U.S. Briefs: California fire recovery drags despite arrest

Federal officials charged a 29-year-old man with igniting California’s deadly Palisades fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in the state’s history. On Oct. 8, Jonathan Rinderknecht appeared in an Orlando, Fla., court near his home on charges including malicious destruction by fire. The Palisades fire, one of two blazes that broke out Jan. 7 in Los Angeles County, killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Authorities said Rinderknecht used a lighter to start a small blaze early Jan. 1 on a Pacific Palisades hiking trail. Firefighters believed the fire was out. But nearly a week later, severe winds reignited invisible smoldering embers. Among the evidence investigators collected were images Rinderknecht generated on ChatGPT of a burning city, according to Bill Essayli, acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the arrest “an important step” in determining the fire’s cause. State and local officials have faced criticism for their fire responses, including the slow rebuilding pace. In Malibu, where 720 structures burned, only 69 have received approvals to rebuild. Just two have obtained building permits, according to the L.A. Times. —Mary Jackson

Iowa

A bridge connecting Lansing to Crawford County, Wis.—the only Mississippi River crossing for 60 miles—will close Oct. 20. Its replacement is set to open in 2027 and is under construction alongside the existing bridge. Project engineers determined the 94-year-old structure must be demolished for work to continue. Meanwhile, Iowa and Wisconsin will partner to offer a free car ferry until the new bridge is complete. The Lansing bridge, also known as the Black Hawk Bridge, was featured in a scene from the 1999 film The Straight Story, when Alvin Straight is depicted crossing the Mississippi River near the end of his 240-mile journey. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, a third of the nation’s bridge inventory, some 221,791 spans, needs repair work or replacement. —Kim Henderson

Kansas

State officials are cracking down on smoke and vape shops selling marijuana and other products containing the plant’s psychoactive ingredient, THC. Though many surrounding states have legalized recreational and medicinal marijuana, the drug is still illegal in Kansas. But state Attorney General Kris Kobach said local police have only intermittently enforced the state’s ban and in some jurisdictions have not enforced state law at all. As of Oct. 1, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation had conducted raids against 10 shops in six cities. KBI Director Tony Mattivi noted it is too easy for minors to access marijuana and other THC-laced products. He hopes the crackdown will prevent young people from suffering the negative effects of consuming high concentrations of THC. —Addie Offereins

Associated Press / Photo by Jeff T. Green

Washington

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown sent a new proposal to ban unauthorized public camping to the city council Oct. 8. Residents and businesses pushed for a citywide ban on homeless encampments early this year. But the majority liberal city council passed a watered-down version of the hoped-for measure with a controversial, late-night vote on June 16. The current ordinance directs police to offer voluntary services instead of issuing citations and requires officers to provide a three-day warning before arresting those violating the ban. It also prevents officers from collecting data to keep track of whom they have contacted. Police Chief Kevin Hall said the stipulations made the ban practically unenforceable and provided no incentive to chronically homeless drug users to leave the streets. The revised version of the law would give officers greater discretion to arrest those who repeatedly refuse services. Hall said his department has reserved 10 beds in the downtown jail for those with criminal charges who need time to become stabilized before working with a case manager and making decisions about their own care. The city council still needs to approve the suggested revisions. —Addie Offereins

St. Luke Baptist Church in Hog Hammock Associated Press / Photo by David Goldman

Georgia

Thanks to a state Supreme Court ruling handed down Sept. 30, residents of a historic district of Sapelo Island may now have a say in allowing large developments in the area. In 2023, county commissioners passed an ordinance increasing the maximum size of homes in Hog Hammock. The community is home to roughly 50 descendants of former slaves, a people group known as the Gullah Geechee. Concerned that larger homes could drive up property taxes, Hog Hammock locals launched a petition to put the zoning change to a vote. They garnered around 2,300 signatures from other Sapelo Island residents. A special election was scheduled so voters could decide on holding a referendum, but McIntosh County commissioners sued to prevent the vote. A lower court ruled in their favor. But state Supreme Court Justice John Ellington declared that, according to Georgia’s Constitution, the zoning ordinance could be put to a vote. The referendum has not yet been rescheduled. —Bekah McCallum

North Dakota

The state-owned Bank of North Dakota announced Oct. 8 it is developing a stable digital token dubbed the Roughrider coin. The state hopes its announcement will spur financial institutions to adopt stablecoin technology that promises citizens, businesses, and institutions more accessible, instant, and secure transactions with reduced fees. Stablecoins can be used to purchase goods and services or transfer money between financial institutions. They are less volatile than cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, that are speculative in nature with their values determined by investors. Stablecoins are backed by U.S. dollars, government-­issued Treasuries, or other assets like gold and transferred via digital ledgers through traditional financial institutions. Congress passed the GENIUS Act in July that created federal digital payment regulations for entities, including states. Wyoming was the first U.S. public entity to offer a stablecoin Aug. 19 after initially passing legislation in 2023 authorizing what it calls the Frontier Stable Token. —Todd Vician