Presumed drowning reignites calls for river safety in Kamloops
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an hour ago
- Yahoo
Controversial bike lane in Brooklyn replaced with alternative: ‘Sigh of relief'
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A controversial protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg is being removed and replaced with a painted, unprotected bike lane following strong community pushback from parents concerned about their children's safety. The change comes after a prolonged legal battle and heated debate, with city crews now in the process of dismantling the protected lane along three blocks between Flushing and Willoughby avenues. More Local News Joel Weberman, a Williamsburg father of nine whose children rely on the school bus daily along this route, expressed relief at the decision. 'It's a sigh of relief. A long fight came to an end,' Weberman said. He and other concerned parents argued that the protected bike lane posed unique dangers during school bus pick-up and drop-off, as young children sometimes run or step into the bike lane when boarding or exiting the bus. 'Just that design just happened to be a miscalculation, and our kids were at stake,' he added. While NYC Department of Transportation data showed a 47% decline in injuries on this stretch with the protected bike lane in place, many local residents insisted the risk to children was specific and urgent. An anonymous parent emphasized the importance of safety at bus stops, saying, 'The effect this is going to have on the children. The safety and the security they're going to feel when they get on and off the bus every day. This is something as a parent that I'm so glad the mayor did this for us.' Weberman highlighted the practical benefits of removing the protected lane, 'Now the children will be safer when they go on a bus. The bus will be able to block the bike lane at all when he makes that stop. And everyone will stop according to the law and the kids will just go up.' More Local News He also noted the chaotic nature of small children at bus stops, saying, 'You know, small kids, they all always run. You can't, uh, stop them. You could stop the bikers for that minute. The bus is putting it on and, uh, we hope that's going to take it safe.' The decision follows months of legal wrangling. Mayor Eric Adams sided with parents and community leaders, authorizing the removal of the protected bike lane despite opposition from transportation advocates and data warning that the change could increase risk for all street users. Courts upheld the city's authority to proceed with the removal, dismissing legal challenges from bike safety groups. Opponents of the removal criticized Mayor Adams's choice. Executive Director with Transportation Alternatives, Ben Furnas said, 'Thanks to Mayor Adams, Brooklyn just got more dangerous. By reverting a safer street to a more dangerous one, Mayor Adams has made a blatantly self-interested decision, putting New Yorkers at increased risk of injury or death for the sake of his own political prospects.' For Weberman and families like his, the restoration of a painted bike lane is a cause for gratitude. 'It took longer than we thought. Harder than we thought, but we thank God that be the end of it,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
A Calgary woman was unable to complete a breathalyzer test. Now, she can't drive
A Calgary woman says she had her driver's licence suspended after being unable to complete a breathalyzer test — and some experts say the situation is more common than you might think. Pam Lacusta, 58, was driving on Stoney Trail in April when she was pulled over by Calgary police, who administered a breathalyzer test. Lacusta attempted the test 30 times and couldn't complete it. The officer handed her an administrative penalty for failing to provide a proper breath sample — a penalty that carries the same consequences as driving while impaired. Now, Lacusta must complete a driver's education course and install an interlock device in her car before she can drive again. Her prior insurance now refuses to cover her. "I feel like I'm being punished for something that I never did," said Lacusta, who said she doesn't drink for religious reasons. Later on the day she was ticketed, Lacusta took a urine test at a private clinic at her own expense to prove she wasn't drinking. She sent CBC News a copy of the negative results. Edmonton-based paralegal Sandra Weber said she hears of situations like Lacusta's fairly regularly. Weber said people may struggle to complete a roadside test due to medical conditions like lung cancer or asthma, compounded by the stress of completing a test in front of an officer. Once someone has received a penalty for failing to complete a breathalyzer, she said, it can be difficult to fight. "It's up to the recipient … to prove that there was something wrong with the machine or something that the police had done wrong," said Weber, who works with Moreau Law. "It's a very challenging situation and without any medical evidence it's very difficult to overcome these types of tickets." Lacusta did appeal her penalty with a provincial adjudicator, who turned her down. Lacusta said her difficulty with the test may have been due to a recent Botox injection that kept her from making a proper seal with her mouth. She also later learned that she had two suspected rib fractures, but not in time to include that information in her appeal. 'Not enough puff' Recent research out of the University of Sheffield in the U.K. suggests there may be people without severe lung or breathing problems who nevertheless struggle to complete breathalyzer tests. "There is a small, but significant, subset of people who just don't have enough puff to be able to operate the machine successfully," said lead researcher Galen Ives, who noted that older people, short people and women are more likely to struggle. Ives said police should be more willing to offer blood or urine tests as an alternative to people who try and fail to complete breathalyzer tests, though he acknowledged there would be practical hurdles to testing at a second location. A spokesperson for the Calgary Police Service said she couldn't comment on Lacusta's situation, but said anyone who believes they are medically unable to complete a breathalyzer test should tell the officer at the scene. A spokesperson for the provincial minister of justice said if people can't provide breath samples they may be asked to provide blood or urine samples "where certain legal requirements are met." Lacusta said blood and urine tests were not offered in her situation, and she believes they should be more widely available to people who can't provide a breath sample. For now, she's relying on her friends and her bicycle to get around the city, but still hopes to fight her penalty and have her clean driving record restored.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hiker dead after falling into waterfall near Squamish, B.C.
SQUAMISH — Police say a hiker has died after falling into a waterfall near Squamish, B.C. RCMP in the community north of Vancouver say they received a call Thursday evening about a hiker who had fallen into Crooked Falls in the Squamish Valley. They say crews from Squamish Search and Rescue responded and found the person, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The Mounties say rescue crews returned to recover the hiker's body on Friday. They say challenging terrain and fading daylight meant recovery hadn't been possible the night before. Police say there is no indication of criminality in the death, which is under investigation by the BC Coroners Service. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025. The Canadian Press
