DON’T SWERVE — HIT THE DEER _ White-tailed deer are the deadliest animals in North America. Every year an estimated 1.25 million deer-vehicle crashes result in about 150 human fatalities, more than 10,000 injuries, and insurance payouts approaching $4 billion. A few years ago a writer for Slate.com hung out with a Wisconsin state trooper for a day and came away with this advice: If there’s a deer in the road, hit it. The trooper explained: “Cars can be fixed or replaced. As long as no one’s tailgating you, hit the brakes. But if you can’t do that, then hit the deer.” Another trooper tip: “Adjust your headrest so it’s at the right height to prevent whiplash. You’d be surprised how many people just leave them shoved all the way down. Maintain your lights, brakes, and tires so you can see, be seen, and stop. Wear your seat belt, don’t tailgate, and slow down. And when you’re driving, drive. At deer crashes, and at a lot of other crashes, too, the number one excuse I hear is ‘I wasn’t paying attention.’”
1923 TEACHER’S CONTRACT _ Some of the agreements in a 1923 elementary school teacher’s contract for female teachers teaching in Payson City, Utah.
• Teacher is not to get married. This contract becomes null and void if teacher marries.
• Teacher is not to keep the company of men.
• Teacher must be home between the hours of 8PM and 6AM unless in attendance at a school function.
• Teacher may not loiter downtown in ice cream parlors.
• Teacher may not leave town at any time without permission of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
• Teacher is not to smoke cigarettes or drink wine, beer or whiskey.
• Teacher may not ride in a carriage with any man except her brother or father.
• Teacher is not to dress in bright colors.
• Teacher may not dye her hair.
• Teacher will not wear dresses more than two inches above the ankle.
U.S. IS STILL BUILDING A BIKE TRAIL THAT RUNS COAST-TO-COAST _ The U.S. is still working on a bike trail that will run coast-to-coast. Stretching almost 3,700 miles and crossing 12 states, the Great American Rail-Trail will enable cyclists, hikers and riders to traverse the entire country. The multi-use trail will run from Washington DC in the east to Washington state on the Pacific coast. Launched in May 2019, the route will eventually connect more than 145 existing paths. The Great American Rail-Trail is more than halfway complete and actively expanding, with over 2,000 miles open to the public and new segments funded and under construction. Around 30 million dollars in new local, state, federal, and private investment was secured in 2025, bringing total public and private investment since 2019 to about 174 million dollars. This page has the list of states the trail will run through.
