OHIO — Tropical Storm Debby made landfall in Florida early Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.
With storm surges and flooding expected in several areas, Ohio airports had to cancel some flights to the Sunshine State.
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport has had 14 cancellations and 15 delays so far Monday, according to FlightAware. A handful of the canceled flights include trips to Tampa, Fort Myers, Orlando and more. Flight times can be checked here.
So far at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, there’s been eight cancellations and 22 delays, according to FlightAware. Canceled flights include Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, and delays include Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. Flights can be checked here.
Then at John Glenn International Airport, there’s been 10 cancellations and eight delays. Canceled flights included Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers. Some delays include Orlando, Fort Lauderdale. Flight times can be checked here.
Akron-Canton Airport only had two cancellations, one of which being Sarasota, Fla. Check flight times here.
Tropical Storm Debby is expected to impact Florida’s Big Bend region, then head toward coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
HAINES CITY, Fla. — Schools in Haines City will soon have cameras installed to catch drivers speeding through school zones.
What You Need To Know
Haines City are introducing speeding cameras in school zones throughout the city
The ordinance was approved by the city commission in June
Officials said cameras would become active 30 minutes before and after the school day
Haines City has about 12 schools in the city so officials hope at least some of them will have cameras installed by the start of the next school year
The ordinance was approved by the city commission earlier in June, making it the first city in Polk County to add these cameras to local schools.
Before becoming police chief in Haines City, Greg Goreck worked in the traffic unit for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and says he’s seen what happens when people drive dangerously.
“One of our major complaints that came in was cars that were speeding through school zones,” Goreck said. “And it is a constant battle because we just do not have enough law enforcement resources to be in every school zone both times a day, every day of the week.”
He’s been the top cop in Haines City for about two years now, and that battle is still something he faces.
“On a monthly basis,” he said, “if not weekly basis, we’re getting complaints from educators, students and parents alike that are calling in reference to some type of traffic concerns within our school zones.”
In the time Spectrum Bay News 9 was outside Alta Vista Elementary School, two cars drove through the crosswalk as the news crew and the police chief were trying to cross, and one almost drove into Goreck until he stopped him after claiming the driver was on his phone.
“Those ones that are purposely speeding through school zones, they think it’s fair game if they don’t see a patrol car,” Goreck said.
That’s why he’s excited the city commission has approved installing speeding cameras in school zones.
The technology will be able to detect whether a person is going over the 20 mile an hour speed limit at the beginning or end of the school day.
It gives the city a bird’s-eye view at all times, according to Goreck.
“They’re not going to be an end all, cure all,” he said. “But it does give me a little bit of peace in the fact that, again, we’re going to be able to determine who these violators are and hold them accountable, because if an officer is not here, they’re not being held accountable for their egregious actions.”
Haines City is the first community in Polk County to approve these cameras with funding coming from the Florida legislature.
The city has about 12 schools, so Goreck hopes that at least some of them will have cameras installed by the start of the next school year.
“When we talk to the companies of what we can install, when we can install them, and we’ll do it on a worst-case basis first, and then move on to the ones that maybe have a lower recidivism rate when it comes to violators,” Goreck said.
Goreck says the cameras would become active 30 minutes before and after the school day.
The chief says he’s already started reaching out and meeting with companies to determine what kind of cameras the city will install around its schools.
Police in Arlington, Va., said they are looking to talk to occupants of a Jeep Cherokee who were victims of a botched carjacking attempt where the suspect was shot by police.
A person suspected of a series of carjackings in the Rosslyn area was wounded in a shooting involving a Metro Transit Police officer, police said Friday. (WTOP/Ana Golden)
A person suspected of a series of carjackings in the Rosslyn area was wounded in a shooting involving a Metro Transit Police officer, police said Friday. (WTOP/Ana Golden)
Police in Arlington, Virginia, said they are looking to talk to occupants of a Jeep Cherokee who were victims of a botched carjacking attempt earlier this month where the suspect was shot by police.
On July 5, investigators say that a Metro Transit police officer shot 30-year-old Mark Anthony Johnson-Crestwell after he attempted to carjack two different vehicles, including the Jeep, in Rosslyn.
Arlington County police say they want to talk to the owners of a dark colored Jeep Cherokee that may have Maryland license plates, according to a news release.
Police said, before being caught, Johnson-Crestwell entered the occupied Jeep “at Fort Myer Drive and 19th Street N. and the vehicle continued to drive before the suspect exited.”
At this time, a Metro Transit officer attempted to stop Johnson-Crestwell, pepper spraying him as he began to run away, police said.
After a foot chase, Johnson-Crestwell then hopped into an unoccupied trash truck located around the intersection of 19th Street N. and N. Kent Street. Police said a Metro Transit officer commanded him to exit the trash truck, but he refused. It was at that time the officer shot the suspect, according to police.
Johnson-Crestwell was hospitalized in stable condition.
Police said they want to talk to the owners of the Jeep as part of their investigation into the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Arlington County police at 703-228-4180 or ACPDTipline@arlingtonva.us.
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If you join the Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Assoication, you pay $35 for a bus pass for an entire year
The assoication has seen a 30% increase in members since the program launched in June
PSTA says the program is growing in popularity
The program is simple: Members of the association pay a flat fee of $35 to get a yearly transit card that is used on buses around Pinellas County. It costs $5 for one round-trip ticket.
Alexis Baum, with the Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Association, helped create the partnership with PSTA. She said the program has boosted association membership by 30% since it launched in June.
“We all know it’s important for the growth of the city. It’s important for so many reasons — the environment and traffic,” Baum said.
PSTA Communications and Public Relations Manager Stephanie Weaver said others are taking notice about the pilot program’s success so far.
“Our phones have been ringing off the hook from neighborhoods in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County, who are interested in this. But again, we are going to wait until we see the data for the next year,” Weaver said.
Ever since speed cameras in NYC expanded to 24/7 operations last summer, two Bronx locations saw particular changes.
File photo/Pablo D. Castillo Jr.
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Department of Transportation (DOT) officials re-launched a campaign to combat reckless driving at Yankee Stadium this week.
“Speeding Ruins Lives, Slow Down” is a $4 million multi-platform, multilingual Vision Zero ad campaign that warns drivers about dangerous behaviors, like speeding. According to DOT, auto accidents have occurred at higher rates since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ads will appear at both Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, as well as other media channels, billboards, bus stops, LinkNYC kiosks, and gas station pumps.
“Over the next few months, these important ads will allow New Yorkers to see for themselves the horrible aftermath of driving too fast,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in the announcement.
Part of the campaign’s focus is reaching “harder-to-reach” demographics. Those include men specifically, who according to DOT are 37% more likely than women to get into serious car accidents.
In 2022, an initiative to expand speed cameras throughout the city resulted in more than 435,000 violations in the Bronx from just August through late December of that year — the total amount charged a staggering $21.7 million. The Bronx was third in total violations count during that time period, following Queens (more than 1 million violations; $53 million) and Brooklyn (more than 949,000 violations; $47 million).
Not only that, the Bronx is home to some of the most dangerous roadways. Those include sections of the Bronx River Parkway — nicknamed the “Bermuda Triangle” of the expressway — as well as East 138th Street, which was New York City’s deadliest roadway for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists from 2014-2023.
“This campaign is unprecedented in the extent of its outreach, directly reaching tens of thousands of sports fans, appearing in more communities, covering more community and ethnic media, and speaking to New Yorkers in 13 different languages,” Rodriguez said. “We thank the mayor for his support and leadership as we use all the tools in the toolbox to reduce traffic violence in New York city and the region.”
Reach Camille Botello at cbotello@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
NJ Transit and Amtrak riders found themselves stranded again Friday, with rail service suspended in and out of New York’s Penn Station during the morning rush — and then some.
Again, NJ Transit cited Amtrak overhead wire issues as the problem.
Amtrak attributed the mess to a disabled commuter train in Penn Station and said it didn’t anticipate service being fully restored until noon Friday. After that, expect delays of up to an hour.
Service Disruption: As of 8:24 am ET, Due to a disabled commuter train in New York (NYP), All rail services will be delayed/modified between PHL & NYP. Resumption of service is estimated at 12:00 pm. Delays of at least 60 mins are expected. Updates to come.
NJ Transit said its tickets and passes were being cross-honored by NJ Transit, private buses, and PATH at Newark Penn, Hoboken, and 33rd Street. See more alternate routes here.
It comes less than a day after a power issue caused a lengthy disruption of both NJ Transit and Amtrak heading into the evening rush hour.
Amtrak had previously said that service suspension, which lasted hours Thursday afternoon, was caused by a “malfunctioning circuit breaker” that caused a loss of power on the tracks between Newark Penn Station and Newark Union Station. Amtrak and NJ Transit later said a brush fire in Secaucus had also caused issues for trains.
Earlier in the week, Amtrak warned the high temperatures the region is facing could require trains to operate at lower speeds and result in afternoon delays of up to 60 minutes.
What do you do if you live in a transportation desert?
Public transportation is slim to none. Your neighborhood doesn’t have access to ride-share bikes and scooters.
One answer: Bring in your own form of transportation.
That’s what neighborhood leaders in Montbello have done with the launch of their e-bike library and community e-van rental.
Last week, the Montbello Organizing Committee celebrated the opening of their e-bike and e-van rental program, as well as the installation of new charging stations.
A certified transportation desert, the Montbello neighborhood is in Denver’s far northeast corner — emphasis on “far.” In Montbello, there are limited ways to get around and get to the neighborhood.
Montbello Organizing Committee’s Mersi Canales (left to right), Christopher Urias and Mayra Gonzales stand in front of their new Electric Bike Library in the Montbello Community Building’s parking lot. May 23, 2024.
Meanwhile, many residents depend on limited public transportation.
“We’re secluded out here and when you don’t have a lot of options to move around, it really limits your opportunities,” said Mayra Gonzales, MOC’s chief impact officer. “We found that Montbello is really this desert for a lot of things, including electric mobility infrastructure … So, we decided that we needed to create something for ourselves.”
In 2020, the city’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency performed a Community-Based Needs Assessment in Montbello to look at the area’s mobility needs and identify any issues in increasing mobility, specifically electrified mobility solutions.
The study determined that Montbello wasn’t very accessible and didn’t have the infrastructure for electric mobility.
Fany Ventura rides around the Montbello Community Building’s parking lot as she tries out a bike from the Montbello Organizing Committee’s new Electric Bike Library. May 23, 2024.
This isn’t Montbello’s first transportation initiative
That same year, MOC and other community partners developed the Montbello Moves initiative to help address the transportation challenges.
Through the Connector, residents could call or text the service, be picked up in the neighborhood and dropped off somewhere within the neighborhood for free.
While the Connector is useful, Gonzales said the service only takes residents around Montbello. If folks need to go to work or attend an appointment outside the neighborhood, there are still few transportation options.
The Montbello Organizing Committee’s new Electric Bike Library in the Montbello Community Building’s parking lot. May 23, 2024.
“What we were finding, and something that our partners who helped us design the [Connector] program were saying is that’s awesome but we can’t leave Montbello,” Gonzales said. “We still have no options if we don’t own a vehicle.”
The idea for the e-bike library, as well as the e-van rental and the installation of charging stations, emerged through the study, the initiative and some funding.
That became one part of the transportation solution that would provide a way for folks in Montbello to get around and head outside of the neighborhood.
So, what’s an e-bike library?
It’s a fleet of e-bikes residents can rent out.
Denver currently has three e-bike locations run by Northeast Transportation Connections, a nonprofit that aims to increase mobility resources in underserved communities. Their libraries are located in Sun Valley, Globeville and Elyria-Swansea.
With the help of Transportation Connections, Gonzales said MOC was able to mold their program to their needs.
MOC’s fleet consists of 10 bikes that will be housed inside a solar-powered shipping container at the Montbello Community Building, 12000 E. 47th Ave. With the container being solar-powered, the bike batteries can charge for free.
The Montbello Organizing Committee’s new Electric Bike Library in the Montbello Community Building’s parking lot. May 23, 2024.
Residents can rent the bikes, through MOC’s website, for up to three days, as well as helmets. The bikes are Class 1 Gazelles that don’t have a throttle for safety reasons, Gonzales said. This way no one accidentally uses the throttle instead of the brakes, which on motorized bikes are typically near each other. Each bike has a ton of lights and a bell for additional safety measures.
“This is so if someone has never ridden a bike or e-bike, it’s easier to get used to,” Gonzales said. “We want to instill safe practices in everyone.”
Gonzales said there will also be a bike mechanic on-site to assist with any e-bike needs but will also be available for those who need help with their traditional bikes, such as fixing a flat or tightening their brakes.
E-bikes at the Electric Bike Library.
While the main goal of the program is to provide a new transportation method, Gonzales said the vision is to create a community hub where residents can learn more about how to bike and bike responsibly.
Gonzales said the program is in the piloting phase as MOC learns about charging and maintenance needs, along with community needs. She said eventually the program would allow people to rent the bikes for up to a month and more bikes will come online, including cargo bikes.
For now, the chargers will remain on site but will also eventually be loaned out to the renters. But the installation of new neighborhood charging stations at the ELK Education Center, 12680 Albrook Dr., will help supplement the need for charging.
And what about the e-van?
Community-based organizations will use the wheelchair-accessible van. (Capacity is 10 people, or seven if there’s a wheelchair passenger.)
Neighborhood groups can sign up for the program through MOC and use it to transport their participants.
The Montbello Organizing Committee’s new electric van, which they’re making available to local community groups. May 23, 2024.
For example, Gonzales said groups such as the Colorado Changemakers Collective have already signed up for the program and intend to use it during their summer camp field trips.
“For our community partners, when they want to take multiple people out with them, they couldn’t do it … because there’s not a vehicle for them to use for all of their members to go,” Gonzales said. “Now this is a service that they can take advantage of.”
During last week’s celebration, a few community members took a spin around the parking lot to see how the babies rode.
Maira Gallegos hopped on a bike that matched her outfit.
She said the program was great, bridging a transportation gap while also getting people outside again.
Maira Gallegos wears a helmet as she prepares to take up the Montbello Organizing Committee’s new Electric Bike Library on a short pedal. May 23, 2024.
“This really helps families get around from school, work, to the library, even to the grocery store. We really lack grocery stores as well but I think we’re getting there and it’s really positive that we’re getting this right now,” Gallegos said.
She added that as interest in the program grows, and the community continues to demand better for their neighborhood, the next steps are to improve nearby infrastructure: more street lights and bike lanes and better pedestrian crossings.
“I hope parents and community members and anyone in the area knows that you can advocate for what your children, your family and your community needs and it starts with that,” Gallegos said.
New construction along Welton Street creates what Brother Jeff Fard calls a “concrete canyon.” Oct. 26, 2022.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Parts of the light rail tracks downtown are literally disintegrating.
That’s why the Regional Transportation District (RTD) is shutting down much of downtown light rail service for the summer as part of a multi-year, $152-million project that will fix “condemned” parts of the track.
Thirty years of buses and cars driving over the downtown tracks has worn them down. RTD recognized the conditions in 2022 but didn’t prioritize starting comprehensive repairs until this year.
The first phase of the project begins Sunday and runs through September.
Here’s how it will affect rail service:
D and H lines will reroute to Union Station. They will not go to Colfax at Auraria, Theatre District/Convention Center, Stout Street Station or California Street Station. Trains will go from 10th/Osage Station to Auraria West, Empower Field, Ball Arena/Elitch Gardens and Union Station instead.
E and H lines will have reduced service and slower speeds.
The L line will be suspended.
The N line will add a north and southbound trip in the evening.
Sunday through Thursday D, E, H and R lines will have reduced hours between 5 a.m. to midnight. The W line will have reduced hours between 4:30 a.m. and midnight.
Here’s how it will affect bus service:
The free MetroRide will return, running along 18th and 19th streets to connect Union Station and Central Business District.
Free MallRide service frequency will drop by 10 minutes.
Union Station and Downtown Boulder Station will see minor schedule adjustments.
What’s the timeline?
Phase one will focus on 15th and California, 17th and California, 15th and Stout, 17th and Stout, and Broadway and Welton — so expect construction at those intersections throughout the summer.
Operations will return to normal in September before RTD begins future phases of the project next year.
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolinians are going to be traveling in record numbers this Memorial Day weekend.
AAA predicts more than 1.3 million North Carolinians will travel 50 miles or more. That’s the highest number of holiday travelers since AAA began keeping their eye on these numbers in 2000.
What You Need To Know
AAA predicts a record-setting 1.3 million in NC will travel for the Memorial Day weekend
More travelers are expected to hit the road and travel by plane
Airports are bracing for a spike in travelers
Travelers have a multitude of options for getting where they’re wanting to go. Road trips are expected to set a record in North Carolina and nationwide, with nearly 1.5 million more Americans on the road than last year. Air travel is also expected to be up.
This will be the most crowded Memorial Day weekend at airports since 2005, according to AAA. Director of Public Affairs with AAA, Tiffany Wright, said air travel has rebounded back after the pandemic.
She said there’s a strong interest in flying, both domestically and abroad. Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) said they expect an 8% increase in travelers over last year; and expectations at Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) are 20% more travelers.
Wright added if you are flying this weekend, you should give yourself more time than you usually do to get yourself to the airport.
“I would say maybe get to the airport two and a half hours early for domestic, three and half for international,” Wright said. “I’m just saying that because you really want to give yourself enough time to get though security when you know those lines are going to be very long.”
Spectrum News 1 also spoke with travelers to get their take on how this weekend is going so far and how they prepared for the chaos they might see at the airports.
“Believe [it] or not just before we landed, I just put my head back because of the chaos of the traveling, and I just began to thank God that we didn’t have any problems, it was a straight flight for us,” Jacqueline Williams, a holiday traveler, said.
“Traffic was good, clean, smooth, no problems, little rain here and there, spotty rain, but other than that it was a good traffic drive too,” Alexander Williams, another traveler, said.
“Carry-on bag only, so I didn’t have to worry about missing my layover, and then also traveling red eyes, may be a little less popular, I got on a flight at midnight out of Denver, so kind of going at a time that people don’t want to go and then landing early here,” Justin Munro, a Memorial Day weekend traveler, said.
In response to a recent spate of rider assaults, LA Metro on Thursday authorized “a surge” of law enforcement to physically patrol on board trains and bus lines marked by high rates of crimes, instead of just remaining on train platforms, within bus depots or in squad cars.
The sea change comes from a motion approved by the Board of Directors, aimed at rejiggering deployment strategies from the trio of law enforcement agencies hired by the transit agency, including officers from the LAPD and the Long Beach Police Department and deputies from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The motion also includes redeployment of Metro Transit Security Officers.
The 2024-2025 budget of about $9 billion will include an additional $18 million for law enforcement, bringing the total cost for the three agencies to about $195 million, which means LA Metro gets about 260 armed officers patrolling the vast system each day.
While many board members acknowledged that is not enough, considering that LA Metro every day handles almost a million riders on 2,400 bus runs, 108 rail stations and more than 400 rail cars, they must work within a tight budget.
“I’ve been told law enforcement can’t be everywhere at once,” said board member and L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. “They don’t have the personnel to the extent needed.”
Nonetheless, CEO Stephanie Wiggins said the agency is reacting to recent violent incidents on buses and trains and on train platforms. The agency already expanded law enforcement presence primarily on the rail systems, while Metro’s security officers are increasing their presence on buses.
Liu Francisco, 52, from North Hollywood rides the mile from home on his bike to the North Hollywood B (Red) line station on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. He paid to enter as security look on. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The agency on May 28 will also launch a 90-day pilot program that involves locking the exit fare gates at the North Hollywood B Line Station. That will require passengers to touch a TAP card on a reader at the exit, showing they’ve paid the fare in order to open the turnstiles, a first in the agency’s history.
Riders who did not pay will be cited or removed. The idea is to remove riders, often who are homeless, mentally ill or taking illicit drugs, from the system.
“The majority of violent crimes are from those with untreated mental health conditions and drug addictions,” Wiggins said.
An LA Sheriff’s Department officer rides the C-train at the Vermont Avenue station in Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Board member James Butts, mayor of Inglewood and a former police chief, agreed that enforcement of the agency’s fare system, part of its “code of conduct,” is a key aspect of stemming violent assaults. But that enforcement power was taken away from law enforcement a few years ago by Metro.
“We need to make sure people who get on buses and trains are the people who have paid the fare,” Butts said.
Two murders of passengers appear to have been committed by assailants who were mentally ill, as both killings were unprovoked, authorities reported.
Wiggins specifically mentioned the unprovoked killing of Juan Luis Gomez-Ramirez, a teacher visiting from Mexico who was sitting on a Line 108 bus in Commerce when someone on the bus got up, walked toward the rear exit, pointed a gun at the back of his head and fired, killing Gomez-Ramirez instantly.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón called it a tragic, senseless and heartbreaking killing of a “beloved father” who was simply riding on a bus in the 6200 block of Slauson Avenue in the afternoon of May 17. Winston Apolinario Rivera was charged with one count of murder, Gascon said in a statement.
The second involved the fatal stabbing of 66-year-old Mirna Soza Arauz on April 22. Arauz was riding the B Line train at the Universal City Station in Studio City, heading home from her job as a night security guard at Tommy’s Restaurant in North Hills.
Arauz, a mother and grandmother, was murdered in an unprovoked attack. After being stabbed in the neck, she managed to get off the train at the station, where she was found mortally wounded on the platform. A suspect was arrested about a half-hour later and identified as Elliott Tramel Nowden, 45. Nowden has since been charged with murder.
Mirna Soza Arauz, 66, seen in a photo on the GoFundMe website, was heading home after boarding Metro B (Red) Line in North Hollywood early Monday, April 22, 2024, and was stabbed to death. A suspect identified as Elliott Tramel Nowden, 45, was arrested. LA Metro’s board voted on Thursday, May 23, 2024 to beef up patrols and other security measures on its system. (Photo via GoFundMe)
“No one should be losing their life or or risking their life just for riding on Metro,” said board chair and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “The violence and crimes we’ve seen on Metro is absolutely unacceptable.”
A second motion also approved unanimously calls for the three chiefs of the law enforcement agencies to report to the Metro board at its June meeting about these “high profile” incidents, deployment of personnel, staffing levels and a cost analysis.
“I feel the tail is wagging the dog right now,” she said.
Below is a list of recent crimes on LA Metro that made headlines:
A teenage boy was fatally stabbed at the 7th/Metro Center station in downtown L.A. on Jan. 11.A man was fatally stabbed at the Westlake/MacArthur Park Station (651 S. Westlake Avenue, Los Angeles) on Feb. 1.A No. 2 line bus was hijacked by a man with a BB gun that resembled a gun on March 21. The bus crashed into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at West Olympic Boulevard.Two people were stabbed in separate attacks at Metro B (Red) Line stations in East Hollywood at (Hollywood/Western) and Westlake/MacArthur Park (600 block of South Bonnie Brae Street) on April 7.A bus operator got punched and stabbed while driving in Willowbrook (119th Street and Wilmington Avenue) on April 13.A man stabbed a 66-year-old woman (Mirna Soza Arauz) to death at a Metro Universal City station in Studio City (3900 block of Lankershim Boulevard) on April 22.A security guard was stabbed at a B Line station in Hollywood (1500 block of North Vermont Avenue) before fatally shooting his assailant on May 7, authorities said.A woman was stabbed in the arm at the Metro C Line Vermont/Athens station (South Vermont Avenue and the 105 Freeway) on Monday May 13.Hours later on May 13, four teenagers fought on a bus in Glendale (West Los Feliz Road and South Central Avenue). Two were stabbed and the other two arrested.On Tuesday, May 14, a man was robbed of his cellphone and hit in the chest on a bus in Encino (Ventura and Balboa boulevards).On Thursday, May 16, a man shot another passenger to death on a Metro bus in Commerce (6200 block of Slauson Avenue), authorities reported.A person was stabbed Tuesday, May 21, on a Los Angeles Metro bus in Lynwood (Long Beach Boulevard and Norton Avenue).
SCNG staff writer Hunter Lee contributed to this article.
Speaking before a crowd of local residents and regional dignitaries this week, Gilroy Mayor Marie Blankley made the case for a city that is growing, while touching on housing, homelessness, and the need for better infrastructure in her annual State of the City address.
After detailing her family’s century-long history in Gilroy, Blankley launched into how the city has grown over the previous year, optimistically describing the dozens of businesses that are opening or are on the way. Chief among these was the deal with the San Jose Sharks to bring a sports complex with two National Hockey League-sized ice rinks to Gilroy, with the design coming before the city council next month.
She also highlighted an upcoming pedestrian plaza in downtown Gourmet Alley, which is currently under construction, as a place to enjoy the burgeoning downtown businesses.
Despite the hope that coming developments might draw more to the city, she acknowledged the loss of one of the city’s greatest draws, the Gilroy Garlic festival, and the traumatic circumstances that surrounded it — 17 people were shot and three were killed at a mass shooting.
“Moving forward from the 2019 tragedy has been a painful process,” said Blankley, referencing the deep trauma of the community, especially those who lost loved ones. Though the Garlic Festival Association continues to host smaller events, the festival is unlikely to return in its previous form until several lawsuits that followed the shooting are resolved, she said, noting that the largest of the lawsuits had been dismissed last year.
Moving forward, Blankley addressed homelessness in the city – which has the second largest homeless population in Santa Clara County after San Jose – highlighting the work of the police officers dedicated to unhoused populations and a coming 75-unit affordable housing complex in helping alleviate those issues.
Even as housing supply grows, many jobs remain north of Gilroy, said Blankley, meaning that better transport will be essential to the growing city. She celebrated the expansion of bus and train service to the city and previewed road improvements, while admitting that far more is needed. “These are important wins for Gilroy,” she said. “Even though it seems that we’re inching forward, it’s progress. We’re moving in the right direction.”
Several who attended the address at Gilroy City Hall seemed pleased with its optimistic tone. “It was a very, very positive speech. She gave us a lot of good information,” said resident Ron Kirkisch. “We have some issues, but overall we’re looking good… I think our city’s in pretty good hands.”
Some, however, disagreed with the depiction of the issues facing Gilroy, arguing that the speech omitted context around issues of housing and homelessness. “I found that there were a lot of half-truths,” said resident Maria Aguilar.
Blankley acknowledged the disagreements within her city in her speech, but stressed the importance of unity. “Here in our own community of Gilroy, we are family — and not that family doesn’t get angry with each other and want to fight too,” said Blankley. “But if we can just recognize the good and the worth that is in each of us … then I think we can bring that down. We have lots more to do, but we’ve also accomplished a lot together.”
Beginning on May 6, the El Dorado Transit will extend all its routes to include a stop at the new May Lee State Office, 651 Bannon Street, near the intersection of Richards Boulevard and North 7th Street.
The May Lee State Office Complex, a 1.2 million sq. foot office complex located in Sacramento’s River District, opened on Wednesday as a part of the Department of General Service’s plan to renovate state office buildings in California’s capital city. According to its website, the office complex plans to host seven California agencies.
“A total of five trips will occur starting on May 6, 2024, in both the morning and in the afternoon,” the El Dorado Transit System said.
The transportation service added a reminder that its Sacramento Commuter route begins at the Park and Ride locations in western El Dorado County and ends in downtown Sacramento.
“For state workers who live in El Dorado County, the Sacramento Commuter service is the easy, stress-free way to commute to work,” the transit system said.
OHIO — The Ohio Department of Transportation kicked off National Work Zone Awareness Week by announcing it was investing $2.8 billion into 950 road and bridge improvement projects.
Of the 950 projects, 39 have been classified as “major projects,” valuing above $10 million.
What You Need To Know
The 2024 construction program contains 176 safety projects, laying nearly 5,700 miles of pavement and repairing or replacing 885 bridges across the state
ODOT officials highlighted the safety of ODOT workers, noting 43 crews have been struck since January
In 2023, 56 ODOT crews were hit through the entire year with 14 ODOT workers, nine contractors injured and one contractor killed
Ohio had 4,098 work zone-related crashes with 36% occurring when workers were present
“Investing in efficient infrastructure is an investment in quality of life,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “Once complete, these projects will significantly reduce traffic congestion and improve roadway safety.”
The 2024 construction program contains 176 safety projects, laying nearly 5,700 miles of pavement and repairing or replacing 885 bridges across the state.
“While the orange barrels that are synonymous with summer may be a source of frustration and inconvenience for some, they are a sign of progress and improvement for all who live in Ohio and who travel through it,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks.
ODOT officials highlighted the safety of ODOT workers, noting 43 crews have been struck since January. In 2023, 56 ODOT crews were hit through the entire year with 14 ODOT workers, nine contractors injured and one contractor killed. The top work zone crash type is rear-end crashes.
“Driving requires all your attention, but that is especially true in work zones where things can change quickly. Drop the distractions, obey the speed limit, and allow extra room between your vehicle and the one in front of you,” said Marchbanks.
Ohio had 4,098 work zone-related crashes with 36% occurring when workers were present. From the work-zone related accidents there were 1,433 injuries with 110 of them being classified as serious. Nine people were killed, including the contractor.
Summit County had the most work zone crashes with 576, followed by Cuyahoga County with 521 and Lucas County with 413.
In a victory for local unions, LA Metro has reversed course by canceling the proposed turnover of its bike share contract to Lyft, documents show.
The contract was slated to go in February to Lyft’s subsidiary, Lyft Bikes and Scooters LLC, but that was abruptly squashed after heated protests from unions and gig drivers said the rideshare company was not friendly to unions.
A letter dated March 26 sent to current contract holder, Bicycle Transit Systems, Inc., (BTS) said: “The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has decided to cancel the subject solicitation.” It was signed by James Giblin, senior contract administrator for Metro.
Instead, LA Metro is reexamining the scope of the program and plans to put the contract out for bid once again under a Request For Proposal (RFP). There’s no timetable for the new RFP, said Dave Sotero, Metro spokesperson on Monday, April 1.
“There will be no interruption in bike share services,” he said.
Both Lyft and BTS said they would reapply under the new RFP.
“We are elated the voices of Angelenos were heard. Metro listened,” said Alison Cohen, founder and owner of BTS, which has been operating the system for the last nine years. “It is rare that once a decision is made they (Metro) change course. But it was the right thing to do.”
The contract was the subject of a rally by drivers for Lyft, Uber, DoorDash and other car and bicycle delivery workers — known as gig workers — in front of Metro headquarters on Jan. 18. About 40 rallied against giving the contract to Lyft’s subsidiary, arguing that Lyft has not treated workers fairly and that the contract would downgrade bike share service in L.A. County.
FILE- Felipe Caceras, organizer with the California Gig Workers Union, leads a rally on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, of gig workers who are against a plan by LA Metro to award a contract to Lyft for managing and operating Metro’s Bike Share program. Metro canceled the request for proposal and did not award the contract to Lyft at the end of March 2024. (photo by Steve Scauzillo/SCNG).
Workers said they had been trying to join a union and have had labor disputes with Lyft, a ride-sharing company that has other ventures including operating bike share programs in New York City, Chicago and San Francisco.
A letter sent to LA Metro from David Green, SEIU Local 721 president and executive director, said Lyft’s alleged anti-union practices and failure to uphold equitable standards made it a bad choice.
This was one of 700 comments, letters and emails brought to the attention of Metro’s Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee that agreed to put off the matter in January. Although Metro staff recommended Lyft over the other vendors, the contract solicitation was canceled a short time later.
“We are proud of our submission, which earned the highest score from LA Metro, and look forward to reapplying to the new RFP,” wrote Jordan Levine, a Lyft spokesperson in an emailed response received on Monday, April 1.
On its website, Lyft wrote that a new ruling from the Department of Labor defining an independent contractor does not change Lyft’s business model and will not reclassify Lyft drivers as employees.
Lyft said that 92% of its drivers support a policy under which drivers would remain independent contractors and would receive “some but not all of the benefits that employees receive.”
Others that opposed giving Lyft the contract said Metro should not privatize a public transit system. “I applaud Metro reconsidering and ultimately canceling a frivolous contract which would have given taxpayer dollars to a private company making millions off the working poor,” wrote L.A. County Democratic Party Chair Mark Gonzalez in an emailed response.
Political and union forces could remain steadfast when Metro rejiggers the contract and opens it up to the lowest bidder.
“I hope LA Metro continues to heed the call for a robust bike share system worthy of Los Angeles that protects union jobs,” Gonzalez said.
Cohen said her company BTS, which is women- and LGBTQ-owned, has about 65 employees. Of those, 40 are unionized, she said. She is looking for a one-year extension at the very least. The BTS contract ends in August, she said.
The canceled 11.5-year Lyft contract proposal would have cost Metro $47 million less than the estimated cost of the current BTS contract, according to a Metro staff report.
In all of 2023, Metro Bike Share ridership reached 441,199, which is the highest annual ridership thus far, Sotero reported. The 2023 ridership figure shows an increase of 128,787 trips or 41%, compared to the highest pre-COVID ridership of 312,412 trips in calendar year 2018, he wrote in an emailed response.
Lowered costs and more available bikes increased use of the program, which mainly operates within the city of Los Angeles. The number of on-street bikes increased from 1,224 in April 2022 to 1,726 in November 2023. Pedal assist e-bikes increased from 97 in April 2022 to 370 in November 2023, Metro reported.
Teams of engineers worked Saturday on the intricate process of cutting and lifting the first section of twisted steel from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, which crumpled into the Patapsco River this week after a massive cargo ship crashed into one of its supports.
What You Need To Know
Engineers in Maryland are working on the daunting task of removing the remains of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge from the Patapsco River
Crews on Saturday started to cut the first section of twisted steel so it can be loaded onto a barge. Seven floating cranes, 10 tugboats and nine barges have been tapped to help
Clearing the river will allow officials to reopen the economically vital Port of Baltimore
A massive cargo ship felled the span Tuesday after smashing into a pillar. The bodies of two of six workers missing after the collapse were recovered earlier this week. But four more have yet to be located and are presumed dead
Sparks could be seen flying from a section of bent and crumpled steel in the afternoon, and video released by officials in the evening showed demolition crews using a cutting torch to slice through the thick beams. The joint incident command said in a statement that the work was being done on the top of the north side of the collapsed structure.
Crews were carefully measuring and cutting the steel from the broken bridge before attaching straps so it can be lifted onto a barge and floated away, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said.
Seven floating cranes — including a massive one capable of lifting 1,000 tons — 10 tugboats, nine barges, eight salvage vessels and five Coast Guard boats were on site in the water southeast of Baltimore.
Each movement affects what happens next and ultimately how long it will take to remove all the debris and reopen the ship channel and the blocked Port of Baltimore, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.
“I cannot stress enough how important today and the first movement of this bridge and of the wreckage is. This is going to be a remarkably complicated process,” Moore said.
Undeterred by the chilly morning weather, longtime Baltimore resident Randy Lichtenberg and others took cellphone photos or just quietly looked at the broken pieces of the bridge, which including its steel trusses weigh as much as 4,000 tons.
“I wouldn’t want to be in that water. It’s got to be cold. It’s a tough job,” Lichtenberg said from a spot on the river called Sparrows Point.
The shock of waking up Tuesday morning to video of what he called an iconic part of the Baltimore skyline falling into the water has given way to sadness.
“It never hits you that quickly. It’s just unbelievable,” Lichtenberg said.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
One of the first goals for crews on the water is to get a smaller auxiliary ship channel open so tugboats and other small barges can move freely. Crews also want to stabilize the site so divers can resume searching for four missing workers who are presumed dead.
Two other workers were rescued from the water in the hours following the bridge collapse, and the bodies of two more were recovered from a pickup truck that fell and was submerged in the river. They had been filling potholes on the bridge and while police were able to stop vehicle traffic after the ship called in a mayday, they could not get to the construction workers, who were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
The crew of the cargo ship Dali, which is managed by Synergy Marine Group, remained on board with the debris from the bridge around it, and were safe and were being interviewed. They are keeping the ship running as they will be needed to get it out of the channel once more debris has been removed.
The vessel is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and was chartered by Danish shipping giant Maersk.
The collision and collapse appeared to be an accident that came after the ship lost power. Federal and state investigators are still trying to determine why.
Assuaging concern about possible pollution from the crash, Adam Ortiz, the Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator, said there was no indication in the water of active releases from the ship or materials hazardous to human health.
REBUILDING
Officials are also trying to figure out how to handle the economic impact of a closed port and the severing of a major highway link. The bridge was completed in 1977 and carried Interstate 695 around southeast Baltimore.
Maryland transportation officials are planning to rebuild the bridge, promising to consider innovative designs or building materials to hopefully shorten a project that could take years.
President Joe Biden’s administration has approved $60 million in immediate aid and promised the federal government will pay the full cost to rebuild.
Ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore remains suspended, but the Maryland Port Administration said trucks were still being processed at marine terminals.
The loss of a road that carried 30,000 vehicles a day and the port disruption will affect not only thousands of dockworkers and commuters, but also U.S. consumers, who are likely to feel the impact of shipping delays. The port handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other U.S. facility.
“(The bill) ensures nonbinary and trans people are seen and represented in every part of Colorado law, which is especially important now with the wave of anti-trans rhetoric and legislation across the country,” said Garrett Royer, political director for LGBTQ advocacy organization One Colorado. “It helps the state remain a leader on LGBTQ rights with a very simple legislative fix.” Read more
Colorado legislators set aside $7.2 million to fund longer psychiatric hospital stays
Low-income Coloradans with mental illnesses are poised to receive longer hospital stays after state legislators set aside money to expand a decades-old Medicaid rule.
Federal law requires that Medicaid patients hospitalized in psychiatric facilities be discharged after 15 hospital days in a month or the facility doesn’t get paid. The rule was intended to prevent hospitals from warehousing patients, but advocates and psychiatrists say that it instead pushes hundreds of vulnerable Coloradans out of the facilities prematurely and into a cycle of homelessness, incarceration and emergency room visits. Read more
Parks, bars, protests stripped from bill that would create gun-free zones in Colorado
A proposal to limit where people can carry firearms in Colorado, openly or with concealed carry permits, was narrowed substantially Wednesday as sponsors fought to win a key committee vote in the state Senate.
The bill as introduced would have banned firearms from being carried at a slew of places, including stadiums, protests at public locations, bars, places of worship, public parks, libraries and more. It was amended to only ban firearms at schools, from preschool to college, as well as polling places, the state legislature and local government buildings, though local governments could opt out. It would allow exceptions for security and law enforcement. Read more
Colorado lawmakers’ $40.6 billion budget caps tuition hikes, includes money for auto theft prevention
Colorado lawmakers unveiled a state budget proposal Tuesday that would provide more money for higher education, address long waitlists of jail inmates with competency issues and boost pay for home health care workers.
Those are among the highlights as legislators look to spend about $40.6 billion in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. The bipartisan Joint Budget Committee will now usher the bill — one of the few must-pass measures considered by the General Assembly each year — through the legislature and to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk in coming weeks. Read more
“For-cause” eviction protections for renters overcome moderate Democrats’ challenge in Colorado Senate
Democrats in the Colorado Senate fought off a challenge from within their own party Monday and advanced a bill that would increase displacement protections for tenants — clearing that hurdle nearly a year after the legislative death of a similar proposal.
The bill generally would give renters of apartments and other housing a right of first refusal to renew an expiring lease. Landlords would need to have a good reason for not allowing them to renew, such as failure to pay rent or plans for substantial renovations. Read more
How Wyatts Towing allegedly circumvented Colorado’s new towing law — and why legislators are pushing for further reform
HB24-1051, introduced this legislative session, would outlaw property owners from using automated emails to authorize tows. The bill also would mandate that the authorizing party must be a property owner or someone from a rent-collecting third party — banning parking management companies from doing this on the tower’s behalf.
Colorado poised to ban cities’ limits on how many people can live together
Colorado lawmakers are poised to ban occupancy limits in cities and towns across the state, clearing the way for more roommates to live together as part of Democrats’ push to reform local zoning regulations and address the state’s housing crisis.
Roughly two dozen cities and towns in Colorado have the type of occupancy limits that would be prohibited under HB24-1007, which cleared the state Senate on Tuesday. The measure would prohibit local governments from limiting how many unrelated people can live in one home or housing unit, except for health and safety reasons. Read more
Why Colorado’s push for more high-density housing near transit irks cities — even some that allow it
Colorado cities are ready for a legal fight if necessary to stop a state push to overhaul local housing density rules and allow more tightly packed development along train and bus routes.
While many local governments support the goal of concentrating people in apartments around transit hubs so they drive less, mayors have objected to what they see as state leaders intruding on local power. It’s the same local control problem that led to the defeat of a similar state push last year in the Colorado legislature.
Lawmakers revived the transit-focused housing density bill last month and are moving it through the state House. Read more
Next year’s state budget, gun restrictions and Front Range trains under debate in Colorado legislature this week
The budget package, known as the long bill, lays out how the state will spend some $18 billion in general fund dollars in the next year. It also reveals some of the state’s priorities — such as the end of the so-called budget stabilization factor that has shortchanged state education funding — as the proposal works its way through both chambers. Read more
Trucking professionals say a shortage of rest areas and safe areas to park is a nationwide problem.
The Florida Trucking Association said the state would need to make a more than $1-billion investment to meet the needs of truck drivers currently on the road.
Currently, there are only 90 truck parking spaces between Tampa and Daytona Beach.
Florida Trucking Association President and CEO Alix Miller says not only has the lack of safe parking hurt in the hiring of new drivers, but it is also hurting companies retaining drivers.
“Trucking is hard. It’s a tough job,” said Miller. “And on top of that, not have somewhere safe to sleep, not have facilities at your disposal or even vending machines at the end of a long day. That makes the job even harder.”
Miller says although any project that helps fill the void of truck parking spaces is good news for the industry, it only scratches the surface of the broader shortage of parking available for drivers.
The project timeline has construction starting in the spring of 2025.
To celebrate, SacRT is offering free rides to all passengers across all its systems as the agency’s way of “spreading joy and ensuring that everyone can get to the places that make them happy.”
The International Day of Happiness is meant to celebrate the importance of happiness in all our lives,” SacRT said in a press release. “At SacRT, we want to spread happiness by making transportation accessible to everyone for free.”
To enjoy a free ride, all passengers have to do is hop on any SacRT bus (including Elk Grove and Folsom), SmaRT Ride, or light rail and the fare for their ride will be fully covered.
Free rides are available on SacRT’s GO paratransit services, but a reservation must be made in advance, SacRT said.
SacRT also provided a list of “fun things to do to celebrate happiness” in the Sacramento region that is accessible through public transit, including spending the day at the American River Parkway, visiting DOCO, or heading to the Sacramento Zoo.
Other activities mentioned by SacRT that are easily accessed through their transit system are visiting Historic Folsom, spending some time along the R Street Corridor, and visiting the KP International Market.
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manatee County commissioners passed an ordinance Tuesday that would make the fare-free pilot program permanent in the county.
In November 2022, Manatee County commissioners kick-started an 18-month pilot program that allowed residents to take the bus free of charge. It is only for certain bus routes with Manatee County Area Transit.
“Instead of incurring some additional costs to our fare boxes, which were exorbitant. We decided just take the fare boxes out, put in a pilot program, and see if people would ride the bus, get off the road. And in a time when things are less and less affordable for our residence we were trying to create a little more affordability,” commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said.
What You Need To Know
Manatee County Commissioners voted during their Tuesday meeting to make the free fare pilot program a permanent addition
The 18-month free of charge bus rides were to expire in May of this year, but now it’s permanent
It’s a free fare for fixed routes, handy bus services, and the Longboat Key shuttle, and the Skyway and Port Manatee ConneXion Shuttle
With the program ending in May, commissioners decided to keep it permanently due to its success.
“The program was wildly successful. Within six months ridership was up 28%. Now we are well over a 50% increase in just 18 months,” Ostenbridge said.
It’s a way for everyone to save money, especially for life long bus rider Eric Williams, who is a Bradenton native.
“I’ve been catching the bus since I was 13-years-old. I love it,” he said.
Williams has been an MCAT bus rider since he was a kid. It was a transportation option that allowed his family to save money.
He has carried that same mentality with him as an adult and continues to save money by riding the bus. Now that the county has announced select bus routes will be free of charge, Williams says he’s thankful.
“It’s good because I go to dialysis three times a week. I do my shopping,” he said.
Williams has been going to his weekly appointments for eight months. He says being able to ride for free has been a huge help.
County commissioners also say traffic has decreased because of more people choosing to take the bus.
Williams feels that is a good thing that will help other families who can’t afford transportation.
“It’s really good. There’s going to be a lot of people riding the bus and you don’t have to pay any fare and that’s a good thing,” he said.
