Latest news with #propertydamage
CBC
6 hours ago
- CBC
Tires on several SUVs and trucks deflated in Elmira, police investigating
Police are investigating after receiving several reports from people in Elmira who woke up to find the air let out of the tires on their vehicles Monday morning. Officers were in Elmira to investigate more than 30 reports of property damage to SUVs, trucks and crossover vehicles that had been parked in driveways and on roadways in the South Parkwood Boulevard and Timber Trail Road area, police said. It's believed the air was let out between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.. Monday morning. "The tires on the vehicles were deflated using a device that made the tires slowly leak overnight," police said in a release. "The suspects then left notes on the vehicle's windshields that stated, 'We are defending ourselves against climate change, air pollution and unsafe drivers.'" Police say there was not permanent damage to the tires. The investigation is ongoing. A group called Tyre Extinguishers emailed CBC News to take responsibility, saying the group let the air out of tires and claimed they targetted approximately 100 SUVs and pick-up trucks, "disrupting their ability to be driven." "This was done to bring attention to the immense danger these gas guzzlers present to the environment, pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists," the group said in their email. The same group also took responsibility for letting the air out of tires in Waterloo region in 2022. Through their website, the group appears to be based in the United Kingdom.
CBS News
15 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Central Stockton neighborhood fed up with potbelly pig creating havoc
Stockton neighbors say a potbelly pig is creating havoc and has dug up holes and damaged property. "The pig runs the street," Stockton resident Patty Louis said. After several months of issues, Louis took her concerns to the Stockton City Council. The problem is a 7-month-old potbelly pig named Wiggly. "He's not just in my yard, he's in other yards," Louis explained. "I do not have $6,000 for a fence." She said he's been creating havoc in her central Stockton neighborhood, saying he constantly digs up holes and damages property. "The pig was noted to be at large or loose in the neighborhood," Stockton Animal Services Manager Ashley Kluza explained. "We got an anonymous call reporting that the pig was loose and digging some holes in neighboring properties." Stockton Animal Shelter said they got a call about a loose pig on July 14. Two days later, animal services received another complaint of a roaming pig in the same neighborhood. "He was more sauntering around the neighborhood, digging holes in front yards, trying to get cool like pigs do," Kluza said. Animal services contacted the pig's owner and let her know that while he is cute, these animals are illegal within the city. "In Stockton, dogs, cats, any sort of domesticated animal per se is allowed," Kluza shared. "Any sort of considered farm animal, or anything that's more of like a wild animal is not allowed." In short, according to the city's municipal code, pigs like Wiggly are not allowed. The owner was given notice to comply within a 14-day window to rehome Wiggly. If the owner does not in that period of time, she will receive a citation. "We first recommend reaching out to local rescues," Kluza explained. "There are a few out there that specialize more in the farm animal or potbelly pig type of rehoming. Then you are always welcome to post on social media. Just make sure you vet the person interested and make sure it goes to an appropriate home."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Boy, 7, Struck by Out-of-Control Car While Playing on a Trampoline: 'The Mother Was Just Screaming,' Eyewitness Says
The car was carrying a family of five when it crashed through several properties on July 19NEED TO KNOW Several people, including a 7-year-old boy, have been seriously injured after a car crashed through multiple properties before eventually coming to a stop in a shed 10 feet in the air Police told local outlets that the out-of-control car, which was carrying a family of five, first hit a parked car and then struck the boy as he was playing on a trampoline on July 19 The investigation into the incident is still ongoing, but authorities said alcohol was not a factorSeveral people, including a 7-year-old boy, have been seriously injured after a car crashed through multiple properties before coming to a stop in a shed. According to reports from local outlets Welt and Focus, a car carrying a family of five — including a 42-year-old male driver, a 43-year-old woman and three boys, ages 11, 12 and 13 — crashed in the town of Bohmte, Lower Saxony, in Germany on Saturday, July 19, at around 8 p.m. local time. The car, a Volvo XC60, first collided with a parked car in a farmyard, and then smashed into a hedge before traveling into a nearby yard and hitting the 7-year-old boy, who was playing on his trampoline. The car then flipped over and landed in the upper part of a shed, nearly 10 feet off the ground. Police told the outlets that the car seemingly traveled so far due to the slippery terrain. Around 50 firefighters, 12 emergency volunteers, 12 ambulances, two rescue helicopters and more than a dozen police officers were called to the scene of the crash. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. One neighbor in the community, Daniela Viss, told TV 7 News that she had just gone inside her house when she heard the crash. "I was sitting on the balcony all afternoon, and when it happened, I was inside eating. I just heard it crash loudly and thought, 'Holy cow, what just happened?' " she said, per Focus. "We immediately ran outside and saw this car crash into the roof. The mother was just screaming. Then my boyfriend immediately called an ambulance, the police, everything." The 7-year-old boy sustained serious injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, police told the outlets. The driver and three boys suffered minor injuries, and the 43-year-old female passenger also sustained serious injuries. They were all taken to local hospitals. Police told Welt that investigators took a blood sample from the driver, and his driver's license and the vehicle were confiscated by the prosecutor's office. A spokesperson told Focus that alcohol did not play a role in the incident. The investigation is ongoing. Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for further information about the incident on Sunday, June 20. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
The hotspots for Japanese knotweed in Somerset
JAPANESE knotweed season is underway, and North Somerset residents are being urged to check for local infestations. According to invasive plant specialist Environet, there are 583 verified sightings of Japanese knotweed in Somerset, with 0.36 cases per square mile. The figures come from Exposed: The Japanese Knotweed Heatmap, an online tool that tracks more than 100,000 verified sightings across the UK. The map allows the public to search by postcode, view infestation risk levels, and submit new reports with photos for expert verification. Here are the top Japanese knotweed hotspots in Somerset for 2025: 1 Bath - 159 2 Portishead - 37 3 Clevedon - 30 4 Weston-Super-Mare - 24 5 Keynsham - 21 =6 Taunton - 15 =6 Winscombe - 14 8 Wincanton - 12 9 Radstock - 11 10 Nailsea - 11 Japanese knotweed, introduced to the UK in the Victorian era, spreads via underground rhizomes that can grow up to 3 metres deep and 7 metres wide. While serious structural damage is rare, the plant can lower property values and lead to disputes. A DEFRA report estimated the annual cost of tackling knotweed in the UK at nearly £250 million. Environet Director Emily Grant said: 'By mapping verified sightings, we're helping people understand the level of risk in their local area and encouraging early identification and treatment.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
The three North Wales villages that are hotspots for invader that can damage homes
The "top ten" places in Wales blighted by Japanese knotweed have been named - and three are in North Wales. With the Japanese knotweed growing season now well underway, invasive plant can damage properties, patios and paving and devalue land. Now invasive plant specialist Environet has revealed Wales's knotweed hotspots for 2025 using the latest data from its online tracker, Exposed: The Japanese Knotweed Heatmap. There are a total of 31,338 verified knotweed sightings in Wales, or 3.9 incidences in every square mile, compared to 1.1 incidences per square mile in England. They show the worst places in this region are Betws-y-Coed and Dolwyddelan in Conwy, and Tanygrisiau in Gwynedd. Get all the latest Gwynedd news by signing up to our newsletter - sent every Tuesday READ MORE: Glory days back at sandy Anglesey beach invaded by unwelcome visitors READ MORE: North Wales landmark is one of the main 'characters' in dark, psychological thriller Now populated with over 100,000 known incidences of the UK's most invasive plant, the map is updated with new verified sightings throughout the year, say Environet. This provides the most comprehensive online record of Japanese knotweed in the country, it claims. Members of the public can enter their postcode to discover the number of sightings nearby, with hotspots highlighted in yellow, orange or in the worst cases red, helping them understand the level of risk posed to their home or one they wish to buy. They can also help populate the heatmap by reporting knotweed infestations using the 'Add Sighting' feature and attaching a photograph of the plant so it can be verified by experts. Wales's Top 10 Japanese knotweed hotspots for 2025 are: Incidences 1 Newport city - 1,239 2 Cardiff city - 949 3 Swansea city - 936 4 Llanelli, Camarthenshire - 693 5 Betws-y-Coed, Conwy - 421 6 Neath, Neath Port Talbot - 396 7 Dolwyddelan, Conwy - 298 8 Llanafan, Ceredigion - 289 9 Rogerstone, Newport - 268 10 Tanygrisiau, Gwynedd - 254 Japanese knotweed first arrived in UK in the Victorian times in a box of plant specimens delivered to Kew Gardens and was quickly adopted by gardeners and horticulturalists, who were unaware of its invasive nature. Knotweed begins to emerge in early spring, quickly growing into lush green shrubs with pink-flecked stems, heart-shaped leaves and bamboo-like canes. But it can pose serious problems for homeowners. Its underground rhizomes that can grow up to three metres deep and spread up to seven metres horizontally, emerging through cracks in concrete, tarmac driveways, pathways, drains and cavity walls. While serious damage to property is rare, since mortgage lenders require knotweed to be dealt with when a property is sold, it can cause legal disputes between neighbours and reduce a property's value by approximately five per cent, say Environet. A 2023 DEFRA report put the cost of tackling knotweed to the UK economy at nearly £250 million a year. Environet Director Emily Grant said: 'By mapping verified sightings, we're helping people understand the level of risk in their local area and encouraging early identification and treatment. 'Vigilance is the best way to protect your property from Japanese knotweed, making sure you tackle it as early as possible before it becomes well established. At this time of year, knotweed is in full growth mode and easy to spot with its bright green heart-shaped leaves which grow in a zigzag pattern up the stems. "Mature plants flower around August, when they produce clusters of tiny white blooms."
