Giving birth to your granddaughter, roadkill deals and Jane Fonda: News from around our 50 states

Jasper

Would-be gamblers, take note: Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is praising local law officers for shutting down what he called illegal electronic bingo halls in Walker County. Law officers recently seized 40 electronic bingo machines and other evidence from a Jasper business. Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith said he and Carbon Hill Police Chief Eric House have also approached Carbon Hill businesses conducting similar games to tell them they were illegal. Marshall added that Alabama law is “crystal clear” on the matter: “Electronic bingo and coin slot machines are illegal.”

Fairbanks

Monroe Catholic High School in Fairbanks and Tri-Valley School in Healy, both of which have had trouble fielding football teams, have agreed to field a joint team. It will involve a bit of travel, though – the cities are 112 miles apart. Monroe has had 17 or fewer players in recent years. Efforts to start a Tri-Valley team go back to 2012, when a local company provided a grant for uniforms and equipment, but not enough students joined, said Daryl Frisbie, a Tri-Valley teacher and recently appointed football coach.

Flagstaff

State Native American tribes on the hunt for animal hides, antlers, teeth and other parts for cultural and religious use have a new resource: the state Game and Fish Department. A recently launched program allows the nearly two dozen tribes to make requests for animals that have died from poaching or natural causes, or after being hit by a vehicle. So far, the program’s biggest customers are the Navajo Nation, which has collected bear and mule deer carcasses, and the Hopi Tribe, which has requested turtle shells and turkey and waterfowl feathers. The department had been working informally with tribes for years to deliver animal parts, and Jon Cooley, the department’s tribal liaison, said it’s become more formal now with an established shopping list of sorts and better communication between tribes and wildlife officials.

Hot Springs

Monday was a big day for Arkansas gamblers as casinos at two racing tracks formally began operations. Two signs of their eagerness: Voters approved a constitutional amendment to legalize casinos less than five months ago ... and Southland Casino and Racing in West Memphis threw out the first chips at 4 a.m. Southland expects to break ground in May or June on a $250 million expanded facility with a 20-story hotel. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs also plans a $100 million expansion.

San Francisco

A rare species of sand-loving bees is making a comeback in San Francisco’s Presidio for the first time in about a century. The San Francisco Chronicle reports ecologists spotted hundreds of silver digger bees in the park last week while surveying a dune restoration project in the park. Experts believe the removal of invasive plants and the restoration of dunes and grasses at the former military base helped bring back the bees, which were common in San Francisco as late as the 1920s but began to disappear when the coastal prairie on the western side of the city was paved over for development.

Fort Collins

Colorado State University’s first female president is set to begin her new job at the beginning of July. The Coloradoan reports that Joyce McConnell will replace outgoing President Tony Frank. McConnell was provost and vice president for academic affairs at West Virginia University. CSU officials say that during her time at West Virginia University, she led efforts to improve gender equity, focused on raising faculty salaries and promoted diversity and inclusion. McConnell says she is humbled to have been chosen and that she thinks “this is a real testament that women can lead.” She will receive a base annual salary of $550,000 as part of a five-year employment agreement with CSU. Frank will transition to a full-time role as chancellor.

Hartford

Nearly three decades after a U.S. state last imposed a special tax on sugary drinks, Connecticut’s governor is pushing for one to help close a budget deficit – and bracing for a fight. “The industry lobbying is going to be pretty ferocious. I don’t know if the legislature can stand up to it,” said Democrat Ned Lamont, who included 1.5-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened drinks in his budget proposal. Connecticut is among several states likely to see debate renewed this year over taxes that advocates endorse as a way to reduce consumption of liquid calories blamed for contributing to health problems such as obesity and diabetes. Opponents argue the taxes hurt stores and supermarkets as well as beverage producers, while inflicting financial harm on consumers.

Wilmington

How dedicated is Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir to his hometown training rink, The Skating Club of Wilmington? When Weir was recently cast in a new Netflix ice skating drama called “Spinning Out,” he was to be in Canada filming the show’s first season this weekend when the skating club hosts its annual fundraiser. But he “pushed hard” to escape for the benefit and will perform Saturday at the “America Skates: Spring Ice Show, which begins Friday. “I’m jumping right off a plane to help raise money for this historic rink,” Weir, 34, who recently bought a new home in Greenville, told The News Journal. The NBC figure skating analyst has been an honorary member of the skating club for more than a decade and has been training there in recent years “whenever I’m not running around the world.”

Washington

The district’s famed cherry blossoms have reached peak bloom, the National Park Service declared Monday. Tourists and local fans can see them blooming for the next seven to 10 days, based on weather forecasts Monday morning, WTOP radio reports.

Daytona Beach

Lifeguards rescued more than 100 people from rough surf along a stretch of beaches on Florida’s Atlantic coast over the weekend. Volusia County ocean rescue Capt. Mike Berard says 48 people were rescued Saturday and at least 55 on Sunday. Those rescued included a 7-year-old girl washed out into the water by strong rip currents. That child and one in nearby New Smyrna Beach were taken to hospitals as a precaution. Berard says the rip currents were “pretty bad” over the weekend as spring break crowds flocked to the beaches.

Palmetto

One of the largest global apparel companies is bringing a new distribution and warehouse facility and 575 new jobs to Palmetto, southwest of Atlanta. Gov. Brian P. Kemp says PVH Corp. will invest $77.6 million in Palmetto. Kemp says PVH’s impact will be felt statewide and bring even more business to Savannah’s port. New York City-based PVH owns brands such as Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Van Heusen, Izod, Warner’s, Geoffrey Beene and the digital-centric True & Co.

Honolulu

Hawaii Honolulu: The first state to limit tobacco and electronic cigarette sales to people 21 and older is contemplating a new nicotine crackdown: outlawing flavored electronic cigarette liquids and flavored tobacco to combat a spike in teenage vaping. A bill in the Legislature would ban flavored e-cigarette liquids such as Maui Mango and Cookie Monsta, along with cloves and other flavored tobacco products, but it would exempt menthol cigarettes and vaping liquids. Supporters aim to make e-cigarettes less alluring to teenagers as studies show increasing numbers of high school and middle school students are becoming addicted to nicotine through vaping.

Boise

The state Senate voted Monday to approve a bill that would legalize the growing and selling of hemp products containing 0.3% or less of THC, the cannabis compound that gives marijuana its high. Backers say the state’s climate is ideal for growing hemp that could produce millions of dollars in revenue for Idaho farmers. Opponents say legalizing hemp could make it more difficult to enforce the state’s prohibition against marijuana.

Chicago

Illinois could lose more than $18 million in funding if it doesn’t accelerate the processing times on food stamp applications, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said. The USDA, which administers the food stamp program, sent the Illinois Department of Human Services a letter stating that the state agency has until April 21 to significantly improve timeliness or develop an effective strategy to make it happen, the Chicago Tribune reported. The state agency has pledged to fix the food stamp, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, problems, which it says happened under former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration.

Indianapolis

Slap on your suspenders and head to the Indiana Historical Society for some live “Oregon Trail” gaming. From 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, the society will bring the popular grade-school computer game to life in an “Indiana Trail” event. But if you think a Hoosier take on “Oregon Trail” will be a walk in the park, think again. The society’s public programs coordinator, Callie McCune, says settlers will hunt for meat, take on a bear attack or maybe even die of cholera. “Instead of settling Oregon, you’ll be journeying across Indiana in the early 1800s,” she says. “You’ll travel across the state with oxen and horses to set up a homestead.” McCune says the event is probably appropriate for mature 13-year-olds and up, but she warns, “Apparently Indiana had a lot of quicksand.”

Iowa City

The department that runs Iowa’s prison system has suspended a guard for giving an interview to his hometown newspaper for a positive story about his life and work helping inmates. The weekly Bloomfield Democrat featured John Cox in a glowing front-page profile in December about how he approaches his job at the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility. Publisher Karen Spurgeon had been Cox’s music teacher decades ago. She bumped into him at an event, and was impressed that he had overcome challenges in his life to become a correctional officer with a passion for kindness and empathy. Instead of celebrating the type of positive story that agencies rarely receive, prison leaders launched an investigation into Cox, who had not sought approval to speak to the newspaper. The guard is appealing his three-day suspension.

Topeka

Grocery and convenience stores in Kansas can now stock their shelves with stronger beer. On Monday, stores began selling beer with up to 6% alcohol by volume. State law previously allowed groceries and convenience stores to stock only beer with up to 3.2% alcohol content, which is considerably lower than leading light beer brands. Liquor stores can also sell more non-alcoholic products, such as shot glasses, mixers, lottery tickets and tobacco products.

Frankfort

Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration has transferred a third state historic site to local officials. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the state gave the 80-acre William Whitley House Historic Site to Lincoln County officials, who approved the acquisition last week. Lincoln County Judge-Executive Jim W. Adams Jr. says there won’t be many changes and the site will remain open to the public. The house was built between 1787 and 1794 and was home to Kentucky pioneer William Whitley and his wife, sharpshooter Esther Whitley. It was the first brick house in the state and became part of the state parks system in 1938.

Baton Rouge

Louisiana veterans can learn about songwriting at two workshops aimed at helping veterans tell their stories and find healing through music. The free Songs of Survivors workshops are scheduled for Saturday in Baton Rouge and April 27 in Lake Charles. Veterans will be taught about songwriting by professional educators, songwriters and touring musicians. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, who oversees the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development, says lyrics and music can help provide a safe environment for veterans to talk about their experiences and reintegrate into civilian life.

Bar Harbor

Maine Bar Harbor: Acadia National Park officials are closing trails to protect nesting peregrine falcons. Trails have been temporarily closed near the Precipice, Jordan, and Valley Cove cliffs until further notice, and entry into a closed area is a violation of federal regulations. Research suggests nesting peregrine falcons are particularly vulnerable to human activities. Superintendent Kevin Schneider said the park’s success with peregrine falcon nesting “is one of our great conservation stories.”

Frederick

Electric car maker Tesla is building a solar array on top of a Frederick County landfill that will generate up to 1.9 megawatts of power – enough to power about 10 county buildings, about 20% of the county’s overall need. Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner says the landfill, which is closed, is the perfect location because the land is generally unusable for other purposes.

Haverhill

Massachusetts Haverhill: Residents who report potholes to Haverhill officials could find themselves a few dollars richer. A call to 311 to report a pothole to the Highway Department between now and Friday makes the caller eligible to enter a drawing for $25 gift cards to city businesses. Mayor James Fiorentini says the department has received more than 300 pothole repair requests since January, and crews have patched about 250 of the requests. He says some potholes are actually sinkholes and others indicate underlying problems such as a water main issue.

Detroit

Critics are questioning whether Michigan’s voluntary gambling blacklist is working, since many Detroit casinos can’t effectively screen banned gamblers. More than 4,600 people banned themselves from Detroit’s casinos forever by joining Michigan’s Disassociated Persons List, The Detroit News reports. Violators can be convicted of misdemeanor trespass, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine – and their winnings are seized. Hussein Dakhlallah, 41, joined after his wife grew concerned about losses that totaled close to “$5,000, $6,000 a day,” he says. But Dakhlallah had no problem returning to the casinos, and even grew so frustrated he called security on himself from inside a gambling hall. “My advice for anybody: Don’t join that list. … They know you’re not going to be able to quit.”

St. Paul

The economic benefits of preserving and restoring land in the upper Mississippi River’s headwaters region nearly outweigh the costs, a new study says. The Nature Conservancy released a report with St. Paul-based Ecolab Inc. that warns of growing threats to the Upper Mississippi watershed, which stretches from the headwaters at Lake Itasca to the Twin Cities. It says the conversion of forests to farmland or developments can harm water quality in the river that serves as a drinking water source for 1.2 million Minnesotans. “We think this is a great time right now to start to build an economic case as well as a good conservation case for protecting the headwaters,” said Doug Shaw, assistant state director of the Nature Conservancy.

Vicksburg

Marcus Street in Vicksburg is being renamed for former Vicksburg Warren Superintendent of Schools and Rosa A. Temple principal James E. Stirgus Sr., pending approval by the county’s 911 committee. No date for the renaming ceremony has been set. Mayor George Flaggs Jr. says Stirgus should have been recognized long ago because of the impact he’s had on so many people’s lives. Stirgus spent nearly 35 years as a teacher, principal, superintendent and doing various other jobs in Warren County’s education system.

Mound City

Slow-moving floodwaters have made their way to eastern Missouri, increasing the number of closed roads to more than 160. The flooding Mississippi River was expected to crest Monday in Clarksville. Residents spent the weekend sandbagging around homes and businesses. St. Louis has closed its flood gates as it prepares for the river to crest there on Tuesday. Some roads and parks will be inundated, but the flooding there isn’t classified as major. The Missouri River also remains high, but water levels have dropped below major flood stage in most locations.

Great Falls

Dozens of skiers were safely evacuated from a stalled chairlift at the Showdown Montana ski area. The Great Falls Tribune reports there were 133 skiers on the chairlift when a mechanical malfunction forced operators to stop it about 12:50 p.m. Saturday. Showdown spokeswoman Avery Gold says the rope evacuation was used because of the uncertain duration of the repair and for the comfort and safety of the guests. Gold says 87 skiers were lowered to the ground using the rope system within 70 minutes. The rest were unloaded after the problem was fixed and the lift began running again at 2:08 p.m.

Omaha

A 61-year-old woman who served as a surrogate mother for her son and his husband has given birth to a baby girl. Matthew Eledge and Elliot Dougherty were talking about becoming parents when Eledge’s mother and Dougherty’s sister offered to help. Cecile Eledge was 60 at the time and had gone through menopause, but she was approved as a surrogate after extensive screening. Dougherty’s sister was the egg donor, and after doctors used Eledge’s sperm to fertilize the egg, the embryo was implanted. Cecile Eledge gave birth last week at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. The family says they’ve received nothing but support.

Sparks

Military leaders and local politicians gathered at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new memorial in Sparks dedicated to more than 800 Nevadans who lost their lives in the nation’s wars since Nevada became a state in 1864. The Lahontan Valley News reports construction is expected to begin in about a month on the $2.2 million Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza at the Sparks Marina. Sparks City Councilman Kristopher Dahir says the memorial will include the names of every Nevadan killed in battle and an education path where people can learn more about them.

Durham

A partnership between the experimental agriculture and beer brewing programs at the University of New Hampshire has produced a third new brew. Strawberry Milkman was developed as part of the partnership between the university’s brewing science program and the New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Station. It’s described as a sweet, cloudy IPA, and is made using strawberries developed for optimal production in New England using advanced genetic techniques. The beer also includes fruit from a research project that involves growing strawberries in tunnels to extend the growing season. The National Brewers Association estimates that the New Hampshire’s roughly 60 craft breweries produce more than 100,000 barrels of beer annually.

Chatsworth

Someone in a remote area deep in the New Jersey Pinelands that is a known gathering spot for illegal bonfires caused a blaze that burned more than 11,600 acres, investigators said Monday. But they say they don’t know whether the fire that began Saturday was an accident or was deliberately set. “We have concluded it was started by some humans,” said Brian Corvinus, the lead state arson investigator looking into the fire. No one was hurt, no property was damaged, and there were no mandatory evacuations.

Albuquerque

Residents of a Hispanic village near the site of the world’s first atomic bomb test are planning another protest outside the annual opening of the site to visitors. The Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium will picket outside the gates of the White Sands Missile Range as the base opens Saturday for tourists. “We’ll be there and we expect a big crowd as more people find out about our stories,” said Tina Cordova, a co-founder of the group and a cancer survivor. The protest comes as a proposal to include New Mexico residents in the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act remains stalled in Congress.

Seneca Falls

New York Seneca Falls: A town supervisor wants to cut ties with the National Women’s Hall of Fame after learning actress Jane Fonda will be among this year’s inductees. Seneca Falls Supervisor Greg Lazzaro released a resolution that would eliminate the town’s support of the Hall of Fame out of respect for veterans. The resolution is expected to be proposed at Tuesday’s town board meeting. Fonda has acknowledged making a “terrible mistake” during a 1972 visit to North Vietnam when she posed on an anti-aircraft gun designed to shoot down American planes.

Raleigh

Duke Energy Corp, the country’s largest electric company, was ordered Monday to excavate coal ash from all of its North Carolina power plant sites, slashing the risk of toxic chemicals leaking into water supplies but potentially adding billions of dollars to consumers’ bills. Duke must remove the residue left after decades of burning coal to produce electricity, North Carolina’s environmental agency said. The decision affects six coal-burning plants still operating in the state. Coal ash contains toxic metals like mercury, lead and arsenic.

Fargo

Business owners and their customers are applauding the repeal of North Dakota’s longstanding restrictions on Sunday sales. On Monday, Gov. Doug Burgum signed the “Blue Law” repeal, reversing rules that required most retailers to close from midnight Saturday to noon on Sunday. The repeal takes effect Aug. 1, KVRR-TV reported. Starting Aug. 4, retailers can open up before noon. Amber Sander, owner of Boots & Heel, said restrictions on when you can do business can make a significant difference. “Especially when we have stores trying to compete with online,” Sander said. “We have small businesses that are trying to make sure they’re available to people as often as they can be. That Sunday, I think, is huge.”

Dayton

A literary program aimed at supporting and educating writers is shutting down after 33 years. The Antioch Writers’ Workshop at the University of Dayton will close its doors this year. The workshop has offered creative writing workshops and year-round literary retreats for writers in all genres. Author TJ Turner, president of the program’s board of trustees, says the workshop is no longer financially sustainable and private support hasn’t made up for declining enrollment. The workshop began in 1986 at Antioch College in Yellow Springs.

Oklahoma City

An ex-zookeeper and former candidate for governor says he never wanted to kill a woman who investigators say was the target of a murder-for-hire plot. Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as “Joe Exotic,” testified in his own defense Monday at a federal trial. He’s accused of trying to arrange the killing of Carole Baskin, the founder of a Florida animal sanctuary who has criticized Maldonado-Passage’s treatment of animals. Baskin wasn’t harmed. Maldonado-Passage testified he didn’t deny disagreements with Baskin spilled over into his social media posts. But Maldonado-Passage says he never wanted Baskin dead.

Portland

Oregon teens who spent time in foster care were less than half as likely as their classmates in the class of 2017 to graduate on time. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the graduation rate for teenagers who spent any amount of their high school years in foster care was 35%, according to figures reported by the Oregon Department of Education late last year. The state was able to identify 501 high school students who spent time in foster care, out of a 2017 class of 46,155 total students. That means just over 1% spent time in foster care. Of just 16 states that have made foster care graduation rates available to the public, Oregon had the lowest rate.

Meadville

An underwater robot will be roaming Presque Isle Bay to collect water quality data beginning this spring, the Erie-Times News reports. The robot doesn’t look impressive. Built largely of PVC pipe, it cost less than $100 to make and looks like the plumbing under your sink. Built by David Boughton of Pennsylvania Sea Grant, it will carry sensors programmed by Allegheny College computer science professor Janyl Jumadinova and student Elisia Wright. The sensors will gauge water temperatures, pH levels, oxygen content and conductivity — “the essential metrics for water quality,” Jumadinova said – at various locations and depths.

Providence

A newspaper is seeking access to government documents that could shed light on two big state controversies. The Providence Journal reports that Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo and state Treasurer Seth Magaziner are withholding documents that could provide more detail about the troubled public assistance computer system known as UHIP and the state’s investment in private equity firm Point Judith Capital. The newspaper has filed requests for public records relating to both, including the state’s original agreement with Point Judith and correspondence related to the now-extended contract with the company that built UHIP — despite Raimondo saying it was hard to imagine extending the contract just last year.

Spartanburg

A mystery is brewing at City Hall, and at the center is a decades-old gift from Greece. City Planner Natalia Rosario and Brad Steinecke, the assistant director of local history for Spartanburg County Public Libraries, have teamed up to try find a statuette given to the city in 1971 by the city of Sparta, Greece. The city clerk found a certificate while cleaning out old boxes. Said Rosario: “So we were like, ‘Oh, this is so cool, what is it?’ And we were reading it, and we saw that there was a statuette included and were like, ‘Where’s that?’ ”

Roscoe

Students traveled to the Mississippi bayou to learn about careers with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. Eleven students from Edmunds Central High School in Roscoe in March had the chance to see crocodiles, survey the marsh habitat and dissect a shark during a school field trip, the Aberdeen American News reported. The six-day trip included time at the administration’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center, lessons at the University of Southern Mississippi Marine Education Center, ship tours and habitat surveys. The goal was to show students different careers in science, said Spencer Cody, a science teacher at the school.

Nashville

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Monday that she’s encouraged by Tennessee’s latest push to expand school vouchers throughout the state, adding that she’s cheering on lawmakers to make the right choice. DeVos, a Republican, met with Gov. Bill Lee and other top GOP and education leaders in a closed-door meeting at the statehouse before visiting one of Nashville’s charter schools. Lee is urging lawmakers to back a five-year, $125 million proposal that would boost the number of parents who can use education savings accounts to pay tuition at private elementary and secondary schools.

Galveston

The City Council has approved funding to develop the East End Lagoon in an effort to attract more visitors to the nature area. The Galveston County Daily News reports that developing the 684-acre lagoon has been an ongoing project for at least 10 years. Up to $50,000 was earmarked annually, for eight years, to help the city’s park board develop the site, which would include an educational pavilion and an observation pier, walking trails, an RV park and a paid offshore fishing facility. The board is seeking a $1.4 million federal grant from money being distributed to aid cleanup from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill off Louisiana.

Salt Lake City

A huge fireball soared into the sky in the central Utah desert after 11 derailed tanker cars containing propane and biodiesel were blown up. The controlled detonation Sunday night was the safest way to deal with the explosive material, Juab County Undersheriff Brent Pulver said Monday. The derailment occurred Saturday when 24 of the 165 cars of a Union Pacific freight train went off the tracks. One car landed on its side and was leaking propane. Officials initially planned to move the rail cars but worried that leaking propane could cause an explosion and injure the crew.

Montpelier

With spring arriving, paving season is coming to Vermont’s Interstate 89. Beginning Sunday, paving will begin on an almost 11-mile stretch starting south of Exit 8 in Montpelier to just south of Exit 10 in Waterbury. In addition to paving both lanes, crews will repair guardrails and work on bridge joints. While some of the work will be done at night, one lane of the interstate will remain open at all times during the paving project.

Richmond

Reflecting national concerns over “food deserts,” federal and state lawmakers on Monday called for legislation to help people in low-income neighborhoods get better access to fresh vegetables and other healthy foods. The officials discussed food insecurity at a town-hall-style meeting at the Peter Paul Development Center in Richmond’s East End, where poverty is high and full-fledged grocery stores are scarce. In 2019 in America, “nobody should go to bed hungry at night,” said Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, who hosted the meeting.

Kitsap

A Bainbridge Island man has been sentenced to five years of probation for his role in a group that illegally led hunting trips, falsified hunting records and used a toxic substance to poison wolves and bears in Alaska, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has announced. Jeffrey Harris, 45, was sentenced along with a Montana and an Alaska man, with each man receiving five years of probation for the violations of federal hunting laws. The men were ordered to pay restitution – $26,000 for Harris – and are prohibited from hunting during the probation period. Prosecutors say that in 2014, Harris – who wasn’t a registered guide – guided a hunter in harvesting a Dall sheep (one is pictured above), then falsified the hunt record to indicate the hunt was conducted by a registered guide.

Huntington

Marshall University is conducting a fundraiser this month to help feed needy families. The 16th annual Empty Bowls event will take place April 12 at the First Presbyterian Church in Huntington. Marshall students and volunteers are making ceramic bowls for purchase at the four-hour event. Bowls of soup will be offered for $15 each, and a silent auction is planned. The beneficiary: the Facing Hunger Foodbank, which serves 17 counties in West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio.

Milwaukee

Doctors have asked Dexter Verner to stop running. That’s kind of like asking him to stop breathing. Verner has a pacemaker, chemotherapy coursing through his veins and medications for the Crohn’s disease — but it’s the surgically repaired hip that’s really been hurting during these long training runs. And yet running makes everything feel like it’s going to be OK. So when the 42-year-old Navy hospital corpsman from Oak Creek takes his place among 7,250 runners at the Milwaukee Marathon this Saturday, hopefully the adrenaline and the Aleve will be stronger than the pain. “I look at it like, yeah I have this heart condition; yes I have this pacemaker,” Verner says. “But there’s someone else who wishes they could still get up and go. So I get up and I still go.”

Laramie

The University of Wyoming will offer three new bachelor’s degree programs starting this fall. The UW Board of Trustees approved new bachelor’s degrees in general studies, elementary and special education, and art education. Provost Kate Miller says the new programs will address workforce needs of the state and region. Trustees also approved elimination of the Department of Geography but retained the Bachelor of Science degree in geography.