Michigan Sees Jump in Motorcycle Crash Deaths; Connecticut Is America’s ‘Tailpipe’

LANSING, MICHIGAN
PUBLIC SAFETY | Back in 2012, Michigan’s motorcycle helmet law was repealed, an effort pushed by motorcyclists who view riding without a helmet as an issue of individual rights. Looking back at the impacts of that law’s repeal, more motorcyclists are being killed in accidents. In 2015, 138 people were killed in motorcycle crashes in Michigan, the highest level since 1985. A study of 345 motorcycle crash victims conducted by a hospital in Grand Rapids found that 10 percent of those not wearing a helmet died compared to just 3 percent who were wearing a helmet. Hospital costs were 32 percent higher for crash victims not wearing a helmet. [Bridge MI]

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT
AIR QUALITY | This county in southwestern corner of the Nutmeg State has the dubious distinction of having the highest levels of ozone pollution in the state, but it’s not alone. Every county jurisdiction in Connecticut gets a ”F” grade when it comes to ozone. The commissioner of the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection calls Connecticut the “tailpipe” of America. While Connecticut is making moves to restrict emissions from trucks traveling through the state, officials contend that much of the ozone problem is a result of the emissions from coal power plants downwind. Connecticut has filed two petitions asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to mandate that a three coal-power plants in York County, Pennsylvania cut its emissions. [Connecticut Post]

CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA
REGULATORY BODIES | A member of the West Virginia Water Development Authority’s board has been paid $58,000 in the past five years for his work. But there’s a problem, the board member, Robert Hatfield, hasn’t attended a meeting since August 2011, according to the board’s minutes. Hatfield’s term on the board actually expired in 2012, but the authority’s executive director said that state law required that he be paid until he was replaced. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin replaced Hatfield last week. [Charleston Gazette-Mail]

PORTLAND, OREGON
BIKESHARE | With Portland’s Biketown bike share program set to launch this summer, a city council candidate there is raising concerns that it will not include “adaptive” cycles for people with disabilities. “It's a national conversation," said Chloe Eudaly, who is running against Steve Novick, an incumbent who oversees Portland's transportation bureau. “This isn't some wing-nut idea that kooky Portland activists have come up with. All cities have residents who experience disabilities. It's a civil rights issue.” She pointed to three-wheeled bikes that incorporate hand-pedals as an example of how the program might be opened up to more users. College Park, Maryland and Carmel, Indiana offer adaptive machines as part of their bike share programs. Portland’s program is slated to include 100 stations and 1,000 bikes. It will be sponsored by Nike and is expected to cost $1.4 million annually. [OregonLive]

BOZEMAN, MONTANA
GROWTH | As the population of Bozeman and the surrounding Gallatin Valley has gone up in recent years, local governments in the area are shouldering heavier costs. A new $37 million jail and a $38 million high school renovation are just a couple examples. Adding police officers, teachers and bus service has layered on further expenses. With state-imposed limits on property taxes, and concerns about over-burdening property owners, officials are eying taxes like those on sales and gas as a way to gain more revenue from tourists and commuters. “Growth doesn’t totally pay for itself,” said Bozeman Mayor Carson Taylor. “We’re catching up on things at this point, and that’s why taxes are going up.” [Bozeman Daily Chronicle]

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
BEES | Between 7,000 and 8,000 bees swarmed into a city intersection in downtown Chicago Monday afternoon, gathering on a bike and lightpole. The incident attracted a crowd of onlookers. “Not once did I hear anyone say 'ouch' because they were (stung),” said one bystander. Jana Kinsman, The founder of a local beekeeping business, Bike A Bee, believes that the swarm probably originated after a hive in the area raised a new queen, leading the old queen to relocate with about one-third of the colony. So, in other words, the bees may have been looking for a new home. "They're just doing what they do. And if anyone were to come and start messing with them or putting water on them then that could've been a disaster," Kinsman said. Beekeepers from Bike A Bee collected the bees. Kinsman expressed excitement over getting them for free, as 7,000 bees would normally cost about $125. [Chicago Tribune]

GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
PUBLIC RESTROOMS | Here’s a novel idea from this western Colorado municipality to discourage people from lingering in city-owned public restrooms: Pipe in annoying children’s music, including “The More We Stick Together” from “Barney & Friends.” The city and the downtown development authority hope that the music will deter people from sleeping and vandalizing the restrooms, which has become a big problem. [Grand Junction Daily Sentinel]

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA
CITY MANAGERS | Members of the Charlotte City Council on Monday approved a measure making Assistant City Manager Ron Kimball the interim city manager effective July 1. Current City Manager Ron Carlee had previously announced that he wouldn’t seek a contract extension, but is staying through the end of the month to wrap up work on the city budget. [The Charlotte Observer]

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
TOLLS | Scores of scammers cost East Coast transit agencies millions of dollars when they blow through tolls using E-ZPass lanes without paying. On the Pennsylvania Turnpike, toll-dodgers have accrued $42 million in unpaid fees over the past year. Travelers crossing the Ben Franklin and three other major bridges tallied up $3.5 million in toll violations in 2015. Aside from the obvious financial strain on agencies, these infractions require additional manpower to monitor security cameras for rule-breakers and to track down missing payments. Truckers are the most common intentional offenders. One Yonkers trucker got particularly crafty when he used fishing line to flip his license plate out of view of cameras as he rolled through an E-ZPass check point. [Newsworks]