects, health care and economic development.
Collected - kolekcjonować, zbierać
gross receipts - przychód, wpływy
22 Las Cruces - State farmers shipped more than 2 million pounds of pecans to China over two months, and state agriculture officials hope large-scale exports of the southern New Mexico specialty will continue to increase. Pecan farmer Dick Salopek said the new market bodes well for the coming season, which is expected to be a heavy crop.
Bodes - wróżyć, zapowiedzieć, zapowiadać
Colorado
23 Denver - The city's Regional Transportation District rejected a ban on ads for adult-rated video games on its buses and light rail trains, citing concerns about free speech. The Parents Television Council and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood had sought the ban, contending the ads exposed young riders to graphic violence and explicit sexual content.
contending - twierdzić, utrzymywać (np. pogląd, swoje zdanie)
Explicit - drastyczny (scena przemocy)
Sexual content.
24 Erie - A 10-year-old boy was suspended from school for two days after taking a knife to class and showing it to a younger student with the blade exposed, police said. The 10-year-old has been transferred to a different class and had his recess privileges revoked for the rest of the year, school officials said.
Suspended - zawieszać (kogoś w obowiązkach)
Recess - zrobić przerwę (w pracy, rozprawie sądowej)
Privileges
Revoked - odwoływać, anulować, unieważniać (np. prawo, rozkaz)
25 Aurora - A police officer died after he was thrown from his patrol car after he lost control and crashed while responding to a medical emergency in this Denver suburb. Doug Byrne, 37, suffered severe head and chest injuries, authorities said. He was on his way to help paramedics treating a man who appeared to be suffering from a seizure at a park and later died.
Responding - reagować, odpowiadać
suburb - przedmieścia
Severe - poważny, ciężki
Seizure - napad (np. padaczkowy), atak (np. serca)
26 Boulder - The state's snowpack is fast disappearing, and the odds of a wet spring are declining, according to a climate expert here. Klaus Wolter of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said prospects for drought in southwestern Colorado are increasingly worrisome. Statewide, the snowpack is only 77% of the 30-year average.
Snowpack -
Odds - szanse, prawdopodobieństwo
Declining - zanikać (np. o mięśniach), ubywać (np. o siłach), podupadać (o zdrowiu)
Drought - susza
Worrisome - budzący niepokój
27 Denver - The state Court of Appeals said Colorado counties have the authority to ban the use of cyanide in gold mining to fight pollution. A three-judge panel upheld Summit County's rule against the technique, rejecting a challenge by the mining industry, which is considering whether to appeal. Conejos, Costilla, Gilpin and Gunnison counties have similar bans.
authority -pozwolenie, przyzwolenie, upoważnienie (na dokonanie jakiegoś czynu)
Washington
28 Ashford - A major Mount Rainier National Park entrance road, damaged by flooding last fall, will be open to the public by May 1, the National Park Service said. The Nisqually Road will open even as tens of millions of dollars in repairs to the park continue. At least four sections of the road were damaged or obliterated in severe floods last November.
Obliterated - unicestwić, zrównać z ziemią
29 Seattle - A federal judge said the state's Special Commitment Center for sexual predators no longer needs court oversight. Judge Ricardo Martinez dissolved a 1994 injunction and said the state of Washington is now protecting the constitutional rights of sex offenders who are committed to the McNeil Island facility after serving prison terms.
Predators - drapieżnik
Injunction - nakaz sądowy, zakaz sądowy
30 Seattle - The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle celebrated a return to its downtown building. It was remodeled after an employee of the charity was killed and five others were wounded in a shooting attack last July. Naveed Afzal Haq, 30, told authorities he was angered by the war in Iraq and U.S. military cooperation with Israel when he forced his way into the center.
Wounded - zraniony, ranny (zwykle za pomocą broni, np. noża lub pistoletu)
Angered - rozzłoszczony, zirytowany
31 Coupeville - Island County will switch to all-mail elections, leaving only four of the state's 39 counties with poll site voting. The four are King, Kittitas, Klickitat and Pierce. King, which includes Seattle, has plans to switch to all vote-by-mail. State law requires that all counties have at least one electronic voting machine available for blind and disabled voters.
Hawaii
32 Hilo - A driver and his passenger died after he apparently lost control of the vehicle on a curve on his way down the Big Island's dormant volcano Mauna Kea, authorities said. Police said they believe speed was a factor as Philip Lung, 34, of Honolulu, plunged down a 20-foot embankment. A woman, 33, from Japan was not identified.
Apparently - widocznie, najwidoczniej, najwyraźniej
Dormant - uśpiony (np. wulkan), śpiący snem zimowym (np. niedźwiedź), w okresie spoczynku, nie prowadzący działalności (np. organizacja)
plunged down - spadać gwałtowanie
embankment - skarpa (pochyłość)
33 Honolulu - State lawmakers are debating whether to set aside $65 million to settle lawsuits by public school substitute teachers who claim they were underpaid. A Circuit Court judge ruled in 2005 that the state did not follow a law requiring it to pay more than 9,000 substitute teachers the same daily rate as certain full-time employees. The state appealed the ruling.
34 Kaanapali - More than 50 people on a whale-watching catamaran near Maui had to be rescued after the mast broke, killing one man and causing the 55-foot-boat to sink on Sunday. A 48-year-old man died, and two people were taken to a hospital. The Kiele V, owned by the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort, was nearly two miles from Kahana Beach on a sunset cruise. Other boats, the Coast Guard and firefighters helped get passengers to shore.
whale-watching -
35 Honolulu - Honolulu International Airport is installing carpet at its seven security checkpoints after travelers complained about having to walk barefoot or in socks across the bare floors. The state decided against buying disposable booties to hand out, as some other airports do, officials said. The total cost of the carpeting work, which includes airport conference rooms, is $236,675.
Barefoot - boso
Disposable - jednorazowy, jednorazowego użytku
36 Honolulu - Live organ and tissue donors would get tax breaks under a measure being considered by state lawmakers. The bill would allow tax deductions from adjusted gross income to cover lost wages, transportation, lodging and other expenses that aren't reimbursed when a resident donates an organ or bone marrow. Donors could deduct up to $10,000.
tissue donors - dawca tkanek
lodging - mieszkanie
reimbursed -
marrow - rdzeń, szpik kostny
Kentucky
Friday, October 31
37 Frankfort - Gov. Beshear said Ford Motor Co. plans to invest another $200 million in its two plants in Kentucky, on top of $200 million announced previously. Beshear also said the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority has authorized up to $180 million in state incentives for the car manufacturer.
Thursday, October 30
38 Flemingsburg - Officials of a preschool program here suspended a driver after a 4-year-old was left on a bus. A worker at a car dealership where the bus was taken for maintenance found the girl still aboard. The executive director of the Licking Valley Head Start program said it appeared the girl was asleep when other children were getting off the bus.
Wednesday, October 29
39 Paris - When a Chicken Ranch restaurant employee found her boss lying in an apparent pool of blood, she ran out screaming and called police. But the scenario was a Halloween prank by Joe Watkins, police said. The worker may have the last laugh; police charged Watkins with making a false report to lure her to the scene.
40 Tuesday, October 28
Lexington - The National Science Foundation awarded a $12.5 million technology grant to several public universities and private colleges in Kentucky. The money will fund research into biotechnology, nanotechnology and cyber technologies. The bulk of the money will go to the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville.
41 Monday, October 27
Murray - A coroner was indicted on charges of official misconduct and marijuana possession after state police said they found eight marijuana plants on his property. A grand jury also charged Calloway County Coroner Mike Garland and his wife, Tina, with possession of drug paraphernalia. Garland has not resigned as coroner.
Louisiana
42 Friday, November 7
New Orleans - The state board that governs the Louisiana Superdome granted more time to investigate the possible purchase of a vacant office tower and shopping center across from the stadium. Plans call for using the Dominion Tower for government office space. Other parts of the property may become an entertainment complex.
43 Wednesday, November 5
New Orleans - City schools Superintendent Paul Vallas wants additional security at high school football games next week. The request came after five people were arrested Saturday night when shots were fired outside a stadium. A fight in the stands during the Rabouin High School and Cohen High School football game prompted postponement of the game.
44 Tuesday, November 4
New Orleans - City schools Superintendent Paul Vallas wants additional security at high school football games next week. The request came after five people were arrested Saturday night when shots were fired outside a stadium. A fight in the stands during the Rabouin High School and Cohen High School football game prompted postponement of the game.
45 Monday, November 3
Natchitoches - The Northwestern State University chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity must undergo sensitivity training and apologize for taking what officials considered racially offensive photographs at a fundraiser. The sanctions were recently announced by Kappa Sigma's supreme executive committee.
46 Friday, October 31
Lena - The Boise Cascade plant here laid off 58 workers - nearly 20% of its work force. The layoffs will take effect Sunday. Boise Cascade is a wood-products company; officials blamed reduced production in residential real estate for the layoffs.
Louisiana
47 Friday, November 14
New Orleans - The U.S. Department of Labor is providing $7.5 million to the state to train workers in southeast Louisiana for industries deemed primed for growth. The areas, identified by development officials, include advanced manufacturing, international trade, creative arts and petrochemical and alternative energies.
48 Thursday, November 13
Baton Rouge - The state education department is looking into allegations of unspecified improprieties at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired. Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek said changes will be made, similar to revamped security plans at the Louisiana School for the Deaf, which has faced a sexual misconduct scandal.
49 Wednesday, November 12
New Orleans - Army Corps of Engineers and state officials have agreed to spend $27 million to study six coastal restoration projects. The projects include four river diversion projects. One of the diversions would let water from the Atchafalaya River flow into the marshes of Terrebonne Parish. Diverting rivers into wetlands is one way to build back land that has eroded.
50 Tuesday, November 11
Houma - Researchers at Louisiana State University said the fat compounds called ceramides found in oysters could help treat and prevent cancer. Ceramides, also found in plants and other animals, are being used in clinical trials to speed the healing process in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
51 Monday, November 10
New Orleans - Louisiana is being considered for a 50,000-square-foot window factory that may eventually employ up to 500 people. A spokesman for Crystal Window & Door Systems, which makes vinyl and aluminum windows and doors, said the company is searching for a site in the South or Northwest.
Maine
52 Friday, November 21
Hallowell - Scallop fishermen had their fishing days cut back to help the ailing resource bounce back. A state advisory council voted to let scallop draggers and divers go out for 70 days for the upcoming season, from Dec. 1 to Jan. 4 and again from Feb. 25 to March 31. That's a nearly 50% decrease from the seasons of the past several years.
53 Thursday, November 20
Portland - Some municipalities around Maine advocate a reduction in the amount of salt that plow crews spread this winter. Increased shipping cost and strong demand are blamed for prices that now range from $68 to $72 a ton, up from $50 to $58 a year ago. State highway officials say their options are limited because of the need to ensure roads remain safe.
54 Wednesday, November 19
South Berwick - Berwick Academy received the largest cash gift in the school's 217-year history. The $3.5 million comes from the estate of Helen Hasty Perreault, widow of Berwick Academy alumnus Victor Perreault, who died in 1962 and was a member of the academy's Class of 1933. Berwick Academy has nearly 600 students in grades K-12.
55 Tuesday, November 18
Augusta - Banks and credit unions statewide said they are financially healthy and ready to talk to borrowers. The lending institutions told a legislative committee that they're actively writing mortgages and other types of loans. But some businesses said that credit is tighter than portrayed and loans are still hard to get.
56 Monday, November 17
Augusta - State game wardens said they are seeing an increase in deer poaching. The warden service said it has received more than 80 complaints about night hunting this year. It comes at a time when there are fewer deer to legally shoot because the state has cut the number of any-deer permits in an effort to rebuild the herd.
Maryland
57 Friday, November 28
Gaithersburg - A 16-year-old has been charged as an adult after he allegedly struck a Montgomery County police officer with his car. The incident occurred outside a Thanksgiving eve service at a church. The officer, who was treated for injuries, fired shots at the SUV but did not hit the teen.
58 Wednesday, November 26
Linthicum - A panel concluded that Maryland's medevac helicopter program flies more patients than comparable programs and may use too many helicopters. However, the panel did not explicitly recommend changing guidelines for transporting trauma patients by air. It did say the state should study whether patients benefit medically as a result of the flights.
59 Tuesday, November 25
Ellicott City - State Sen. James Robey plans to seek authority for Howard County to install cameras that photograph speeding drivers. Robey is a former county police chief, and an officer was struck and killed last year when he stepped into a road to flag down a speeder. If approved, Howard would become the second Maryland county, after Montgomery, with such cameras.
60 Monday, November 24
Baltimore - After receiving more than 22,000 votes, the National Aquarium here announced that a female dolphin calf born nearly four months ago will be called Bayley. Voters had a choice of five names and cast ballots online and by text message. The name Bayley won with 31% of the vote.
61 Friday, November 21
Rockville - A final tally showed voters in Montgomery County narrowly approved a ballot question that limits the county council's taxing authority. The measure requires a unanimous vote of the nine-member council, instead of seven votes, to exceed a local cap on property revenue. Since the limit was established in 1992, the council has voted to exceed it four times.
Massachusetts
62 Friday, December 5
Boston - Gov. Patrick said he will consider raising the state's gasoline tax to pay for transportation programs, but only if it becomes part of a comprehensive package to streamline the transportation bureaucracy. Some legislative leaders have suggested a gas tax hike as a more equitable alternative to raising tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike.
63 Thursday, December 4
Boston - A plan by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority to raise tolls to pay off debt from the "Big Dig" construction project was discussed at a Statehouse hearing. Some lawmakers suggested the state consider privatizing the turnpike. A separate hearing was held at Boston City Hall on the impact toll hikes would have on the Sumner and Ted Williams Tunnels.
64 Wednesday, December 3
Worcester - A teenage girl was ordered held without bail after pleading not guilty to a charge she suffocated her 1-year-old son with a teddy bear. Worcester police said the 16-year-old first told police she found her son unresponsive, but later said she suffocated him. The teen's attorney said she is innocent and criticized police for questioning her without a lawyer present.
65 Tuesday, December 2
Boston - Gov. Patrick nominated Superior Court Judge Ralph Gants to fill a vacancy on the state's highest court. If confirmed, the 54-year-old Harvard Law School graduate would replace retired Supreme Judicial Court justice John Greaney. Gants most recently worked in the Superior Court's business litigation section.
66 Monday, December 1
Boston - Police across Massachusetts will soon be able to quickly share detailed information on gang members, from criminal histories to tattoos indicating gang affiliation. The Criminal History Systems Board plans to launch the MassGangs database in January. It's funded by a $1.2 million federal Department of Justice grant.
Washington
67 Friday, December 12
Tacoma - The Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium will close on Tuesdays and Wednesday in January and February to cut costs. The zoo will be open every day this month except Christmas. The annual Zoolights exhibit will be open every evening except Christmas Eve through Jan. 4.
68 Thursday, December 11
Olympia - A free computer and TV recycling program starts next month. "E-cycle Washington" was created by the Legislature and is funded by electronics manufacturers. More than 200 sites are being readied at existing recyclers, retail stores and non-profit agencies.
69 Wednesday, December 10
Seattle - The City Council voted in favor of adding four more streetcar lines to link downtown with neighborhoods. The council did not approve any money for the $685 million network, but supporters said the vote supports the concept for new lines as money becomes available. Critics say transit could be improved with a lesser investment in buses.
70 Tuesday, December 9
Olympia - Some state lawmakers want to reinstate a law requiring young hunters be accompanied by adults. The effort was prompted by the fatal shooting last summer of a female hiker by a 14-year-old who mistook her for a bear. Until 1994, state law required an adult mentor for hunters 14 and younger.
71 Monday, December 8
Three Washington schools rank above Meredith Hitchens Elementary, the Ohio school closed because of its high exposure to toxic chemicals. They are Monroe Junior High, Park Place Middle and Sky Valley Seventh-day Adventist in Monroe.
Tennessee
72 Friday, January 9
Nashville - A group of local religious leaders announced opposition to a proposed city charter amendment that would prevent written materials from being translated into languages other than English. The initiative would also prevent use of interpreters for people who don't speak English well. Early voting is underway for the Jan. 22 special election.
73 Thursday, January 8
Nashville - Officials of the state public health care system asked a federal court for relief from a 1987 order so funds can be redirected as state budget cuts are made. The court prohibited the state from cutting people from TennCare who were originally enrolled when they became eligible for Social Security benefits but later no longer qualified for SSI.
74 Wednesday, January 7
Martin - A committee trying to make the University of Tennessee more cost efficient suggested uncapping tuition. The current cap means students pay for no more than 12 credit hours per semester, though most carry an average of 14. The university is trying to offset state funding reductions that could total about $90 million.
75 Tuesday, January 6
Chattanooga - Two Republicans, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga and Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons of Memphis, said that they'll run for governor of Tennessee in 2010. The announcements came after former U.S. senator Bill Frist said he won't be a candidate. Democrat Phil Bredesen is serving his second term as governor and cannot seek re-election.
76 Monday, January 5
Nashville - Fisk University will press a legal fight for the right to sell artwork donated by Georgia O'Keeffe. The state Court of Appeals is to hear arguments this week. Fisk's collection includes works by O'Keeffe, Picasso, Renoir and Diego Rivera. O'Keeffe made the donation in 1949, when segregation prevented blacks from visiting many museums in the South.
Nebraska
77 Friday, February 20
Omaha - A plumbing parts wholesaler paid more than $16,000 in penalties and back wages. The U.S. Labor Department said Central States Industrial Supply paid $10,113 to 37 employees because the company incorrectly omitted certain bonus payments from the calculation of overtime pay. Central States also paid $6,270 in penalties for violating child labor laws.
78 Thursday, February 19
Grand Island - Farms and ranches in Nebraska became marginally fewer - but slightly larger on average - in 2008. The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported the number of operations was about 47,400, down about 300 from 2007. The average size of an operation increased by 6 acres to 962 acres in 2008.
79 Wednesday, February 18
Grand Island - Farms and ranches in Nebraska became marginally fewer - but slightly larger on average - in 2008. The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported the number of operations was about 47,400, down about 300 from 2007. The average size of an operation increased by 6 acres to 962 acres in 2008.
80 Tuesday, February 17
Lincoln - The state's three Catholic bishops urged lawmakers to act carefully on illegal immigration or risk causing a backlash of discrimination. The bishops from Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island said state efforts aimed at unscrupulous employers are appropriate. But overall, they said, the state has limited authority to address illegal immigration.
81 Monday, February 16
Chadron - The Sioux County sheriff is headed to trial. James Costello pleaded not guilty to filing a false police report and making a false entry in a public record. Court records show the charges are related to a report of a stolen vehicle. Costello was charged in early December. His trial is scheduled for May 29 in Dawes County Court.
Nevada
82 Friday, February 27
Reno - Fierce winds toppled two big-rig trucks in Washoe Valley south of here Thursday. No serious injuries were reported. Highway Patrol said the first truck overturned on Bowers Mansion Road, parallel to U.S. 395. The second truck was blown over on the highway itself about an hour later.
83 Thursday, February 26
Las Vegas - An area a couple of miles east of downtown was cordoned off after a truck spilled about 5,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate powder during the morning commute. Homes and businesses within 1,000 feet of the intersection were evacuated several hours until the potentially explosive materials was cleaned up.
84 Wednesday, February 25
Carson City - The Assembly voted for a tax increase on hotel rooms in the Las Vegas and Reno areas to help deal with the state's widening budget gap. The Assembly voted 35-7 for the increase of up to 3%. The proposal now moves to the Senate. The bill would help make up for budget cuts in education.
85 Tuesday, February 24
Las Vegas - Gamblers and others can make reservations now for two hotels at the big City Center project on the Las Vegas Strip. A spokeswoman said rooms can be booked at the Vdara Hotel, opening Oct. 1, and the ARIA Resort & Casino, opening Dec. 16. The two properties are part of the $8.6 billion CityCenter - a joint venture between MGM Mirage and a Dubai World subsidiary.
86 Monday, February 23
Reno - Scientists are preparing to battle a new threat to Lake Tahoe: Asian clams. The non-natives are suspected of releasing nutrients that fueled an algae bloom on Tahoe's east shore last year. Scientists are more concerned that the clams could promote an invasion by hungry quagga mussels.
Utah
87 Friday, March 6
Snowbird - Dozens of skiers were stuck on a chair lift at Snowbird resort outside Salt Lake City after wind gusts caused a mechanical problem. The ski lift stopped but didn't completely come off the wheel-relay system, officials said. The resort decided to evacuate the 89 skiers from the lift.
88 Thursday, March 5
Moab - The National Park Service will give $100,000 to help connect trails near Moab with Arches National Park. The money will be used for work on the Lions Park Trail and Transportation Hub, which includes connections to Arches and the Old Spanish National Historic Trail.
89 Wednesday, March 4
Brigham City - More county jails in Utah are billing inmates for the cost of their stay. Box Elder County started charging $10 a day this week. It costs about $70 a day to house and feed an inmate. The inmates will get a 25% discount if they pay promptly. Cache, Davis and Weber counties also bill inmates for part of the cost of their stay.
90 Tuesday, March 3
Salt Lake City - Getting a tan could cost more under a proposed state law. A representative has suggested a 10% tax on tanning salons. Revenue raised would go to Utah's health department, which would award grants for the study of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
91 Monday, March 2
Provo - A Brigham Young University art student is investigating who created an unsigned painting acquired by the school's Museum of Art in 2004. Sophomore Caroline Larson spent three months in Paris researching. She says she thinks it was done by 17th-century French baroque painter Eustache Le Sueur. Adoration of the Shepherds depicts a group around a newborn Jesus.
Texas
92 Friday, March 13
Austin - Reps. Carol Alvarado and Craig Eiland, both Democrats, proposed a constitutional amendment to let Texas voters decide whether to allow casino gambling in Galveston. Backers say gambling would help the city devastated by Hurricane Ike six months ago. The measure also calls for allowing gambling on American Indian lands in Texas and at existing racetracks.
93 Thursday, March 12
Austin - Republicans won the first Senate round on a bill that would impose tougher identification requirements on voters. The measure could be approved and sent to the state House as early as Monday. Democrats compare the proposal to a poll tax. Republicans say the photo ID or other requirements are necessary to stop voter fraud.
94 Wednesday, March 11
Waco - A Mexican national involved in a ring that laundered more than $16 million in drug money must serve life in federal prison. A judge sentenced Miguel Camarena, 32, in the scheme that operated in Waco, Temple, Killeen, Belton and Dallas. Camarena of Dallas had pleaded guilty.
95 Tuesday, March 10
Galveston - Contractors searching for debris from Hurricane Ike found a ship that experts say sank in 1864. The merchant ship Carolina, also known as the Caroline, was hauling cotton when it tried to break though a federal blockade, experts said. The crew ran the ship aground between Galveston and San Luis Pass, then set it on fire to avoid capture.
96 Monday, March 9
Houston - The number of cases in Houston's immigration court climbed by about 40% over a five-year period while the number of immigration judges in Texas stayed flat. The number of immigration hearings handled by the administrative judges in Houston climbed from 8,900 to 12,500 from 2002 to 2007.
HAWAII
97 Friday, March 20
Honolulu - President Obama's classmates at Punahou School have invited him to their 30-year reunion in June. He attended the prestigious school from fifth grade until high school graduation. Reunion organizers said they'll understand if the president can't make it, and they have a life-size, cardboard version ready to stand in.
98 Thursday, March 19
Honolulu - Three companies plan to build wind farms on Hawaii's more rural islands to feed electricity to the urban core in Honolulu. Working together on Molokai and Lanai speeds the process by about a year by forgoing a bidding war. First Wind and Castle & Cooke Hawaii will develop the projects and sell the energy to Hawaiian Electric Co.
99 Wednesday, March 18
Honolulu - Average rents for Oahu apartments and houses stood at $1,704 in January, down 6.8% from the 2008 monthly average. Local housing market researcher Ricky Cassiday, who compiled the data, said the decline is the biggest since 1994. The drop follows three years of roughly flat rental rates.
100 Tuesday, March 17
Wailuku - The state approved a plan for a new hospital in West Maui. Newport Hospital intends to build a $45 million hospital with 25 acute-care beds and a 40-bed skilled nursing facility in Lahaina. Residents currently have to travel about 35 miles to Maui Memorial.
101 Monday, March 16
Honolulu - Yale University will pay $12 million to use the twin telescopes at the W.M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea on 15 nights a year for 10 years. The deal is with the California Institute of Technology. Yale Astronomy Department chairman Jeffrey Kenney said the 10-meter telescopes will observe how nearby galaxies evolve and also study distant galaxies.
12