Stanley “Goose” Stewart, who survived the Upper Big Branch coal mine disaster that killed 29 workers 15 years ago Saturday, calls a recommendation by the Trump administration to close three dozen offices of the Mine Safety and Health Administration across the country “idiotic.”.

LEXINGTON, Va. – Reece Udinski ran for two touchdowns and threw for another and VMI beat Mercer 41-14. VMI is off to its first 3-0 start since 1981 and snapped a four-game losing streak to the Bears. “I think that the running game helped us out with the throwing game. Udinksi was 26-of-36 passing for 242 yards, including a 27-yard score to Leroy Thomas for a 34-0 third-quarter lead. Ethan Dirrim caught two touchdown passes for Mercer in the fourth quarter.

Last year saw the highest number of cases of acute flaccid myelitis so far -- 233 confirmed cases in 41 states. So far this year, there have been 11 confirmed cases in eight states out of 57 patients under investigation. The CDC estimates it affects fewer than 1 or 2 in a million children each year in the United States. "AFM is a devastating illness for patients and their families," Dr. Anne Schuchat, CDC's principal deputy director, told reporters Tuesday. The CDC escalated its response to the illness, more than doubling the number of staffers working on AFM late last year.