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How loud can cars be in Colorado?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- If you've ever encountered someone driving a vehicle so loud that you just know it shouldn't be legal, you might be onto something.At least in Colorado.That's because there's a law designed to reduce noise on roads by requiring mufflers.Mufflers are devices that dampen sound from internal combustion engines. What does the law say?Colorado law doesn't allow any modifications that cause "excessive or unusual noise," and you aren't allowed to install a bypass or cutoff for the muffler. The law doesn't list what decibels -- or sound levels -- are acceptable or unacceptable. However, any aftermarket mufflers can't be any louder than what originally came with the vehicle. Headed to the lake? Check for toxic algae blooms Because electric vehicles don't have mufflers, the law doesn't apply to them. But if you're caught with an aftermarket muffler that's too loud -- or if you've decided to bypass your muffler to make your car louder -- you can face a fine of up to $100.Peo...

Denver's homeless compared to other cities

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Denver is the latest among U.S. cities with the nation's worst homelessness issues to declare a state of emergency.Newly sworn-in Mayor Mike Johnston declared an emergency over homelessness in Denver, and he said he has a plan to house 1,000 people by the end of the year. He made the announcement in a Tuesday morning news conference, just shy of 24 hours after his inauguration. On Monday, he will activate the city’s Emergency Operation Center and Joint Information Center as part of the response. Mayor Mike Johnston declares emergency over homelessness in Denver Denver is the most recent to make such a declaration. Mayors in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Seattle and Portland, among others, have declared emergencies over their cities' homelessness problems, which stand above the rest of the nation's cities.Metropolitan Denver has the nation's 10th-most homeless people, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2022, the Denver metro ...

State House evacuated due to electrical fire, will remain closed on Wednesday

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

The Massachusetts State House will remain closed on Wednesday after a fire in a transformer room prompted an evacuation Tuesday afternoon, officials said. Massachusetts State Police said the building was evacuated and nearly all surrounding streets on Beacon Hill were closed as crews responded to what appeared to be an electrical fire that broke out around 2:15 p.m. in a sub-basement at the capitol building.In an update Tuesday evening, Superintendent of the State House Tammy Kraus said the building will be closed “Out of an abundance of caution while details of today’s fire continue to be investigated.”“We’re grateful for the efforts of the Boston Fire Department, Mass State Police and DCR Rangers to ensure the safety of all officials, staff and visitors and are working diligently to reopen the building as quickly and safely as possible,” Kraus said.Smoke was largely not visible outside the State House on Tuesday. Inside, though, state police spo...

Video shows cement truck tip over at construction site in Taunton

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

New video shows the moment a cement truck tipped over at a construction site in Taunton Tuesday, sending workers in the area rushing to safety. The incident happened Tuesday morning near Jefferson Street. SKY7-HD was later over the scene, showing the truck resting on its side. Taunton fire officials said the truck’s driver was able to get out of the truck without help before being taken to an area hospital as a precaution.Everyone else was able to get out of the way as the truck started to roll.

Texas heat wave has inmates’ families worried about lack of air conditioning in state’s prisons

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A heat wave that has consistently pushed temperatures well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) across much of Texas this summer had family members of inmates on Tuesday calling for lawmakers to ensure that all of the state’s prisons are fully air conditioned.“They’re cooking our inmates in the Texas prison system,” said Tona Southards Naranjo, who believes the death last month of her son, Jon Southards, was caused by excessive heat in his prison, the Estelle Unit in Huntsville. Naranjo was one of more than 60 people who attended a rally outside the Texas Capitol on Tuesday.Advocates and others have been highly critical of the lack of air conditioning in the nation’s largest prison system, alleging temperatures that often go past 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 degrees Celsius) inside Texas prisons in the summer have been responsible for hundreds of inmate deaths in recent years. Only about 30% of Texas’ 100 prison units are fully air conditioned, wi...

British Columbia’s record-breaking wildfire season, by the numbers

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

British Columbia’s wildfire season is now the most destructive on record, with about 14,000 square kilometres of the province burned, surpassing the previous high of 13,543 square kilometres set in 2018.Here are some statistics about the current season from the BC Wildfire Service website, as of 6 p.m. Pacific time, July 18.Total area burned: 14,100 square kilometresFires currently burning: 381, including 21 fires of noteNew fires in past 24 hours: 23Out-of-control fires: 251Total number of fires this season: 1,203Causes of all fires: Lightning, 65 per cent;  humans (deliberate and accidental) 29 per cent; unknown, 6 per cent.Biggest single fire: Donnie Creek fire, northeastern B.C., 5,831 square kilometres This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2023.The Canadian Press

B.C.’s wildfire season is most destructive on record and hasn’t peaked yet: minister

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

VANCOUVER — British Columbia hasn’t yet hit the “peak” of its wildfire season, but it has already broken the record for the total area burned in a year, the province’s minister of emergency management said.Officials are now eyeing the prospect of drought-driven conditions rolling into 2024, setting the stage for a similarly disastrous fire season unless there is “significant precipitation” in winter, Bowinn Ma said on Tuesday.“It is significant and there’s likely more to come,” Ma said on Tuesday. “We know that the road ahead of us is long, complex and challenging.”The BC Wildfire Service website said that 14,100 square kilometres have been burned since April 1, as of 6 p.m. Tuesday, surpassing the previous full-year record of 13,543 square kilometres set in 2018. The service was reporting about 400 fires currently burning and 21 fires of note, where they are a threat to safety or are especially visible to the public....

First-gen iPhone sells at auction for $190K – about 380 times its original price

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

A first-generation iPhone has sold at auction for $190,373, almost 380 times its original price of $499 when the groundbreaking device went for sale in 2007.LCG Auctions, which hosted Sunday’s sale, said the 4GB iPhone model was 20 times rarer than the 8GB model released at the same time for $599. That’s largely because the 4GB model was discontinued two months after launch given customer preference for the larger memory size.“A new bar was set Sunday night,” said Mark Montero, the founder of LCG Auctions. “We are thrilled to be a part of this fantastic record breaking sale.”It is the third original iPhone to sell for record prices at auction in the past year. An 8GB model sold for $63,356 in February and another 8GB model fetched $39,340 in October 2022. All were factory sealed in their original packaging.The iPhone is one of the world’s most successful electronic products and helped make Apple the first publicly held company with a $3 trillion market value....

Alaska man inadvertently films his own drowning on a glacial lake with helmet GoPro, officials say

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska man inadvertently filmed his own drowning on a glacial lake with a GoPro camera mounted on his helmet, but authorities who recovered the camera have not yet found his body, officials said Tuesday.Alaska State Troopers said teams would continue to search Mendenhall Lake for the body of Paul Rodriguez Jr., 43, of Juneau.Troopers said a helmet with a camera attached to it that was confirmed to have belonged to Rodriguez was recording on July 11 when his kayak overturned and he went into the water. “The recording continued showing that the kayak overturned due to a strong current coming from the glacier,” Troopers spokesperson Tim DeSpain said by email.DeSpain said the helmet was found on the lakeshore. He said it was turned in to troopers on Monday.Juneau police on Monday said Rodriguez was believed to have gone missing on July 11 somewhere in the vicinity of the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area. Police received a report Sunday from U.S. Forest Service...

A strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake in the Pacific Ocean shakes Central America

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:13:47 GMT

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — A powerful 6.5 magnitude earthquake in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of El Salvador shook much of Central America from Nicaragua to Guatemala on Tuesday, sending residents in some cities streaming into the streets.The U.S. Geological Survey reported the epicenter was 27 miles (43 kilometers) south of Intipuca, El Salvador at a depth of 43 miles (70 kilometers). That point is outside the Gulf of Fonseca where Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua all share coastline.In El Salvador’s capital, residents ran into the streets as the ground shook, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. When a radio station open its phone lines to residents around the country, there was also no immediate report of victims.In the country’s Legislative Assembly, lawmakers fled their desks to get out of the building, before returning a short time later to resume the session.The country’s Environment Ministry advised that there was no threat of a...