Free Republic

<p>Rockville, Md. (AP) - Maryland State Police are using a military tool in the battle against seat belt violators.</p> <p>They're using night vision goggles to find people who don't buckle up after dark. Police say 40 percent of drivers don't use their seat belts at night, making the roads much more dangerous after sunset. Police in Maryland are among 13,000 agencies nationwide that are now using the goggles.</p>

Snow removal fines to continue City says break no excuse not to keep E.L. sidewalks clear By KRIS TURNER The State News As students and East Lansing residents prepare to leave the area for spring break, city officials warn that the sidewalks around homes must remain clear of snow and ice, even if residents are out of town. According to a city ordinance, residents must shovel snow from the sidewalks around their homes within 24 hours of snowfall, or face an $85 ticket. "It is just really a deterrent," said Todd Sneathen, director of the city's Department of Public Works....

State tells taverns it's time to fold 'em, not hold 'em Sunday, February 27, 2005 By Josh Grosteffon Times Writer With a surge of popularity sparked by television coverage, Texas hold 'em is returning to bars where the card game once prospered. However, hosting poker games or even condoning gambling can cost bar owners hundreds of dollars in fines or even their liquor license. In November, the Hooters at 966 E. Midland St. hosted a Texas hold 'em tournament, a four-week event played for an electric scooter donated by an area business. After a few successful nights, drawing anywhere from...

This Holiday season reigns frustration among college graduates who continually scratch their heads at the complex subsidized, unsubsidized, federal, state, etc. loans they have had to deal with throughout their collegiate career. This nightmarish system is one of confusion, multiple payments, new payments, old payments, familiar payments, unfamiliar payments, and general confusion, both for students, graduates and parents. Is anyone experiencing this frustration at a cumbersome and awkward system put together by bureaucrats who obviously have never had a child in college? We're all ready to tear our hair out.

White is right: Cameras at traffic lights can save lives Clay Robison writes that red light cameras can help protect us from some of the most dangerous people we will ever encounter Whom do you fear the most? A two-time ex-convict on the prowl for easy money to feed a drug habit? Or a suburban soccer mom running late for a movie? How about a deliveryman with too many stops on his morning route, or a salesman with too many appointments on his daily calendar? The addicted ex-con probably would cause most people the most anxiety because he clearly is...

Mayor Bill White's plan to use cameras to monitor red-light violations stalled today, when a scheduled vote before the City Council was delayed a week so that questions about the plan could be answered. White has touted the proposal as a way to improve traffic enforcement without overtaxing Houston police, and supporters on the council had hoped to vote on it today after discussion on Tuesday. The discussion ran long, however, ensuring that there wouldn't be time today for the vote. The administration wants to hire a company to mount cameras at 50 or more of the city's most dangerous...

Radar-activated cameras would shoot photos of cars speeding through tollway work zones under a proposal from Gov. Blagojevich that also would hike fines for the speeders to as high as $1,000. Four other states now use the cop-in-a-box technology to catch and ticket speeders, but Illinois would be the first to target highway work zones. Forty-four people, including five road workers, were killed in Illinois work zones last year, state officials said. Two other highway workers were killed by drivers away from work zones in 2003, making it the deadliest construction season in at least five years. The deaths launched...