Free Republic

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio used accounting gimmicks to hide nearly $225 million he poured into the city’s costly ferry system — and forced taxpayers to shell out as much as $14.57 for each ride as overwhelmingly wealthy passengers paid just $2.75 a piece. Those are the key findings of a blistering audit released Wednesday by city Comptroller Brad Lander. In addition, de Blasio wasted $66 million — including $34 million in “questionable vessel acquisition costs” — as a result of bad decisions by his hand-picked officials in charge of the city’s Economic Development Corp., the 50-page report said. Although...

On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security announced new COVID-19 vaccine mandates for non-U.S. travelers entering the country via land ports and ferry terminals. The new requirements take effect on Saturday, and they include essential and non-essential travelers.According to the DHS press release:“Starting on January 22, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security will require that non-U.S. individuals entering the United States via land ports of entry or ferry terminals along our Northern and Southern borders be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and be prepared to show related proof of vaccination,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “These updated travel requirements reflect the...

OLYMPIA — A plan for raising billions of dollars to build new bridges, widen old highways and open up fish passages will get its first public review this week. And, depending on the response, it could be its last. Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, has drawn up a 10-year, $16.3 billion package of transportation improvements financed largely with a 6-cent hike in the gas tax and new fees on carbon emissions and development. Hobbs, who is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, calculates that much money is needed to cover the cost of removing state-owned culverts to improve fish passages,...

Anyone want to buy an old, rusty piece of Seattle history? The Kalakala ferry – yes, that hunk of junk which sat on Lake Union for years – is up for sale. And for just a buck. Of course the Kalakala, now in Tacoma and starting to sink, is much more than a disintegrating eyesore; it was once a symbol of Seattle maritime, a flagship of Puget Sound. The silver, art-deco ferry has seen much better days … and much worse ones. Then there’s the chance that the Coast Guard might seize the boat. The Kalakala’s website notes that the...

Five foreign men were arrested during a courthouse break-in early on Wednesday and police said they found photographs of public buildings, water systems and malls from various U.S. cities in their van. The men, at least three of whom were in their 20s, will be questioned by a joint terrorism task force including the FBI and immigration authorities, officials said. Bexar County spokeswoman Laura Jesse said three men were found inside the 120-year-old Bexar County Courthouse, a landmark in downtown San Antonio and two in a large recreational vehicle parked in front of the building. She said all five were...

Quote: www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1305834568650.shtm Department of Homeland Security Announces "If You See Something, Say Something™" Campaign Partnership with Washington State Ferries Release Date: May 19, 2011 For Immediate Release WASHINGTON—Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced the expansion of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) "If You See Something, Say Something™" public awareness campaign to the Washington State Ferries (WSF)—a partnership that will help to ensure the safety and security of riders, customers and crew members throughout the WSF system. "Every citizen plays a role in identifying and reporting suspicious activities and threats," said Secretary Napolitano. "Expanding the 'If You See...

Goldman Sachs, which has certainly borne its share of public anger about the financial crisis, is now drawing heat for another reason: noisy ferryboats. The boats, which have been running almost constantly across the Hudson River every weekday since Goldman moved into its new headquarters in Battery Park City, have generated frequent complaints from residents of the neighborhood. Goldman does not own the offending boats, but it is paying a ferry company to keep them running 16 hours a day between a floating terminal at the edge of Battery Park City and a dock near Goldman’s waterfront office tower in...

OAKLAND — In 1851, riding a ferry from the foot of Broadway across the Bay to San Francisco cost $1. Horses, wagons and cattle cost $3. Today, the boats carry workday commuters who, under an ambitious expansion plan 10 years in the making, could soon choose to travel far beyond those two destinations in high-speed, earth-friendly vessels. The latest addition to the fleet of four new low-emission ferries made its maiden voyage in Bay Area waters Monday not far from Oakland's original ferry stop. The christening of the Taurus at the Oakland Ferry Terminal also marked a turning point in...

(Reuters) - Volcanic ash from Iceland grounded 1,000 flights and delayed hundreds of thousands of passengers in parts of northern Europe on Monday, although forecasters said the situation would improve during the week. World Several of Europe's busiest airports, including London's Heathrow and Schiphol in Amsterdam, were closed for several hours due to fears the ash could damage jet engines and bring down aircraft. Eurocontrol, the European air traffic agency, said about 1,000 flights out of a total of 28,000 in Europe had been canceled on Monday, but it offered passengers hope that the disruption will soon pass. "During the...

Afghanistan to Ask NATO for Bigger Army Afghan officials will go to the NATO summit in Romania Thursday with a request: pay to increase our national Army by 40 percent. A bigger Army, Afghan officials argue, will allow the US and other coalition members to scale back in the coming years. This appeal comes amid pleas from the US and Canada for other NATO members to commit more to the Afghanistan mission, which many analysts say has floundered over the past year for lack of resources and a coherent strategy. France is expected to contribute another 1,000 forces and...

FRIDAY HARBOR, San Juan County — The people of the San Juan Islands tend to be independent sorts, espousing a do-it-yourself, leave-me-be ethos as natural and ever-present as the tide. But for many of the 17,000 people of this island county, the normal rhythms of small-town life have hit a dissonant chord lately. A couple of months ago, the U.S. Border Patrol began occasional "spot checks" of every vehicle and passenger arriving in Anacortes off state ferries, the lifeline between these islands and the mainland. For some here, it seems like a good idea or, at worst, a minor inconvenience....

Ferry plots and Filipino Muslim converts By Michelle Malkin  •  August 30, 2007 02:46 PM  The FBI is still sifting through hundreds of tips on the two suspicious men in Seattle whom ferry employees witnessed photographing restricted areas and pacing several ferry routes, “as if trying to measure distances,” over the past several weeks.I have learned that these men have been the subject of much investigative energy within homeland security bureaucracies for quite some time. Indeed, one source told me that until the FBI released the photos of the men, the snapshots had been handled as classified material.Arab-American and Muslim groups...

Disaster Looms in Pakistan Decorum was abandoned as accusations ricocheted between the wood-panelled walls of Pakistan's national assembly on Monday night. "Murderers! Murderers of innocent people!" screamed an MP from a religious party, his yellow turban shaking as he wagged a finger towards the government benches. Five female parliamentarians, their faces concealed behind black and white burkas, slapped the benches with open palms. Another mullah stood up and started shouting. The speaker strained to maintain order. Others were less captivated by the debate on last month's siege of the Red Mosque, in which more than 100 people died. One...

For Arabs and Muslims across the Puget Sound area, a rise in the nation's threat level or a bombing halfway around the world often can mark a period of unease.

FBI Seeks Identity of Two Men Seen Aboard Washington State Ferries Wednesday, August 22, 2007 The FBI released photographs of two men Monday who have been seen on Washington state ferries "exhibiting unusual behavior" and asked the public for help identifying them. The agency's Seattle field office, along with the Washington Joint Analytical Center, was still seeking the men's identities and whereabouts Wednesday as ferry service was temporarily shutdown when a suspicious package was found in a ferry bathroom and taken away by authorities. "We had various independent reports from passengers and ferry employees that these two guys were engaging...

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Washington Joint Analytical Center are asking for the public’s help identifying two individuals who have been seen aboard Washington state ferries on several occasions. According to authorities, the two men have exhibited unusual behavior while aboard the ferries. Numerous passengers have reported the strange behavior. The FBI and WAJAC said the behavior may be innocuous but they would like to resolve the reports.

The FBI is asking for the public's help two identify two men who have been seen acting strangely aboard Washington State ferries recently. According to federal agents, passengers have seen the men on several occasions exhibiting unusual behavior. The FBI did not say precisely what that unusual behavior entailed. Anyone who knows the men or there whereabouts are asked to call the FBI at (206) 622-0460.

WASHINGTON, March 19 - It takes a fraction of a second for an explosion to rip open a hole below the waterline of a ferry carrying hundreds of passengers. In the next instant, a deck tears off and the blast bellows inside the hull, causing structural beams to give way. A terrorist strike is playing out with disastrous consequences. But so far, at least, the plot is confined to a desktop computer at the Coast Guard headquarters here. To improve security on the nation's commuter ferries, the Coast Guard has been trying to answer some critical questions: How much explosive...

<p>Guards will direct randomly selected drivers to pull to the side for screening.</p> <p>Screening may include checking photo identification of drivers, and inspecting passengers and vehicles, including trunk, underside, cargo area and engine compartment.</p> <p>Vehicles not being particularly inspected will bypass the screening area and go to the ferry line.</p>

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use. Highway congestion that plagues many regions is bringing a long-neglected mode of travel back in vogue: ferry boats. A new class of lightweight aluminum craft that can cruise up to 55 mph and carry hundreds of passengers and dozens of vehicles has the ability to pull more people out of their cars than conventional ferries. Four new routes featuring sleek, high-speed vessels, some offering movies and slot machines, will be running by June 1, the biggest surge in ferry travel in years. New technology that slashed travel times has made ferries...