Paid parking at Chermside, after expiry of a time limit, may have made it easier to find a vacant parking space but, in the lead-up to Christmas, it is causing big headaches for shoppers and staff.
Customers who fail to finish their shopping within the free, three-hour window, as well as centre staff who pay to park at their workplace, say they are under increased stress.
Shopping-centre owner Westfield introduced paid parking at Queensland's largest shopping centre two months ago, despite a huge protest from retailers and customers.
Parking rates range from $2 for 3 hours to $20 for more than seven hours. Parking is free for any shopper who stays less than three hours but, according to those who made it out in time last week, the "incredible stress" is "not worth it".
"Just having to keep an eye on the time is a massive pain, I hate it," Grange resident Maria Reggi said. ''I only come here because of the shops and the variety, but I try to stay under the three hours.
"Obviously at Christmas time, that's really difficult to do. You can't even stop and have a cup of coffee any more. Not happy at all, we're going to Brookside where they have free parking."
A Westfield spokesperson said centre management was getting positive letters every day from shoppers happy with the new system.
"[The letters are] expressing that the new managed parking system, including the parking guidance system and Queensland's first valet service, has improved their parking experience and they are returning to Chermside," the spokesperson said.
"Before introducing managed parking, the average customer time was 101 minutes, and 96 per cent of customers shopped [in] under three hours. It is expected, with the introduction of managed parking, that the vast majority will continue to not pay for parking.''
Some customers admitted it had become easier to find parking at Chermside but complained of the time-limit pressure. Cheryl McMurtrie of Bridgeman Downs said she had arrived mid-morning and had no trouble finding a car space.
"I come during the day and there's plenty of parking, but I do have to pay for it, which I hate," she said.
"I went to the hairdresser. That took longer than three hours. If you're coming for a quick shop, the concept is good, but if you're coming for a half or full day to do Christmas shopping, it's a costly exercise."
One elderly couple did not have time to answer questions because they were running to their car to get out in time. "It's horrible, absolutely horrible," they said.
Isabella Reggi, who is employed as a casual staff member in the centre, said it was "obvious" people hated being there with a time restriction. "[Speaking] as staff working in the centre, customers are so riled up about it and it's staff who pay the price," she said.
"We might be trying to gift-wrap something and the customer is there saying, 'Hurry up. I've only got five minutes left.' It's really stressful. Everyone walking around the centre is stressed because they're on a time limit,'' Ms Reggi said.
"People don't need extra stress at this time of the year when Christmas shopping is already so hard."
Food retailers who spoke to The Sun-Herald said business was down. "Our takings are noticeably down and there's no doubt it's because of the paid parking," one man said.
2011年12月11日星期日
2011年12月4日星期日
Mean city streets not for the disabled
Even as the world marked another Disability Day on Saturday, crossing a road, accessing a public office, market or park in the city remain arduous tasks for the disabled.
With hardly any Braille signage for the blind and very few ramps for the wheel chair bound in government offices, the state capital is anything but disabled-friendly.
"I feel insecure while crossing a road. No traffic signal has a voice guidance system or tactile zebra crossing to negotiate the path by a blind person," said Sannyash Behera, coordinator of the Odisha Disabled People's Network, who is visually challenged himself. The railway platforms don't have a cutting edge, which could guide a blind person about the platform end.There is no ramp for changing platforms for the orthopedically-challenged either, he pointed out.
But more than the lack of physical infrastructure, what is worrisome is people's attitude towards the disabled, Behera stressed. "Few would vacate seats reserved for the disabled in city buses. The reserved compartments in trains are occupied either by passengers traveling without ticket or railway employees," he said. Similarly, vehicles rush past a blind man, without bothering to give them a safe passage, he said.
Conceding that there is a huge gap to be bridged to make the city disabled-friendly, government authorities said attempts are being made but changes can't be expected overnight. "I agree the roads are not at all disabled-friendly. However, public offices have appropriate signage and are being made approachable for the disabled by making ramps and wheel chairs available," said Kasturi Mahapatra, commissioner for persons with disability. She stressed on the need to create awareness so that people develop more sensitivity towards the needs of the disabled.
Incidentally, the Directorate of Persons with Disabilities has no ramp to the first floor where the director sits. "No person with loco-motor disability can ever go to the director," said Sannyash Behera of Odisha Disabled People's Network. Town planners nevertheless said approach paths and disabled-friendly toilets are being ensured in all public buildings.
"While making any project plan, its friendliness to disabled persons is always being considered. Even in private buildings, we ensure that they have lifts, signage and approach paths," said Prashant Patnaik, director, town planning.
Real estate developers though said not much thought is being spared for the disabled in private constructions so far, but that they would mull over how best buildings can be made disabled-friendly. "We will take it up at our level as a responsibility to make buildings more disabled-friendly. Though lifts are being made in the highrises, due care can be taken to make the approaches to the buildings and the premises more disabledfriendly. Those possibilities will be explored," said D S Tripathy, president of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), Odisha chapter. The disabled in the city should not aspire to have friendlier roads anytime soon.
Though two national highways crisscross the city, the new decongestion plan has nothing for the differently-abled. Though around four underpasses will come up on the highway in the city, none will have ramps. "These will have steps. There is no special consideration for the disabled but the footpaths being developed alongside the NH can be userfriendly to all categories of people," said A K Ray, project director NHAI Orissa. Three foot overbridges being planned by Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) at Vani Vihar, Master Canteen and Sriya Square too will be steps, not escalators for the disabled.
As far as city parks are concerned, however, the wheelchair-bound will have reasons to cheer soon. A park will soon come up exclusively for them. Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), BMC and Saheed Nagar Socio-cultural Society (a citizen's group) plans to build the park at an estimated Rs 3 crore in Saheed Nagar through public private partnership.
With hardly any Braille signage for the blind and very few ramps for the wheel chair bound in government offices, the state capital is anything but disabled-friendly.
"I feel insecure while crossing a road. No traffic signal has a voice guidance system or tactile zebra crossing to negotiate the path by a blind person," said Sannyash Behera, coordinator of the Odisha Disabled People's Network, who is visually challenged himself. The railway platforms don't have a cutting edge, which could guide a blind person about the platform end.There is no ramp for changing platforms for the orthopedically-challenged either, he pointed out.
But more than the lack of physical infrastructure, what is worrisome is people's attitude towards the disabled, Behera stressed. "Few would vacate seats reserved for the disabled in city buses. The reserved compartments in trains are occupied either by passengers traveling without ticket or railway employees," he said. Similarly, vehicles rush past a blind man, without bothering to give them a safe passage, he said.
Conceding that there is a huge gap to be bridged to make the city disabled-friendly, government authorities said attempts are being made but changes can't be expected overnight. "I agree the roads are not at all disabled-friendly. However, public offices have appropriate signage and are being made approachable for the disabled by making ramps and wheel chairs available," said Kasturi Mahapatra, commissioner for persons with disability. She stressed on the need to create awareness so that people develop more sensitivity towards the needs of the disabled.
Incidentally, the Directorate of Persons with Disabilities has no ramp to the first floor where the director sits. "No person with loco-motor disability can ever go to the director," said Sannyash Behera of Odisha Disabled People's Network. Town planners nevertheless said approach paths and disabled-friendly toilets are being ensured in all public buildings.
"While making any project plan, its friendliness to disabled persons is always being considered. Even in private buildings, we ensure that they have lifts, signage and approach paths," said Prashant Patnaik, director, town planning.
Real estate developers though said not much thought is being spared for the disabled in private constructions so far, but that they would mull over how best buildings can be made disabled-friendly. "We will take it up at our level as a responsibility to make buildings more disabled-friendly. Though lifts are being made in the highrises, due care can be taken to make the approaches to the buildings and the premises more disabledfriendly. Those possibilities will be explored," said D S Tripathy, president of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), Odisha chapter. The disabled in the city should not aspire to have friendlier roads anytime soon.
Though two national highways crisscross the city, the new decongestion plan has nothing for the differently-abled. Though around four underpasses will come up on the highway in the city, none will have ramps. "These will have steps. There is no special consideration for the disabled but the footpaths being developed alongside the NH can be userfriendly to all categories of people," said A K Ray, project director NHAI Orissa. Three foot overbridges being planned by Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) at Vani Vihar, Master Canteen and Sriya Square too will be steps, not escalators for the disabled.
As far as city parks are concerned, however, the wheelchair-bound will have reasons to cheer soon. A park will soon come up exclusively for them. Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), BMC and Saheed Nagar Socio-cultural Society (a citizen's group) plans to build the park at an estimated Rs 3 crore in Saheed Nagar through public private partnership.
2011年11月23日星期三
Taiwan Wins European Satellite Navigation Competition
The European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) 2011 announced on November 18 the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) was the champion for the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) Living Lab Award for its creative Geo-coupon App based on the Global Navigation Satellite System. ITRI capacity for research and development thus attracted worldwide attention. A total of 23 countries have participated hosting different regional preliminaries of the creative contest for satellite positioning applications initiated by the European Union. Under guidance of the Department of Industrial Technology of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) for innovation award and prototyping award, ITRI joined and became one of the hosting nations. This year, ITRI strove to host with the topic of "connected vehicle" and solicited entries around the world and the number of teams applied and entries received topped other regional contests. After going through fierce contest, ITRI, Institute for Information Industry (III), and the German Space Center respectively won championships for the Galileo contest and prototyping team in the Taiwan region.
Dr. Sheng-Lin Chou, deputy general director of ITRI's Information and Communications Research Laboratories, pointed out Taiwan's ESNC has entered the fourth session. Differing from creative applications in satellite navigational technology in the past years, this year the ESNC has introduced new elements of creative telematics and concomitantly the first time Taiwan led the world in hosting prototyping contest, a breakthrough to the past contests of emphasizing only on creative ideas. Because of the challenge and fun of the contest and Taiwan's world-renowned ICT (information and communications technology) capability, the contest attracted worldwide attention. The number of applications and entries to the contest in Taiwan topped the world. In 2011, a total of 23 countries including Germany, Spain, Israel, India, the Netherlands, the USA, Ukraine, Sweden, Singapore, Hungary and Finland participated in the Galileo contest with 75 entries received for the Taiwan region (representing 18.7% of 401 entries globally) producing outstanding results in innovation award for the Taiwan region and global prototyping award.
Dr. Jet P. H. Shu, an advisor of the Department of Industrial Technology, MOEA said, through ESNC, Taiwan's creative applications for satellite navigation can be elevated to the world arena and global satellite navigation creative applications also can be introduced to Taiwan, thus creating a new global business of smart vehicles through integration of navigational satellites and telematics. Taiwan has long been a power in ICT while the world-famous automobile manufacturers are mostly in Europe, therefore a contest matching satellite navigation and telematics is of major significance in fostering close relations between Taiwan and the European automobile manufacturers.
In the GNSS special topic category, ITRI team created the Geo-coupon app so that the user, wherever he or she goes, can immediately identify the store through the global navigational satellite system positioning and use the cell phone to directly download the coupon for presentation to the store to obtain a discount price. This creative and practical design stood out among the participants and won the champion award for Taiwan.
Dr. Sheng-Lin Chou, deputy general director of ITRI's Information and Communications Research Laboratories, pointed out Taiwan's ESNC has entered the fourth session. Differing from creative applications in satellite navigational technology in the past years, this year the ESNC has introduced new elements of creative telematics and concomitantly the first time Taiwan led the world in hosting prototyping contest, a breakthrough to the past contests of emphasizing only on creative ideas. Because of the challenge and fun of the contest and Taiwan's world-renowned ICT (information and communications technology) capability, the contest attracted worldwide attention. The number of applications and entries to the contest in Taiwan topped the world. In 2011, a total of 23 countries including Germany, Spain, Israel, India, the Netherlands, the USA, Ukraine, Sweden, Singapore, Hungary and Finland participated in the Galileo contest with 75 entries received for the Taiwan region (representing 18.7% of 401 entries globally) producing outstanding results in innovation award for the Taiwan region and global prototyping award.
Dr. Jet P. H. Shu, an advisor of the Department of Industrial Technology, MOEA said, through ESNC, Taiwan's creative applications for satellite navigation can be elevated to the world arena and global satellite navigation creative applications also can be introduced to Taiwan, thus creating a new global business of smart vehicles through integration of navigational satellites and telematics. Taiwan has long been a power in ICT while the world-famous automobile manufacturers are mostly in Europe, therefore a contest matching satellite navigation and telematics is of major significance in fostering close relations between Taiwan and the European automobile manufacturers.
In the GNSS special topic category, ITRI team created the Geo-coupon app so that the user, wherever he or she goes, can immediately identify the store through the global navigational satellite system positioning and use the cell phone to directly download the coupon for presentation to the store to obtain a discount price. This creative and practical design stood out among the participants and won the champion award for Taiwan.
2011年11月8日星期二
Sensors alert drivers to parking spaces
Stressed-out Boston drivers may soon be getting some much-needed relief — a smartphone app that helps them find the most precious commodity in the city: an empty parking space.
The Herald has learned that the city is testing out a smart parking app that uses sensors to guide motorists to metered spaces that are likely to be unoccupied.
The pilot program, run by the company Streetline, now is being used on only a few dozen spaces in the Government Center area but could be expanded in the future to other areas of the city. The Menino administration still has not made an official decision to go ahead with the program, sources said.
But the Herald found a number of sensors, which look like oversized hockey pucks, embedded in the pavement on New Chardon Street, Cambridge Street and a few other downtown streets.
All drivers have to do is download a free app called “Parker” on their iPhone or Android, and the app, using guidance-based technology like GPS, will let the driver know where and how many spaces might be available. A green circle means a space is empty, blue means iffy, and red means the space is probably taken.
The Herald tested out the Parker app last week and found four green spaces that were supposed to be free on New Chardon Street. And when we arrived on the street, the spaces were indeed empty.
The sensors right now are on metered spaces but in the future could be placed in private or city garages so drivers looking to attend a game at Fenway or the Garden could find a spot, reserve it and pay for it from a phone.
Sounds great, but is “smaht pahking” really possible in a city known for its confusing parking regulations and even more confused drivers?
“If everything works out, this is going to be good for everybody, with less pollution, less fuel and less traffic,” said Christos Cassandras, a Boston University engineering professor who has developed his own smart parking app, which is even more advanced than the one Streetline uses.
One of the reasons Boston is so anxious to use a smart parking system is that the lack of parking is one of the major complaints cited by tourists and shoppers.
Research has shown that up to one-third of all cars driving around in a city are cruising the streets looking for parking spaces. The average time to find a space is about 10 minutes. That adds up to millions of gallons of wasted fuel, as well as increased air pollution.
But Cassandras said there are potential drawbacks to the Parker app. While it directs drivers to available spaces, it doesn’t tell them where the best ones are or allow them to reserve them, at least for now. This means it could create more congestion with drivers all competing for a few empty spots.
“It’s still putting pressure on the driver to make the final decision,” he said.
A number of other cities, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco, already have been testing out the app, but this is the first time Boston has tried out the new technology.
The Herald has learned that the city is testing out a smart parking app that uses sensors to guide motorists to metered spaces that are likely to be unoccupied.
The pilot program, run by the company Streetline, now is being used on only a few dozen spaces in the Government Center area but could be expanded in the future to other areas of the city. The Menino administration still has not made an official decision to go ahead with the program, sources said.
But the Herald found a number of sensors, which look like oversized hockey pucks, embedded in the pavement on New Chardon Street, Cambridge Street and a few other downtown streets.
All drivers have to do is download a free app called “Parker” on their iPhone or Android, and the app, using guidance-based technology like GPS, will let the driver know where and how many spaces might be available. A green circle means a space is empty, blue means iffy, and red means the space is probably taken.
The Herald tested out the Parker app last week and found four green spaces that were supposed to be free on New Chardon Street. And when we arrived on the street, the spaces were indeed empty.
The sensors right now are on metered spaces but in the future could be placed in private or city garages so drivers looking to attend a game at Fenway or the Garden could find a spot, reserve it and pay for it from a phone.
Sounds great, but is “smaht pahking” really possible in a city known for its confusing parking regulations and even more confused drivers?
“If everything works out, this is going to be good for everybody, with less pollution, less fuel and less traffic,” said Christos Cassandras, a Boston University engineering professor who has developed his own smart parking app, which is even more advanced than the one Streetline uses.
One of the reasons Boston is so anxious to use a smart parking system is that the lack of parking is one of the major complaints cited by tourists and shoppers.
Research has shown that up to one-third of all cars driving around in a city are cruising the streets looking for parking spaces. The average time to find a space is about 10 minutes. That adds up to millions of gallons of wasted fuel, as well as increased air pollution.
But Cassandras said there are potential drawbacks to the Parker app. While it directs drivers to available spaces, it doesn’t tell them where the best ones are or allow them to reserve them, at least for now. This means it could create more congestion with drivers all competing for a few empty spots.
“It’s still putting pressure on the driver to make the final decision,” he said.
A number of other cities, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco, already have been testing out the app, but this is the first time Boston has tried out the new technology.
2011年11月6日星期日
Nonprofit group provides benefit guidance to veterans for post-military life
In their work during more than a decade representing and helping veterans across the country in disability-benefits cases, Virginia Girard-Brady, Preston Girard and Rod Ratzlaff noticed some things slipping through the cracks.
Often as they seek a resolution in a benefits case, veterans need help with certain day-to-day expenses. Or when they return, veterans and their families have trouble navigating the Veterans Affairs system to find out just what assistance is available to them.
“We realized there were a lot of unmet needs and services, especially in educating veterans and some social services benefits,” said Girard, a veterans claims agent who has assisted his sister, owner of her law practice, ABS Legal Advocates, in Lawrence.
In late 2009, they, along with Ratzlaff, the practice’s manager, founded a nonprofit organization, The Alliance for Veterans and their Families Inc., to try to branch out and help veterans in more areas.
“There have always been a lot of issues that we’ve seen that we really couldn’t do a lot about as a private law firm,” said Girard-Brady, who started the law firm in 2000.
Now they are hoping to ramp up fundraising and services for the nonprofit, known as Kansas AVF, with an emphasis on helping veterans and their families in Douglas County and some of the surrounding area.
Girard, who is the AVF’s board president, said there will be a major push to notify veterans through seminars about what benefits are available to them and how they can go about obtaining them. The seminars will also focus on career and financial planning. Nationally the unemployment rate for veterans is typically a couple of points higher than current national rate of 9 percent.
“Our most valuable contribution would be to get them this information in a way that would be meaningful for them and make a difference for them,” he said. “Our goal is to help veterans and their families adjust and prosper in post-military life.”
He said that with more and more younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the VA will likely be dealing with thousands of new cases of post-traumatic stress disorder and other medical and psychological issues, and the AVF also wants help connecting veterans and their families with affordable counseling and medical assistance available to them.
“It’s going to be tough,” Girard said. “We’re all going to have to step up.”
Another major goal is to establish an emergency fund to help certain veterans with needs such as stable housing, rent and utilities costs and transportation needs, Girard-Brady said.
They have established the Don Brim Emergency Relief Fund, named after one of their clients, a Vietnam veteran who was homeless for 10 years during a fight to obtain benefits. Brim was awarded full benefits in 2006 but died in 2009 from cancer.
Now Girard said they want the emergency relief fund to be available to help veterans in similar situations, and AVF leaders also want to be able to help steer veterans to other social service agencies in Lawrence and Douglas County that can help them.
They also have established a scholarship fund that would benefit veterans who need money to supplement their GI Bill funds.
The funds will be featured at a fundraiser open to the public at 5 p.m. today at Abe and Jake’s Landing, 8 E. Sixth St. Several bands will perform, including Big Brutus, which includes three Army National Guard members who served in Iraq.
“It’s creating awareness that this type of group is here in Lawrence, serving the needs immediately of more local veterans,” said Aaron Hale, a band member and AVF board member who was in a convoy that was attacked in Iraq.
Girard said there’s a $5 suggestion donation for the event.
More information is also available at avfinc.org or at the Alliance for Veterans and Their Families Facebook page. The AVF is also seeking grant funds, and the law firm provides in-kind donations of office space and equipment.
Girard said the organization wants to work to fill gaps for veterans and their families in any way they can.
“Often they come back from battle,” he said, “and then they have a new kind of battle.”
Often as they seek a resolution in a benefits case, veterans need help with certain day-to-day expenses. Or when they return, veterans and their families have trouble navigating the Veterans Affairs system to find out just what assistance is available to them.
“We realized there were a lot of unmet needs and services, especially in educating veterans and some social services benefits,” said Girard, a veterans claims agent who has assisted his sister, owner of her law practice, ABS Legal Advocates, in Lawrence.
In late 2009, they, along with Ratzlaff, the practice’s manager, founded a nonprofit organization, The Alliance for Veterans and their Families Inc., to try to branch out and help veterans in more areas.
“There have always been a lot of issues that we’ve seen that we really couldn’t do a lot about as a private law firm,” said Girard-Brady, who started the law firm in 2000.
Now they are hoping to ramp up fundraising and services for the nonprofit, known as Kansas AVF, with an emphasis on helping veterans and their families in Douglas County and some of the surrounding area.
Girard, who is the AVF’s board president, said there will be a major push to notify veterans through seminars about what benefits are available to them and how they can go about obtaining them. The seminars will also focus on career and financial planning. Nationally the unemployment rate for veterans is typically a couple of points higher than current national rate of 9 percent.
“Our most valuable contribution would be to get them this information in a way that would be meaningful for them and make a difference for them,” he said. “Our goal is to help veterans and their families adjust and prosper in post-military life.”
He said that with more and more younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the VA will likely be dealing with thousands of new cases of post-traumatic stress disorder and other medical and psychological issues, and the AVF also wants help connecting veterans and their families with affordable counseling and medical assistance available to them.
“It’s going to be tough,” Girard said. “We’re all going to have to step up.”
Another major goal is to establish an emergency fund to help certain veterans with needs such as stable housing, rent and utilities costs and transportation needs, Girard-Brady said.
They have established the Don Brim Emergency Relief Fund, named after one of their clients, a Vietnam veteran who was homeless for 10 years during a fight to obtain benefits. Brim was awarded full benefits in 2006 but died in 2009 from cancer.
Now Girard said they want the emergency relief fund to be available to help veterans in similar situations, and AVF leaders also want to be able to help steer veterans to other social service agencies in Lawrence and Douglas County that can help them.
They also have established a scholarship fund that would benefit veterans who need money to supplement their GI Bill funds.
The funds will be featured at a fundraiser open to the public at 5 p.m. today at Abe and Jake’s Landing, 8 E. Sixth St. Several bands will perform, including Big Brutus, which includes three Army National Guard members who served in Iraq.
“It’s creating awareness that this type of group is here in Lawrence, serving the needs immediately of more local veterans,” said Aaron Hale, a band member and AVF board member who was in a convoy that was attacked in Iraq.
Girard said there’s a $5 suggestion donation for the event.
More information is also available at avfinc.org or at the Alliance for Veterans and Their Families Facebook page. The AVF is also seeking grant funds, and the law firm provides in-kind donations of office space and equipment.
Girard said the organization wants to work to fill gaps for veterans and their families in any way they can.
“Often they come back from battle,” he said, “and then they have a new kind of battle.”
2011年11月3日星期四
Parking Guidance System Approved at Garden State Plaza
Shoppers at Garden State Plaza will be able to see how many spots are available in one of the mall's parking garages and where, after the Planning Board approved plans for a parking guidance system Thursday.
One of the mall's parking garages will have a sign telling shoppers how many spots are available at each level within.
Inside, cameras above every other parking space will be able to tell whether a spot is occupied. If a spot is free, a green light will go on above the space. A red light will go on if the space is occupied.
Civil engineer William Page said the system will improve the traffic flow at the mall, since drivers will know exactly which level to go, or whether to even enter the garage if it's full.
The board also approved the mall's plans to straighten out the ring road surrounding Garden State Plaza. Currently, the ring road has an inward kink between Old Navy and Capital Grille.
Page said straightening the road would improve safety in that area and give Capital Grille more space for valet parking.
The mall's plans for improvements to three of its entrances also received approval. The mall plans new signs and lighting for the entrances between the Grand Lux Cafe and Legal Seafood, Legal Seafood and Macy's, and Capital Grille and Old Navy.
One of the mall's parking garages will have a sign telling shoppers how many spots are available at each level within.
Inside, cameras above every other parking space will be able to tell whether a spot is occupied. If a spot is free, a green light will go on above the space. A red light will go on if the space is occupied.
Civil engineer William Page said the system will improve the traffic flow at the mall, since drivers will know exactly which level to go, or whether to even enter the garage if it's full.
The board also approved the mall's plans to straighten out the ring road surrounding Garden State Plaza. Currently, the ring road has an inward kink between Old Navy and Capital Grille.
Page said straightening the road would improve safety in that area and give Capital Grille more space for valet parking.
The mall's plans for improvements to three of its entrances also received approval. The mall plans new signs and lighting for the entrances between the Grand Lux Cafe and Legal Seafood, Legal Seafood and Macy's, and Capital Grille and Old Navy.
2011年10月30日星期日
Plunging crime rates a community accomplishment
There are crime rates, and then there are crime rates.
One correlates the number of incidents with the population base.
The other simply counts the crimes from year to year.
In Flagstaff, police do both, and the conclusion drawn from each is the same: Flagstaff is a much safer place now than it was five years ago.
That's a credit to not only the department but also numerous agencies and groups that have worked on prevention, prosecution and reducing the recidivism rate.
Skeptics might note that the crime rate across the United States and Arizona has been falling for much of the last decade. Flagstaff, they say, could just be along for the ride.
Except that the falloff here defies that explanation. In most categories, the rate of decline is two to three times greater than the national and state decreases.
Take grand theft auto. Five years ago there were 192 vehicles reported stolen in the Flagstaff; last year there were 62. For a city at the crossroads of two major interstates and a hub for regional commerce, that is an amazing statistic.
Burglary, another property crime tied to opportunity, fell from 499 incidents in 2006 to 225 last year. Larceny theft, which includes big-ticket shoplifting, fell by nearly 700 incidents. Arson was down 66 percent.
On the violent crime side, which often involves substance abuse, aggravated assault was off 43 percent in five years, robbery 44 percent.
As the Daily Sun reported during its coverage of Chief Brent Cooper's untimely death, the recent plunge in the crime rate coincides with his appointment five years ago and implementation of community policing. The department combined that technique with a computerized, block-by-block tracking system of incidents, allowing patrol officers and detectives to get out ahead of criminals -- or at least know better how to catch up with them.
The techniques don't make headlines or appear on most TV crime shows -- gaining the trust and cooperation of a neighborhood like Sunnyside is done one community meeting or sidewalk chat at a time.
The same goes for nabbing garden-variety criminals. A rise in auto break-ins, for example, means more unmarked stakeouts in parking lots, handing out brochures to residents telling them to lock their cars, and alerting apartment complex managers to report suspicious activity. The culprits are caught sooner, put away in prison, and the crime rate drops.
Or, over at the Guidance Center, there are new programs in place to sober up street alcoholics and get them on the road toward dealing with their addiction. At the jail, there's a new rehab program for drug addicts that looks to do the same thing.
The results show up in fewer drunken assaults and fewer petty thefts to support drug habits.
Does it cost any more to be that much safer? Yes, the $200,000-a-year in-custody rehab program is supported through a higher jail district sales tax. And several government agencies dip into their tax-supported budgets to help underwrite the detox program at the Guidance Center.
But remarkably, the police department has kept up the momentum behind falling crime rates even as city budget cuts resulted in fewer positions last year. The tradeoff, as we reported last Sunday, has been a rise this year in DUI-related collisions as officers make fewer traffic stops than in the past. Now that the trend is clear, area drivers can expect more traffic patrols at key times and in key corridors in the coming months, say police.
Before we pat ourselves on the back too much, however, it is important to note that Flagstaff's crime rates are in most categories still above the national and state averages. And when compared to similar, medium-sized university cities in the Mountain West, Flagstaff is generally less safe, sometimes by a significant margin.
Each city, of course, has its own demographic profile, police budget and other unique factors. But the comparisons are worth exploring further, if only for police officials to open lines of communications that might help when an emergency or special case arises.
On balance, though, it's hard to complain about crime rates in Flagstaff that are all headed in the right direction. No single person deserves all the credit, but we have to think that what Brent Cooper created and then directed at the police department for the past five years has played a major role. We'd hope that any search for a successor sets criteria that look to build on that legacy.
One correlates the number of incidents with the population base.
The other simply counts the crimes from year to year.
In Flagstaff, police do both, and the conclusion drawn from each is the same: Flagstaff is a much safer place now than it was five years ago.
That's a credit to not only the department but also numerous agencies and groups that have worked on prevention, prosecution and reducing the recidivism rate.
Skeptics might note that the crime rate across the United States and Arizona has been falling for much of the last decade. Flagstaff, they say, could just be along for the ride.
Except that the falloff here defies that explanation. In most categories, the rate of decline is two to three times greater than the national and state decreases.
Take grand theft auto. Five years ago there were 192 vehicles reported stolen in the Flagstaff; last year there were 62. For a city at the crossroads of two major interstates and a hub for regional commerce, that is an amazing statistic.
Burglary, another property crime tied to opportunity, fell from 499 incidents in 2006 to 225 last year. Larceny theft, which includes big-ticket shoplifting, fell by nearly 700 incidents. Arson was down 66 percent.
On the violent crime side, which often involves substance abuse, aggravated assault was off 43 percent in five years, robbery 44 percent.
As the Daily Sun reported during its coverage of Chief Brent Cooper's untimely death, the recent plunge in the crime rate coincides with his appointment five years ago and implementation of community policing. The department combined that technique with a computerized, block-by-block tracking system of incidents, allowing patrol officers and detectives to get out ahead of criminals -- or at least know better how to catch up with them.
The techniques don't make headlines or appear on most TV crime shows -- gaining the trust and cooperation of a neighborhood like Sunnyside is done one community meeting or sidewalk chat at a time.
The same goes for nabbing garden-variety criminals. A rise in auto break-ins, for example, means more unmarked stakeouts in parking lots, handing out brochures to residents telling them to lock their cars, and alerting apartment complex managers to report suspicious activity. The culprits are caught sooner, put away in prison, and the crime rate drops.
Or, over at the Guidance Center, there are new programs in place to sober up street alcoholics and get them on the road toward dealing with their addiction. At the jail, there's a new rehab program for drug addicts that looks to do the same thing.
The results show up in fewer drunken assaults and fewer petty thefts to support drug habits.
Does it cost any more to be that much safer? Yes, the $200,000-a-year in-custody rehab program is supported through a higher jail district sales tax. And several government agencies dip into their tax-supported budgets to help underwrite the detox program at the Guidance Center.
But remarkably, the police department has kept up the momentum behind falling crime rates even as city budget cuts resulted in fewer positions last year. The tradeoff, as we reported last Sunday, has been a rise this year in DUI-related collisions as officers make fewer traffic stops than in the past. Now that the trend is clear, area drivers can expect more traffic patrols at key times and in key corridors in the coming months, say police.
Before we pat ourselves on the back too much, however, it is important to note that Flagstaff's crime rates are in most categories still above the national and state averages. And when compared to similar, medium-sized university cities in the Mountain West, Flagstaff is generally less safe, sometimes by a significant margin.
Each city, of course, has its own demographic profile, police budget and other unique factors. But the comparisons are worth exploring further, if only for police officials to open lines of communications that might help when an emergency or special case arises.
On balance, though, it's hard to complain about crime rates in Flagstaff that are all headed in the right direction. No single person deserves all the credit, but we have to think that what Brent Cooper created and then directed at the police department for the past five years has played a major role. We'd hope that any search for a successor sets criteria that look to build on that legacy.
2011年6月15日星期三
City-GHI Stakeholder Meeting Tackles Tax Assessments, Power Outages and Crime Trends
In this economically challenging time, areas of common fiscal concern -- routine and controversial -- dominated the Greenbelt City Council’s joint work session with representatives of the 1,600-unit housing cooperative, Greenbelt Homes, Inc. (GHI), at Monday night’s city-GHI stakeholder meeting.
Seated around a large conference table, Mayor Judith “J” Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Emmett Jordan and other City Council members engaged in an exchange with six of the nine members of the GHI Board of Directors and GHI general manager Gretchen Overdurff, who discussed topics as diverse as walkway lighting, the city’s 75th anniversary celebration, crime, right of ways, snow, water meters and piping.
Lighting
Several GHI board members expressed concern that the well-used inner walkway between 11 Court and 13 Court of Ridge Road that directly connects it to Crescent, near the community center, is poorly lit at night. While GHI normally responds directly to member requests for lighting improvements, the oval strip of land along the pathway is city property.
Overdurff stressed that GHI would share the results of assistant general manager Eldon Ralph’s consultations with a contractor and that GHI would consider helping to pay for improved lighting. Mayor Davis said that the City Council would study walkway usage; replacement of, repairs, or additions to existing lighting infrastructure; as well as survey neighbor opinions about lights.
75th Anniversary Celebration
Mayor Davis briefly listed events planned for the 75th anniversary of the founding of Greenbelt, including a three-day symposium, house and garden tours and a gala dinner. Anniversary committee member and GHI board member, Irv Wartell, reminded everyone about plans to sell commemorative T-shirts and hats.
Mayor Davis noted that the committee selected events from more than 500 suggestions, but she invited other Greenbelters to plan and staff events as well as come up with creative ideas, since volunteers are “what makes Greenbelt, Greenbelt," she said. The mayor also reminded council and GHI that the anniversary celebrates the entire city, not just GHI pioneers and the founding of historic Old Greenbelt, and that the events should include and involve all parts of the city.
GHI president Tokey Boswell stressed the need for volunteer-driven shuttles and parking enforcement during the celebration period to minimize the impact on the center of town.
Crime Trends
Greenbelt police officer Carl H. Schinner reported on the city crime statistics for GHI and Old Greenbelt. He praised the new crime mapping system for spotting trends and stated that this year, so far, there were only six burglaries and eight robberies, including the armed robbery at the Greenbelt Credit Union, which he suggested were relatively low figures compared to the rest of Prince George’s County.
Seated around a large conference table, Mayor Judith “J” Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Emmett Jordan and other City Council members engaged in an exchange with six of the nine members of the GHI Board of Directors and GHI general manager Gretchen Overdurff, who discussed topics as diverse as walkway lighting, the city’s 75th anniversary celebration, crime, right of ways, snow, water meters and piping.
Lighting
Several GHI board members expressed concern that the well-used inner walkway between 11 Court and 13 Court of Ridge Road that directly connects it to Crescent, near the community center, is poorly lit at night. While GHI normally responds directly to member requests for lighting improvements, the oval strip of land along the pathway is city property.
Overdurff stressed that GHI would share the results of assistant general manager Eldon Ralph’s consultations with a contractor and that GHI would consider helping to pay for improved lighting. Mayor Davis said that the City Council would study walkway usage; replacement of, repairs, or additions to existing lighting infrastructure; as well as survey neighbor opinions about lights.
75th Anniversary Celebration
Mayor Davis briefly listed events planned for the 75th anniversary of the founding of Greenbelt, including a three-day symposium, house and garden tours and a gala dinner. Anniversary committee member and GHI board member, Irv Wartell, reminded everyone about plans to sell commemorative T-shirts and hats.
Mayor Davis noted that the committee selected events from more than 500 suggestions, but she invited other Greenbelters to plan and staff events as well as come up with creative ideas, since volunteers are “what makes Greenbelt, Greenbelt," she said. The mayor also reminded council and GHI that the anniversary celebrates the entire city, not just GHI pioneers and the founding of historic Old Greenbelt, and that the events should include and involve all parts of the city.
GHI president Tokey Boswell stressed the need for volunteer-driven shuttles and parking enforcement during the celebration period to minimize the impact on the center of town.
Crime Trends
Greenbelt police officer Carl H. Schinner reported on the city crime statistics for GHI and Old Greenbelt. He praised the new crime mapping system for spotting trends and stated that this year, so far, there were only six burglaries and eight robberies, including the armed robbery at the Greenbelt Credit Union, which he suggested were relatively low figures compared to the rest of Prince George’s County.
2011年4月19日星期二
Under the banner of 'Smart Thinking'
John Plant, TRW Automotive chairman, president and chief executive officer, explained: "At Auto Shanghai this year we're demonstrating how TRW has the broadest portfolio of safety systems of any global supplier and how we're bringing this expertise to help protect drivers, occupants and other road users in China.
"We're expanding our safety campaign in China – highlighting the importance of vehicle safety – especially to wear seatbelts and increase road safety awareness. Almost a quarter of global deaths in children are as a result of road traffic incidents, according to World Health Organization statistics.
"To tackle this key challenge, we have created a range of resources to support the communication of key messages about road safety to young people and will now focus on making the tools available as widely as possible."
TRW's presence at Auto Shanghai highlights how it is taking an elevated approach to safety in three ways: through advanced systems; by improving value and offering more affordable solutions; and through a range of innovative fuel efficient systems to help reduce the impact of harmful emissions on our environment. TRW's stand focuses on these three key areas which underpin Cognitive Safety: 'Advanced Thinking', 'Smart Thinking' and 'Green Thinking'.
Executive vice president of sales and business development, Peter Lake, remarked: "With Advanced Thinking, we're demonstrating to Auto Shanghai visitors how we use our suite of sensors to integrate radar, video, steering, brakes, crash sensors and more. For example, TRW is highlighting its Automatic Emergency Braking system, which is the ultimate expression of intelligent safety."
TRW is also highlighting a number of key technologies which deliver class leading fuel efficiency beyond powertrain, including electrically assisted steering and hybrid enabling braking technologies as well as innovative light weight braking solutions.
Lake continued: "TRW's Electrically Powered Steering (EPS) can deliver up to four per cent fuel efficiency compared to standard hydraulic steering: this Green Thinking is helping to support the strong focus in China on reducing emissions and improving fuel economy. We were proud to announce a number of contracts to introduce Column Drive EPS into China with several global and domestic vehicle manufacturers."
Under the banner of 'Smart Thinking', TRW is unveiling a number of technologies which represent its focus on affordable safety solutions and creating value. TRW is innovating to make the latest safety solutions accessible to all customers in all markets. This is achieved through integration, modularity and scalability.
Lake added: "One example is our ESC family where slip control functionality is introduced from ABS and standard ESC through to ESC Premium and ESC PH – our regenerative braking solution. The technology is delivered with a modular approach with the aim of sharing the maximum number of parts across the different system architectures for greater production efficiency."
TRW is investing heavily in capacity for several advanced technology products to meet the needs of the China market. In the next two years, it plans to add local production capabilities for a number of advanced technologies such as electric power steering, airbag inflators and electronic stability control.
"We're expanding our safety campaign in China – highlighting the importance of vehicle safety – especially to wear seatbelts and increase road safety awareness. Almost a quarter of global deaths in children are as a result of road traffic incidents, according to World Health Organization statistics.
"To tackle this key challenge, we have created a range of resources to support the communication of key messages about road safety to young people and will now focus on making the tools available as widely as possible."
TRW's presence at Auto Shanghai highlights how it is taking an elevated approach to safety in three ways: through advanced systems; by improving value and offering more affordable solutions; and through a range of innovative fuel efficient systems to help reduce the impact of harmful emissions on our environment. TRW's stand focuses on these three key areas which underpin Cognitive Safety: 'Advanced Thinking', 'Smart Thinking' and 'Green Thinking'.
Executive vice president of sales and business development, Peter Lake, remarked: "With Advanced Thinking, we're demonstrating to Auto Shanghai visitors how we use our suite of sensors to integrate radar, video, steering, brakes, crash sensors and more. For example, TRW is highlighting its Automatic Emergency Braking system, which is the ultimate expression of intelligent safety."
TRW is also highlighting a number of key technologies which deliver class leading fuel efficiency beyond powertrain, including electrically assisted steering and hybrid enabling braking technologies as well as innovative light weight braking solutions.
Lake continued: "TRW's Electrically Powered Steering (EPS) can deliver up to four per cent fuel efficiency compared to standard hydraulic steering: this Green Thinking is helping to support the strong focus in China on reducing emissions and improving fuel economy. We were proud to announce a number of contracts to introduce Column Drive EPS into China with several global and domestic vehicle manufacturers."
Under the banner of 'Smart Thinking', TRW is unveiling a number of technologies which represent its focus on affordable safety solutions and creating value. TRW is innovating to make the latest safety solutions accessible to all customers in all markets. This is achieved through integration, modularity and scalability.
Lake added: "One example is our ESC family where slip control functionality is introduced from ABS and standard ESC through to ESC Premium and ESC PH – our regenerative braking solution. The technology is delivered with a modular approach with the aim of sharing the maximum number of parts across the different system architectures for greater production efficiency."
TRW is investing heavily in capacity for several advanced technology products to meet the needs of the China market. In the next two years, it plans to add local production capabilities for a number of advanced technologies such as electric power steering, airbag inflators and electronic stability control.
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