News from around our 50 States

The sugar-white sand in Gulf Shores is the state’s most popular half-mile stretch of public beachfront. This area also is undergoing $15 million in renovations, and city officials want to keep it looking nice. So city officials adopted a wide-ranging list of regulations that included an Alabama first: The public beachfront became smoke-free. The ban is part of a national trend as politicians try to keep popular attractions from looking like ashtrays and turning away tourists. Alabama has 52 miles of beaches, which includes state property and Mobile and Baldwin counties. Dauphin Island, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores have jurisdiction over the most popular public beach spots that fuel a significant chunk of Alabama’s $14.3 billion tourism industry.

A mural honoring the late Sen. John McCain is on hold after pushback from some residents and City Council members. The “Maverick Mural,” the brainchild of local artist Aaron Bass and architect Tommy Suchart, is planned on the side of an Old Town building. The city’s Development Review Board approved the mural Dec. 20, but the council voted 5-2 on Tuesday to review the decision. “This really sucks,” Bass said at the meeting. “We’re going to have to go through the entire process again that we just went through to get this approved.” City Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield prompted the review, saying she simply doesn’t believe proper protocol was followed relating to the design and colors of the mural.

Last year was the hottest ever in the Coachella Valley, according to an analysis of federal data collected in Thermal. The Coachella Valley was the only site in the nation that experienced its highest average temperature in 2018, according to a nonprofit group that crunched data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But a warming trend over the past decade continued across the U.S. The Coachella Valley’s average annual temperature last year was 76.1 degrees, up from averages of 72 to 73 in the 1950s. The mercury hit 122 in July. Until the 1970s, it was common to see snow downtown about once a decade. But the last time snowflakes accumulated on Palm Canyon Drive was January 1979, says longtime Coachella Valley ecologist James Cornett.

Hot on the heels of a visit to Anheuser-Busch’s Fort Collins brewery last month, Budweiser’s iconic Clydesdales have returned. The horses will be there through Jan. 21. During that time, the 10-horse team will be available for stable viewing from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Close-up pictures with the Clydesdales can be taken Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. The Budweiser beasts have been part of the beer’s brand since 1933, when August Busch Sr.’s sons surprised him with a six-horse Clydesdale hitch to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition, according to Anheuser-Busch. Their visits to Northern Colorado trace back to at least 1950, according to the Greeley Tribune. Anheuser-Busch opened its Fort Collins brewery in 1988.

Miles the Monster is about to get his very own beer. The Dover International Speedway’s mammoth mascot can be found on cans of the new Splash and Go lager, a brew made by Dover’s Fordham & Dominion Brewing Co. to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the racetrack. Splash & Go will get its own beer release party Jan. 31 in the Winner’s Circle restaurant at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino. The 6 p.m. party is open to the public, with pints of the new beer selling for $5. All visitors who buy a pint will receive a free Splash & Go pint glass while supplies last. Splash & Go is named for the pit road strategy of drivers making a quick pit box stop for just enough fuel to finish a race.

Pistachio is adorable, no doubt, with his prancing front paws and his 4 pounds of white furry body pouncing about. But the story behind this wee Maltese, the smallest competitor in this year’s Puppy Bowl, is incredible – in a precious way. Pistachio, an 8-month-old rescue dog from Indianapolis, almost died when he weighed all of 32 ounces. It took a pediatrician at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, a Marion County deputy prosecutor and an IndyCar driver to get him competition-ready. Pistachio was brought to the rescue group Every Dog Counts with a medical condition. He had a liver shunt, and the people who owned him hadn’t done anything about his health struggles. The shunt had to be surgically closed off in order for Pistachio to have a chance.

The school board is changing its schedule starting this fall to give students more time in the classroom and teachers more time to prepare. It may sound contradictory, but Des Moines Public Schools officials hope by eliminating “early-out Wednesdays,” they can achieve both goals. For the bulk of the past decade, the state’s largest school district let students out 75 to 90 minutes early on the middle day of each week. The goal was to give teachers more time for professional development and more opportunities to plan for classes. But the board has decided it’s time for change. Plus, “it removes one kind of inconvenience for some parents in that you have this early out every single week that just causes some planning issues,” district spokesman Phil Roeder says.

Maker’s Mark and a local cigar company are suing each other in federal court over the bourbon business’ iconic red wax design. Maker’s alleges Ted’s Cigars, owned by Theodore “Ted” Jackson Jr., is profiting off the brand’s reputation by continuing to use its trademarks in selling and promoting its bourbon-seasoned cigars. But Jackson assers that the distillery is trying to enforce a trademark it knows is “unenforceable” and that it has taken all reasonable steps to differentiate the two brands since an agreement between them ended in 2016. Ted’s bourbon-seasoned cigars are encased in glass tubes sealed with the recognizable red dripping wax seal. The design was created in 1958 by Marjorie Samuels, wife of Bill Samuels, who developed the bourbon recipe.

Where’s the best place to live in Louisiana? That would be Youngsville, according to a weighted index that 24/7 Wall St. created, taking into account two dozen measures to identify the best site to reside in each state. According to the report, Youngsville is a relatively prosperous city in one of the poorest states in the country. The typical household earns about $95,000 a year, and just 5.5 percent of the population lives in poverty. A dollar also goes further than typical in the city, as goods and services are about 7 percent less expensive than the nationwide average. Residents have benefited from a 70-acre, multimillion dollar sports complex since its completion in 2014 and a recreation center that opened in 2016.

The Motown Museum is getting ready to unearth some key bits of the city’s cultural history. As part of a yearlong celebration of Motown’s 60th anniversary, the folks at Hitsville, U.S.A., are launching “Archive Dives,” an online video series that will reveal little-seen items from the museum’s trove of artifacts. And they’re starting with a biggie: documentation tied to the $800 family loan secured by Berry Gordy Jr. to start what would become the world’s biggest black-owned entertainment empire. The museum will stream the footage on Facebook at 3 p.m. Friday, a day before the 60th anniversary milestone. The Motown Museum’s “Archive Dives” series will continue on Facebook throughout the year, tied to key dates in the label’s history.

Former newspaper machines are now putting the written word in the hands of a new generation of readers, thanks to the efforts of John Moak Scarbrough. This past summer, the Jackson Academy freshman began working on a community service project, a requirement for Eagle Scout hopefuls. His family’s support of Friends of Children’s Hospital brought him to tour Batson Children’s Hospital at the University of Mississippi Medical Center to look for ways to help. Last month, he and his dad delivered six newspaper vending machines, donated by the Clarion-Ledger, that they’d refurbished into Little Free Libraries. They’re being placed around outpatient waiting areas. Unlike most libraries, the books inside are for patients to keep.

The Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Indianapolis Colts at home Saturday for a shot at the AFC championship game, and when the local CBS affiliate went out to grab some aerial shots of Arrowhead Stadium, it stumbled upon something incredible happening at the home of the Royals. According to KCTV5’s Tom Martin, while the station’s helicopter was on its way to Arrowhead, it caught somebody playing Mario Kart at the adjacent Kauffman Stadium on the Crown Vision board. As it turns out, someone did not amazingly sneak into the stadium to hijack the video board and play a classic video game on it. Nor was it Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez, aka the “Mario Kart king,” pulling an awesome prank on his team’s AL Central foes. According to the Royals, it was part of a fundraiser for kids.

The state’s congressional delegation has reintroduced legislation that would grant federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte introduced a new bill and called on lawmakers Wednesday to pass the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians Act. Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and Republican Sen. Steve Daines reintroduced the same legislation in the Senate on Tuesday. Last year, the U.S. House passed a bill that would have set aside a small amount of land for the tribe and made its members eligible for government benefits. However, Utah Sen. Mike Lee blocked the legislation in the Senate. The Little Shell Tribe has about 5,400 enrolled members and has been recognized by the state of Montana since 2000.

There’s no place in the country where the popularity of craft beer is booming faster than the Garden State. New Jersey has seen a 43 percent growth in its craft beer industry since 2015, tied for first place with Kentucky, according to a new study by the research company C+R that was prompted by the growing number of breweries across the U.S. Eric Orlando, executive director of the Brewers Guild of New Jersey, thinks the initial push to encourage Garden State breweries has paid off. He also cites the emergence of specific businesses created to market and promote breweries, such as national marketing agencies Beer Marketeers and Brewers Marketing, as well as local craft beer bus tours like Izzo’s Brew Bus out of Morris County and Brewtiful Tours out of Audubon.

An advertising display of Jonas Gerard’s work at the Asheville Regional Airport was vandalized multiple times since the weekend, causing thousands of dollars’ worth of damage. The incidents add to the more than a dozen instances targeting the local artist in the past year. Gerard has been accused of sexual assault, which he denies. Airport spokeswoman Tina Kinsey said the display was first vandalized early Sunday. She confirmed Tuesday morning that it had since been vandalized a second time. “This incident is currently under investigation by the airport’s police department, so there are no details that can be shared at this time,” Kinsey said. Photos circulating on social media show Gerard’s canvases ripped and nearly dismantled from the walls.

More than 10,000 people have signed an online petition asking President Donald Trump to merge North Dakota and South Dakota into a single state called “MegaKota.” Dillan Stewart, a change.org user from Fargo, started the petition Sunday, and it went viral. His reason for the petition: He thinks it’d “be pretty cool to have a state called MegaKota so yeah.” Supporters agree that they just really like the idea of a “MegaKota.” “MegaKota will crush other opposing states,” said user Kade Moore from Missouri.Plenty of potential MegaKotans were in the mix, too. And on Twitter, @moronic_ramblin suggested a way to merge multiple statehood goals and minimize disruption: “make Puerto Rico a state but merge the two dakotas into one megakota so the flag doesnt change.”

The new baby blue penguin at the Cincinnati Zoo officially has a name. “Pierogi” got the most votes among the zoo’s Facebook and Instagram followers. The second-place name was “Toast,” which the zoo’s bird team liked so much that it is going to another chick. “Since the chick being named was born on New Year’s Eve, we got a lot of suggestions like Champagne, Dom, Bubbly, etc.,” said Cincinnati Zoo’s associate curator Jennifer Gainer. “We really liked Toast.” There are more than 30 such birds at the zoo, part of the largest colony of the smallest penguin species, according to officials. In the next year, the little blue penguin colony will be moved to updated housing where visitors can see them swimming underwater.

A woman looking for love got more than she bargained for when she unwittingly shared her exhilaration about illegally shooting a “bigo buck” on a dating app with a state game warden. Oklahoma Game Warden Cannon Harrison says he uncovered the poaching in a conversation on Bumble with a McIntosh County woman. She talked about using a spotlight to shoot the deer at night, outside the rifle season. The woman only harvested the head and back-strap meat – and she sent Harrison pictures as proof. The woman has pleaded guilty to charges of improper possession of an illegally taken animal and taking game out-of-season. She and an accomplice face $2,400 fines. The incident was posted to the Oklahoma Game Wardens Facebook page on Sunday night.

Want to experience the Pennsylvania version of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?” Here’s your chance. Just Born Quality Confections, the company responsible for the fluffy, sugary Peeps marshmallows, is offering candy lovers the opportunity of a lifetime: the first-ever public tour of its Bethlehem factory. One lucky contest winner will receive a trip for four, a close-up look at how the marshmallow chicks are made and a $250 gift card to the Peeps & Co. store. The catch? You have to donate. Just Born launched the sweepstakes with United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, and proceeds will go to the organization’s work with community schools. All it takes to enter the contest is a minimum $5 donation. The sweepstakes lasts until April 8, and there’s no limit on how many times you can enter.

They dunk. They dribble. They entertain. And on Wednesday a member of the Harlem Globetrotters attempted a trick shot from the Liberty Bridge in Greenville’s Falls Park. Chandler “Bulldog” Mack, a forward on the iconic exhibition basketball team, shot red, white and blue basketballs from the middle of the bridge down toward a hoop stationed on a section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail that passes under the bridge in the park. Mack attempted to hit the shot for over an hour, as an audience of dozens watched, letting out collective “oohhs” and “ahhs” with each miss. Eventually, though, Mack made the shot, and the crowd cheered in celebration. The Globetrotters will perform Saturday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Aidan O’Hara will have already helped run a business before he starts pursuing his business degree next fall. O’Hara, a 17-year-old senior at Harrisburg High School, is one of a handful of students behind Tiger Balloons, launched in November. The concept is fairly simple: Customers order helium-inflated Mylar or latex balloons online, and students deliver them within the Harrisburg School District. But O’Hara and his classmates quickly learned that running a business is much more complex. With a few months of operations under their belt, Tiger Balloon is now looking ahead to more sales for Valentine’s Day and for graduation in the spring.

The Aerosmith song “Janie’s Got a Gun” told the story of a girl abused by her family. Now, frontman Steven Tyler is committing to help girls like the fictional Janie, and he’s doing it in Shelby County. Tyler’s philanthropic project, Janie’s Fund, gave about $500,000 to renovate a home for abused and neglected girls in the Memphis area. The home, which operates with public funding through Youth Villages, houses about 14 girls at a time on a campus in Bartlett. The renovations are nearly complete, and Youth Villages will host a ribbon cutting – more specifically, a scarf cutting, in true Steven Tyler fashion – on Feb. 4. Youth Villages Development Director Richard Shaw said Janie’s Fund is a passion of Tyler.

A “surge” of migrants coming to El Paso has dropped from more than 2,000 a week to fewer than 100 dropped off a day by immigration authorities, Annunciation House executive director Ruben Garcia says. The Annunciation House and other local immigration advocacy groups have been taking in about 2,200 to 2,300 migrants a week, he says, but most only stay in El Paso a short time before heading to meet friends or family in other parts of the United States. The lower number of migrants is leading to Annunciation House officials closing down shelters they created to house the migrants.

A new report estimates nearly 100 percent of the city’s new tax on the distribution of sweetened beverages has been passed on to consumers through higher in-store prices. The Seattle Times reports that sodas have increased in price more than sugar-sweetened juices and bottled coffee drinks, and smaller stores have increased their prices more than supermarkets, according to the report by University of Washington researchers. Additionally, some smaller stores have increased their prices even for beverages not subject to the tax, such as diet sodas. Seattle’s tax of 1.75 cents per fluid ounce, which took effect in January 2018, is charged to distributors of sugar-sweetened beverages. Distributors can pass the tax on to stores, which can pass it on to consumers.

Suspended high above a ski hill in the frigid cold, wearing darkened goggles and a helmet, may not seem like the setting to meet the love of your life. But it’s happened, and ski chairlift speed dating is coming to Wisconsin this winter. Somewhat like speed-dating events in which singles meet for a series of timed dates at a restaurant or bar, chairlift dates last only a few minutes, sitting side by side on the double-seat lift. If the conversation goes well, and sparks fly, the newly minted couple skis down the slope together and carries on with their date. If not, they go separate ways and get back in the chairlift line to meet someone else. The dating service “It’s Just Lunch” is helping run the first chairlift dating event at Wilmot Mountain near Kenosha.