Latest news with #POPS
Toronto Star
10 hours ago
- Business
- Toronto Star
Ice cream in the park? Why Toronto can't find the sweet spot on private businesses in public spaces
By Contributing Columnist Shawn Micallef is a Toronto-based writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow him on Bluesky: @ In most Toronto parks, if you desire gelato, lemonade or a snack, you'll have to trek to the closest main street to find a place selling such things. That could be far away, especially on the waterfront or in suburban parks where nearby amenities are scarce. Quality commercial establishments in Toronto's public spaces are hard to come by. At the same time, we give other public space away. Most egregious is Ontario Place for the Therme spa, but that's the provincial government's doing. The City of Toronto has been creating a lot of new public space through the POPS (privately owned publicly accessible spaces) program. Real estate in Toronto is prohibitively expensive for new parks, so the cash-strapped city negotiates quasi-public spaces in new developments, with more than 200 of them created. Opinion articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
IOL News
09-06-2025
- IOL News
Somerset West taxi tensions rise, leading to public safety concerns
Authorities have deployed additional officers to Somerset West in response to escalating taxi violence. Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers In the wake of ongoing taxi violence in the Lwandle and Somerset West District, six taxis were impounded on Monday after the City's Safety and Security Directorate and SAPS were deployed in the area. This follows a weekend of mayhem after seven people were shot at Mfuleni taxi rank leaving four dead and three wounded. On Saturday an 8-year-old boy was wounded by a stray bullet and a taxi driver killed in Strand. City traffic officials on Monday established road closures after taxis blocked some of the routes in the vicinity of the Public Transport Interchange, and motorists were advised that Victoria Road between the N2 and Reitz Street were closed. Police spokesperson , Captain FC Van Wyk said their units would remain on site after impounding the taxis: 'Be advised that POPS took action to disperse the crowd after consultation with the drivers to remove their taxis to not obstruct the roads. Six taxis have been impounded under the Criminal Matters Amendment Act. No arrest as yet, investigations continue. POPS will stay on the scene to monitor the situation.' Meanwhile the Western Cape Education Department confirmed that one school. Located in proximity to the taxi rank, closed on Monday. In videos shared by the public, people could be seen running as rubber bullets were dispersed. By the afternoon, the City's traffic spokesperson, Kevin Jacobs, confirmed that roads were reopened. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said: 'We have deployed more officers across the various departments amidst the rising tension between the two biggest taxi organisations. 'We are hopeful that the issues can be resolved amicably, and that no further harm comes to anyone. That said, our staff will not hesitate to act if need be, to ensure public safety.' Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, on Monday said no serious incidents were reported or any arrests made. Following a mass shooting in Mfuleni on Friday, in which four people were killed and three wounded, South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) chairperson, Mandla Hermanus, said they were disturbed by the deadly shooting. 'We urge all operators to remain calm and exercise maximum restraint. This incident must not be allowed to derail the efforts under way to build peace and unity within the taxi industry across the province.' Somerset West experienced heightened tensions as taxi violence lead to road closures and increased police presence to ensure public safety. Image: Ayanda Ndamane, Independent Newspapers Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) said they were also outraged by the spate of violence and cited the background, which was as a result of route prohibitions. 'As you may be aware, Codeta Regional Taxi Council had written to the Western Cape Department of Transport and the MEC of Transport, on August 29, 2024, to advise of the partial service of the M18 route due to prohibitions on our operators returning with passengers. "Despite a notice sent on June 3, 2025, to resume operations, upon resumption of the service, operators from Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) prohibited legal operations, which resulted in a meeting being called for next week. "Unfortunately, this dispute escalated into violence, resulting in the tragic loss of life. Our efforts to engage with the Provincial Government and the City of Cape Town, and the lack of appropriate regulatory provision have put our operators at risk. 'We believe that the failure to provide a robust regulatory framework has put our operators at very high risk. We demand that the Western Cape Government takes immediate action to address these challenges, but we need urgent action to prevent further loss of life.' Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Historical Hysteria Days returns to El Dorado Springs
El DORADO SPRINGS, Mo. — Get hysterical for a slice of Missouri history, as El Dorado Springs' fun-filled Historical Hysteria Days festival is set to return to downtown El Do on Saturday, June 7. The event — which runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. — is organized by the Preserve Our Past Society (POPS), which operates the Wayside Inn Museum in historic downtown El Do. POPS secretary and chairman Paula Newman told Ozarks First that this year's festival includes several vendors, an antique tractor show, live music and more. Newman and Linda Brewer Smith will perform live music from 9-11 a.m. during the festival. Following them, The Wynn Brothers will perform live bluegrass music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. At 1 p.m., the festival will present an old time fiddlers contest, which Newman says is a community-favorite event. Newman spoke highly of the festival and what POPS contributes to the community. 'Just seeing people come out and try to do something downtown, it keeps the life going on downtown,' Newman said. 'I look forward to it. We've got some new vendors this year who are ready for the big day.' Additionally, Newman said proceeds from Historical Hysteria Days' pitch card game tournament and fruit pie sales will benefit the Wayside Inn Museum, which needs funds for structural repairs. Newman said $10,000 to $15,000 is still needed for that project. Overall, Newman said she invites the greater Ozarks community to make a turn off of Highway 54 and visit the Historical Hysteria Days festival on June 7, as it's not only a celebration of El Do's local history, but a celebration of Missouri history, as well. 'It's our goal keep the history going, so people learn about our past,' Newman said. For more information regarding Historical Hysteria Days, or to register and sign up for an event, contact Newman at 417-296-5990. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Times of Oman
12-05-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
HH Sayyid Bilarab reviews 'eMushrif " company's experience
Muscat --- HH Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said, Honorary President of the Programme of Omani Promising Startups (POPS), today visited "eMushrif," one of the leading startups in the logistics technology sector. The company specializes in providing safe and smart school transportation solutions using the latest technologies related to student safety, as well as IoT and artificial intelligence (AI). This visit reflects His Highness's commitment to supporting and empowering Omani startups and enhancing their role in the national economy. During the visit, HH Sayyid Bilarab reviewed the company's key solutions for student safety in school buses, including the integration of smart electronic devices that allow parents and service providers to monitor their children's routes and safety through smartphone applications, IoT technologies, AI, and big data analytics. The company also presented its expansion plans across several regional countries, with offices and subsidiaries in the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Kuwait, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Türkiye. At the conclusion of the visit, HH Sayyid Bilarab commended the company's efforts in advanced technologies and its achievements in technological progress and regional expansion. He emphasized the vital role startups play in fostering innovation and building a sustainable economic future. Accompanying HH Sayyid Bilarab during the visit were Dr. Rahma bint Ibrahim Al-Mahrouqi, Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation; Halima bint Rashid Al-Zarei, Chairperson of the Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (ASMED); and Said bin Abdullah Al Mantheri, CEO of Oman Information and Communications Technology Group (ITHCA). This visit is part of a series of engagements undertaken by HH Sayyid Bilarab in support of startups, following his previous visit to "Thawani" last April to review its specialized digital financial solutions and services.
Times of Oman
27-04-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
HH Sayyid Bilarab visits Thawani Technologies
Muscat: HH Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said, Honorary President of the Programme of Omani Promising Startups (POPS), today visited 'Thawani Technologies', the first licensed financial technology company in the Sultanate of Oman. The visit comes as part of a series of visits aimed at motivating promising startups, understanding their aspirations, and enhancing their role in the national economy. During the visit, HH Sayyid Bilarab toured the facilities of 'Thawani', which was established in 2016 and has successfully introduced innovative payment solutions that meet local market demands while supporting national digital transformation efforts under Oman Vision 2040. The company showcased its key achievements in deploying advanced technologies, including smartphone solutions, facial and palm biometric payment systems, artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, and secure payment cards. It also highlighted its notable local and international accomplishments, such as winning the Innovation Unit Award for Entrepreneurship in 2020 and the Best FinTech Company in the Middle East Award in 2024. During the meeting with HH Sayyid Bilarab, the company's specialists presented their regional expansion plans, which include entering regional and international markets to strengthen the presence of Omani startups abroad. HH Sayyid Bilarab lauded the company's successes in leveraging modern technologies to enhance digital payment and collection systems, emphasizing the importance of startups continuing to develop their capabilities and keep pace with global innovations. Accompanying HH Sayyid Bilarab during the visit were Eng. Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology; Dr. Saif bin Abdullah Al Haddabi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation for Research and Innovation; Eng. Said bin Abdullah Al Mantheri, CEO of Oman Information and Communications Technology Group (ITHCA); and members of the Supervisory Committee of the Programme of Omani Promising Startups (POPS).
