Now, class, what have I been saying about letting those red-light cameras into Indiana?
Like a lot of California drivers, Dave Soss just got a $490 lesson on how the state budget really works.
It all began when Soss, who lives in the East Bay, was ticketed Feb. 1 for rolling through a red light while making a right turn in Emeryville - and was hit with what he called a "mind-blowing" penalty.
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Indiana has relaxed its alcohol laws in recent years to allow kids to join Mom and Dad for dinner in certain bars at certain times under certain circumstances, and that's fine. It's not going to be the end of the world if Junior sees the folks drinking in the company of other people who also drink instead of just while they're sitting in front of the TV set. But let's notPosted in: Hoosier lore, The law and the jungle, Politics and other nightmares
The Memphis Commercial-Appeal is getting a lot of heat from those with concealed-carry permits angry over a searchable database of Tennesseans with the permits:
Gun owners say the database is an invasion of privacy and makes permit holders easy targets for burglaries. They have flooded the newspaper with complaints — some 600 e-mails daily, threatened staff and posted personal information about newspaper employees, including Google maps to some homes.
I've heard of laws being fine-tuned before, but this effort takes the cake:
The New Albany City Council will amend the adult cabaret ordinance that passed on first and second readings when it convenes Monday.
The new measure switches the closing time for live adult entertainment clubs from midnight to 3 a.m. and shifts the 6-foot no-touch rule to 5 feet.
Not in the running for parents of the year:
Kyle Dillard and Megan Darr of Mount Vernon are both facing numerous charges.
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Further investigation found an active meth lab outside and a growing marijuana operation inside a child's bedroom.
But at least the meth lab was in a barn in the back yard, so maybe they shouldn't be disqualified from next year's contest.
Newspapers frequently hear complaints from groups that they aren't being treated fairly, and some of them won't give up the complaint even if you go through back copies with them and prove them dead wrong. The one we've probably dealt with the most here is from southside residents, who say we put their part of town in headlines about crimes much more often than we do other parts of town. If Johnny gets nabbed for drugs in the Glenbrook parking lot, then we'll just slap a generic "Police make drug arrest" headline on the story and forget about it.
Sometimes I regret that my job prevents me from also serving on public boards. I have to miss out on all sorts of fun things, like being lectured by sex offenders:
A registered sex offender cautioned the Vigo County School Board about going too far with a policy aimed at keeping such offenders out of schools and off school property.
Looks like the long crusade to bring red-light cameras to Indiana might be on the verge of succeeding. A bill to authorize the cameras passed the Senate and now moves to the House. A survey by the AAA Hoosier Motor Club found that 94 percent of the respondents support the cameras, and even the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana says the practice is constitutional. Supporters (including many cities in Indiana, including Fort Wayne) say it's all about safety, not revenue, but consider:
We can't let Illinois politicians have all the headline-grabbing fun:
Finally, a state that's more stubborn than Indiana:
New Hampshire lawmakers are voting on a bill that would require all adults to wear seat belts and fine those who don't, but not everyone's happy about that.
Live Free Or Wear Seat Belts?
