By Scott Richardson BLOOMINGTON - John Wesley Powell, the famous naturalist who once taught at both Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities, is a link between Bloomington-Normal and one of America's last remaining wilderness areas in the lower 48 states.

By Howard Fischer, CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES PHOENIX - A special panel approved five finalists Wednesday for Arizona's quarter design: * An overview of the Grand Canyon, with the sun off to one side and the motto "The Grand Canyon State." * A similar scene, but this one also including a saguaro.

By Ray Grass Deseret Morning News MOAB -- The first reaction as rafters stare down the throat of the oncoming rapid in Cataract Canyon is to unconsciously tighten the grip on whatever it is they happen to have hold of.