When this century began, you could pull up to the airport 20 minutes before a domestic flight in the United States and stroll straight over to your gate. Perhaps your partner would come through security to wave you goodbye. You might not have a photo ID in your carry-on, but you could have blades and liquids.Back in 2001, Sean O’Keefe, now a professor at Syracuse University and former chair of aerospace and defense company Airbus, was deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget in the George W. Bush administration.”At the White House, I was a member of the National Council Security team,” he told CNN Travel. He and his colleagues had been briefed on the al Qaeda terrorist group and understood the threat it posed, “but at the same time our imaginations simply did not give us the capacity to think that something like could happen.”It had been nearly 30 years since Palestinian terrorist attacks at Rome airport in 1973, which killed 34 people and demonstrated that air travel was vulnerable to international terrorism. “That seemed to have changed the whole security structure in Europe and in the Middle East in a way that didn’t really penetrate the American psyche,” O’Keefe said. “It’s this typical American mindset; we have to experience it to believe it.”Then on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, a team of 19 hijackers was able to board four different domestic flights in the northeastern U.S. in a series of coordinated terror attacks that would claim 3,000 lives. Flying in America, and the rest of the world, would never be the same again.’Something just happened in New York City’O’Keefe was in the White House’s West Wing with Vice President Dick Cheney when the news came through. They “had the television on, matter of fact it was CNN,” he recalled. “The phone rang. His receptionist was on the hotline to tell him to (turn the sound up); something just happened in New York City.”Like millions of people around the world watching the same scenes live after the first plane hit the World Trade Center’s North Tower, O’Keefe and his companions assumed they were witnessing a terrible accident, a matter for the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation.But when the second plane hit the South Tower 17 minutes later, O’Keefe said, “That was the moment where it was really evidence that this was something more than an accident, this was a premeditated effort. The security guards, the Secret Service, all mobilized.”The events of that morning in the U.S. changed the nation “automatically, immediately, into one obsessed, in big ways and small, with protecting its security,” wrote historian James Mann in 2018. “The way that 325 million Americans go through airports today started on Sept. 12 and has never gone back to what it was on Sept. 10.” ‘We all had an epiphany on the same day’The U.S. government immediately began work on the security manifesto that by November 19, 2001, would be passed into law as the Aviation and Transportation Security Act.”The fact that they had orchestrated that strike with three different flights in three different places” made clear how vulnerable the U.S. was, O’Keefe said. “That was a real slap in the face. It reminded us how naive we had been.”Getting agreement from Congress on security changes was fast and unanimous, he recalled. We needed “to make the resources available right away, to reinforce all those doors and cockpits (and) actually establish security perimeters.”In airports and on airlines, meanwhile, tougher security measures were introduced as soon as civilian air travel resumed on Sept. 14. The National Guard provided armed military personnel at airports, and travelers faced long lines as the new systems got their start.Those early post-9/11 passengers — people who hadn’t canceled or rescheduled their trips — were, O’Keefe said, largely accepting of the new high-security regime, with its disruptions and delays. “We all had an epiphany on the same day.”Identification checksSome of the 9/11 hijackers had been able to board flights without proper identification. After the attacks, all passengers age 18 and over would need a valid government-issued identification in order to fly, even on domestic flights. Airports could check the ID of passengers or staff at any time to confirm that it matched the details on their boarding pass.Before the events, the U.S. federal government had a small list of people deemed a threat risk to air travel. However, what we know today as the No Fly List — a subset of the Terrorist Screening Database denoting people who are barred from boarding commercial aircraft for travel into, out of and inside the U.S. — was developed in response to 9/11.Around the world, countries became more stringent with identity checks, security screening and their own versions of the No Fly List. In 2002, the European Union introduced a regulation demanding airlines confirm the passenger boarding the aircraft is the same person who checked in their luggage, which meant checking ID both at luggage check-in and when boarding. Later in the decade, fingerprint IDs and retina and iris scanning were introduced in some countries.The creation of the TSAAirport screening in the U.S. used to be piecemeal, undertaken by private security companies appointed by airlines or airports.As part of the new security act, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was introduced in November 2001. Now an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which was formed a year later, the TSA took over all the security functions of the FAA and U.S. airlines and airports.By the end of 2002, the agency had already recruited close to 60,000 employees, wrote TSA historian Michael P. C. Smith.Looking back 20 years later, O’Keefe reflected that it was “an enormous challenge in that immediate time afterward to mobilize a whole new cadre of security forces, thousands of trained professionals to do this.””It was not without its flaws,” he added. “Recruiting issues and right training and all the things that were necessary: We went through plenty of fits and starts to make that happen.”The fact that America’s “allies and friends and partners” around the world “had already been through this,” was a huge benefit, he said. “We were able to learn from them, how they did it and what they did.”Security screeningSome of the 9/11 hijackers were reported to have been carrying box cutters and small knives, which they were able to bring through security.Before long, with the new streamlined enforcement by the TSA, potential weapons like blades, scissors and knitting needles were no longer allowed on board, and airport workers were better trained to detect weapons or explosives.By the end of 2002, the TSA met a key mandate of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act by deploying explosives detection systems nationwide. In the following years, other terrorist attacks would further change what we could and could not bring on board planes.In August 2006, a foiled plot to detonate liquid explosives on multiple transatlantic flights led to today’s restrictions on liquids, gels and aerosols in carry-on luggage. That same month, the TSA began requiring passengers to remove their shoes to screen for explosives — five years after the “shoe bomber” incident of 2001 — and the agency also deployed federal air marshals overseas.Metal detectors were standard at airports before 9/11, but by March 2010 — a few months after the “underwear bomber” was apprehended on a Christmas Day flight after a botched mid-air attack using a device hidden beneath his clothing — full-body scanners were starting to be installed at U.S. airports, and about 500 were in action by the end of that year.By July 2017, in response to increased terrorist interest in hiding improvised explosive devices inside commercial electronics and other carry-on items, the TSA began requiring travelers to place all personal electronics larger than a cell phone in bins for X-ray screening. By the following February, facial recognition technology was also being piloted.Safety on board”It used to be (that getting) into a cockpit on an American aircraft that was flying in American airspace was as easy as the doors you use to get into the (toilet),” O’Keefe recalled.Bulletproof and locked cockpits became standard on commercial passenger aircraft within two years of 9/11.The Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act was signed into law in November 2002, and by the following April, the first weapon-carrying pilots were on board U.S. commercial flights.While aviation fans and children could once hope to get a visit to the flight deck, that dream swiftly came to an end.Private jet pilot and social media star Raymon Cohen told CNN Travel in July that he believes the unprecedented inaccessibility added to flying’s mystique.”People are not welcome in the cockpit anymore, so it’s like a big secret,” Cohen said. “Now this (following pilots on Instagram) is one of the only ways people can see what’s happening.”Passenger confidenceThe immediate impact of 9/11 included a big drop in travel demand. Not only had passenger confidence taken a hit, but the additional security meant the flying experience was no longer fast and hassle-free.In 2006, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated that airline revenues from domestic U.S. flights fell by $10 billion a year between 2001 and 2006. For comparison, the net losses globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 were $126.4 billion in total, according to the IATA.In a study from 2005 on the impact of 9/11 on road fatalities, Cornell University’s Garrick Blalock, Vrinda Kadiyali and Daniel H. Simon found an increase in travelers choosing to drive rather than fly. The unintended consequence of this was that “driving fatalities increased significantly following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.” They estimated that a total of 1,200 additional driving deaths in the past five years were attributable to the effect of 9/11.Speaking to CNN ahead of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Kadiyali said, “There’s been the fall of Kabul and all these recent events in Afghanistan (…) It did cross my mind whether people would start getting nervous about flying again.”Delays, long lines and confusion over restrictions are also all back on the agenda in the pandemic era.As to whether something like 9/11 could happen again, O’Keefe reflected upon the fact that the greatest achievements of Homeland Security, and of security services around the world, can never be shared with the general public.”In the process of educating the public, what you also do is educate the terrorists,” so we will never know of all the near-misses, he said. “You almost get into a false sense of security.”That September morning in 2001 “flipped the switch right away from almost non-existent security to unbelievable, in-your-face, all the time.”However, two decades later, there have been no aviation-based terrorist attacks anywhere near the scale of 9/11. Said O’Keefe, “These security measures have worked.” When this century began, you could pull up to the airport 20 minutes before a domestic flight in the United States and stroll straight over to your gate. Perhaps your partner would come through security to wave you goodbye. You might not have a photo ID in your carry-on, but you could have blades and liquids. Back in 2001, Sean O’Keefe, now a professor at Syracuse University and former chair of aerospace and defense company Airbus, was deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget in the George W. Bush administration. “At the White House, I was a member of the National Council Security team,” he told CNN Travel. He and his colleagues had been briefed on the al Qaeda terrorist group and understood the threat it posed, “but at the same time our imaginations simply did not give us the capacity to think that something like [9/11] could happen.” It had been nearly 30 years since Palestinian terrorist attacks at Rome airport in 1973, which killed 34 people and demonstrated that air travel was vulnerable to international terrorism. “That seemed to have changed the whole security structure in Europe and in the Middle East in a way that didn’t really penetrate the American psyche,” O’Keefe said. “It’s this typical American mindset; we have to experience it to believe it.” Then on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, a team of 19 hijackers was able to board four different domestic flights in the northeastern U.S. in a series of coordinated terror attacks that would claim 3,000 lives. Flying in America, and the rest of the world, would never be the same again. ‘Something just happened in New York City’O’Keefe was in the White House’s West Wing with Vice President Dick Cheney when the news came through. They “had the television on, matter of fact it was CNN,” he recalled. “The phone rang. His receptionist was on the hotline to tell him to (turn the sound up); something just happened in New York City.” Like millions of people around the world watching the same scenes live after the first plane hit the World Trade Center’s North Tower, O’Keefe and his companions assumed they were witnessing a terrible accident, a matter for the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation. But when the second plane hit the South Tower 17 minutes later, O’Keefe said, “That was the moment where it was really evidence that this was something more than an accident, this was a premeditated effort. The security guards, the Secret Service, all mobilized.” The events of that morning in the U.S. changed the nation “automatically, immediately, into one obsessed, in big ways and small, with protecting its security,” wrote historian James Mann in 2018. “The way that 325 million Americans go through airports today started on Sept. 12 and has never gone back to what it was on Sept. 10.” ‘We all had an epiphany on the same day’The U.S. government immediately began work on the security manifesto that by November 19, 2001, would be passed into law as the Aviation and Transportation Security Act. “The fact that they had orchestrated that strike with three different flights in three different places” made clear how vulnerable the U.S. was, O’Keefe said. “That was a real slap in the face. It reminded us how naive we had been.” Getting agreement from Congress on security changes was fast and unanimous, he recalled. We needed “to make the resources available right away, to reinforce all those doors and cockpits (and) actually establish security perimeters.” In airports and on airlines, meanwhile, tougher security measures were introduced as soon as civilian air travel resumed on Sept. 14. The National Guard provided armed military personnel at airports, and travelers faced long lines as the new systems got their start. Those early post-9/11 passengers — people who hadn’t canceled or rescheduled their trips — were, O’Keefe said, largely accepting of the new high-security regime, with its disruptions and delays. “We all had an epiphany on the same day.” Identification checksSome of the 9/11 hijackers had been able to board flights without proper identification. After the attacks, all passengers age 18 and over would need a valid government-issued identification in order to fly, even on domestic flights. Airports could check the ID of passengers or staff at any time to confirm that it matched the details on their boarding pass. Before the events, the U.S. federal government had a small list of people deemed a threat risk to air travel. However, what we know today as the No Fly List — a subset of the Terrorist Screening Database denoting people who are barred from boarding commercial aircraft for travel into, out of and inside the U.S. — was developed in response to 9/11. Around the world, countries became more stringent with identity checks, security screening and their own versions of the No Fly List. In 2002, the European Union introduced a regulation demanding airlines confirm the passenger boarding the aircraft is the same person who checked in their luggage, which meant checking ID both at luggage check-in and when boarding. Later in the decade, fingerprint IDs and retina and iris scanning were introduced in some countries. The creation of the TSAAirport screening in the U.S. used to be piecemeal, undertaken by private security companies appointed by airlines or airports. As part of the new security act, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was introduced in November 2001. Now an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which was formed a year later, the TSA took over all the security functions of the FAA and U.S. airlines and airports. By the end of 2002, the agency had already recruited close to 60,000 employees, wrote TSA historian Michael P. C. Smith. Looking back 20 years later, O’Keefe reflected that it was “an enormous challenge in that immediate time afterward to mobilize a whole new cadre of security forces, thousands of trained professionals to do this.” “It was not without its flaws,” he added. “Recruiting issues and right training and all the things that were necessary: We went through plenty of fits and starts to make that happen.” The fact that America’s “allies and friends and partners” around the world “had already been through this,” was a huge benefit, he said. “We were able to learn from them, how they did it and what they did.” Security screeningSome of the 9/11 hijackers were reported to have been carrying box cutters and small knives, which they were able to bring through security. Before long, with the new streamlined enforcement by the TSA, potential weapons like blades, scissors and knitting needles were no longer allowed on board, and airport workers were better trained to detect weapons or explosives. By the end of 2002, the TSA met a key mandate of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act by deploying explosives detection systems nationwide. In the following years, other terrorist attacks would further change what we could and could not bring on board planes. In August 2006, a foiled plot to detonate liquid explosives on multiple transatlantic flights led to today’s restrictions on liquids, gels and aerosols in carry-on luggage. That same month, the TSA began requiring passengers to remove their shoes to screen for explosives — five years after the “shoe bomber” incident of 2001 — and the agency also deployed federal air marshals overseas. Metal detectors were standard at airports before 9/11, but by March 2010 — a few months after the “underwear bomber” was apprehended on a Christmas Day flight after a botched mid-air attack using a device hidden beneath his clothing — full-body scanners were starting to be installed at U.S. airports, and about 500 were in action by the end of that year. By July 2017, in response to increased terrorist interest in hiding improvised explosive devices inside commercial electronics and other carry-on items, the TSA began requiring travelers to place all personal electronics larger than a cell phone in bins for X-ray screening. By the following February, facial recognition technology was also being piloted. Safety on board“It used to be (that getting) into a cockpit on an American aircraft that was flying in American airspace was as easy as the doors you use to get into the (toilet),” O’Keefe recalled. Bulletproof and locked cockpits became standard on commercial passenger aircraft within two years of 9/11. The Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act was signed into law in November 2002, and by the following April, the first weapon-carrying pilots were on board U.S. commercial flights. While aviation fans and children could once hope to get a visit to the flight deck, that dream swiftly came to an end. Private jet pilot and social media star Raymon Cohen told CNN Travel in July that he believes the unprecedented inaccessibility added to flying’s mystique. “People are not welcome in the cockpit anymore, so it’s like a big secret,” Cohen said. “Now this (following pilots on Instagram) is one of the only ways people can see what’s happening.” Passenger confidenceThe immediate impact of 9/11 included a big drop in travel demand. Not only had passenger confidence taken a hit, but the additional security meant the flying experience was no longer fast and hassle-free. In 2006, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated that airline revenues from domestic U.S. flights fell by $10 billion a year between 2001 and 2006. For comparison, the net losses globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 were $126.4 billion in total, according to the IATA. In a study from 2005 on the impact of 9/11 on road fatalities, Cornell University’s Garrick Blalock, Vrinda Kadiyali and Daniel H. Simon found an increase in travelers choosing to drive rather than fly. The unintended consequence of this was that “driving fatalities increased significantly following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.” They estimated that a total of 1,200 additional driving deaths in the past five years were attributable to the effect of 9/11. Speaking to CNN ahead of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Kadiyali said, “There’s been the fall of Kabul and all these recent events in Afghanistan (…) It did cross my mind whether people would start getting nervous about flying again.” Delays, long lines and confusion over restrictions are also all back on the agenda in the pandemic era. As to whether something like 9/11 could happen again, O’Keefe reflected upon the fact that the greatest achievements of Homeland Security, and of security services around the world, can never be shared with the general public. “In the process of educating the public, what you also do is educate the terrorists,” so we will never know of all the near-misses, he said. “You almost get into a false sense of security.” That September morning in 2001 “flipped the switch right away from almost non-existent security to unbelievable, in-your-face, all the time.” However, two decades later, there have been no aviation-based terrorist attacks anywhere near the scale of 9/11. Said O’Keefe, “These security measures have worked.” Source link The post How 9/11 changed travel forever first appeared on The Greater Kansas City News Site. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/how-9-11-changed-travel-forever/ via The Greater Kansas City
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) â Brady Singer tossed seven scoreless innings and Salvador Perez hit another home run as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 6-0 on Sunday. Singer (4-9) matched his season high with seven innings and allowed four hits with no walks and struck out six. It was the third time this season that Singer has issued no walks. âI think throughout the game the command actually got better,â Singer said. âI struggled with my slider early in the game but I figured that out throughout the game. I threw a few changeups that kept them off the other stuff.â Singer has struggled developing his changeup as a third pitch. But Royals manager Mike Matheny said itâs days like Sunday that might cause him to think he doesnât need a third pitch. âThat was probably the best fastball heâs had all season,â Matheny said. âThe movement and locationâhe found it and he kept it down. There was only pitch that I remember him climbing the zone. You could tell by some of their reactions how much late movement he had. Thatâs an example of why a guy gets away from a third pitch.â Perez had his third home run of the series, eighth in the last 11 games and 41st of the season. Heâs second in the majors behind Shohei Ohtani. Dylan Cease (11-7) took the loss. He gave up four runs and four hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out nine. âI mostly just tip my cap,â Cease said of Perez. âIt could have been a little more off the plate, but it was a decent pitch. Itâs just a good piece of hitting.â Perez left little doubt on his home run in the first, blasting it 448 feet to the opposite field. According to Statcast, it was the fifth-longest opposite-field home run since 2015. Perez now has 193 home runs in his career, tied for third with Amos Otis in franchise history. âMost of us could stand in right field with a fungo and not hit it up there,â Matheny said. âWhen it came off the bat it just looked different. I donât know how else to say it. Iâm sure glad heâs on our side.â The three-run homer gave Perez 102 RBIs this year. It was also his 20th homer since the All-Star break. Perez has 22 home runs at home, the most in the majors this season. Even when Perez grounded out it was productive. With one out and Nicky Lopez on first in the third inning, Perez grounded slowly to third. The throw from Yoan Moncada was low and wasnât handled by first baseman Gavin Sheets. As it rolled past Sheets, Perez inadvertently kicked it down the line, allowing Lopez to score. Adalberto Mondesi led off the bottom of the sixth with a single. He then stole second and third before scoring on a Hunter Dozier sacrifice fly to right. Whit Merrifield then singled in Edward Olivares for the Royalsâ sixth run. TRAINING ROOM Royals catcher Cam Gallagher, who left Saturdayâs game with left knee inflammation, was placed on the 10-day Injured List. Sebastian Rivero had been called up prior to Saturdayâs game in case Perez couldnât go after taking a ball off the throat Friday night. Taking Gallagherâs roster spot is RHP Tyler Zuber who was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. UP NEXT The White Sox have Monday off before resuming a six-day road trip Tuesday in Oakland. Chicago has not determined a starter for the first game of the series, while Oakland will send RHP James Kaprielian (7-4, 3.87 ERA) to the mound. The Royals head to Baltimore to begin a four-game series with the Orioles with a Labor Day matinee. Kris Bubic (4-6, 5.16 ERA) will get the start for Kansas City. Baltimore has not announced a starter. Suggest a CorrectionSource link The post Singer, Perez lead Royals to 6-0 win over White Sox first appeared on The Greater Kansas City News Site. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/singer-perez-lead-royals-to-6-0-win-over-white-sox/ via The Greater Kansas City American railway regulator the Surface Transportation Board has blocked Canadian National Railway’s bid to buy Kansas City Southern in its current form because the deal would include a voting trust that runs afoul of the rules. CN has been trying to buy KCS for several months, in a protracted takeover battle with its rival Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), which is trying to do the same thing. Both companies are seeking to build a continental railway network with assets across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. CN’s offer has the support of KCS’s board, which has rejected CP’s offer. But CP has the advantage that the Surface Transportation Board has no objection to its offer despite incorporating a voting trust structure of its own. The voting trust in question is a structure ostensibly set up by CN to keep Kansas City Southern’s assets independent and while the deal gets ironed out, but the regulator’s ruling says in its current form, such a voting trust runs afoul of regulations. “The proposed use of a voting trust in the context of the impending control application does not meet the standards under the current merger regulations and therefore denies the applicants’ motion for authorization to establish and use the proposed voting trust,” the STB said. The ruling comes amid sweeping executive orders issued by U.S. President Joe Biden aimed at promoting competition in the U.S. economy. One of them specifically asks to take into account the rights of passenger railroad Amtrak, which is majority owned by the U.S. government, when considering railway mergers. Amtrak had opposed CN’s voting trust, saying its pledge to divest the Baton Rouge to New Orleans line will harm future passenger service in Louisiana. CN says it has the support of thousands of KCS customers and other stakeholders for the deal. The railway had no immediate comment on the STB ruling, but previously said it is committed to working out any issues that arise. “As we have stated before, we are committed to addressing any competitive concerns under the current merger rules in order to successfully complete a CN-KCS combination,” CN said earlier this summer when it was announced the STB would review the deal. The decision does not kill the proposal entirely, but does mean that CN will have to completely rework the details of the offer if it wishes to continue. Source link The post U.S. rail regulator rejects CN’s voting trust bid to buy Kansas City Southern first appeared on The Greater Kansas City News Site. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/u-s-rail-regulator-rejects-cns-voting-trust-bid-to-buy-kansas-city-southern/ via The Greater Kansas City Police in Liberty are asking for help in finding a 56-year-old man last seen on Friday.Authorities said Mike Parks was last seen at the Mini Mart in downtown Liberty.Police said he was driving a white 2000 Honda CRV with Missouri license plate TG0-E7P.According to his family, Parks was going fishing and his family has checked all known spots without success. Police ask anyone who has seen Parks or his Honda CRV to call 816-439-4701 or 911.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. --
Police in Liberty are asking for help in finding a 56-year-old man last seen on Friday. Authorities said Mike Parks was last seen at the Mini Mart in downtown Liberty. Police said he was driving a white 2000 Honda CRV with Missouri license plate TG0-E7P. According to his family, Parks was going fishing and his family has checked all known spots without success. Police ask anyone who has seen Parks or his Honda CRV to call 816-439-4701 or 911. Source link The post Liberty police ask for help finding Mike Parks, 56 first appeared on The Greater Kansas City News Site. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/liberty-police-ask-for-help-finding-mike-parks-56/ via The Greater Kansas City BLUE SPRINGS, MO (KCTV) — A day after a local restaurant owner went on TV to explain why she was going against her county’s mask mandate in places of public accommodation, the county’s environmental health department ordered the business to shut down. The Jackson County Department of Environmental Health issued a suspension/revocation of permits notice to Rae’s Cafe on Friday morning. A sign on the business’ front door notes that the restaurant has been closed for “not following the Jackson County health order and causing a significant threat to the health and safety of the patrons.” The restaurant, located off 7 Highway in Blue Springs, Missouri — 19 miles east of downtown Kansas City — had previously posted a message to patrons on a chalkboard, starting in August, that said, “Rae’s Cafe is NOT honoring the mask requirement and does NOT require staff to either. if you have a problem with our decision, stay home.” Amanda Wohletz, the owner of the restaurant, explained that it was difficult for her and her staff to work in the kitchen while wearing a face covering. “You can’t work in it,” she said. “The whole restaurant industry is short staffed and this isn’t helping.” The Jackson County Department of Environmental Health issued multiple warnings and citations. Marshanna Smith, a county spokesperson, said 10 complaints had been filed about Rae’s. In an email to KCTV5, she wrote:
Smith also said that the county had revoked just two restaurant permits for mask noncompliance throughout the entire pandemic. On Thursday, Rae’s Cafe was packed with patrons who came to support Wohletz. Laura Sharp, who found out about the situation through social media, said the county was overstepping. “We’re here to support the restaurant against the county’s tyranny,” she said. Rep. Jeff Coleman (R-Grain Valley) was also in the crowd of supporters. “I just think it’s time to end this nonsense,” Coleman said. “I think it’s important not to shut down businesses.” Wohletz said she appreciated the support and that she does not plan on backing down. “This is my livelihood,” she said. “This is my staff’s livelihood. It should be my choice for my restaurant.” Below are the Jackson County Health Department’s notice and closure notice: Copyright 2021 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/health-department-shuts-down-kansas-city-area-restaurant-that-defied-mask-mandate-coronavirus-covid-19-news/ via The Greater Kansas City Fifteen staffers of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools District have died from COVID-19 in the past 10 days, officials said.Sonia Diaz, a spokesperson for several unions in the school district, confirmed the number of deaths to NBC6.One of the educators that lost their life to COVID-19 was Abe Coleman, a teacher for more than 30 years.“It’s a tremendous loss. The number of lives that he impacted are countless. So many young men had the benefit of him intervening in their lives and pointing them in the right direction,” said Marcus Bright, with 5000 Role Models of Excellence.Coleman was also a mentor and Site Director for the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Program, overseeing the Holmes Elementary location. He helped shape the lives of hundreds of young men over the years in the organization that mentors minority men in Miami-Dade County.“In particular, he was a bridge builder for the students there. He connected them with opportunity, with resources, with infrastructures of opportunity that fed into and contributed to their development,” Bright said.On Tuesday, Coleman lost his life to COVID-19 at the age of 55.Congresswoman Fredricka Wilson, the founder of 5000 Role Models, released a statement saying, in part:“Mr. Abe Coleman was a highly motivated, dedicated, and inspirational Site Director for the Holmes Elementary Role Models Chapter and never missed a day. The pandemic did not deter him.“Abe Coleman leaves behind a wife, son and countless men he inspired.Officials haven’t released the identities of the other teachers or staff members, and a Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokesperson said the district doesn’t release the cause of death for employees or students. Fifteen staffers of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools District have died from COVID-19 in the past 10 days, officials said. Sonia Diaz, a spokesperson for several unions in the school district, confirmed the number of deaths to NBC6. One of the educators that lost their life to COVID-19 was Abe Coleman, a teacher for more than 30 years. “It’s a tremendous loss. The number of lives that he impacted are countless. So many young men had the benefit of him intervening in their lives and pointing them in the right direction,” said Marcus Bright, with 5000 Role Models of Excellence. Coleman was also a mentor and Site Director for the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Program, overseeing the Holmes Elementary location. He helped shape the lives of hundreds of young men over the years in the organization that mentors minority men in Miami-Dade County. “In particular, he was a bridge builder for the students there. He connected them with opportunity, with resources, with infrastructures of opportunity that fed into and contributed to their development,” Bright said. On Tuesday, Coleman lost his life to COVID-19 at the age of 55. Congresswoman Fredricka Wilson, the founder of 5000 Role Models, released a statement saying, in part: “Mr. Abe Coleman was a highly motivated, dedicated, and inspirational Site Director for the Holmes Elementary Role Models Chapter and never missed a day. The pandemic did not deter him.“ Abe Coleman leaves behind a wife, son and countless men he inspired. Officials haven’t released the identities of the other teachers or staff members, and a Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokesperson said the district doesn’t release the cause of death for employees or students. Source link The post 15 Miami-Dade educators die from COVID-19 in 10 days first appeared on The Greater Kansas City News Site. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/15-miami-dade-educators-die-from-covid-19-in-10-days/ via The Greater Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) (“KCS”) today announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously determined, after consultation with the Company’s outside legal and financial advisors, that the unsolicited proposal received from Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (TSX: CP) (NYSE: CP) (“CP”) on August 31, 2021, to acquire KCS in a cash and stock transaction valued by CP at $300 per KCS share could reasonably be expected to lead to a “Company Superior Proposal” as defined in KCS’s merger agreement with CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI). KCS intends to provide CP with nonpublic information and to engage in discussions and negotiations with CP with respect to CP’s proposal, subject in each case to the requirements of the CN merger agreement. KCS remains bound by the terms of the CN merger agreement, and KCS’s Board has not determined that CP’s proposal in fact constitutes a Company Superior Proposal as defined in the merger agreement with CN. In addition, KCS notes that there can be no assurance that the discussions with CP will result in a transaction. As previously announced on May 21, 2021, KCS entered into a merger agreement with CN, pursuant to which CN agreed to acquire KCS in a stock and cash transaction valued at $325 per KCS share based on the CN and KCS closing prices on May 12, 2021. BofA Securities and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC are serving as financial advisors to Kansas City Southern. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Baker & Miller PLLC, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, WilmerHale, and White & Case, S.C. are serving as legal counsel to Kansas City Southern. About Kansas City Southern Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Kansas City Southern (KCS) (NYSE: KSU) is a transportation holding company that has railroad investments in the U.S., Mexico and Panama. Its primary U.S. holding is The Kansas City Southern Railway Company, serving the central and south central U.S. Its international holdings include Kansas City Southern de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., serving northeastern and central Mexico and the port cities of Lázaro Cárdenas, Tampico and Veracruz, and a 50 percent interest in Panama Canal Railway Company, providing ocean-to-ocean freight and passenger service along the Panama Canal. KCS’ North American rail holdings and strategic alliances with other North American rail partners are primary components of a unique railway system, linking the commercial and industrial centers of the U.S., Mexico and Canada. More information about KCS can be found at www.kcsouthern.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and under Canadian securities laws, including statements based on management’s assessment and assumptions and publicly available information with respect to KCS, regarding the proposed transaction between CN and KCS, the expected benefits of the proposed transaction and future opportunities for the combined company. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. CN and KCS caution that their assumptions may not materialize and that current economic conditions render such assumptions, although reasonable at the time they were made, subject to greater uncertainty. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “assumes,” “outlook,” “plans,” “targets,” or other similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of CN, or the combined company, to be materially different from the outlook or any future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: the outcome of the proposed transaction between CN and KCS; the parties’ ability to consummate the proposed transaction; the conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction; that the regulatory approvals required for the proposed transaction may not be obtained on the terms expected or on the anticipated schedule or at all; CN’s indebtedness, including the substantial indebtedness CN expects to incur and assume in connection with the proposed transaction and the need to generate sufficient cash flows to service and repay such debt; CN’s ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the proposed transaction; the possibility that CN may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies within the expected time-frames or at all and to successfully integrate KCS’ operations with those of CN; that such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; that operating costs, customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers or suppliers) may be greater than expected following the proposed transaction or the public announcement of the proposed transaction; the retention of certain key employees of KCS may be difficult; the duration and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, general economic and business conditions, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; industry competition; inflation, currency and interest rate fluctuations; changes in fuel prices; legislative and/or regulatory developments; compliance with environmental laws and regulations; actions by regulators; the adverse impact of any termination or revocation by the Mexican government of KCS de México, S.A. de C.V.’s Concession; increases in maintenance and operating costs; security threats; reliance on technology and related cybersecurity risk; trade restrictions or other changes to international trade arrangements; transportation of hazardous materials; various events which could disrupt operations, including illegal blockades of rail networks, and natural events such as severe weather, droughts, fires, floods and earthquakes; climate change; labor negotiations and disruptions; environmental claims; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; risks and liabilities arising from derailments; timing and completion of capital programs; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by CN with securities regulators in Canada and the United States. Reference should also be made to Management’s Discussion and Analysis in CN’s annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F, filed with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators and available on CN’s website, for a description of major risk factors relating to CN. Additional risks that may affect KCS’ results of operations appear in Part I, Item 1A “Risks Related to KCS’ Operations and Business” of KCS’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and in KCS’ other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. CN and KCS assume no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event CN or KCS does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that CN or KCS will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement. No Offer or Solicitation This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Additional Information and Where to Find It In connection with the proposed transaction, CN has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-4 to register the shares to be issued in connection with the proposed transaction, and the registration statement has been declared effective. CN has filed with the SEC its prospectus and KCS has filed with the SEC its definitive proxy statement in connection with the proposed transaction, and the KCS proxy statement is being sent to the stockholders of KCS seeking their approval of the merger-related proposals. This news release is not a substitute for the registration statement, the prospectus, the proxy statement or other documents CN and/or KCS may file with the SEC or applicable securities regulators in Canada in connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE PROSPECTUS, THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC OR APPLICABLE SECURITIES REGULATORS IN CANADA CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN AND WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CN, KCS AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain copies of these documents (if and when available) and other documents filed with the SEC and applicable securities regulators in Canada by CN free of charge through at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Copies of the documents filed by CN (if and when available) will also be made available free of charge by accessing CN’s website at www.CN.ca. Copies of the documents filed by KCS (if and when available) will also be made available free of charge at www.investors.kcsouthern.com, upon written request delivered to KCS at 427 West 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or by calling KCS’ Corporate Secretary’s Office by telephone at 1-888-800-3690 or by email at [email protected]. Participants This news release is neither a solicitation of a proxy nor a substitute for the registration statement, the prospectus, the proxy statement or other filings that may be made with the SEC and applicable securities regulators in Canada. Nonetheless, CN, KCS, and certain of their directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about CN’s executive officers and directors is available in its 2021 Management Information Circular, dated March 9, 2021, as well as its 2020 Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on February 1, 2021, in each case available on its website at www.CN.ca/investors/ and at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Information about KCS’ directors and executive officers may be found on its website at www.kcsouthern.com and in its 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on January 29, 2021, available at www.investors.kcsouthern.com and www.sec.gov. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants is or may be included in the registration statement, the prospectus, the proxy statement or other documents filed with the SEC and applicable securities regulators in Canada if and when they become available. These documents (if and when available) may be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and from www.sedar.com, as applicable. Source link The post Kansas City Southern Board of Directors Determines Proposal From Canadian Pacific Railway Could Reasonably Be Expected t… first appeared on The Greater Kansas City News Site. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/kansas-city-southern-board-of-directors-determines-proposal-from-canadian-pacific-railway-could-reasonably-be-expected-t/ via The Greater Kansas City Video above: Airline employees duct-tape passenger to seat after he groped, punched flight attendantsWorking as a flight attendant previously afforded Mitra Amirzadeh the freedom to explore the world — taking her from her home in Florida to destinations including Kenya, France and Spain.As the pandemic spread, the perks of Amirzadeh’s job diminished. Now restricted to domestic U.S. flights, her work involves navigating not only the fear of catching COVID-19, but also the recent uptick in disruptive passengers.”I’m dealing with a lot of babysitting, which I never counted on doing,” Amirzadeh, who works for a low-cost U.S. airline, told CNN Travel. “The actual children on board behave better than the grown adults do.”This summer, unruly passenger behavior seems to have reached new heights. In one incident, a passenger punched a Southwest flight attendant and knocked out two of their teeth. Video also circulated of a passenger getting taped to their seat after they reportedly punched and groped Frontier Airlines flight crew.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it’s issued more than $1 million in fines to unruly airline passengers so far in 2021.U.S. flight attendants tell CNN Travel say the stress of the situation is taking its toll.Susannah Carr, who works for a major US airline, says unruly incidents used to be “the exception, not the rule.” Now they’re “frequent.””I come in expecting to get push back. I come in expecting to have a passenger that could potentially get violent,” she says.Amirzadeh says flight attendants across U.S. airlines are just “over it.”Allie Malis, a flight attendant for American Airlines, says air crew are “exhausted — physically and emotionally.””We’ve gone through worrying about our health and safety, worrying about our jobs — now worrying about our safety in a different way.”The rise of air ragePre-pandemic, the issue of unruly passengers was becoming increasingly omnipresent — data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) suggested incidents rose from 2012 to 2015, while whole conferences were dedicated to the problem.This increase was often linked to cabins getting fuller, with increased security checks and processes adding to tension.In 2019, Malis, who is also the government affairs representative at the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, a union representing American Airlines air crew, spoke to CNN Travel about the decrease of personal seat space. She said her union believed it is “strongly correlated and in a large part to blame” for the rise in incidents.Alcohol is also an often cited contributing factor — travelers drink at the airport and board the plane without crew realizing how inebriated they are. When it all kicks off at 30,000 feet, it’s too late.That said, it’s always been hard to get an exact handle on whether passengers have actually become more unruly. Not every airline that’s part of IATA submits data, and not every airline records every instance of unruly behavior, while separate FAA data recorded oscillating numbers of investigated incidents between 1995 and 2019. There have been suggestions that incidents just started to feel more ubiquitous in recent years because social media means videos of badly behaved passengers spread like wildfire.But while FAA data might show fluctuating figures for much of the past 20 years, in 2021, incidents seem to have sky rocketed. In 2019, 146 investigations were initiated by the FAA. So far in 2021 that number is 727.COVID-19 seems to have exacerbated an already existing issue to an unprecedented degree, at least in the U.S.Amirzadeh recalls the silent flights of Spring 2020. People were too fearful to even look at other passengers or air crew, she says, let alone cause conflict.By summer 2020, travel had recommenced and reports of in-flight disruptions were back. Masks — not yet mandated by the FAA, but enforced by some airlines — were becoming a sore topic among some travelers.In recent months, unruly behavior has reached new heights.”It just seems like every next incident is getting a little bit more extreme, things you just would have never imagined last year,” says Malis.”As a flight attendant, it’s really hard to imagine yourself being in a position that requires duct-taping a passenger to their seats for the safety of everyone else on the plane, yet this is something that has happened numerous times in the last few months.”Malis says she feels like incidents have been on a steady rise since the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. It also involved disruptive behavior on planes and led to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) International — which represents American flight attendants at 17 airlines — stating rioters should not be allowed on flights home.”I think the insurrection was kind of an eye-opening experience,” Malis says. “What do you do when you have multiple incidents happening on the plane at the same time with only four crew members?”A survey by the AFA released in July of this year found that, of the 5,000 flight attendants surveyed, 85% said they’d dealt with unruly passengers in 2021.Disruptive passengers had used sexist, racist and/or homophobic language, according to 61%, while 17% said they’d been victim of a physical attack this year.”I thought I had seen or done or heard at all,” says Amirzadeh, who has flown for six years and previously worked in customer service.”But as I’ve learned the past 18 months, that is definitely not the case, I am seeing, hearing and doing things I never thought in my life I would ever be doing.”Flying during COVID-19Many incidents are linked with mask non-compliance, which the flight attendants who spoke to CNN Travel say has been an issue throughout the pandemic.Even though it’s now FAA-mandated and federal law, masks remain the cause of the majority of inflight issues. In a press release dated Aug. 19, the FAA says it had received approximately 3,889 reports of unruly behavior by passengers since Jan. 1. Of those reports, 2,867 were passengers refusing to comply with the mask mandate.”In the beginning, I would sympathize and say, ‘Hey, you know, I get it, it’s hot, I’m hot. I’m wearing it too — I need you to wear it too. Can we please work together?'” says Amirzadeh.”But here we are, it’s been a year and a half, you’re wearing them everywhere. And we’re not the only ones that are asking you to wear them — every train station, every bus, every airline…”Carr says she thinks the problem is that mask-wearing is sometimes viewed as a political issue in the United States.”The mask issue was less about public health and it was more politicized in the beginning. And that is something we’re still dealing with today,” she says.Amirzadeh says fraught mask-related interactions often come as a result of passengers removing their face covering in order to eat or drink and then keeping it off. It’s one of the reasons she thinks alcohol shouldn’t be served on planes currently.Carr agrees and also questions the availability of to-go drinks at the airport.Still, not serving alcohol can be the cause of issues too — as Malis has found on board American Airlines, which continues to ban alcohol in its main cabins on board most flights. “On some of my flights it’s caused people to get upset, because they do want to feel like they have a right to have a drink — but at the same time […] if you’re getting so upset because you can’t have a drink right now, that’s the exact reason we’re kind of afraid to give you one, that kind of erratic behavior,” says Malis.For some passengers, travel may feel more stressful and anxiety-inducing in the age of COVID-19. Carr suggests this — and the stresses we’ve all been under during the pandemic — are a contributing factor to the rise in incidents.”We’ve been isolated for the last 18-plus months,” she says. “So I think some of the social graces have kind of been put on the back burner, as far as what’s acceptable in public and on an airplane.”Malis wants passengers to realize that the stresses and anxieties they might be feeling about traveling in the age of Covid-19 are also shared by many crew, even if they seem like “a very accessible punching bag.””We’ve been putting ourselves on the front line, and quarantining from our families,” she says. “We’re doing our job, we’re not the reason your flight got canceled, we’re not the reason you’re frustrated.”The ubiquity of events on social media also leads Malis to suggest there could be a “copycat factor.”To reverse this, Amirzadeh says it’s important for people to realize that the passengers who’ve gone viral are paying the price. Dealing with incidentsFlight attendants are safety professionals trained in dealing with everything from a medical emergency to a potential terrorist incident.”We’re not here to serve you a coke, we’re here to save your life,” is how Amirzadeh puts it.But there’s the concern, she says, that dealing with unruly passengers could prevent crew from dealing with other issues on board.”We are the people that are going to give you CPR, we’re the people that are going to give you the Heimlich Maneuver, we are the people that are going to put out the fire. But we might miss those things if we’re too busy arguing with someone else about putting their mask on.”Malis says dealing with unruly passengers is a team effort — if a passenger seems to have taken against a particular flight attendant, another crew member stepping in could calm them down.Carr says she keeps tabs on mask-wearing from the moment travelers step onto the plane, and will first offer a friendly reminder.If someone continues not to comply, there are several warning steps culminating in the traveler getting handed a card stating that if they continue, they’ll be reported to the airline and could lose travel privileges.As Amirzadeh points out, a flight attendant can’t force someone to wear a mask.”But I can let him know that if he doesn’t, then I hope that wherever we’re landing is his final destination because his return ticket’s going to be canceled, we’re going to file a report with the FAA, and you could face fines, and other legal ramifications.”Flight attendants are also able to take self-defense classes organized via the Transportation Security Administration.”I think more and more flight attendants need to start taking some self-defense classes and need to be prepared to protect themselves and that’s a sad thing,” says Amirzadeh.On Jan. 13, 2021 the FAA signed an order directing a stricter legal enforcement policy against unruly airline passengers, promising a zero tolerance campaign.Any passenger who “assaults, threatens, intimidates, or interferes with airline crew members” could face fines of up to $35,000 and prison time.The FAA also recently launched a public awareness campaign, which includes a video, as well as some social media memes.The agency has also asked U.S. airports to ensure law enforcement on the ground deals with reported inflight incidents, as well as consider issues associated with to-go alcohol.The AFA flight attendant union is pressing for the zero-tolerance policy to become permanent.”It’s also important that the Department of Justice is prosecuting some of these events,” says Carr. “These unruly passenger events have been so egregious, flight attendants have been attacked, and injured […] in situations like that, it’s important that they’re facing criminal prosecution and that’s something that needs to be publicized as well.”Malis also suggests there should be further coordination between airlines to ensure passengers banned from one airline can’t board other US carriers.Carr and Amirzadeh are both members of the AFA flight attendant union, while Malis is involved in the American Airlines’ union.They say flight attendants have been sharing stories with their unions and their private networks — across carriers — providing support and solidarity.The AFA union is offering employee assistance via therapy sessions.”There are certainly flight attendants that definitely need a break physically, mentally, and emotionally. But right now, the staffing is not there to support any type of voluntary leave option,” says Malis.State of the travel industryAfter a difficult year of furlough and redundancies, flight attendants are concerned that the dual effect of COVID-19 and unruly passengers could see aviation grind to a halt again.Carr says one of the joys of her job has always been supporting passengers on their travels — whether they’re heading on a long-dreamed-of vacation, traveling under difficult circumstances or anything in between.”I love this industry and my co-workers and having the traveling public back is wonderful,” she says. “But the pandemic is far from over. That is a reality. COVID-19 and the variants are still taking lives.”The last thing Carr and her colleagues want to see is travel stalling again.”We are doing everything we can to keep passengers safe on board and keep travel going, but without the support of the traveling public — without people taking those necessary steps to mitigate the spread, and help get a handle on this pandemic — we could be facing travel closing again, which would be horrible.” Video above: Airline employees duct-tape passenger to seat after he groped, punched flight attendants Working as a flight attendant previously afforded Mitra Amirzadeh the freedom to explore the world — taking her from her home in Florida to destinations including Kenya, France and Spain. As the pandemic spread, the perks of Amirzadeh’s job diminished. Now restricted to domestic U.S. flights, her work involves navigating not only the fear of catching COVID-19, but also the recent uptick in disruptive passengers. “I’m dealing with a lot of babysitting, which I never counted on doing,” Amirzadeh, who works for a low-cost U.S. airline, told CNN Travel. “The actual children on board behave better than the grown adults do.” This summer, unruly passenger behavior seems to have reached new heights. In one incident, a passenger punched a Southwest flight attendant and knocked out two of their teeth. Video also circulated of a passenger getting taped to their seat after they reportedly punched and groped Frontier Airlines flight crew. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it’s issued more than $1 million in fines to unruly airline passengers so far in 2021. U.S. flight attendants tell CNN Travel say the stress of the situation is taking its toll. Susannah Carr, who works for a major US airline, says unruly incidents used to be “the exception, not the rule.” Now they’re “frequent.” “I come in expecting to get push back. I come in expecting to have a passenger that could potentially get violent,” she says. Amirzadeh says flight attendants across U.S. airlines are just “over it.” Allie Malis, a flight attendant for American Airlines, says air crew are “exhausted — physically and emotionally.” “We’ve gone through worrying about our health and safety, worrying about our jobs — now [we are] worrying about our safety in a different way.” The rise of air ragePre-pandemic, the issue of unruly passengers was becoming increasingly omnipresent — data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) suggested incidents rose from 2012 to 2015, while whole conferences were dedicated to the problem. This increase was often linked to cabins getting fuller, with increased security checks and processes adding to tension. In 2019, Malis, who is also the government affairs representative at the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, a union representing American Airlines air crew, spoke to CNN Travel about the decrease of personal seat space. She said her union believed it is “strongly correlated and in a large part to blame” for the rise in incidents. Alcohol is also an often cited contributing factor — travelers drink at the airport and board the plane without crew realizing how inebriated they are. When it all kicks off at 30,000 feet, it’s too late. That said, it’s always been hard to get an exact handle on whether passengers have actually become more unruly. Not every airline that’s part of IATA submits data, and not every airline records every instance of unruly behavior, while separate FAA data recorded oscillating numbers of investigated incidents between 1995 and 2019. There have been suggestions that incidents just started to feel more ubiquitous in recent years because social media means videos of badly behaved passengers spread like wildfire. But while FAA data might show fluctuating figures for much of the past 20 years, in 2021, incidents seem to have sky rocketed. In 2019, 146 investigations were initiated by the FAA. So far in 2021 that number is 727. COVID-19 seems to have exacerbated an already existing issue to an unprecedented degree, at least in the U.S. Amirzadeh recalls the silent flights of Spring 2020. People were too fearful to even look at other passengers or air crew, she says, let alone cause conflict. By summer 2020, travel had recommenced and reports of in-flight disruptions were back. Masks — not yet mandated by the FAA, but enforced by some airlines — were becoming a sore topic among some travelers. In recent months, unruly behavior has reached new heights. “It just seems like every next incident is getting a little bit more extreme, things you just would have never imagined last year,” says Malis. “As a flight attendant, it’s really hard to imagine yourself being in a position that requires duct-taping a passenger to their seats for the safety of everyone else on the plane, yet this is something that has happened numerous times in the last few months.” Malis says she feels like incidents have been on a steady rise since the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. It also involved disruptive behavior on planes and led to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) International — which represents American flight attendants at 17 airlines — stating rioters should not be allowed on flights home. “I think the insurrection was kind of an eye-opening experience,” Malis says. “What do you do when you have multiple incidents happening on the plane at the same time with only four crew members?” A survey by the AFA released in July of this year found that, of the 5,000 flight attendants surveyed, 85% said they’d dealt with unruly passengers in 2021. Disruptive passengers had used sexist, racist and/or homophobic language, according to 61%, while 17% said they’d been victim of a physical attack this year. “I thought I had seen or done or heard at all,” says Amirzadeh, who has flown for six years and previously worked in customer service. “But as I’ve learned the past 18 months, that is definitely not the case, I am seeing, hearing and doing things I never thought in my life I would ever be doing.” Flying during COVID-19Many incidents are linked with mask non-compliance, which the flight attendants who spoke to CNN Travel say has been an issue throughout the pandemic. Even though it’s now FAA-mandated and federal law, masks remain the cause of the majority of inflight issues. In a press release dated Aug. 19, the FAA says it had received approximately 3,889 reports of unruly behavior by passengers since Jan. 1. Of those reports, 2,867 were passengers refusing to comply with the mask mandate. “In the beginning, I would sympathize and say, ‘Hey, you know, I get it, it’s hot, I’m hot. I’m wearing it too — I need you to wear it too. Can we please work together?'” says Amirzadeh. “But here we are, it’s been a year and a half, you’re wearing them everywhere. And we’re not the only ones that are asking you to wear them — every train station, every bus, every airline…” Carr says she thinks the problem is that mask-wearing is sometimes viewed as a political issue in the United States. “The mask issue was less about public health and it was more politicized in the beginning. And that is something we’re still dealing with today,” she says. Amirzadeh says fraught mask-related interactions often come as a result of passengers removing their face covering in order to eat or drink and then keeping it off. It’s one of the reasons she thinks alcohol shouldn’t be served on planes currently. Carr agrees and also questions the availability of to-go drinks at the airport. Still, not serving alcohol can be the cause of issues too — as Malis has found on board American Airlines, which continues to ban alcohol in its main cabins on board most flights. “On some of my flights it’s caused people to get upset, because they do want to feel like they have a right to have a drink — but at the same time […] if you’re getting so upset because you can’t have a drink right now, that’s the exact reason we’re kind of afraid to give you one, that kind of erratic behavior,” says Malis. For some passengers, travel may feel more stressful and anxiety-inducing in the age of COVID-19. Carr suggests this — and the stresses we’ve all been under during the pandemic — are a contributing factor to the rise in incidents. “We’ve been isolated for the last 18-plus months,” she says. “So I think some of the social graces have kind of been put on the back burner, as far as what’s acceptable in public and on an airplane.” Malis wants passengers to realize that the stresses and anxieties they might be feeling about traveling in the age of Covid-19 are also shared by many crew, even if they seem like “a very accessible punching bag.” “We’ve been putting ourselves on the front line, and quarantining from our families,” she says. “We’re doing our job, we’re not the reason your flight got canceled, we’re not the reason you’re frustrated.” The ubiquity of events on social media also leads Malis to suggest there could be a “copycat factor.” To reverse this, Amirzadeh says it’s important for people to realize that the passengers who’ve gone viral are paying the price. Dealing with incidentsFlight attendants are safety professionals trained in dealing with everything from a medical emergency to a potential terrorist incident. “We’re not here to serve you a coke, we’re here to save your life,” is how Amirzadeh puts it. But there’s the concern, she says, that dealing with unruly passengers could prevent crew from dealing with other issues on board. “We are the people that are going to give you CPR, we’re the people that are going to give you the Heimlich Maneuver, we are the people that are going to put out the fire. But we might miss those things if we’re too busy arguing with someone else about putting their mask on.” Malis says dealing with unruly passengers is a team effort — if a passenger seems to have taken against a particular flight attendant, another crew member stepping in could calm them down. Carr says she keeps tabs on mask-wearing from the moment travelers step onto the plane, and will first offer a friendly reminder. If someone continues not to comply, there are several warning steps culminating in the traveler getting handed a card stating that if they continue, they’ll be reported to the airline and could lose travel privileges. As Amirzadeh points out, a flight attendant can’t force someone to wear a mask. “But I can let him know that if he doesn’t, then I hope that wherever we’re landing is his final destination because his return ticket’s going to be canceled, we’re going to file a report with the FAA, and you could face fines, and other legal ramifications.” Flight attendants are also able to take self-defense classes organized via the Transportation Security Administration. “I think more and more flight attendants need to start taking some self-defense classes and need to be prepared to protect themselves and that’s a sad thing,” says Amirzadeh. On Jan. 13, 2021 the FAA signed an order directing a stricter legal enforcement policy against unruly airline passengers, promising a zero tolerance campaign. Any passenger who “assaults, threatens, intimidates, or interferes with airline crew members” could face fines of up to $35,000 and prison time. The FAA also recently launched a public awareness campaign, which includes a video, as well as some social media memes. The agency has also asked U.S. airports to ensure law enforcement on the ground deals with reported inflight incidents, as well as consider issues associated with to-go alcohol. The AFA flight attendant union is pressing for the zero-tolerance policy to become permanent. “It’s also important that the Department of Justice is prosecuting some of these events,” says Carr. “These unruly passenger events have been so egregious, flight attendants have been attacked, and injured […] in situations like that, it’s important that they’re facing criminal prosecution and that’s something that needs to be publicized as well.” Malis also suggests there should be further coordination between airlines to ensure passengers banned from one airline can’t board other US carriers. Carr and Amirzadeh are both members of the AFA flight attendant union, while Malis is involved in the American Airlines’ union. They say flight attendants have been sharing stories with their unions and their private networks — across carriers — providing support and solidarity. The AFA union is offering employee assistance via therapy sessions. “There are certainly flight attendants that definitely need a break physically, mentally, and emotionally. But right now, the staffing is not there to support any type of voluntary leave option,” says Malis. State of the travel industryAfter a difficult year of furlough and redundancies, flight attendants are concerned that the dual effect of COVID-19 and unruly passengers could see aviation grind to a halt again. Carr says one of the joys of her job has always been supporting passengers on their travels — whether they’re heading on a long-dreamed-of vacation, traveling under difficult circumstances or anything in between. “I love this industry and my co-workers and having the traveling public back is wonderful,” she says. “But the pandemic is far from over. That is a reality. COVID-19 and the variants are still taking lives.” The last thing Carr and her colleagues want to see is travel stalling again. “We are doing everything we can to keep passengers safe on board and keep travel going, but without the support of the traveling public — without people taking those necessary steps to mitigate the spread, and help get a handle on this pandemic — we could be facing travel closing again, which would be horrible.” Source link The post Flight attendants describe what it’s like going to work as more violent incidents reported first appeared on The Greater Kansas City News Site. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/flight-attendants-describe-what-its-like-going-to-work-as-more-violent-incidents-reported/ via The Greater Kansas City Buying a home is an investment â and an increasingly expensive one. The median value of a home in the United States reached $363,300 in July 2021, according to the National Association of Realtors. The market grew competitive and the price of homeownership shot out of reach for many Americans â but not for those willing to shell out big money for the most expensive homes on the market. Homes with big price tags come with all sorts of enviable amenities. Pools, home gyms, high-tech fixtures, sweeping security systems, spacious yards, and a room for every need are luxuries most people covet. As people spent more time than ever before in their homes, these luxuries â and the cavernous square footage and yards that house them â became more desirable than ever. The appetite for homes selling in the high six-figure range became voracious in 2020, and that trend continues into 2021, according to data from Redfin. Sales of such luxury homes increased 41.6% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2021, growing significantly more than the smaller increase for more moderately priced homes. To learn more about home values in Kansas City, Missouri, Stacker analyzed data from realtor.com to compile a list of the most expensive homes for sale in the city. Homes are ranked by price with ties broken by price per square foot. See the most expensive homes for sale right now in Kansas City below: #10. 4520 Kenwood Ave, Kansas City ($2,590,000) #9. 1030 W 53rd Ter, Kansas City ($2,600,000) #8. 711 Ward Pkwy, Kansas City ($2,950,000) #7. 4500 NW 108th St, Kansas City ($3,000,000) #6. 1008 Valentine Rd, Kansas City ($3,375,000) #5. 10000 NW 75th St, Kansas City ($3,698,000) #4. 721 Ward Parkway Blvd, Kansas City ($4,250,000) #3. 2201 NW 76th St, Kansas City ($4,500,000) #2. 5550 Ward Pkwy, Kansas City ($4,500,000) #1. 1217 W 55th St, Kansas City ($7,290,000) Suggest a CorrectionSource link The post Most expensive homes for sale in Kansas City this September first appeared on The Greater Kansas City News Site. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/most-expensive-homes-for-sale-in-kansas-city-this-september/ via The Greater Kansas City A New Jersey family evacuated during Ida flooding. Hours after leaving, an explosion destroyed their home Updated: 10:52 PM CDT Sep 3, 2021
the choice that Natasha in the rally Patel made to leave their Whittier street house when the waters of the rahway River began pouring into their basement saved their lives and the life of their infant daughter. I think I’m just more happy than my wife’s okay. Are newborns okay? We started our, we started our life literally here three years ago we got married, bought the house, same year in three years all over stuff scott at five this morning, gas lines damaged by the storm surge exploded, leaving nothing of a home, just a pile of rubble in the ruins of this family’s personal belongings. We don’t have an RDS or anything. I don’t even know how to begin with that card needs to get towed scores license, birth certificates. The explosion woke nearly everyone up in the neighborhood. We heard it allow. It’s a loud boom and they shook the house. We all woke up. It sounds, we all thought we got hit by lightning and thunder. Every neighbor, everybody came out to the streets then and so we came running up but everyone was already outside in the fire and the police department just came in, debris sailed in all directions. This is the patels air conditioning unit across the street in their neighbor’s yard. It was just scary, Just scary. We thought the car was coming through the window all the glass front windows broke out upstairs downstairs. The railway river runs alongside the patels lot. It topped its banks stretching out enough to flood roadways and parks swallowing cars including the patels. They literally saved their lives by leaving but are left with nothing except friends and family and strangers who are heeding the call to a go Fund Me page to make sure they can rebuild their lives with their child. So right now we’ve got to focus on the baby and make sure the baby’s okay. Exactly. Yeah. That’s our blessing, I guess. A New Jersey family evacuated during Ida flooding. Hours after leaving, an explosion destroyed their home Updated: 10:52 PM CDT Sep 3, 2021 A New Jersey couple along with their newborn daughter decided to evacuate during Hurricane Ida flooding. The decision saved their lives.Hours after Mitesh and Nirali Patel left their home with their baby, gas lines damaged during a storm surge exploded, leaving only rubble and ruins of their home.”We started our life literally here three years ago,” Nirali Patel told WABC-TV. “We got married. We bought our house the same year. In three years, all our stuff is gone.”Watch the video above to learn more about this story.
RAHWAY, N.J. (Video above from WABC via CNN) --
A New Jersey couple along with their newborn daughter decided to evacuate during Hurricane Ida flooding. The decision saved their lives. Hours after Mitesh and Nirali Patel left their home with their baby, gas lines damaged during a storm surge exploded, leaving only rubble and ruins of their home. “We started our life literally here three years ago,” Nirali Patel told WABC-TV. “We got married. We bought our house the same year. In three years, all our stuff is gone.” Watch the video above to learn more about this story. Source link The post Family saved from home explosion after evacuating during Ida flooding first appeared on The Greater Kansas City News Site. from The Greater Kansas City News Site https://thegreaterkansascity.org/family-saved-from-home-explosion-after-evacuating-during-ida-flooding/ via The Greater Kansas City |
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