Walmart worker a star after firing; 50 Cent book aids senator; wed at start
- Updated
Odd and interesting news from the Midwest.
- By DAWN MITCHELL The Indianapolis Star
- Updated
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When the Indianapolis Museum of Art opens its miniature golf course in May, visitors will notice a familiar face. Willie the Whale from the old Indianapolis Zoo will find a temporary home on the 18th hole.
Rushville mayor, Mike Pavey, got the idea of saving Willie when he saw the April 26, 2015, IndyStar article on the whale statue. Willie had been languishing at the abandoned Fun Spot Amusement Park in Angola. Pavey contacted Brian Sheehan, Rushville's special projects coordinator, who had been tasked with securing a roadside attraction or piece of outdoor public art for the city. Pavey and Sheehan consulted artist Quincy Owens about public art projects and told him, "we just bought a 20 x 20 foot whale that use to be at the Indianapolis Zoo." to which Quincy replied with "I'm in."
"My main goal for having Willie in the exhibition is to raise awareness and funding to properly restore him and turn him into a public art piece," Owens said.
Willie will be the only fixture from Indy's past on the course. The other holes are being designed by local and regional artists featuring themes such as Kurt Vonnegut's studio, covered bridges and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said Scott Stulen, curator of audience experiences and performance for the IMA.
The course highlights Indiana's history, landmarks and landscape as it marks the state bicentennial. The museum will reveal more holes on IMA social media accounts As they are unveiled.
The course opens for members on May 6 and to the public on May 10. Mini golf is an exhibition and open regular gallery hours. The course is included with a general admission ticket of $18 or free for museum members.
___
Source: The Indianapolis Star, http://indy.st/1VnIFj2
___
Information from: The Indianapolis Star, http://www.indystar.com
This is an AP-Indiana Exchange story offered by The Indianapolis Times.
- Updated
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Senate has tabled a sales tax bill after a senator filibustered it by reading a book about 50 Cent.
Democratic Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal on Monday read for almost an hour from "The 50th Law," a self-help book co-authored by 50 Cent and Robert Greene that draws on anecdotes from the rapper's life.
Chappelle-Nadal opposes a provision in the bill that would allow unincorporated areas of St. Louis County to vote on a sales tax to fund law enforcement. She says the county's government should not see additional funding until it addresses a number of issues, including the way law enforcement responded to protests in Ferguson.
She began her filibuster after the chamber overwhelmingly rejected her proposal to strip the law enforcement sales tax from the bill.
- Updated
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A University of Kansas professor has used 3-D printers to design an engine for a Topeka museum's replica of a World War I fighter plane.
The Topeka Capital-Journal (http://bit.ly/1QwWd3M ) reports that Huw Thomas, an associate professor of industrial design at the university, took on the project in November after the Topeka Combat Air Museum acquired an 80 percent replica of a De Havilland 2 World War I fighter plane about a year ago.
Thomas used two LulzBot TAZ 5 3-D printers at the university to create dozens of parts, large and small.
"It took about 400 hours to print the engine," he said, noting each of the engine's nine cylinders is made in two halves, each taking about 14 hours to print. "It probably took about 60 hours to design the computer model."
Because it took so long to print off the pieces, Thomas bought the same style of 3-D printer for himself and did most of the printing from his home.
The three 3-D printers made the parts with the same material as Lego bricks. Thomas used a substance similar to super glue to attach the pieces together.
Thomas didn't charge the museum for his work, but he will be compensated for materials.
The 3-D replica rotary engine was placed onto the back of the aircraft Wednesday. It weighs a few pounds and was about 3 feet across and 14 inches wide.
Visitors will get to see the engine when the replica plane is lifted to its place among other aircraft suspended from the rafters of the museum's main hangar at the Topeka Regional Airport.
___
Information from: The Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal, http://www.cjonline.com
- Updated
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A foundation is highlighting the number of Michigan children who had a parent behind bars at some point in their lives.
A report using survey data from 2011 and 2012 says 10 percent of Michigan children had a parent in custody. The Annie E. Casey Foundation says that's more than 200,000 children.
The report released Monday says Michigan and five other states were tied for the third-highest percentage of kids. Only two states had a higher percentage: Kentucky and Indiana.
The Michigan League for Public Policy distributed the report in Michigan and says families of the incarcerated need more government help. The advocacy group says locking up parents can hurt kids.
The Baltimore-based Casey Foundation based its report on a federally funded survey of parents or guardians.
___
This story has been corrected to show Michigan ties with five other states for the third-highest percentage of kids who had a parent behind bars, not six states for the third-highest parent incarceration rate.
- Updated
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two 23-year-old men have been given a year of probation for providing booze to an 18-year-old member of a University of Nebraska-Lincoln fraternity who authorities say died of alcohol intoxication.
Online court records say Cory Foland and Ross Reynolds were sentenced Monday in Lancaster County District Court. They'd pleaded no contest to misdemeanor procuring alcohol for a minor after prosecutors lowered the charge from a felony. Two others charged in the case who made the same plea deal are scheduled to be sentenced later Monday: Thomas Trueblood and Vance Heyer.
Prosecutors say the four were involved in the death of Clayton Real after an off-campus party on Sept. 4, 2014. Real was found dead the next morning in his room at the FarmHouse Fraternity house.
- By DONALD BRADLEY The Kansas City Star
- Updated
WEST PLAINS, Mo. (AP) — A month ago, Frank Swanson was a checker, pretty much a lifer, at Walmart in West Plains, Mo.
He's 52, disabled and long known for smiles and hugs. Shoppers loved him. They would purposely get in his line because they wanted to visit with Frank, The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/1ruoHad ) reports.
But then came April 2, the day of the gallon jug of Red Diamond Sweet Tea and the end of Frank the checkout guy.
Turned out all those hugs and a keen memory for grocery prices made for a volatile cocktail. At least in the way the big-box corporate world played out in this small Ozarks town.
Frank got fired that day. Since then, 800 or so people have attended a rally for him in the store's parking lot, his name has bounced around social media all over the world, somebody held up a sign with Frank's name at an Atlanta Braves baseball game, and Jimmy Fallon gave him a shoutout on "The Tonight Show."
Frank's termination could be headed to court, and Wal-Mart had to issue a statement explaining to West Plains what happened to the town's favorite checker.
All this because a woman in Frank's line that day wanted to buy a gallon of the sweet tea. She told Frank a store in a neighboring town had a sale price that Wal-Mart was supposed to match.
She didn't have the ad, as required, but she didn't need it with Frank. He'd always made it a point to keep up with prices at other stores, so he let her have it at the sale price.
That got Frank called in and fired after nearly 20 years.
"The bosses said I made up an imaginary price," he said Thursday.
Frank went to Willow Springs and got an issue of a local paper that showed he was right about the price of tea.
For the record, the other store had the tea on special for $1.98. Wal-Mart's price: $2.78.
Frank has always had a knack for remembering things. Like the day as a boy when he fell out the back of his grandpa's pickup after cutting a load of firewood. He suffered paralysis and brain damage.
"Sometimes grandpa would go slow, and sometimes he would go fast," Frank said.
He said he had stopped hugging customers after he was told to do so. But then people asked if they could hug him.
Wal-Mart issued this statement about Frank:
"Letting an associate go is never easy. It is important to note that we have a progressive discipline policy where performance issues move an associate to the next step. For this associate, point-of-sale policies had not been followed in some instances. A recent violation of those policies moved the associate to the final step of our discipline process, resulting in his dismissal."
That didn't satisfy Frank's fans. They started a Facebook page called "Hugs for Frank" that encouraged people to flood Wal-Mart headquarters in nearby Bentonville, Ark., with complaints.
Various accounts had people talking about how Frank cheered their days. One story told how Frank was known to reach into his own pocket to help somebody who came up short.
"They were lucky to have you, Frank," a woman wrote. "More people should be like you, but sadly, it's all about the almighty dollar instead of the people. I wish you the very best!! (( HUGS )))
Another: "Hugs for Frank and he needs his job back and the Walmart head bosses need to be fired. He needs his job back and Sam Walmart (Walton) wouldn't of fired him."
Frank didn't want ugliness. He told people that the workers at Wal-Mart — bosses, too — were his friends, and he didn't want to hear anything mean about them. He has even shopped there since.
So the town threw a party for him. Music, food and, of course, a lot of hugs. Frank signed T-shirts.
On a YouTube video of the event, his brother said most people's legacies aren't known until they die.
"Frank can see his today," Drexel Swanson said.
Customers came from all over. There's just something about a guy who knew to never put ice cream and sugar in the same bag.
"Makes the sugar hard," Frank said.
Springfield lawyer Benjamin Stringer said Frank intends to challenge his termination under the Missouri Human Rights Act, which prevents employers from discriminating against or firing employees because of disabilities.
Frank must first file a charge of discrimination with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, which will conduct an investigation into Frank's allegations. Then, if issued a "right-to-sue" letter, Frank intends to pursue the matter vigorously, Stringer said.
"Frank was singled out and fired without cause," Stringer said Thursday.
Meanwhile, Frank has a new job at Ramey supermarket, a couple of miles away. He doesn't make as much there, but he's happy. His new bosses like him to be up front to greet people when they come through the door.
So while West Plains may claim Dick Van Dyke, Porter Wagoner and baseball pitcher Preacher Roe, right now the big name in town is Frank Swanson.
"Everybody's been picking on me about being famous," he said shyly.
One of the many recent comments written about him said: "Went to Ramey's twice today, and yep got me a hug from Frank. He has made everyone smile. I think he got more hugs this past month than he ever had. lol."
___
Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com
This is an AP Member Exchange shared by The Kansas City Star.
- Updated
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — State wildlife officials have found evidence that a female mountain lion is roaming southeast Nebraska.
The Omaha World-Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1T9SURO ) the finding means there may be a breeding pair of mountain lions roaming far from the animal's established territory in northwest Nebraska.
Sam Wilson with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says genetic testing of blood he found in mountain lion tracks in January confirmed the animal was a female. Those tracks were found near the southeastern corner of the state.
In addition to the tracks, trail cameras have documented a mountain lion in Nemaha and Richardson counties for more than a year.
___
Information from: Omaha World-Herald, http://www.omaha.com
- Updated
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Hundreds of libraries across Illinois are due to get two more books about Abraham Lincoln.
The Abraham Lincoln Association says it will donate copies of the books to all 810 public and academic libraries in Illinois. The books are "Abraham Lincoln Traveled This Way: The America Lincoln Knew" and "A Day Long to Be Remembered - Lincoln in Gettysburg." They are both by Lincoln historian Michael Burlingame.
Association president Kathryn Harris says the books are well-researched. She says now they will be a "few miles of everyone in Illinois." The group's goal is to increase knowledge of Lincoln.
The Illinois State Library's Illinois Center for the Book will distribute the copies. The books were to be available starting April 22.
- Updated
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — This year's Pro Football Hall of Fame Marathon in Ohio will be a race to remember for one couple who married at the starting line before running the event's half-marathon.
The Repository newspaper (http://bit.ly/24f1RkL ) reports marathon co-founder David Beck officiated as 50-year-old Lynnette Beedle and 49-year-old Stephen Klejka wed early Sunday in Canton.
The Hudson couple married in their running attire and matching blue "Team Kejka" sweatshirts, with Beedle donning a short white veil in her hair and Klejka strapping on a bow tie. After expressing their love for one another, they high-fived, kissed and set off for their 13.1-mile jog.
They were among about 3,000 runners who participated in the marathon, half-marathon or relay.
___
Information from: The Repository, http://www.cantonrep.com
- Updated
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland police say a 13-year-old boy suspected of robbing two pizza delivery drivers at gunpoint and trying to rob a third was identified because he used his own cellphone to place the orders.
Police tell Cleveland.com (http://bit.ly/1SZjnBq ) the boy is being held at the Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County Juvenile Detention Center on aggravated robbery charges.
Detective Steve Loomis says the boy and another teen placed an order with a pizza shop March 17. He says when the delivery driver approached, the boy said for the driver to come closer, but the deliverer drove away. Loomis says the boys tried again the next day and took money, a cellphone, pizza and cookies from a driver.
The boy is expected to appear in court this week.
___
Information from: cleveland.com, http://www.cleveland.com
- Updated
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A group of nearly 40 men and women will join Kansas City area students in the classroom this fall as part of a new program designed to prepare aspiring teachers be effective urban educators.
The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/26lEfgm ) reports that the 39 students will be a part of the Kansas City Teacher Residency, which was launched this year with a $1.2 million federal grant. The program is modeled off of medical residencies.
In the first year of the program, the students receive a $25,000 stipend while in residence. They teach full time and finish their master's degrees from Park University in the second year.
"The reason a person would do residence is you have more time in the classroom with a master teacher where a student teacher program is typically only 12 weeks," said Charles King, executive director of the teacher residency group.
King said the residency program is a response to teacher shortages in urban cities.
"Missouri data shows there are more teachers coming out of universities than there are teaching jobs in the state, (and) most of those coming out of school are attracted to the suburban districts," King said. "The shortage comes in when people desire to work in schools that don't require as much of the teacher as is demanded of a teacher in an urban high-need school."
The first class was chosen from 130 applications and consists of some recent education school graduates, along with others with bachelor's degrees who are seeking a career change.
___
Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com
- Updated
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Formal charges are pending against a motorcyclist accused of being drunk and leading police on a chase in eastern North Dakota that reached speeds of 140 mph.
The Highway Patrol says the chase early Saturday started in Walsh County and stretched south into Grand Forks County and then Traill County.
WDAZ-TV reports (http://bit.ly/21bXMvC ) that the 26-year-old Minto man lost control of the motorcycle on a dirt road east of Hatton and crashed while traveling about 35 mph. He was arrested and taken to a Grand Forks hospital to be treated for injuries not considered life-threatening.
___
Information from: WDAZ-TV, http://wdaz.com
- By DAWN MITCHELL The Indianapolis Star
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When the Indianapolis Museum of Art opens its miniature golf course in May, visitors will notice a familiar face. Willie the Whale from the old Indianapolis Zoo will find a temporary home on the 18th hole.
Rushville mayor, Mike Pavey, got the idea of saving Willie when he saw the April 26, 2015, IndyStar article on the whale statue. Willie had been languishing at the abandoned Fun Spot Amusement Park in Angola. Pavey contacted Brian Sheehan, Rushville's special projects coordinator, who had been tasked with securing a roadside attraction or piece of outdoor public art for the city. Pavey and Sheehan consulted artist Quincy Owens about public art projects and told him, "we just bought a 20 x 20 foot whale that use to be at the Indianapolis Zoo." to which Quincy replied with "I'm in."
"My main goal for having Willie in the exhibition is to raise awareness and funding to properly restore him and turn him into a public art piece," Owens said.
Willie will be the only fixture from Indy's past on the course. The other holes are being designed by local and regional artists featuring themes such as Kurt Vonnegut's studio, covered bridges and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said Scott Stulen, curator of audience experiences and performance for the IMA.
The course highlights Indiana's history, landmarks and landscape as it marks the state bicentennial. The museum will reveal more holes on IMA social media accounts As they are unveiled.
The course opens for members on May 6 and to the public on May 10. Mini golf is an exhibition and open regular gallery hours. The course is included with a general admission ticket of $18 or free for museum members.
___
Source: The Indianapolis Star, http://indy.st/1VnIFj2
___
Information from: The Indianapolis Star, http://www.indystar.com
This is an AP-Indiana Exchange story offered by The Indianapolis Times.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Senate has tabled a sales tax bill after a senator filibustered it by reading a book about 50 Cent.
Democratic Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal on Monday read for almost an hour from "The 50th Law," a self-help book co-authored by 50 Cent and Robert Greene that draws on anecdotes from the rapper's life.
Chappelle-Nadal opposes a provision in the bill that would allow unincorporated areas of St. Louis County to vote on a sales tax to fund law enforcement. She says the county's government should not see additional funding until it addresses a number of issues, including the way law enforcement responded to protests in Ferguson.
She began her filibuster after the chamber overwhelmingly rejected her proposal to strip the law enforcement sales tax from the bill.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A University of Kansas professor has used 3-D printers to design an engine for a Topeka museum's replica of a World War I fighter plane.
The Topeka Capital-Journal (http://bit.ly/1QwWd3M ) reports that Huw Thomas, an associate professor of industrial design at the university, took on the project in November after the Topeka Combat Air Museum acquired an 80 percent replica of a De Havilland 2 World War I fighter plane about a year ago.
Thomas used two LulzBot TAZ 5 3-D printers at the university to create dozens of parts, large and small.
"It took about 400 hours to print the engine," he said, noting each of the engine's nine cylinders is made in two halves, each taking about 14 hours to print. "It probably took about 60 hours to design the computer model."
Because it took so long to print off the pieces, Thomas bought the same style of 3-D printer for himself and did most of the printing from his home.
The three 3-D printers made the parts with the same material as Lego bricks. Thomas used a substance similar to super glue to attach the pieces together.
Thomas didn't charge the museum for his work, but he will be compensated for materials.
The 3-D replica rotary engine was placed onto the back of the aircraft Wednesday. It weighs a few pounds and was about 3 feet across and 14 inches wide.
Visitors will get to see the engine when the replica plane is lifted to its place among other aircraft suspended from the rafters of the museum's main hangar at the Topeka Regional Airport.
___
Information from: The Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal, http://www.cjonline.com
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A foundation is highlighting the number of Michigan children who had a parent behind bars at some point in their lives.
A report using survey data from 2011 and 2012 says 10 percent of Michigan children had a parent in custody. The Annie E. Casey Foundation says that's more than 200,000 children.
The report released Monday says Michigan and five other states were tied for the third-highest percentage of kids. Only two states had a higher percentage: Kentucky and Indiana.
The Michigan League for Public Policy distributed the report in Michigan and says families of the incarcerated need more government help. The advocacy group says locking up parents can hurt kids.
The Baltimore-based Casey Foundation based its report on a federally funded survey of parents or guardians.
___
This story has been corrected to show Michigan ties with five other states for the third-highest percentage of kids who had a parent behind bars, not six states for the third-highest parent incarceration rate.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two 23-year-old men have been given a year of probation for providing booze to an 18-year-old member of a University of Nebraska-Lincoln fraternity who authorities say died of alcohol intoxication.
Online court records say Cory Foland and Ross Reynolds were sentenced Monday in Lancaster County District Court. They'd pleaded no contest to misdemeanor procuring alcohol for a minor after prosecutors lowered the charge from a felony. Two others charged in the case who made the same plea deal are scheduled to be sentenced later Monday: Thomas Trueblood and Vance Heyer.
Prosecutors say the four were involved in the death of Clayton Real after an off-campus party on Sept. 4, 2014. Real was found dead the next morning in his room at the FarmHouse Fraternity house.
- By DONALD BRADLEY The Kansas City Star
WEST PLAINS, Mo. (AP) — A month ago, Frank Swanson was a checker, pretty much a lifer, at Walmart in West Plains, Mo.
He's 52, disabled and long known for smiles and hugs. Shoppers loved him. They would purposely get in his line because they wanted to visit with Frank, The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/1ruoHad ) reports.
But then came April 2, the day of the gallon jug of Red Diamond Sweet Tea and the end of Frank the checkout guy.
Turned out all those hugs and a keen memory for grocery prices made for a volatile cocktail. At least in the way the big-box corporate world played out in this small Ozarks town.
Frank got fired that day. Since then, 800 or so people have attended a rally for him in the store's parking lot, his name has bounced around social media all over the world, somebody held up a sign with Frank's name at an Atlanta Braves baseball game, and Jimmy Fallon gave him a shoutout on "The Tonight Show."
Frank's termination could be headed to court, and Wal-Mart had to issue a statement explaining to West Plains what happened to the town's favorite checker.
All this because a woman in Frank's line that day wanted to buy a gallon of the sweet tea. She told Frank a store in a neighboring town had a sale price that Wal-Mart was supposed to match.
She didn't have the ad, as required, but she didn't need it with Frank. He'd always made it a point to keep up with prices at other stores, so he let her have it at the sale price.
That got Frank called in and fired after nearly 20 years.
"The bosses said I made up an imaginary price," he said Thursday.
Frank went to Willow Springs and got an issue of a local paper that showed he was right about the price of tea.
For the record, the other store had the tea on special for $1.98. Wal-Mart's price: $2.78.
Frank has always had a knack for remembering things. Like the day as a boy when he fell out the back of his grandpa's pickup after cutting a load of firewood. He suffered paralysis and brain damage.
"Sometimes grandpa would go slow, and sometimes he would go fast," Frank said.
He said he had stopped hugging customers after he was told to do so. But then people asked if they could hug him.
Wal-Mart issued this statement about Frank:
"Letting an associate go is never easy. It is important to note that we have a progressive discipline policy where performance issues move an associate to the next step. For this associate, point-of-sale policies had not been followed in some instances. A recent violation of those policies moved the associate to the final step of our discipline process, resulting in his dismissal."
That didn't satisfy Frank's fans. They started a Facebook page called "Hugs for Frank" that encouraged people to flood Wal-Mart headquarters in nearby Bentonville, Ark., with complaints.
Various accounts had people talking about how Frank cheered their days. One story told how Frank was known to reach into his own pocket to help somebody who came up short.
"They were lucky to have you, Frank," a woman wrote. "More people should be like you, but sadly, it's all about the almighty dollar instead of the people. I wish you the very best!! (( HUGS )))
Another: "Hugs for Frank and he needs his job back and the Walmart head bosses need to be fired. He needs his job back and Sam Walmart (Walton) wouldn't of fired him."
Frank didn't want ugliness. He told people that the workers at Wal-Mart — bosses, too — were his friends, and he didn't want to hear anything mean about them. He has even shopped there since.
So the town threw a party for him. Music, food and, of course, a lot of hugs. Frank signed T-shirts.
On a YouTube video of the event, his brother said most people's legacies aren't known until they die.
"Frank can see his today," Drexel Swanson said.
Customers came from all over. There's just something about a guy who knew to never put ice cream and sugar in the same bag.
"Makes the sugar hard," Frank said.
Springfield lawyer Benjamin Stringer said Frank intends to challenge his termination under the Missouri Human Rights Act, which prevents employers from discriminating against or firing employees because of disabilities.
Frank must first file a charge of discrimination with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, which will conduct an investigation into Frank's allegations. Then, if issued a "right-to-sue" letter, Frank intends to pursue the matter vigorously, Stringer said.
"Frank was singled out and fired without cause," Stringer said Thursday.
Meanwhile, Frank has a new job at Ramey supermarket, a couple of miles away. He doesn't make as much there, but he's happy. His new bosses like him to be up front to greet people when they come through the door.
So while West Plains may claim Dick Van Dyke, Porter Wagoner and baseball pitcher Preacher Roe, right now the big name in town is Frank Swanson.
"Everybody's been picking on me about being famous," he said shyly.
One of the many recent comments written about him said: "Went to Ramey's twice today, and yep got me a hug from Frank. He has made everyone smile. I think he got more hugs this past month than he ever had. lol."
___
Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com
This is an AP Member Exchange shared by The Kansas City Star.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — State wildlife officials have found evidence that a female mountain lion is roaming southeast Nebraska.
The Omaha World-Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1T9SURO ) the finding means there may be a breeding pair of mountain lions roaming far from the animal's established territory in northwest Nebraska.
Sam Wilson with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says genetic testing of blood he found in mountain lion tracks in January confirmed the animal was a female. Those tracks were found near the southeastern corner of the state.
In addition to the tracks, trail cameras have documented a mountain lion in Nemaha and Richardson counties for more than a year.
___
Information from: Omaha World-Herald, http://www.omaha.com
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Hundreds of libraries across Illinois are due to get two more books about Abraham Lincoln.
The Abraham Lincoln Association says it will donate copies of the books to all 810 public and academic libraries in Illinois. The books are "Abraham Lincoln Traveled This Way: The America Lincoln Knew" and "A Day Long to Be Remembered - Lincoln in Gettysburg." They are both by Lincoln historian Michael Burlingame.
Association president Kathryn Harris says the books are well-researched. She says now they will be a "few miles of everyone in Illinois." The group's goal is to increase knowledge of Lincoln.
The Illinois State Library's Illinois Center for the Book will distribute the copies. The books were to be available starting April 22.
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — This year's Pro Football Hall of Fame Marathon in Ohio will be a race to remember for one couple who married at the starting line before running the event's half-marathon.
The Repository newspaper (http://bit.ly/24f1RkL ) reports marathon co-founder David Beck officiated as 50-year-old Lynnette Beedle and 49-year-old Stephen Klejka wed early Sunday in Canton.
The Hudson couple married in their running attire and matching blue "Team Kejka" sweatshirts, with Beedle donning a short white veil in her hair and Klejka strapping on a bow tie. After expressing their love for one another, they high-fived, kissed and set off for their 13.1-mile jog.
They were among about 3,000 runners who participated in the marathon, half-marathon or relay.
___
Information from: The Repository, http://www.cantonrep.com
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland police say a 13-year-old boy suspected of robbing two pizza delivery drivers at gunpoint and trying to rob a third was identified because he used his own cellphone to place the orders.
Police tell Cleveland.com (http://bit.ly/1SZjnBq ) the boy is being held at the Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County Juvenile Detention Center on aggravated robbery charges.
Detective Steve Loomis says the boy and another teen placed an order with a pizza shop March 17. He says when the delivery driver approached, the boy said for the driver to come closer, but the deliverer drove away. Loomis says the boys tried again the next day and took money, a cellphone, pizza and cookies from a driver.
The boy is expected to appear in court this week.
___
Information from: cleveland.com, http://www.cleveland.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A group of nearly 40 men and women will join Kansas City area students in the classroom this fall as part of a new program designed to prepare aspiring teachers be effective urban educators.
The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/26lEfgm ) reports that the 39 students will be a part of the Kansas City Teacher Residency, which was launched this year with a $1.2 million federal grant. The program is modeled off of medical residencies.
In the first year of the program, the students receive a $25,000 stipend while in residence. They teach full time and finish their master's degrees from Park University in the second year.
"The reason a person would do residence is you have more time in the classroom with a master teacher where a student teacher program is typically only 12 weeks," said Charles King, executive director of the teacher residency group.
King said the residency program is a response to teacher shortages in urban cities.
"Missouri data shows there are more teachers coming out of universities than there are teaching jobs in the state, (and) most of those coming out of school are attracted to the suburban districts," King said. "The shortage comes in when people desire to work in schools that don't require as much of the teacher as is demanded of a teacher in an urban high-need school."
The first class was chosen from 130 applications and consists of some recent education school graduates, along with others with bachelor's degrees who are seeking a career change.
___
Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Formal charges are pending against a motorcyclist accused of being drunk and leading police on a chase in eastern North Dakota that reached speeds of 140 mph.
The Highway Patrol says the chase early Saturday started in Walsh County and stretched south into Grand Forks County and then Traill County.
WDAZ-TV reports (http://bit.ly/21bXMvC ) that the 26-year-old Minto man lost control of the motorcycle on a dirt road east of Hatton and crashed while traveling about 35 mph. He was arrested and taken to a Grand Forks hospital to be treated for injuries not considered life-threatening.
___
Information from: WDAZ-TV, http://wdaz.com
Faculty concerned about changes to U of A admissions policy
