Latest news with #ElizabethSmith
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Central Park Conservancy calls on NYC to end horse-drawn carriages in park
NEW YORK — The nonprofit organization that manages Central Park in concert with New York City has come out in support of a ban on the iconic horse-drawn carriages that operate in the park. 'We do not take this position lightly, but with visitation to the Park growing to record levels, we feel strongly that banning horse carriages has become a matter of public health and safety for Park visitors,' conservancy head Elizabeth Smith said in a letter Tuesday to Mayor Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. 'It has also become increasingly evident that the 68 carriages licensed to operate in the Park inflict enormous damage to its Drives, to the detriment of the Park's other, 42 million users,' she wrote. There are 68 carriages currently authorized by the city, and roughly 200 licensed horses, according to a spokeswoman for the Transport Workers Union's Local 100, which represents roughly 200 drivers and stable-hands. John Samuelsen, TWU's international president, called the conservancy's claims bunk. 'Conservancy President Elizabeth W. Smith's claim that slow-moving horse carriages pose a threat to public safety is absolutely ridiculous,' Samuelsen said in a statement. 'The Conservancy has failed miserably to manage the swarming hordes of unlicensed and illegally motorized pedicabs, e-bikes and electric scooters that pose the real threat.' 'The corporate aristocrats at the Central Park Conservancy are now outrageously supporting a measure that would throw about 200 blue-collar workers in the carriage-horse tourism industry out of work, with no regard for how they will pay their rents, mortgages, send their kids to college, put food on the table or meet other expenses,' the union boss added. Samuelsen reiterated the union's call for putting a stable in the park that would keep horses off of city streets, and accused the conservancy of 'desecrating the park's storied history' by proposing an end to horse-drawn carriage rides. Animal rights advocates have been lobbying to ban carriage horses from operating in Central Park for years — an effort that took on greater momentum after a horse named Ryder collapsed on a Midtown street in 2022. Carriage driver Ian McKeever was acquitted last month of charges he overworked and tortured Ryder in the months leading up to the equine's death. The hot-button issued reignited anew last week after Lady, a 15-year-old carriage horse, died on the street on Aug. 5 while returning to her stable in Hell's Kitchen. Christina Hansen, a carriage horse driver and TWU shop steward for the industry, reported that a necropsy determined Lady likely died from 'an aortic rupture' caused by a small tumor on her adrenal gland. In addition, Conservancy President Smith wrote in her letter that the nonprofit is also throwing its support behind 'Ryder's Law,' a proposal that has been before the City Council since 2022. If passed, the law would ban additional carriage horse licenses and increase regulation of existing carriage horses. 'We believe the bill offers a balanced path forward and would urge the Council to hold a hearing and vote on the bill, and for the (Adams) administration to support its passage,' Smith wrote. 'We are not experts on animal welfare and will leave those arguments to others, but we are experts on the Park,' she added. Smith cited two instances of carriage horses getting loose in Central Park as evidence that the creatures constitute a public safety risk. Smith also cited the wear and tear from horseshoes on the park's drives, plus the presence of manure. 'The Conservancy is deeply familiar with the history of Central Park and are often the first to raise our voice to protect it from intrusions that detract from that history,' Smith wrote. 'But our paramount concern is for the health and safety of the people who love the Park, and it is in their name that we respectfully request that we turn the page on horse carriages, just as other major cities across the globe already have.' Asked to respond to the letter, a City Hall spokesman said Mayor Eric Adams was 'heartbroken' by last week's death of a carriage horse, and had tasked First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro with meeting advocates and industry representatives in the coming days. '[W]e're dedicated to finding a better path forward to prevent tragedies like the one that happened last week,' Zachary Nosanchuk said in a statement. 'We are working diligently to bring stakeholders to the table to keep our parks, animals and all New Yorkers safe.' _____ (With Chris Sommerfeldt.) _____
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TVA asking Jackson County residents for input on proposed Pumped Storage Hydro project
JACKSON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — Soon, Jackson County residents will have the opportunity to give their input on a proposed Pumped Storage Hydro project. On June 12, TVA will host a public meeting from 6 – 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12, 2025, at Pisgah High School located at 60 Metcalf Street, Pisgah, Alabama, 35765. The Pumped Storage Hydro, or PSH, stores energy by pumping water to a higher elevation and releasing it back through turbines when energy demand is high. TVA currently operates a PSH facility near Chattanooga, Tenn., the 1,700-megawatt Raccoon Mountain. The public is encouraged to provide input on TVA's Pumped Storage Hydropower Draft Environmental Impact Statement, either at the public meeting, online or through the mail. You can find the DEIS on the TVA website. 'All comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the administrative record and will be available for public inspection,' TVA said. You can submit comments on the DEIS in person at the public meeting or via email to nepa@ TVA said that any written comments should be sent to this address: Tennessee Valley Authority, ATTN: Elizabeth Smith, NEPA Specialist, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT-11D, Knoxville, TN 37902. The public can provide feedback on the four options for the project below: TVA would not develop or expand PSH facilities at any of the project sites. TVA would continue to operate the existing Raccoon Mountain PSH with no changes to current operations. TVA would not develop or expand PSH facilities at any of the project sites. TVA would continue to operate the existing Raccoon Mountain PSH with no changes to current operations. A new PSH located at Widows Creek, near Stevenson and Fabius, Alabama with an energy generation capacity ranging from 1,200-megawatt (MW) up to 1,600 MW. An 800-MW expansion of the existing Raccoon Mountain PSH, located near Chattanooga, Tennessee. DEIS comments must be received or postmarked no later than July 14, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Maryland communities still cleaning in the aftermath of powerful storms
Baltimore and the surrounding areas are still recovering from an EF-1 tornado on Friday, leaving a wake of destruction. The tornado brought wind gusts up to 110 mph, while damaging trees, buildings, and power lines. Surveyors followed the storm damage along a corridor from Federal Hill to Canton, to Brewer's Hill, Dundalk, and Sparrows Point. "It's typically nice, but a lot of the storm can destroy a part of the land, and lots of trash will get built up," said Baltimore's Elizabeth Smith. The sounds of chainsaws gnawing through tree limbs were heard on Monday as crews and homeowners cleaned up for the powerful storms. "Typically, we get those tornado warnings, not a good amount, but to the point where you can just ignore it, and it will just be rain," Smith said. "But the fact that it was 70 mph winds ripping off the roofs of buildings, and the area went completely dark, it's pretty scary." The storms left 74,000 Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) customers in the dark. Dundalk Pumping Station overflow In Dundalk, the Department of Public Works said a power outage from the storm caused the Dundalk Pumping Station to overflow sewage. "So it wasn't rain water or storm water coming through here, it was just the normal operations of people flushing, using dishwashers, washing their hands, and it coming through the pipes and coming through the station," said Lauren Buckler, the Baltimore County public works director. The power outage only lasted about three hours, but this is the first time they've had a complete outage at the plant. Operations are now back to normal. Lightning strike sparks fire in Harford County Perhaps the most devastating damage happened in Harford County, where the State Fire Marshal's office says a lightning strike caused a home in Jarrettsville to burn to the ground. "I was at my house looking down the driveway and I seen a bunch of smoke coming from the house," said Harford County resident Tony Cogswell. "When I got to the scene, the porch was on fire." Cogswell attempted to save the family's two dogs, but the smoke was already too thick. "It's a terrible loss to go through," Cogswell said. "I'm telling you when I came out of the house, I was covered in soot head to toe."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Langcliffe Quarry inspires artists for Skipton exhibition 'Slow Burn'
Craven Arts House in Skipton has announced a new exhibition, 'Slow Burn,' which will run from May 22 until June 15 and showcase the work of four local artists. Drawing inspiration from Craven Lime Works in Langcliffe, Tim Smith, Elizabeth Smith, Luke Thompson, and Rose Wheeler have created visual, and written, responses to the historic site that will be featured in the exhibition, with media ranging from drawing and poetry through to painting and photography. Ms Smith said: "Langcliffe Quarry carries the weight of time. "Art allows us to reclaim forgotten landscapes, turning remnants of industry into moments of reflection and beauty." In the words of a spokesperson for Craven Arts House, the artists' works concern the "transformation of the land" - which includes three preserved kilns that were part of the region's lime industry in the 19th and 20th centuries - "where human legacy fades into the embrace of time, and nature slowly reclaims its space." Entry to 'Slow Burn' is free, with the exhibition to be open from Thursday through to Sunday, from 11am to 4pm, during the period. An open viewing will take place on Friday, May 23, from 5pm to 8pm, to mark the exhibition's launch. The artists will be present at the open viewing, and drinks and nibbles will be served. A spokesperson for Craven Arts House added: "Craven Arts House warmly invites all art lovers, historians, and community members to experience 'Slow Burn' and reflect on the profound connections between industry, landscape, and artistic expression." More information is available at
The Sun
12-05-2025
- The Sun
We live in Crossbow Cannibal flats – there's a reek of death and rotting BODIES… there must be more hidden victims
HORRIFIED locals living in the same grim flats once stalked by the Crossbow Cannibal say they believe the monster left more victims behind - with their remains yet to be discovered. Serial killer Stephen Griffiths was jailed for life in 2010 for the "wicked and monstrous" murders of three women in Bradford. 13 13 13 The brute, who introduced himself in court as " the Crossbow Cannibal", told police after his arrest: "I've killed loads". Fifteen years on from his horrific crimes, residents living in the notorious social housing flats where Griffiths killed are convinced there are more grisly secrets hidden within its cracked brickwork. Elizabeth Smith, 28, who recently moved into the apartments on troubled Thornton Road, said: "Everyone knows there are more bodies. "He said there were more bodies. I 100% believe they need to search this place again. Something's not right. 'I've bleached the lift so many times because of the smell. It's rotten. "They just replaced all the carpets, but the smell is still there. It's been playing on my mind for months. "I genuinely believe there are other bodies in there." Griffiths, now 55, was locked away for life in 2010 after admitting to the murders of sex workers Susan Rushworth, 43, Shelley Armitage, 31, and Suzanne Blamires, 36. 'It was a slaughterhouse' The monster had a twisted fascination with death from an early age. His father saved up to send him to a private school, but Griffiths dropped out before his A-Levels. He went on to earn a degree in criminology at the University of Bradford, where he treated murder cases like blueprints, meticulously studying the methods of the most notorious killers in history, including Jack the Ripper and Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe. Griffiths' first known victim was Susan Rushworth, 43 who disappeared around June 2009. Her body has never been found, and cops believe he dismembered her in his bathroom. Shelley Armitage, 31, disappeared in April 2010. Her body, too, was never recovered, but a small piece of her flesh was found in the River Aire. His final victim was Suzanne Blamires, 36. Suzanne was seen on CCTV running out of Griffiths' flat followed by the killer who was then seen dragging her by the leg. She was killed with a crossbow before Griffiths "gestured" to a nearby CCTV camera looking towards his flat. Griffiths later taunted police, saying he had eaten part of her, calling it 'part of the magic.' The monster admitted using power tools to dismember victims and told detectives: "It was just a slaughterhouse in the bathtub". Bethany Horne, 26, who also resides at Griffiths' former complex, said: 'The place gives me the chills, especially when I'm on my own - knowing what happened there. 'It's a really scary thought to think they could be other bodies there. 'The whole place just smells rotten." Dean Hutchinson, 38, lives underneath Griffiths' former flat and is convinced his apartment is haunted. 'I've had cups and glasses fall off the shelves for no reason whatsoever. They just smash on the floor. 13 13 13 13 'I've never believed in ghosts or spirits, but it's like there's a bad energy around the place. 'You walk around the flats and it just smells. It's a smell I can't describe - like rotten. 'My mum thinks I'm crazy but I can't explain it.' 'I've killed a lot more' Griffiths, of Thornton Road, was arrested on 24 May, 2010, when the CCTV footage of him attacking Ms Blamires at the flats was discovered by a caretaker at the complex. He told the officers arresting him: "I've killed a lot more than Suzanne Blamires - I've killed loads. "Peter Sutcliffe [the Yorkshire Ripper] came a cropper in Sheffield. "So did I but at least I got out of the city." Fifteen years on, locals say the area around the flats – part of Bradford's notorious red-light district – still attracts the same characters who might have crossed paths with the Crossbow Cannibal's victims. When The Sun visited the area, we saw sex workers brazenly walking the afternoon streets, with cars slowing to roll down their windows to negotiate a price. Elizabeth, who grew up in Bradford, added: "When I told my mum I was moving in she wasn't happy at all, and since I've moved here, I hate it. 'I don't like living around here. You can't walk down the street without cars beeping and windows being rolled down, and men asking if you're working. 'We've had men in the building knocking on doors trying to find a sex worker." Bethany continued: "I get asked for business all the time. Cars will pull up and men will try and get me to get in. It's terrifying. 'You walk down this road in the evening and you'll see all the young girls going with men down the back roads. 'After what happened with the Crossbow Cannibal you would think they'd be too scared to work around here but it hasn't put them off." 13 13 Garth Durkin, 65, who has run Aloha Sunbeds on nearby Grattan Road for nearly 10 years, told how his client list had plunged by a third with customers too scared of being accosted by beggars, drug addicts and prostitutes. He said: 'You'd think after something like that, it might scare the scene into changing, but it hasn't. "The street corners are still dotted with sex workers, and drug addicts lurk around. "You'd think that kind of horror would be a wake-up call, but here we are.' Griffiths was linked to the unsolved murders of two Bradford women but has refused to be interviewed by detectives. The Sun revealed last year that he was attacked in max-security HMP Full Sutton by the friend of Ms Blamires after they were housed in the same wing. West Yorkshire Police responded to a comment saying: "West Yorkshire Police continue to work in partnership to manage on-street sex working in Bradford with a focus on the vulnerabilities of sex workers and the wider community. "We are aware of some issues that have been raised by residents and businesses in certain areas and are working with our partners to proactively tackle these issues. "There has been a significant amount of positive progress in Bradford to reduce the impact of on-street sex work and the impact it can have on communities as well as ensuring that we continue to support the, often vulnerable, individuals who are engaging with on-street sex work."
