Latest news with #Williamsburg
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Awful moment cyclist on an e-bike mows down three-year-old girl
Video footage has captured the horrifying moment a three-year-old girl was struck by an e-bike rider in Brooklyn. The disturbing video, which was posted on social media by Williamsburg365 News, shows the toddler sprinting into the bike lane after stepping out of a nearby vehicle. She is seen running into the path of an oncoming cyclist at the intersection of Bedford and Park avenues in Williamsburg around 7:40pm on Sunday when she was struck. A male companion was standing behind her as he watched the horrifying split-second collision. The cyclist was a 22-year-old man, as reported by the New York Post. He appeared to be carrying a delivery bag on the back of his e-bike, and remained at the scene following the collision, cooperating with police. He was traveling southbound on Bedford Avenue, and appeared to have no time to avoid the collision as the child unexpectedly ran into his path. The dramatic footage shows the impact of the crash knocking the young girl off her feet, as the man who had been walking just steps behind her immediately rushes to her aid. He scooped her up in his arms and appears to be calling for help as a woman emerged from the double-parked car. Miraculously, police said the girl was only sideswiped by the bike rather than taking the full brunt of the collision. The toddler escaped with relatively minor injuries to her lower stomach area, according to the outlet. She was promptly transported to Bellevue Hospital for treatment. Police confirmed that no arrests were made in connection with the incident. The never-ending fight for road and sidewalk space has created a situation that is dangerous for both cyclists and pedestrians. Shocking statistics reveal that total cyclist deaths reached 30 in 2023, with e-bike related deaths accounting for 23 out of 30. That's a staggering 75 percent of all cycling fatalities across the city. In New York City, the majority of cyclist accidents occur in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Intersections, particularly those with high traffic and lack of bike infrastructure, are especially dangerous areas. And since 2011, bicyclists have injured over 2,250 pedestrians in devastating collisions, including at least seven deaths. The incidents are not slowing as pedestrian injuries caused by cyclists increased by 12 percent through June 2019 compared to the same period the previous year. In 2023, Sarah Schick, a 37-year-old mother of two children, was cycling on Ninth Street near Second Avenue in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn around 7:20am when a truck struck her in the bike lane, which was unprotected. The distraught family of the Brooklyn cyclist blamed the poorly designed streets in the area for her death and sued New York City for $100 million. The tragedy marked the sixth fatality in 18 years along the Ninth Street corridor, sparking protesters and cyclists to stage a 'die-in' near the area where Schick was killed as a growing memorial could be seen overflowing with flowers and photos. Officials with The Department of Transportation have since announced that the unprotected portion of Ninth Street would be redesigned later this year. Insane! Another child was knocked off this afternoon on the dangerous Bedford Ave bike lane, which continues putting bike riders and pedestrian lives at risk. — Williamsburg 365 News (@Williamsburg365) May 26, 2025 The mounting safety concerns have prompted citywide action, with Central Park recently completing a major redesign of its loop roads to separate pedestrians from cyclists and e-bike riders. The project, which reallocated space to create dedicated 10-foot lanes for pedestrians, slow cyclists, and high-speed e-bikes respectively, aims to "avoid conflict" between different park users, Central Park Conservancy president Betsy Smith told the New York Times. However, critics argue that even these measures may not be enough. Pamela Manasse, co-founder of the NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance, who was partially paralyzed after being struck by a moped in 2022, warned that "one can't walk across the park drives without taking their life into their own hands." 'They're lawless,' she told the outlet. 'They don't adhere to regulations. They don't yield to pedestrians. They ride, sometimes, on the pedestrian walkways.' There 'shouldn't be a cut-through for people to fly on their e-bikes, whether they're Citi Bike riders or deliverers.' Her organization represents more than 1,200 members, with over 100 reporting injuries from e-bike or scooter collisions, according to the outlet.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Williamsburg retirement community honors veterans' ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) — In the life plan retirement community of WindsorMeade in Williamsburg, there was a celebration of patriotism. Retired from the Air Force, Ralph Barrows counted those who died. 'World War I, 53,400 combat deaths with 204,000 wounded,' he said. 'And we lost 63,000 during that war period to flu.' The Memorial Day program brought together the residents, staff and members of the Veterans Committee to honor the men and women who gave their lives to protect our nation. 'World War II, we lost over 400,000 combat deaths, accidents and disease,' Barrows said. Barrows served 27 years in the Air Force and, now retired, spoke to the tremendous loss of wars past. 'And lastly in Iraq and Afghanistan, over 7,000 deaths,' Barrows said. 'But we had 53,000 wounded.' The event shared by residents with moments of personal reflection — some of them veterans themselves of wars long past, resting their eyes, remembering those who rest in peace. 'When somebody said war is hell, that's true,' Barrows said. 'Very little good comes out of war and the wars that are going on right now. God help the people that are involved, and hopefully they'll be resolved soon.' The event wrapped up with a musical tribute to America from folk singer Bill Francavilla. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Baker, Shoemaker apart of Hall of Fame class
MECHANCISBURG, PA (WTAJ) — Dave Baker, and Max Shoemaker were apart of the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Class 2025. The two area coaches were among seven honored over the weekend. Baker, who retired after the 2023 season, won 245 games at the helm of Williamsburg and Central Martinsburg. He spent 45 years coaching football, though his winningest seasons came with the Scarlett Dragons. With Central, Baker went 119-42 in 13 seasons and is the school's winningest head coach. Shoemaker is getting ready to being his 18th season with Chestnut Ridge, though he has more than 30-years of coaching under his belt. He started his career with Bedford before stepping down to serve as the school's principal. In 2007 he joined Ridge's staff and now has 221 wins across his career and 19 District 5 championships. The two were among seven honored. Others include Wilson High head coach Doug Dahms, Schuylkill Valley's Bruce Harbach, Gateway High Schools' Don Holl, Mechanicsburg's late head coach Rich Lichtel, and former Lackawanna Trail and Lakeland head coach Jeff Wasilchak. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Williamsburg police searching for wanted man
WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (FOX 56) — Police in Williamsburg asked the community for help on Friday morning to find a wanted man. Officers with the Williamsburg Police Department posted on social media around 10:20 a.m. on Friday, asking for help finding Bradley Partin. The Democrats' path back to power might start in places like this Appalachian town Williamsburg police searching for wanted man Millersburg juvenile accused of damaging Main Street residence He is reportedly wanted on a warrant for the distribution of obscene matter to minors. Anyone with information that could help officers find Partin was asked to call Williamsburg police at (606) 549-6017 or call your local law enforcement agency. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Triangle Block: Remembering Williamsburg's Black business and residential district
In a city known for its vast history and many stories, Williamsburg's Triangle Block is one story that is getting its long overdue spotlight. Centered in the triangle of Armistead Avenue and Scotland and Prince George streets downtown, the area was once a bustling Black business and residential district. Today, the area is home to businesses such as a college book store, a bakery and a cheese steak shop. But in the 1930s through the 1970s, the Triangle district was a thriving community, with its own restaurant, grocery store, blacksmith and a hospital led by the city's first Black doctor, Dr. James B. Blayton. Over the years, and especially following a city-issued report on 'substandard negro housing' in the early 1950s, the district was displaced to make way for newer businesses and homes. There are some residents, however, who refuse to let the Triangle Block fade from memory. Jacqueline Bridgeforth-Williams, founder of The Village Initiative, a group formed in 2016 to look at disparities in education, is one . For the past three years, she's been working on a documentary about the district, determined to keep alive the memories of the area that once took care of its own. 'They were families,' Bridgeforth-Williams said. 'They had children, they had community, and they were here.' ___ A tour of the Triangle Block today reveals areas where residents used to live, such as a green space on Armistead Avenue and spots where the Williamsburg Police Department and the Williamsburg Regional Library now stand. But once, Williamsburg's Black residents were not allowed in parts of the city, which led to the Triangle Block's creation. According to a 2021 multimedia project called 'Stories from the Triangle Block' by the Williamsburg Documentary Project and The Village's Local Black Histories Project, the Triangle and its nearby neighborhoods had their early beginnings in the 1890s after Samuel T. Harris, a successful Black merchant, bought and platted property with investment partners. Property owner and realtor William Henry Webb Sr. and wife Martha signed a land deed for property on the block in 1907, among other property purchases. Two of their children, Clarence Webb and Virgie Webb Williams, would soon have their own businesses in the district. Robert 'Bobby' Braxton, a community leader and former city councilman, remembers the district well. He is the grandson of Robert H. Braxton, a local builder who platted Scotland Street's Braxton Court subdivision. Growing up in Braxton Court and going to the all-Black Bruton Heights School in the 1950s, Braxton recalls how he and other Black kids would go to the Triangle Restaurant, owned by Williams and her husband, Jimmy. 'Coming back from school, we would always stop by his place to get penny candies and all that stuff,' Braxton said. 'It was a Black restaurant, if you will, and it sold the type of food that people liked at that time.' Also known as the Paradise Cafe, the Triangle Restaurant became a gathering place for the community. Williams, her husband and their two children lived above the restaurant. Clarence Webb owned Webb's Grocery, which in addition to food, sold kerosene oil. He was known for cashing checks and giving credit on paper slips, Braxton said. Other owned and operated establishments included the West End Valet Dry Shop, a tailor and dry cleaning shop by Charles Gary; Henderson Electric shop; and two barber shops by Thomas Wise and William Crump Sr. Samuel K. Harris (unrelated to former Samuel T. Harris) operated a blacksmith shop for the community and Colonial Williamsburg. Braxton called Harris 'a man's man.' 'I mean, he had hands that looked like ham fists,' he recalled. 'It looked like to us, looked like he could lift up a building and move it.' When the blacksmith shop was torn down around the 1950s, Blayton's hospital was built, according to Braxton. The hospital had 14 beds, an emergency room and a basement where kids could play. It was the main health care facility for Black residents in the city until a fully integrated community hospital opened in 1961. 'It had dances, playing records and all that stuff,' Braxton said. 'It was makeshift, but it worked fine for us. I mean, we enjoyed the heck out of it.' ___ Around 1952, a report by Harland Bartholomew and Associates was prepared for the city on housing and public buildings that also detailed substandard housing, focusing on homes that had no central heating, an outside water supply or a tub or shower. The following year, the city's comprehensive plan recommended revitalizing part of the city, specifically noting the Triangle and its surrounding areas. That same year, a $15,000 contract was created in part with Harland Bartholomew (with half paid by Colonial Williamsburg) to enforce the plans. In 1958, Williamsburg City Council approved a comprehensive housing ordinance aimed at eliminating substandard housing. Ten years later, the city's 1968 comprehensive plan identified 'problem housing areas' in Williamsburg while proposing commercial tourist facility development and additional expansions. It noted 'intensive treatment' of the Scotland Street area, which 'holds the key for the future development of the entire central area' of the city. Despite a petition by the Williamsburg and James City County Black communities that noted the lack of representation in city and county government and being 'systematically ignored' — on Dec. 2, 1969, the city established the Williamsburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority. In 1970, a residential area on the corner of Armistead Avenue and Scotland Street was chosen for the new site of the municipal library, displacing 15 families. In 1972, the council adopted the Armistead Avenue Urban Renewal Neighborhood Development Program, using funds from the Federal Housing Act of 1949 and the Housing & Community Development Act of 1974. Redevelopment took place throughout the 1970s, seeing the end of various fixtures of the block, including the Triangle Restaurant (the building was split in half) in 1977. It was a scene viewed across the South, as many Black communities were displaced by urban renewal in the name of redevelopment. The Housing Law of 1937 provided localities federal funding to construct public housing. The law required that one blighted or slum housing unit be demolished per new unit of housing, which caused many Black community areas targeted due to decades of segregation and lack of overall investment, according to Encyclopedia Virginia. Urban renewal saw many Black communities destroyed and repurposed for parks and institutions. Some neighborhoods were erased to make way for college and university expansion, such as with Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Christopher Newport University in Newport News and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. In Williamsburg, many community members moved to Harriet Tubman Drive; others moved to James City County and York County, according to Bridgeforth-Williams. The Triangle was no more. The Black businesses that were there would never return. ___ Today, what remains of the Triangle Block district is historic First Baptist Church — one of the nation's oldest Black churches — and a sign that marks where the original businesses used to be. But in recent years, the city has established several initiatives to honor the Triangle's legacy and the Williamsburg Black community. In 2021, the city started by establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Committee to uncover Williamsburg's racial history while finding ways to provide reconciliation and racial healing. The city also began working on plans for an African American Heritage Trail, a 2-mile walking/driving path that will start in the city and tell the story of the Williamsburg Black community. The trailhead will be placed in the area originally known as Harris Bottom to tell the story of the area's displacement, said Assistant City Manager Michele Mixner DeWitt. Construction is expected to start this summer. 'The story's not been fully told and the city wants to honor that and tell the full story,' DeWitt said. In 2024, the council also adopted a scholarship program for city residents with Black ancestors who lived in Williamsburg prior to 1964, the year the Civil Rights Act was passed. The city pledged to replenish the fund for the next 20 years. According to research commissioned in 2017 called the Downtown Vibrancy Study, there also has been talk of turning the Triangle Block area into an entertainment district — along with redeveloping the Blayton Building, an apartment building built in 1981 for older adults — into a mixed-use development with apartments and an urban grocery store. But those are just ideas. While an urban grocer 'sounds interesting,' Bridgeforth-Williams said she'd like to see something that is 'equitable for the entire community.' 'That when we look at what type of entertainment and what type of businesses we would bring, we would give equal opportunities to everyone to be a part of that,' she said. Bridgeforth-Williams said she'd like to see 'continued success and progress' with the current initiatives, along with the descendant community continuing to have their voices heard. She would also like to see more cultural events come to Williamsburg, pointing to the success of the Village Initiative's annual Juneteenth celebration. 'We can't go back and grab the past, because that's been done,' she said. 'But the people who are here now, we can definitely work towards continuing to do the right things. Together.' ___ In a collaboration with The Village Initiative, William & Mary and various descendant community members, Bridgeforth-Williams is planning to release her documentary, 'Displaced from the Birthplace of America,' in 2026. The film — parts of which were presented as a sneak peek at William & Mary in March — aims to dive deeper into the Triangle Block's history and its displacement with personal reflections by descendants of the Triangle community. Bridgeforth-Williams has carefully been collecting their stories to find out what it was like to live in an area that was basically removed from the map. One of the film's main goals is to do 'the work of healing' for the descendant community to share their thoughts, feelings and emotions about what happened, Bridgeforth-Williams said. She also notes her personal ties to the film — her grandmother, Quetta Vaden, lived on 'a little house on Clay Street' as a widow, bought her home and dealt with the changes that came from the displacement. Realizing that every one of the descendants she talked to had been affected in some way was a 'real eureka light-bulb moment' for her. All their stories, from property owners and business owners alike, were equally important to tell. She wants to tell those stories — what that was like for their families, what it was like to be moved from the Triangle Block. 'They talk about their losses. They talk about some of the pain that was involved with it, that some of them still experience,' Bridgeforth-Williams said. 'But they also talk about the good times, and the great things.' Two previews of 'Displaced from the Birthplace of America' are coming up. The first is at 5 p.m. May 30 at First Baptist Church, 727 Scotland St. An additional preview will be shown at the Village Initiative's Juneteenth celebration on June 19 at City Square Park. James W. Robinson, 757-799-0621,
