Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 12h

Streets are at their best when opened for the people!

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 13h

"Screwing around with elections is risky, especially if your chances of achieving any desirable reforms is low and the odds of you generating a backlash — including legal and regulatory changes — is much higher." -David Moscrop www.davidmoscrop.com/p/its-time-t...

It's Time To Wrap Up The Longest Ballot Protest

The ballots really are long. And annoying. And counter-productive.

www.davidmoscrop.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 15h

Not everything can or should be protected. In fact, when some heritage advocates argue that all old buildings must remain as is, I think it diminishes their arguments that some buildings are indeed special in some way. When you argue everything is special, nothing seems special anymore.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 15h

There absolutely can be community value that comes with protected buildings, but that may also come with increased housing costs in other areas of the community, as fewer spaces are now available for building new developments. Those trade-offs need to be a part of these discussions.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 15h

I actually think there is value in considering which properties/areas should be 'protected' in some way, however, this article fails to mention some of the trade-offs that might come with the mass heritage protections that are proposed. www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...

https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/329-hespeler-properties-in-line-for-special-heritage-status/article_bbaa20f7-0337-53d8-b3e6-f7fd1a1d48ab.html

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 19h

Quote: Education should lead to informed action, and informed action should lead to liberation, justice, and repair. If we built the walls on purpose, we need to tear down the walls on purpose.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 19h

bsky.app/profile/robs...

Robson Fletcher @robsonfletcher.com · 4d

Police in Airdrie, Alberta (just north of Calgary) say this driver hit a 17-year-old girl in a marked crosswalk, got out of the vehicle, and appeared to get upset at the teenager before driving away.

They released this video and are now trying to identify the driver.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 19h

"Liggett did not respond to a request for comment."
This seems to add insult to injury. If there are legitimate concerns that require city hall to be closed for a period of time - then speak up about that. Remaining silent only stokes concerns that this closure is not truly needed.

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Reposted by Melissa Bowman

John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 21d

"It's a cash grab!"

Oh my sweet summer child. Come, let me show you how much a dedicated police officer — trained in the application of *deadly force* in upholding the law! — is paid to poke a button, read a number and deliver a ticket that could have been sent through the mail...

Average salary, OPP = $125,104
https://www.ontariosunshinelist.com/positions/law-enforcement-officer

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

Vrbanovic "said that machines do not operate with the same discretion as a police officer, who may decide to let the driver off with a warning for minor speeding infractions." And that's what makes everyone so mad - that they don't have an opportunity to evade a ticket when caught.

Waterloo Region forges ahead with speed cameras despite looming ban

The Region of Waterloo will go ahead with turning on six speed cameras despite Doug Ford’s scathing condemnation

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

Perhaps, there are good reasons for the ongoing restrictions to municipal buildings, however, there should be a very high bar that needs to be met when limiting access to what should be public discussions at City Hall. It's unclear if that high bar is being met here.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

So, #CambCouncil was to finally discuss it's long-delayed accessibility plan this past week, but due to unspecified threats several weeks ago, Council chambers are not open to the public - which is problematic for those with disabilities. The solution? To postpone the meeting to a future time.

In Cambridge, concerns grow about lack of public access to meetings

Two city councillors and an advocate for people with disabilities are now raising concerns about the public being continually shut out of meetings. It’s time for the city to offer an explanation and a...

www.therecord.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

“Those who are using terms like ‘nanny state’, and this is a ‘cash grab’, I hope they look at these numbers and realize this is absolutely not. This is about the safety of our most vulnerable, including little kids to older adults and everybody in between." -Waterloo mayor McCabe

Regional committee discusses speed cameras

Regional committee members discussed how the speed camera enforcement program has progressed in its first six months of operation at a meeting on Tuesday.

kitchener.citynews.ca

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

"The story of America in the twenty-first century is the story of chosen scarcities. Recognizing that these scarcities are chosen—that we could choose otherwise—is thrilling. Confronting the reasons we choose otherwise is maddening." As quoted in

The Abundance Doctrine

How modern liberalism became too obsessed with saying no—and can learn to say yes again.

buff.ly

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

Well, it wouldn't need to be a very big loophole for it to drive through, at least! 😉

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

I'm not used to seeing so many people wearing Blue Jays attire this late in the year 😉 #GoJays

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

More of this, please!

Black Sawn Brewery's teeny tiny but useful delivery truck.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

Link to article www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...

Parking issues in Cambridge River Mill Community result of bad planning: resident

Cambridge resident Vince Cipriani highlights parking challenges in the River Mill Community due to provincial housing goals, poor planning, and insufficient parking regulation enforcement.

www.therecord.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

Because none of these options seem ideal for many reasons.

Residents may request changes to the parking regulations on their street through three parking programs, Walter noted.

The first is lower driveway boulevard parking, which allows residents to park vehicles on the paved or concrete portion of their driveway between the curb and sidewalk. Another is extended on-street parking, allowing residents to park on-street for up to 24 hours. The third is cul-de-sac centre parking, allowing residents, outside of the winter months, to park in the centre of a cul-de-sac bulb.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

We're focused on trying to solve the parking problem but we should be focused on how to build convenient, affordable, and plentiful alternatives to people needing to drive everywhere. Fund more transit, cycling, and pedestrian infrastructure.

Text: “Two parking spaces should have been the standard. Most residents cannot rely on public transit to get to work, school, or the grocery store.

“Moving forward, we need to take a more realistic look at how people live today. Future planning goals shouldn’t come at the expense of current taxpayers.”

Cipriani said the solution is the city giving more consideration for parking based on density.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

“A total ban on (automated speed enforcement) would reverse years of progress on safety ... It would place more pressure on police, increase enforcement costs, and most critically, endanger lives,” said a letter from 20+ Ontario mayors to Ford and Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria.

20-plus mayors urge Doug Ford to compromise on speed camera ban

“A total ban on (automated speed enforcement) would reverse years of progress on safety,” said a letter signed by 22 mayors and sent to Ford and his Transportation minister on Thursday.

www.thestar.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

Much better than the time I was at Kitchener Council and a delegate referred to multi-residential buildings as vertical slums and no councilor addressed it in the moment (Fortunately some did later in their comments).

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 3d

"Independent mobility builds confidence. A child who can walk to school learns to navigate space, manage risk, and take pride in independence." -Andy Boenau

The dehumanizing school car line

America’s morning ritual is treating kids like packages instead of people

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 3d

Oh, maybe this is Ford's plan to stop speeding in Ontario...just ask each person who speeds to promise it will 'never happen again'. That should fix it! globalnews.ca/news/1146702...

Text: Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s office appears to have forgiven a staffer for repeatedly violating Ontario’s stunt driving laws, Global News has learned, after the government was told it would “never happen again.”

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 3d

Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to connect with council on this important issue!

a man applauds with the #schitts creek logo behind him

ALT: a man applauds with the #schitts creek logo behind him

media.tenor.com

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