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OCTA ridership sees early 13% ridership decline amid immigration raids
OCTA ridership sees early 13% ridership decline amid immigration raids

Los Angeles Times

time18-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Los Angeles Times

OCTA ridership sees early 13% ridership decline amid immigration raids

Fears of masked federal immigration agents stopping people at bus stops or boarding buses in Orange County appears to be having an impact on ridership. The Orange County Transportation Authority typically sees emptier weekday buses over the summer, but recent statistics show a 13% drop after June 20 compared to the same period in 2024. 'Similar ridership declines carried over into July,' said Eric Carpenter, an OCTA spokesperson, 'so we continue to closely monitor this apparent trend of lower ridership.' The recent wave of immigration sweeps began on June 6 in Southern California. Since then, a memo to OCTA bus drivers last month instructed them to comply with any state or federal law enforcement attempting to pull over a bus. The guidance additionally noted that law enforcement present at a bus stop or transit center can't be stopped from boarding. On July 10, a masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and a Drug Enforcement Administration agent boarded a bus in Santa Ana. They briefly questioned one passenger and left without making an arrest. Videos of the encounter spread on social media and amplified fears. OCTA released clearer footage from a bus camera, including a passing remark by an agent about the person questioned being the 'wrong guy' they were looking for. 'We are not aware of any other instance of federal agents boarding a bus in Orange County,' Carpenter said. OCTA officials stressed that the encounter was an isolated incident, but that the federal agencies involved did not notify them of the nature of the investigation before or after it happened. 'The moment an ICE agent boards a bus, trust is lost,' said Dorian Romero, project manager for Santa Ana Active Streets, a group that advocates for progressive transportation policies. 'OCTA needs to work harder to build that trust because this is not safe mobility.' The same day as the incident, an OCTA official presented declining ridership stats to the agency's transit committee. Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, who also serves on OCTA's board of directors, noted that less ridership during the summer is normal, as students are out of school, but the stats signaled a climate of fear amid immigration raids beyond that. He urged the agency to look at responses — from adjusting the number of bus routes to informing riders of their constitutional rights — should the raids and depressed ridership trends continue. 'I want us to continue to do business as usual because we've always delivered a solid system but these are unforeseeable conditions that we may not have thought about,' Sarmiento said. 'I'm just hoping going forward, as we see now impacts to ridership, that's going to trigger a response that we make sure our riders are more informed about what's happening.' L.A. Metro, where Latinos comprise more than 60% of bus riders, saw a similar 13.5% drop in ridership from May to June, with last month being the lowest June on record since 2022. Metro has partnered with the L.A. County Office of Immigrant Affairs to distribute 'Know Your Rights' materials on buses, trains and stations. OCTA chief executive Darrell Johnson pledged to look into a possible partnership with the County of Orange on a similar initiative that could use 'public service announcement' spaces on buses for multilingual primers on riders' rights. The topic arose again during OCTA's board of directors meeting on Monday as pro-immigrant activists accused the agency of lying about the lack of ICE activity on buses and at bus stops. Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua, who serves on the board of directors, said at Monday's meeting that 'Know Your Rights' signs in English, Spanish and Vietnamese are being looked at for the county's bus fleet. 'I just want to share with the community that we, as OCTA, have been having that discussion,' she added. 'It's very important that our riders do know their rights.' Romero welcomes OCTA's efforts to look into a 'Know Your Rights' partnership, but believes more can be done to protect riders. 'Bus drivers can be trained, as first responders, on how to encounter these ICE agents, especially if they're masked and not providing identification,' she said.

MS severe weather threat upgraded: 70 mph winds, tornadoes, hail as big as 'eggs' possible
MS severe weather threat upgraded: 70 mph winds, tornadoes, hail as big as 'eggs' possible

Yahoo

time28-03-2025

  • Climate
  • Yahoo

MS severe weather threat upgraded: 70 mph winds, tornadoes, hail as big as 'eggs' possible

The threat of severe weather has been upgraded for Mississippi, and much of the state now faces an enhanced risk of large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes late this weekend into next week. "The confidence has increased some for severe weather," said Eric Carpenter, senior meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Jackson. "The threat is greatest in North Mississippi. "The main concern continues to be damaging winds and hail. There is some chance for tornadoes as well." According to NWS Jackson, hail could reach the size of chicken "eggs." "That's basically 2-inch diameter hail," Carpenter said. "That's pretty big hail." Then there is the threat of damaging wind gusts. From a line between Yazoo City to Columbus and north, where the greatest storm risks are predicted, winds may reach 70 mph. While straight-line winds may not seem to be as threatening as tornadoes to some, Carpenter said they should be taken seriously. High winds can down trees and cause death. "Straight-line winds can be as powerful as a weak tornado, but on a wider scale," Carpenter said. "We definitely stress that people take those seriously." Severe weather is expected to move into Northwest Mississippi Sunday evening and cross Central Mississippi after midnight. From Hattiesburg and south to the Mississippi Coast, the greater threat is after 7 a.m. Monday. More: Does Mississippi have a tornado season? Yes, but deadly storm risk is real all year. Friday: Cloudy, with a high near 82. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Friday night: A slight chance of showers before 9 p.m, then a slight chance of showers after 5 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 64. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Saturday: Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 p.m. High near 77. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Saturday night: Showers, mainly before 9 p.m. Low around 65. South southeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Sunday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10 a.m. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. South southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Sunday night: A chance of showers before 10 p.m, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10 p.m and 1 a.m, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 a.m. Some of the storms could be severe. Low around 64. South wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Monday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. North northeast wind around 5 mph. 'It's unbelievable they survived.' MS family buried in debris as tornado destroys home Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. South southeast wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Friday night: A 10% chance of showers after 5 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Saturday: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Saturday night: Showers likely, mainly before 9 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Sunday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1 p.m. Some of the storms could be severe. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Sunday night: A chance of showers between 1 a.m and 4 a.m, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 a.m. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Monday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1 p.m, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Some of the storms could be severe. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Monday night: A 20% chance of showers before 1 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. North northeast wind around 5 mph. Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@ This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Severe weather expected in MS: high winds, hail and possible tornadoes

Can a Fake Reality Show Keep Spring Breakers Away?
Can a Fake Reality Show Keep Spring Breakers Away?

New York Times

time05-02-2025

  • Entertainment
  • New York Times

Can a Fake Reality Show Keep Spring Breakers Away?

How much does Miami Beach want spring breakers to know they aren't welcome? Enough to create an ad for a fake reality show demonstrating just how little fun visitors looking for debauchery will have. The spot, for a show called 'Reality Check,' features a cast of good-looking young people having their spring break ruined by a plethora of rules. They are lectured by the police for drinking on the beach and playing loud music, they groan about a curfew and they grouse about $100 parking. 'I'm so sick of crying,' says one of the characters. 'Consider this your reality check. Spring Break and Miami Beach don't mix,' read the YouTube caption for the ad, which was released on Tuesday. The video is the latest salvo in a yearslong campaign by Miami Beach officials to discourage rowdy revelers from descending on their island city, where miles of white sand beaches and a renowned nightlife have long attracted merrymakers. Since 2021, Miami Beach has enacted a variety of temporary measures during the most popular spring break weeks, including curfews, bag checks at the beach and the banning of outdoor seating along Ocean Drive, which runs along the beach. Last year, Miami Beach's mayor and police chief said that the efforts had helped to reduce crime. But the city has also faced criticism, with some tactics drawing charges of racism and lawsuits over civil rights and over-policing. In a memo detailing this year's campaign, the city manager for Miami Beach, Eric Carpenter, said the ad was developed by the city's Office of Marketing and Communications, in collaboration with the creative agency VML. 'The message is clear that Miami Beach is not a place for raucous behavior and that our laws and regulations will be fully enforced,' Mr. Carpenter wrote in the memo. The 'Reality Check' ad points viewers to a website that lists the many prohibitions and encumbrances the city will throw up to prevent even the heartiest partyers from enjoying themselves during the busy weekends of March 13-16 and March 20-23: no novelty vehicle rentals, raised towing fees, sobriety checkpoints and the closure of all parking lots in South Beach, a section of Miami Beach that typically heaves with tourists. Many of the comments on the video, which was posted on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X, reflected the views of local business owners, who see spring break as a major financial opportunity, with one saying the tactics could turn the town into a morgue. Others, though, were glad to see the public relations campaign instructing young people to seek their depravity elsewhere. 'As someone who lived in South Beach for fifteen years, I LOVE THIS. Go home!' Joe Trohoski, a former resident of the city, said on Facebook.

Miami Beach's reality TV-themed promo forewarns spring breakers as curfews, rules return
Miami Beach's reality TV-themed promo forewarns spring breakers as curfews, rules return

USA Today

time04-02-2025

  • Entertainment
  • USA Today

Miami Beach's reality TV-themed promo forewarns spring breakers as curfews, rules return

Miami Beach may not be a desired destination next month as city officials shared a reality TV-themed promo on Tuesday aimed at steering away spring breakers. The minute and 30-second promo is part of the city's "Spring Break Reality Check" campaign, according to a memo written by Miami Beach City Manager Eric Carpenter. "The Office of Marketing & Communications, in close collaboration with the (Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau) and their agency of record VML, will launch a marketing campaign aimed at notifying potential spring breakers that Miami Beach is not interested in being a party destination and will not tolerate disorderly behavior," the memo reads. The memo outlines several precautions and safety measures that will be put in place ahead of March 13-16 and March 20-23, which are periods the city believes will generate the largest spring break crowds this year based on college schedules. The city created and pushed a 'breakup' campaign last year, which Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones credited for limiting crowd sizes and creating a safer environment. Jones added that arrests citywide went down 8% by March 17, 2024, compared to that time in 2023. While the city saw last year's campaign as a success, some businesses said the measures went too far when the midnight curfew was issued. M2, a nightclub in Miami Beach, reported half a million dollars in revenue loss during this period, according to WSVN. 'Spring Break and Miami Beach don't mix' The city of Miami Beach shared the video in an X post on Tuesday with the caption, "Consider this your reality check. Spring Break and Miami Beach don't mix." The video begins with a group of college-aged people driving to Miami Beach for what one girl says will be "the best spring break ever." About 15 seconds into the promo, another girl says, "Once we got to Miami Beach, things went downhill fast." The video continues with Miami Beach police officers telling the group that they cannot drink in public or play loud music. "Apparently the only thing that wasn't contraband was the grapes and the cheese," a girl says in the video. The group then begins to argue about Miami Beach's curfew in the promo, which in 2024 was at midnight, former Miami Beach City Manager Alina Hudak told ABC News. It is unclear what the curfew will be this year. The video ends with one of the girls listing some of the safety measures put in place by the city, including DUI sobriety checkpoints, increased police presence and $100 paid parking. What other measures is Miami Beach implementing? In addition to the DUI sobriety checkpoints, increased police and a $100 flat fee parking rate, according to the memo, Miami Beach officials plan to: Close all parking garages and surface lots south of 23rd Street. The $100 flat rate will be imposed at garages in Sunset Harbour and on 42nd Street. The closures and rates won't apply to city residents and employees. Close sidewalk seating on Ocean Drive. Implement license plate readers on the Julia Tuttle and MacArthur causeways heading to Miami Beach, as well as a DUI checkpoint along Fifth Street. Suspend rentals of motorized vehicles, such as 'Slingshots," golf carts, scooters and mopeds. Allow vehicles only to enter Ocean Drive from the northern end of the street, and make them exit at Fifth Street. Barricades will line the west side of the strip. Enforce a nonresident towing rate of $516, which is double the regular rate for vehicles towed in South Beach. Make packaged liquor stores in the Entertainment District adhere to an 8 p.m. regular closing time.

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