Fish and Game repealed the ban a couple of years in the past, whereas residents at the moment are combating to reinstate it.
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Watch This 12-Year-Old Forklift Driver Lead Police On A Chaotic Hour-Long Chase
Residents in Ann Arbor, Michigan received an unexpected light show Saturday night courtesy of a 12-year-old boy. The juvenile reportedly stole a forklift from a construction site and led police on a meandering, slow-speed chase through city streets before exiting town. Fortunately, there were no injuries resulting from this melee, but numerous cars were damaged, including a minivan that was shoved into someone’s front yard.
According to the Ann Arbor Police Department, the incident began at approximately 6:45 pm local time. Apparently, the boy found the forklift unlocked at a construction site near a middle school. Mind you, this isn’t the kind of forklift you see lifting pallets of soda at a grocery store. It’s identified by police as a Construction Genie GTH-636 Telehandler – a four-wheel-drive construction vehicle with a turbocharged diesel engine for power. It’s configurable with multiple add-ons for heavy-duty work, and this particular version has a humungous hydraulic fork on the front.
Fortunately for police, it’s slow. Speeds only reached around 20 mph during the pursuit. However, the weight and stance of the forklift made PIT maneuvers impossible. And at risk of sounding like a meme, one doesn’t simply drive in front of a turbocharged forklift driven by a juvenile delinquent. At one point during the video, an officer is heard saying “we can’t stop this thing.” Shortly thereafter, the decision is made to turn off lights and sirens and give the boy some extra space. In response, he drives on the sidewalk instead of the road.
The video ends before the chase comes to an end. Police from Washtenaw County take over as the boy leaves town, and the pursuit ends when the 12-year-old finally stops. He was promptly taken into custody, but being a minor, his identity won’t be released. However, police told ClickOnDetroit that the youngster “is known to officials.”
Here’s hoping the boy learns a lesson from this mess. As for the owner of the forklift, hopefully there won’t be any more keys left in beefy, unattended construction equipment.
Yes to BMW: Straßkirchen residents overwhelmingly support new high-voltage battery assembly site
The results of the Straßkirchen referendum are in and the majority of residents have voted in favor of building the new BMW Group facility. With over 75 percent of the vote, the council’s motion for a BMW assembly plant for high-voltage batteries was successful. Milan Nedeljković, a member of the BMW AG Board of Management, expressed gratitude for the support and emphasized that the planned location will secure the future of Bavarian vehicle plants by providing them with the necessary high-voltage batteries for e-mobility. The referendum’s outcome demonstrates the residents’ support for future-oriented technologies and jobs, as well as their commitment to making reliable decisions for a joint future. The next step in the construction process will involve a public consultation and presentation of expert opinions on the impact of the site development.
Jobs and apprenticeships for the future
The BMW Group plans to employ around 1,600 people at the production site once the initial construction phase is completed. The majority of these employees will come from existing BMW Group locations, allowing for the sharing of knowledge during the construction process. Additionally, about 50 apprenticeships will be offered in collaboration with Plant Dingolfing.
Business tax benefits
The BMW Group has already registered permanent establishments in Straßkirchen and Irlbach, resulting in business tax payments since August. These payments are expected to increase with the construction of the new plant, potentially reaching a high, single-digit million euro amount per year by the end of the 2020s.
Thorough site selection process
The BMW Group evaluated a total of 20 potential sites in Bavaria, considering various criteria in partnership with “Invest in Bavaria”. Straßkirchen and Irlbach were chosen due to their proximity to BMW Group’s Bavarian car plants, exclusion of nature reserves and protected areas, suitable plot size and shape, flat topography, and the presence of thousands of employees in the vicinity. Battery assembly within existing plant sites was ruled out due to space constraints. The BMW Group acquired a 105-hectare plot in Straßkirchen and Irlbach in February 2023, with the option to purchase an additional 29 hectares of adjacent land.
Securing Bavaria’s car-building future
With over 36,000 people employed in Bavaria’s vehicle plants, the new location will ensure the future of these plants by providing high-voltage batteries for electromobility. This commitment not only safeguards existing jobs at BMW Group’s car plants but also creates new jobs in the field of e-mobility. The choice of location will also protect and generate employment opportunities outside of the company, benefiting suppliers and service providers in Lower Bavaria.
Close integration of battery factory and vehicle production
Pursuing its “local for local” principle, the BMW Group strategically locates its high-voltage battery assembly facilities near its vehicle plants worldwide. This approach ensures continuous production, even in the face of unforeseen political and economic developments. It also strengthens existing locations, reduces the carbon footprint of vehicle production, and supports job retention and creation.
For more information
Additional details and the latest updates on the planned Irlbach-Straßkirchen location can be found on the project website at www.bmwgroup-werke.com/irlbach-strasskirchen.
Judge: London ULEZ expansion can proceed on 29 August
A judge has ruled that the proposed expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London can go ahead on 29 August. To be eligible for certain benefits, residents must scrap a car that does not meet the new emissions limits. Those claiming the higher £5000 allowance must scrap a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
The mayor’s office has stated that the ULEZ expansion will help remove 200,000 highly polluting vehicles from the city’s roads. However, the AA disputes this figure and claims that up to 400,000 cars will be affected. The AA spokesperson, Luke Bosdet, expressed concern that the scrappage allowance only applies to people on benefits, excluding those with low incomes who hold multiple jobs and those in the care sector who require cars for patient visits.
The RAC has raised questions about the timing of the ULEZ extension. Nicholas Lyes, the head of roads policy, voices concerns that expansion is happening while drivers already struggle with high fuel costs. The RAC suggests either expanding the scrappage scheme to benefit more households or providing residents with a sunset period until August 2024 to allow them more time to upgrade their vehicles.
Experts in vehicle valuation have also questioned the value of the £2000 scrappage allowance. Dylan Setterfield, the head of forecast strategy and operations at Cap HPI, believes this amount is unlikely to cover the cost of purchasing a car that meets the current requirements to avoid the ULEZ charge. Darren Rodwell, leader of the Labour-controlled Barking and Dagenham council, shares this sentiment, stating that the £110 million scrappage budget will not adequately compensate those forced to change their cars.
However, there is a silver lining for drivers and residents in the affected zone. Non-compliant older cars have seen a recent increase in value of approximately 3%, according to Cap HPI. In comparison, values for three-year-old vehicles have remained stable. This increase in value may help ease the cost of transitioning from a non-compliant car to a Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel.