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☆ Maui Officials Blame Utility for Allowing Deadly Fire to Start
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For the first time, Maui County officials publicly blamed Hawaii’s largest electric utility for the wildfires that killed at least 115 people this month, claiming in a lawsuit filed on Thursday that “intentional and malicious” mismanagement of power lines had allowed flames to spark. “Defendants knew of the extreme fire danger that the high wind gusts posed to their overhead electrical infrastructure, particularly during red flag conditions,” the lawsuit said. It said power company officials had chosen “not to de-energize their power lines,” even though they knew that power poles and power lines were falling and coming into contact with dry vegetation. The fire in Lahaina, in West Maui, became the country’s deadliest in more than a century, while smaller fires in central Maui also caused significant damage. Lawsuits filed previously by homeowners and shareholders claimed the utility had been negligent.

Persons: “ Defendants, “ Locations: Maui County, Lahaina, West Maui, Maui

☆ Trial Opens for Men Accused of Aiding Plot to Kidnap Michigan’s Governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Unlike the men convicted in federal court, they are not charged with planning to participate in the kidnapping itself. They suggested the men were minor players who did not know much about the plans to harm Ms. Whitmer, were egged on by F.B.I. And it’s fair to keep that in your mind when you review all of the evidence.”But prosecutors said the defendants were aiding the leaders of the plot, Barry Croft and Adam Fox. Federal jurors found that Mr. Croft and Mr. Fox had planned to kidnap Ms. Whitmer and blow up a bridge leading to her home in order to disrupt the police response. Mr. Croft is serving a nearly 20-year prison sentence, and Mr. Fox is serving a 16-year sentence.

Persons: . Molitor, Whitmer, Kristyna, William Null, Barry Croft, Adam Fox, Croft, Fox, Ms Organizations: “ Locations: Antrim County, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Mich

“The ground is already really dry — it doesn’t take much for the heat to kind of just build up over there,” said Paul Pastelok, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather. “And that’s what makes it a bigger heat dome that we’re seeing right now.”In the Minneapolis area, better known for its foreboding winter conditions, forecasters said daily temperature records could fall on both Tuesday and Wednesday, with readings of 99 or 100 degrees possible. Meteorologists said high temperatures were forecast to reach up to 20 degrees above average throughout Iowa and neighboring states over the next few days. The humidity will make it feel even more oppressive, with heat indexes that could approach 120 degrees. Forecasters have issued heat alerts, ranging from advisories to excessive heat warnings, for roughly 100 million people across 22 states.

Persons: ”, Paul Pastelok, Tyler Hasenstein, Amy Heinz Organizations: National Weather Service Locations: Minneapolis, Minnesota, Iowa, Adel , Iowa

☆ Transgender Care Ban Allowed to Take Effect in Alabama, Appeals Panel Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A federal appellate panel said Monday that Alabama’s ban on hormone treatments and puberty blockers for transgender young people could be enforced, the latest in a series of courtroom setbacks for transgender rights advocates. The three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit said that a district court judge had erred in partly blocking enforcement of Alabama’s law, which the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed last year. Supporters of transgender rights have looked to the courts to block laws like Alabama’s, which have rapidly become commonplace in conservative states. More than 20 states now have laws banning or severely restricting such care for minors, most of which were passed this year. Several organizations that brought the challenge to the Alabama law criticized the appellate court’s decision on Monday and said in a joint statement that the “case is far from over.”

Persons: Donald J, ”, Barbara Lagoa Organizations: U.S ., Appeals, Circuit, Republican, Trump Locations: Alabama

☆ Quiz: How Much Do You Know About the U.S. State Flags?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Sean Plambeck | Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About the U.S. State Flags? You probably would have no trouble identifying the Lone Star Flag of Texas or naming a grizzly bear as the animal that appears on California's flag. It's also likely that you could pick the Wisconsin and Oklahoma flags out of a lineup — the names of those states are helpfully printed in big, bold letters on their banners. But could you name the four states that do not feature a shade of blue on their flags? With lawmakers in several states considering new designs, here’s a chance to test your knowledge on the country’s 50 state flags.

Persons: It's, here’s Organizations: U.S . State, Lone Star Flag of, Wisconsin Locations: Lone Star Flag of Texas, Oklahoma, it’s Alabama, California, Maryland, New Mexico

☆ How States Are Threading the Needle on Flag Design
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Mitch Smith | Sarah Almukhtar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

But it found that changing a state flag to make it stand out from the crowd is not a simple process. How States Are Threading the Needle on Flag Design Mitch Smith reported on the Utah flag from Centerville, Orem and Salt Lake City. And they don’t look like any other state’s flag. A version of Maine’s 1901 flagIn Michigan, a lawmaker suggested a panel to consider new flag designs. Some Utahns have already adopted the new flag design, even though it doesn’t officially become the state flag until next year.

Persons: Mitch Smith, Sarah Almukhtar, Brad Holdaway, SuAnn Taylor, “ They’re, Mr, Holdaway, Utahns, of Jesus Christ, Spencer Cox, Cox, Kim Raff, The New York Times “, ” Ted Kaye, NAVA, ” Mr, Kaye, Elizabeth Goodspeed, ”, Goodspeed, “ Hope, Laura Scofield, Doris Turner, Illinois ’, doesn’t, Chad Saunders Organizations: Republican, Beehive State, of Jesus, Gov, The New York Times, American Vexillological Association, Texas, Lone, Capitol, Democrat, Lone Star State Locations: Utah, Centerville, Orem, Salt Lake City, U.S.A, Illinois, Maine , Michigan, Minnesota, California, Rhode Island’s, Nebraska, Texas, California’s, Carolina’s, Maryland , California, South Carolina, New Mexico, South Dakota, Florida, Louisiana, Louisiana . Mississippi, Mississippi, Maine, Michigan, Utah In Utah

☆ Inside Hawaii’s Only Burn Unit, Doctors Rushed to Treat Maui Victims
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Dr. David C. Cho’s phone rang in the middle of the night, it was an emergency room physician calling from Maui, two islands away, seeking help. “In very plain and simple terms he said, ‘Lahaina is destroyed,’” recalled Dr. Cho, a plastic surgeon who works in the burn unit at Straub Medical Center in Honolulu. “And then it just went silent.”Dr. Cho got out of bed, went to the hospital and waited. “I just knew there was going to be a pipeline of patients,” he said. Nine burn patients were flown nearly 100 miles to Honolulu and then driven by ambulance to Straub, whose burn unit is the only facility of its kind in Hawaii, and the only one in the North Pacific between California and Asia.

Persons: David C, ’ ”, Cho, Dr, “, ”, Straub Organizations: Straub Medical Locations: Maui, Lahaina, Honolulu, “, Hawaii, North Pacific, California, Asia

☆ Its Building Destroyed, a Lahaina Church Finds Sanctuary in a Cafe
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The pastor Arza Brown had long told the congregants of Grace Baptist Church that if they left the sanctuary and gathered beneath Lahaina’s mango trees, that then their church would be under the mangoes, too. “When we talk about the church,” Mr. Brown said on Sunday, “the building is not the church. The building is just where the church meets.”This weekend, Grace Baptist was not inside the handsome blue structure two blocks from the Pacific where members had worshiped for 50 years. And it was not beneath the mango trees on the lawn. In times of crisis — tsunami warnings, hurricanes, fires — Grace Baptist had been a refuge.

Persons: Arza Brown, ” Mr, Brown, Grace Baptist, Grace, — Grace Baptist, Harry Timmins Organizations: Grace Baptist Church Locations: Grace, ”, Wailuku, Lahaina

As of Saturday, officials had confirmed the identities of only two victims and had barely started searching the disaster zone with canine teams. “It’s going to make identification and notification really difficult,” she said, adding that “it’s painful just to think about that.”For days now, families have struggled to learn the status of loved ones in West Maui. Spotty-to-nonexistent phone reception, especially in the immediate aftermath, made it hard for survivors to contact loved ones. That time, she said, was “very hard, very stressful.”Others have had heard nothing. Chief John Pelletier of the Maui Police Department urged people searching for loved ones to take a DNA test that could help identify their remains.

Persons: ”, Jill Tokuda, “ It’s, Noelle Manriquez, John Pelletier of Organizations: Democrat, Maui Police Department Locations: Maui, Congress, West Maui, Lahaina

The death toll in Maui stood at 89 on Saturday night and was expected to climb even further, according to Gov. Many survivors in the region were relying on each other in the wake of the disaster. More federal emergency workers and active-duty military personnel were headed to the island to help with the search and rescue effort. It remains unsafe for residents to return because of toxic fumes and other dangers, Mr. Green said. “We are going to do some reviews so we can make things safer going forward,” Mr. Green said.

Persons: Josh Green of, ”, Ashlee Yap, Richard T, Bissen Jr, Green, Irving Sotelo, Sotelo, Mr Organizations: Gov, Radio Locations: United States, Maui, Josh Green of Hawaii ., West Maui, Honokowai, “, Lahaina, Maui County, Government

Days after the deadliest American wildfire in more than a century ignited on West Maui, killing dozens and leveling more than 2,200 buildings, increasingly frustrated residents said that they were receiving far more help from an ad hoc network of volunteers than they were from the government. After the fire destroyed the town of Lahaina, hundreds of local residents — a group that includes evacuees along with nearby residents who found themselves cut off from power and internet service — remained affected in West Maui, miles beyond the highway checkpoints. Some evacuees slept in parks; others stayed in their own homes that survived the disaster or with friends in the wider community of that part of the island. They have been searching desperately for gasoline, phone reception and hot food, especially after power outages rendered refrigerators and microwaves useless. In many cases, they have leaned on church groups, community organizations and volunteers to track down missing relatives, get rides to shelters or access supplies brought in on private boats and airplanes.

Locations: West Maui, Lahaina

The power was out and the air-conditioning off when Dustin Kaleiopu woke up on Tuesday morning in Lahaina. “The wind was noisy,” said Mr. Kaleiopu, 26. When the fire reached his neighbor’s yard, Mr. Kaleiopu said he loaded his grandfather into a car and began preparing to leave. Mr. Kaleiopu has spent recent days with family in another part of Maui, a comfort that others do not have. Still, Mr. Kaleiopu said, there was no question that he would return to Lahaina, that he would carve out a new life in a rebuilt town.

Persons: Dustin Kaleiopu, ”, Kaleiopu, “, Mr, it’s, grandpa, ‘ He’ll, we’ve, ’ Organizations: Longtime, Investors Locations: Lahaina ., Lahaina, Maui, Honolulu

Persons: Dustin Kaleiopu, ”, Kaleiopu, “, Mr, it’s, grandpa, ‘ He’ll, we’ve, ’ Organizations: Longtime, Investors Locations: Lahaina ., Lahaina, Maui, Honolulu

Image The Pioneer Inn in Lahaina, Hawaii, last year. Image Shops and dining destinations along the sidewalks and streets in Lahaina, Maui. Mr. Hedani said the fabled beach areas on Oahu that Hawaii is best known for held nothing on Lahaina. “The sunset looks fake every time I see it.”Image Sunset in Lahaina, Hawaii. “What happens when you take away the most important street on Maui?” he said.

Persons: George Alan Freeland, Freeland’s, ”, Theo Morrison, Daejas, Baldwin, Ephraim Spaulding, Dwight Baldwin, Morrison, Mark Twain, “, —, Kiha Kaina, Patrick T, Kaina, Lee Anne Wong, Wong, Tony Novak, Clifford, Ronald Williams, Williams, it’s, Jared Hedani, Tommy Bahama, Hedani, “ You’re, Jim Wilson, Kamehameha the, Kaniela Ing, Ing, “ I’d, Amy Qin, David W, Chen, Mitch Smith Organizations: Lahaina Restoration Foundation, The New York Times, East Coast, ., Fallon, Agence France, French Culinary Institute, Hawaii State Archives, New York Times, Green New Deal Network Locations: Lahaina, British, Maui, Hawaii, “, United States, Lahaina , Hawaii, Massachusetts, East, Berkeley, Calif, ”, Papa’aina, New York City, Maui . Credit, Mexico City, Shaw, Paradise, Oahu, Waikiki

☆ First Scorched, Then Soaked: Weather Whiplash Confounds Farmers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A study Dr. Lin co-wrote last year in the journal Nature Communications linked yield loss in Great Plains winter wheat since the 1980s to periods of intense heat, stiff winds and little moisture, hallmarks of climate change. Wheat is more than just a crop in Kansas, where “The Wheat State” was once stamped on license plates and where University of Kansas sports fans “wave the wheat” to celebrate a score. Though Kansas farmers plant far fewer acres of wheat now than they did a generation ago — they can often make more money growing corn or soybeans — the state remains one of the country’s leading producers of wheat. The crop is sold for flour on the domestic market and exported in large quantities to Latin America, among other places. The importance of the Plains wheat crop has only become clearer over the last year, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine created uncertainty around the global supply of the staple crop, a major source of nutrition in developing countries.

Persons: Lin, ” Organizations: Nature Communications, University of Kansas Locations: Great, Kansas, America, Ukraine, Russia

Two Michigan Republicans charged with purporting to be electors for President Donald J. Trump in 2020 appeared before a state judge on Friday, adding to a flurry of court action this week tied to efforts to overturn the last presidential election. Earlier in the week, a grand jury in another part of Michigan indicted prominent Republicans on charges connected to improper access to voting machines. Judge Kristen D. Simmons of the State District Court in Lansing agreed to give defense lawyers until October to review “voluminous” discovery materials in the felony case. From her small wood-paneled courtroom in Lansing City Hall, across the street from the State Capitol, Judge Simmons spoke over a video conference link with Ms. Maddock, Ms. Henry and their lawyers. She agreed to allow each defendant, who could face lengthy prison sentences if convicted, to take a trip out of state before trial.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, — Meshawn Maddock, Ann Henry, Kristen D, Simmons, Judge Simmons, Maddock, Henry Organizations: Michigan Republicans, Trump, Michigan Republican Party, Detroit —, Court, Lansing City Hall, State Capitol Locations: Mari, Detroit, Washington, Michigan, Lansing

☆ Michigan Judge to Weigh Whether School Shooter Could Ever Leave Prison
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

If Ethan Crumbley had been a few years older when he killed four students at his Michigan high school and pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, there would be no question: He would be going to prison for the rest of his life. But because he was 15 when he opened fire in 2021 in the hallways of Oxford High School, his fate is less certain. In a hearing set to begin on Thursday morning, a state judge will consider whether Mr. Crumbley should be eligible for a sentence that could allow him to one day leave prison. And it could offer a preview of prosecutors’ separate cases against Mr. Crumbley’s parents, who are charged with involuntary manslaughter and accused of missing chances to intervene before the shooting. The parents have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.

Persons: Ethan Crumbley, Crumbley, Crumbley’s Organizations: Michigan, Oxford High School, Supreme Locations: Michigan, U.S

☆ Two Empty Nesters Strive to Come Up With a Down Payment. Which House Could They Buy?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The couple, who married in 2015, had been renting a cramped house near downtown Bloomington, Ind., for years. But now, renting near campus made them feel almost as if they were back in graduate school. Email: thehunt@nytimes.com]They entered a competitive housing market last year with high hopes, but limited funds for a down payment. Ms. Carter, who enjoys cooking, wanted a bigger kitchen and enough space to have Thanksgiving dinners and Passover Seders. “That was a super-tough market to be in,” said Mr. Saunders, the owner of Saunders & Associates, in Bloomington.

Persons: Selene Carter, Steven Hendren, Covid, “, ”, Carter, Hendren, John Saunders, Saunders Organizations: Indiana University Bloomington, Saunders & Associates Locations: Bloomington, Ind, Indianapolis

☆ Kansas Troopers ‘Waged War on Motorists,’ Federal Judge Finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

They called it the “Kansas two-step.”When a mundane traffic stop was nearing its end, a state trooper would turn to leave. Perhaps the driver would say something the trooper deemed suspicious, or perhaps the driver would just agree to a search. But that two-step, which troopers used often against out-of-state drivers, was part of a “war on motorists” waged by the Kansas Highway Patrol in violation of the Fourth Amendment, a federal judge said in a blistering opinion on Friday. “The war is basically a question of numbers: stop enough cars and you’re bound to discover drugs,” wrote Senior Judge Kathryn H. Vratil of the Federal District Court. Marijuana is illegal in Kansas.

Persons: “, ”, Kathryn H, Vratil, George H.W, George H.W . Bush Organizations: Kansas, Patrol, Federal, Court, Marijuana Locations: Kansas, George H.W ., Colorado and Missouri

☆ Detroit Takes On Problems That Were Once Beyond Reach
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Did I ever think I ever could go to a mayor eight years ago and present to him a wedding party venue? I was trying to get trash trucks.”Detroit remains a place with abundant problems. And, according to census data that the mayor disputes, Detroit’s decades-long population decline has persisted, with about 620,000 residents today. In 1950, the city’s population peaked at more than 1.8 million. The waterfront on the Detroit River, once an unwelcoming mass of concrete, now features scenic walkways and fishing spots shared by residents and tourists.

Persons: Mr, Dick said, “, ”, Mike Duggan Locations: Detroit, Chicago, ”

☆ Iowa Republicans Aim to Sharply Limit Abortion in Special Session
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Less than a month after a deadlocked Iowa Supreme Court left a six-week abortion ban unenforceable, lawmakers were set return to the State Capitol on Tuesday morning to consider a nearly identical set of restrictions on the procedure. With large Republican majorities in both legislative chambers and a Republican governor who has decried “the inhumanity of abortion,” the new restrictions seemed very likely to pass. “I believe the pro-life movement is the most important human rights cause of our time,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said last week when she called the special session on abortion. The new limits would add Iowa to a list of conservative states, which includes Indiana, North Dakota and South Carolina, that have passed abortion restrictions since the U.S. Supreme Court ended the national right to abortion last year.

Persons: “, Kim Reynolds, ” Organizations: Iowa, State Capitol, Republican, ”, Supreme Locations: Iowa, Indiana, North Dakota, South Carolina, U.S

☆ Wisconsin Judge Allows Challenge to Abortion Law to Proceed
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Mitch Smith | More About Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In her preliminary ruling on Friday that allowed the case to advance, Judge Diane Schlipper indicated that she did not believe that doctors could be prosecuted for performing consensual abortions before a fetus reached viability. She wrote that “there is no such thing as an ‘1849 abortion ban’ in Wisconsin.”The decision by Judge Schlipper, of the Circuit Court in Dane County, gave credence to the legal arguments used by abortion-rights supporters and kept open a judicial path to restore abortion access. Mr. Urmanski, a Republican, had previously indicated to local reporters that he would be open to prosecuting abortion providers under the 1849 law if a case was presented to his office. Mr. Urmanski said in an email on Friday that he was in court and had not yet reviewed the ruling. Two lawyers representing him in the case did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.

Persons: Diane Schlipper, ”, Judge Schlipper, “, Josh Kaul, Joel Urmanski, Urmanski Organizations: Republican Locations: Wisconsin, Dane County, Sheboygan County

☆ A Solemn Walk Through Highland Park One Year After Parade Massacre
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Hernan Cuevas was just a few days into his tenure as pastor of a Roman Catholic parish in Highland Park when the parade took place. Mr. Cuevas had rounded up congregants for the church float and bought granola bars to hand out to people along the route. He said it was not until he saw “a wave of people walking toward us, running, crying” that “we thought, ‘These are not fireworks. Mr. Cuevas said his congregants had processed the trauma from that day differently, and had different ideas about how to observe this Fourth of July. Others left town for the holiday, seeking distance from the pain.

Persons: Hernan Cuevas, Cuevas, ’ ” Organizations: Roman Catholic Locations: Highland Park

☆ Chicago and NASCAR, an Odd Couple With High Hopes, Take It to the Streets
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A contractor at the track was electrocuted and died on Friday while final preparations for the race were underway. NASCAR’s visit to Chicago had been the subject of intense local debate since Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced it last summer without involving residents or City Council members in negotiations. Though NASCAR’s contract with Chicago calls for three years of racing, the new mayor, Brandon Johnson, could move to cancel the deal. “You can walk down the streets a little bit and not get recognized, so I hear a lot of conversations,” Mr. Wallace said. But you hear a lot of excitement, too.”Robert Chiarito contributed reporting.

Persons: NASCAR’s, Lori Lightfoot, Lightfoot, Brandon Johnson, Bubba Wallace, ” Mr, Wallace, ” Robert Chiarito Organizations: City Council, Chicago, NASCAR Locations: Chicago

☆ NASCAR to Start Its Engines Along an Unlikely Course: Downtown Chicago
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

There is also a chance that the street race is a one-off. Ms. Lightfoot, who brought the race to the city, lost her bid for re-election this year and left office in May. Her successor and fellow Democrat, Mayor Brandon Johnson, has been polite but circumspect about NASCAR, though he attended a pre-race event this week. “Will this idea lead to the expansion of how we think about what can be offered in a major city?” Mr. Johnson said in an interview shortly before his inauguration. “If, on the other hand, it goes badly, I think there will be pressure on the new mayor to cancel this deal.”

Persons: Lightfoot, Brandon Johnson, “, Mr, Johnson, ’, Brian Hopkins, ” Organizations: NASCAR, Chicago City Council Locations: Chicago

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