Latest news with #DepartmentOfPublicSafety
CBS News
5 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Real ID applications in Minnesota taking over 3 months to process, state says
The highly publicized Real ID deadline has passed, but the system is stuck in Minnesota, and for thousands of residents, the wait is far from over. A spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Department of Driver and Vehicle Services, said they continue to receive a high volume of REAL ID applications, and the reason for the backlog is that there are too many applications and not enough staff. In April, more than 100,000 applications were submitted, with 76,000 more in May. Only 24 workers statewide are processing the documents. Right now, the processing time is more than 90 days. "If this is the direction they are going for IDs, just going forward, they need to kind of get the process down a little faster," said Mariah Scarle. Scarle applied two months ago and is still empty-handed. For Chey Eisenman, the wait has gone from inconvenient to nearly impossible. Eisenman runs a limousine business and often drives clients to and from the airport. She's now more than 100 days into waiting for her Real ID. The delay has been so long that her temporary paper license is now expired. "If it takes much longer, I may go in and do a standard driver's license renewal," Eisenman said. Real ID remains a federal requirement to fly and access secure buildings. Anyone without a Real ID or passport could face extra security checks before their next flight. State officials say they are looking at ways to ease the backlog, and want to remind people the Real ID process takes longer than a standard ID because of added security standards.
CBC
21-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
AIM's Moncton scrapyard approval expires, province says it won't renew it
New Salvage dealer licence required to operate lapsed June 30 The New Brunswick government will not not renew a controversial Moncton scrapyard's expired — and required — dealer licence. The Department of Public Safety salvage dealer licence for American Iron & Metal's operation on Toombs Street expired June 30. In a statement emailed to Radio-Canada Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for the department confirmed it has not renewed the licence. "Given that the company has three months to file an application for judicial review, it would be inappropriate to comment on this matter," Jadesola Emmanuel, communications officer for the department, wrote in French in the email. It's unclear whether the company will have to stop operations at that location while awaiting the results of a potential judicial review. The Montreal-based company, also known as AIM, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. The company purchased the site in 2023. Shortly after, residents started calling for the scrapyard to be relocated over concerns about noise, vibrations, smells and trains blocking a city street. AIM is suing the provincial government over its handling of the permits for its Saint John port scrapyard. That site was shut down after a fire in September 2023 that sent a plume of smoke over the city. The shutdown led to AIM increasing activity at its Moncton site where it could ship material by rail. The fire also led to more scrutiny of the company's other operations in New Brunswick by the province. The fire marshal ordered the company to make changes to its Moncton location, which it did. The increased activity led to complaints from residents in the adjacent neighbourhood. The company was forced to reduce the scale of piles of scrap, and to install a wall of shipping containers to reduce noise reaching homes. Despite the efforts, including a third-party report which found the wall did succeed in mitigating some noise, residents still complained. Last year, minister Kris Austin threatened to revoke the company's approval. Days before the provincial election, Austin opted to extend the approval to June 30. The company has a separate approval for handling batteries and hazardous materials through the province's environment department.
CNN
08-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Death toll in Texas flooding surpasses 100 as search and rescue enters 5th day
Update: Date: 6 min ago Title: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will hold a news conference today Content: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will hold a news conference at 6 p.m. ET in Kerrville on the state's response to the flood devastation, according to a news release from the governor's office. Abbott will also receive a briefing on the state's response. Prior to the briefing and news conference, he and Dustin Burrows, speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, will take an aerial tour to survey the damages caused by the floods and visit Camp Mystic. Abbott said Monday that more than 20 state agencies are responding to flooding across Texas. Additionally, 1,750 personnel and more than 975 vehicles and other assets have been deployed, the governor said in a statement. Tactical and law enforcement personnel from the Department of Public Safety are also assisting, the governor said. Update: Date: 7 min ago Title: Drier weather expected in central Texas today through the end of the week Content: The forecast in central Texas looks like it will be much drier today than the past several days. A handful of showers and thunderstorms could dot the region this afternoon, but these storms aren't likely to present much of a flood threat. A similar setup is possible Wednesday. Thursday and Friday should be dry and mostly sunny in the region. Despite the region forecast to finally dry out, some rivers may rise even after the rain fully stops. The Llano River has risen several feet since yesterday morning and was nearly at minor flood stage by the mid-afternoon. The San Saba River is forecast to hit minor flood stage this afternoon. Much of the Guadalupe River has returned back closer to normal levels and is not currently forecast to flood again in the coming days. Update: Date: 7 min ago Title: Questions remain as Texas communities and families reel from catastrophic flooding Content: As officials in central Texas search for the people still missing after devastating flooding last week and over the weekend, the emergency response to the extreme weather has left many unanswered questions. More than 100 people were killed in the rapidly-rising water. Here are some of the questions:
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
Desperate search for woman who got off cruise ship and didn't return
Authorities were searching for a woman visiting Alaska's capital city who did not return to her cruise ship from a hike she said she was taking, officials said Wednesday. The Juneau Police Department said it received a report Tuesday afternoon that the 62-year-old from Kentucky, who told relatives that morning that she was getting off the Norwegian Bliss to hike, had not returned to the vessel by its departure time. The woman's plans involved taking a tram popular with tourists partially up a mountain overlooking downtown Juneau and continuing from there, with plans to trek to Gold Ridge and Gastineau Peak, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Juneau is a popular cruise ship destination. Many tourists who ride the tram stay close to the developed area that includes the tram. There are still areas of snow on the local peaks. The department said ground and aerial searches were conducted Tuesday, with ground searches resuming Wednesday and aircraft on standby due to overcast and rainy weather. Department of Public Safety spokesperson Austin McDaniel told Alaska News Source how important it is for people to tell somebody where they are going, their journey plans and information about their clothing before travelling in the backcountry. 'If you don't return on time, they can alert first responders, alert search and rescue teams, the troopers, so we can immediately begin formulating a plan and activating resources to help get you out of the field,' he said. People should also consider bringing an additional communication device with them in case they lose mobile signal, he said. 'You might have good cell phone service, you might not. If you're not going to have good cell phone service, make sure that you're bringing some type of satellite communication device with you, whether it's an inReach or some kind of a spot device. 'Or you're using one of the more modern phones that has satellite communication services built into it.'
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Yahoo
Authorities search for a woman who got off a cruise ship in Alaska to hike and didn't return
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Authorities were searching for a woman visiting Alaska's capital city who did not return to her cruise ship from a hike she said she was taking, officials said Wednesday. The Juneau Police Department said it received a report Tuesday afternoon that the 62-year-old from Kentucky, who told relatives that morning that she was getting off the Norwegian Bliss to hike, had not returned to the vessel by its departure time. The woman's plans involved taking a tram popular with tourists partially up a mountain overlooking downtown Juneau and continuing from there, with plans to trek to Gold Ridge and Gastineau Peak, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Juneau is a popular cruise ship destination. Many tourists who ride the tram stay close to the developed area that includes the tram. There are still areas of snow on the local peaks. The department said ground and aerial searches were conducted Tuesday, with ground searches resuming Wednesday and aircraft on standby due to overcast and rainy weather.
