In 1675, Mary Walcott, one of the accusers at the Salem witch trials, was born; Domenico II Contarini, the Doge of Venice, died; and, as best as forestry experts can determine, a bunch of gossamer-winged pine seeds landed on a forest clearing in the Adirondack Mountains of what would eventually be designated as the State of New York. Sun, rain, soil, good luck, and (probably) a property-line muddle combined to make this an auspicious landing. Pine trees hate shade, but this was a clearing in the dense Adirondack forest, most likely created by a hearty gust of wind that had toppled the previous overstory, so it was pine-friendly. The Mohawk and Oneida people who lived in the area left them alone. European farmers, who favored a clean-shaven pasture, wouldnt arrive in the area for another century.

By the late eighteen-hundreds, when the region was being farmed and logged, this lucky bunch of trees had grown so big and thick that they were too large for most sawmills to cut, so they were left unmolested, while the smaller, more manageable trees nearby were made into dining-room tables and hope chests. As it happened, the land where the trees stood was near a newly drawn property line, so, most likely, when loggers began clearing the forest, they werent quite sure who owned the stand, and decided to leave it alone rather than get in a pickle over it.

Decades passed. The First World War came and went. The most convincing of the five best-known Anastasia pretenders appeared. Scotch tape was invented. The first Mr. Potato Head was manufactured. Electricity was generated by a nuclear reactor. People danced the Loco-Motion. In nearby Lake Placid, the Winter Olympics were held in 1932 and again in 1980. All the while, the trees on this eight-acre tract kept growing, surpassing fifty, then a hundred feet, and beyond. No other trees in the immediate area matched them in height. No one knows how tall the very tallest of them got, now that many in the grove have fallen, but Tree 103 (1675-2021) topped out at a hundred and sixty feet and nearly five inches, making it likely the tallest tree in New York State at the time of its death, in December.

The pine got its designation as Tree 103 in 2006, when a forestry expert measured the trees in the grove and tagged them in the order in which he measured them. Tree 103 was a mighty beanpole, and yet, by the rules of big-tree classification, it was not the states biggest. Champion trees are scored by combining their height in feet, their circumference in inches, and a quarter of the spread of their crowns. White pines are pointy; their crowns will never challenge the umbrella-like spread of a buckeye or a maple. Most of New Yorks registered biggest trees are species with lush crowns. Moreover, most live pampered lives, getting fat in the luxury of a suburban lawn or a wide-open pasture, with no competition for sun or water. Yes, we see you, red oak of Monroe County! And you, Eastern cottonwood of Clinton, and sycamore of Dutchess! Yeah, well, Tree 103 had a harder life than you, a more rugged North Country life, doing its damnedest in its wilderness thicket of forty or so trees, achieving staggering height without regular visits from TreeDocsRUs and without any sort of nice commemorative plaque and without a historical society attending to it and giving luncheons in its honor. Tree 103 was scarred and scabby; it creaked in the wind; it sagged in the rain. It had lost the dewy glow that it had back in 1675, but havent we all?

Last July, one of Tree 103s neighbors snapped and toppled. Tree 103 broke its fall. The weight was much to bear, and then the autumn winds slapped it around. Hikers who went to visit the tree on December 11th found instead a raggedy broken trunk and a fallen warrior. No one had been around to hear it fall, but, given its size and height, it would have released a huge amount of energy, equivalent to several sticks of dynamite, and it knocked over a number of smaller trees when it went down. Justin Waskiewicz, a forestry professor at Paul Smiths College, which borders the land where Tree 103 stood, says that pine trees rarely live past three hundred and fifty years, so its demise wasnt a surprise. Given the math, the whole grove of these giant pines will probably be gone sometime in the next fifty years. Do not despair: Tree 103 is no longer thrusting into the sky, but it lives on as forest debris, making fungi and bugs happy. Its dead, yes, Waskiewicz said, but I prefer to think that its just not vertical anymore.

Afterword is an obituary column that pays homage to people, places, and things weve lost. If youd like to propose a subject for an Afterword piece, write to us at afterword@newyorker.com.

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The Tallest Known Tree in New York Falls in the Forest - The New Yorker

A sailor stands guard at the Cambodian Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, July 26, 2019. REUTERS/Samrang Pring/File Photo

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WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Dredgers have been spotted off Cambodias Ream naval base, where China is funding construction work and deeper port facilities would be necessary for the docking of larger military ships, a U.S. think tank said on Friday.

The United States, which has sought to push back against Beijing's extensive territorial claims and military expansion in the South China Sea, reiterated its "serious concerns" about China's construction and military presence at Ream.

"These developments threaten U.S. and partner interests, regional security, and Cambodia's sovereignty," a spokesperson for the State Department said.

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The report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank said the dredgers could be seen in photos released this month by the Cambodian government and in commercial satellite imagery.

"Dredging of deeper port facilities would be necessary for the docking of larger military ships at Ream, and was part of a secret agreement between China and Cambodia that U.S. officials reported seeing in 2019," the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at CSIS reported.

It cited a 2019 Wall Street Journal report that said the deal granted China military access to the base in return for funding facilities improvements.

Last June, Cambodian media quoted Defense Minister Tea Bahn as saying China would help to modernize and expand Ream, but would not be the only country given access to the facility.

AMTI said a Jan. 16 commercial satellite image showed two dredgers and barges for collecting dredged sand. It said other images showed both dredgers arriving between Jan. 13 and Jan. 15.

They were also visible in a photo posted on Tea Banhs Facebook page following his Jan. 18 visit to Ream, it said, adding that the work "could mark a significant upgrade in the bases capabilities."

"The shallow waters around Ream mean it is currently only able to host small patrol vessels. A deep-water port would make it far more useful to both the Cambodian and Chinese navies."

AMTI said construction work had continued onshore, with land clearing in several locations in the southwest of the base since fall 2021 and said this and the dredging "indicates that the base is being prepared for significant infrastructure upgrades."

The State Department spokesperson said the United States urged Cambodia "to be fully transparent about the intent, nature, and scope of the project at Ream and the role the PRC military is playing in its construction, raising concerns about the intended use of this naval facility."

PRC stands for the People's Republic of China.

Last year, Washington sanctioned two Cambodian officials over alleged corruption at Ream and imposed an arms embargo and export restrictions on Cambodia over what it said was the growing influence of China's military in the country, as well as over human rights and corruption. read more

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Reporting by David Brunnstrom in WashingtonEditing by Matthew Lewis and David Gregorio

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Dredgers spotted off Cambodian base where China is funding work -U.S. think tank - Reuters

Munlochy Clootie Well: Person who cleaned up didn't have permission Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. Linked In An icon of the Linked In logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo.

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Mystery person who cleared Munlochy Clootie Well didn't have permission from land owners - Press and Journal

Ashtabula County Land Bank Executive Director Eddy Eckart will be leaving the organization on Jan. 26, after working with the organization since 2018, according to a press release from the land bank.

I am very proud of the work we have accomplished since 2018, Eckart said. The land bank has helped stabilize neighborhoods across the county, and we are now in position to help rebuild those communities. It is a bit of a bittersweet moment for me because I have truly enjoyed building the organization and having a positive impact on the county in which I live.

When reached via telephone on Monday, Eckart said he will remember the relationships the land bank was able to foster with communities and county agencies. We couldnt have made the pivot from being a [demolition] only organization, to one that does a lot of different community activities without the collaboration of all those entities, he said.

Eckart said the land bank has two state grants coming this year. I think were very well positioned for the future, Eckart said. One grant will fund demolition of blighted commercial and residential properties, and the other will help clean up and assess county brownfield sites, he said.

Eckart said the land bank is working in partnership with the Ashtabula County Port Authority andthe countys planning departmenton the brownfield grant.

We couldnt have gotten where we are without Eddys help in spearheading all these initiatives, Commissioner J.P. Ducro, vice president of the land bank board, said in the press release. He is truly going to be missed. We wish him the best.

Hardworking and dedicated people with outstanding vision such as Eddys are a true inspiration, Ashtabula County Treasurer andland bank Board Member Angie Maki-Cliff said in the release. He shows a commitment to quality and excellence and is dedicated to the betterment of our community. I count myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to work alongside Eddy. The Ashtabula County Land Bank and the Treasurers Office will miss him and truly appreciate all the work he has done.

Eckart said he is extremely grateful to board members, past and present.

I think any time we talk about the land bank, its important to give credit to [former Ashtabula County County Treasurer] Dawn Cragon for starting it, Eckart said. Its become an integral part of stabilizing neighborhoods in this county.

Eckart also praised Maki-Cliff.

Its been a pleasure working with Treasurer Angie Maki Cliff over the last several months,he said. She understands and supports the role of the land bank in revitalizing Ashtabulas communities and the organization is in good hands in her and the boards stewardship.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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Ashtabula County Land Bank Executive Director leaving organization tomorrow - The Star Beacon

CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) Almost a month into the new year Chattahoochee County is clearing land to prepare for three new businesses that are making their way into town.

The county is clearing land off of Highway 520 for a new travel plaza costing around $2.2 million, a gas station, and a new Family Dollar combined with Dollar Tree costing around $5 million. City Manager Laura Lee Bernstein told News 3 these new stores will be beneficial to the community.

Essentially these developments, especially with them happening all at the same time will really enhance our revenue thats coming into the county. Number one the tax revenue alone coming into the county will almost double as a result of these developments. With the SPLOST and TSPLOST were a part of it will contribute to those as well, so were real excited its a real game-changer for a place like this, Bernstein said.

The new travel plaza will have a mini grocery store inside, Bernstein said this will be a major relief for those in Chattahoochee County and Stewart County.

The addition of some form of a grocery store in this area is so important because folks have to drive to Columbus or any other surrounding county just to get groceries for their family. So this is something thats great for our citizens and it does help the other county south of us because it gives them somewhere closer to come. But also it shows development is starting to occur south of Fort Benning that historically has not been started, Bernstein said.

Berstein said there has always been an interest for potential business opportunities in the general area.

I think the interest has always been that 520 is really a corridor of business opportunities. These roads go and they connect down to Florida into south Georgia and its one of the major four-lane roads to get to those places. So I think development was always a potential here, it was just a matter of time before it began, Berstein said.

Berstein told News 3 shes excited to see the county grow.

Personally its exciting to see the county actually making that corner turn to begin adding some development to the area. For so long they have not had any form of development besides the Dollar General and a couple of gas stations, the grocery store that was here was a locally owned grocery. They decided to retire understandably, they provided a great service to the community and we were very sad to see them go. But its also refreshing to see that there are folks interested in coming in and doing some development in Chattahoochee County and so its exciting to see the residents are going to have other places to go to get their necessities, Berstein said.

The new businesses are scheduled to open in July 2022.

Read more:
New businesses making their way to Chattahoochee County - WRBL

Fog clearing out to a few sunny days this week

The fog is finally clearing out later this week, where we'll finally see some sunnybut still briskdays heading into this weekend.

Seattle - Fog continues to be an issue around the region as we push through the middle of the week. Most of us will stay stuck in the low-lying cloud deck and fog through early Thursday morning.

Tuesday starts off chilly as well. Temperatures around the area will hang in the low 30s. Normal morning temps for this time of year usually sit near 38, so with below-freezing temperatures to start the day bridge decks and overpasses may be slick and frozen. Allow for extra time on the roads, not only for the slippery conditions but the fog as well. Keep a decent following distance while driving.

And not only will the fog linger, but stagnant air will also keep some of us in the moderate zone for air quality values in Snohomish, King, Pierce, and Thurston Counties. This primarily will affect those who suffer from respiratory issues already. The "Alert" for Western WA stays in effect through 12pm Wednesday.

High pressure is the key to our dry forecast right now. A nice ridge is acting as a blocker to all weather systems that would potentially come our way. It also is the main factor as to why our air quality has degraded some. High pressure aloft sits over the top of us acting like a hat that doesn't really allow air to mix out and circulate and this why pollutants get stuck near the surface. The higher you go in elevation, like up to the mountains, you will see blue skies and warmer temperatures. This is also known as an inversion. Normally, air temperature decreases with an increase in altitude, but during an inversion warmer air is held above cooler air. An inversion traps air pollution, such as smog, close to the ground.

By late Wednesday into Thursday our ridge breaks down and that will open the door to allow systems to push inland. Foggy conditions may linger into early Thursday before clearing out completely. Highs will land near 50 both days.

By the weekend clouds increase as we shift to a SW flow with the potential for showers to return. Right now, we're forecasting some rain to move in late Saturday night into Sunday with showers hanging around into the start of next week. Highs drop into the mid to low 40s.

Have a great week all! ~Erin Mayovsky, FOX 13 Forecaster

*Beach Forecast

*Mountain Forecast

*Central WA Forecast

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Fog and stagnant air quality continue to drive the forecast through mid-week. - Q13 FOX (Seattle)

Proposed updates would regulate tree removal on residential properties above 0.5 hectares in size

Faced with the conflicting pressures of urban development and tree preservation, The Town of The Blue Mountains (TBM) has drafted an amended tree bylaw that proposes to regulate tree removalon some private properties.

The new bylaw proposes regulating treeremovalon settlement area properties above 0.5 hectares in size. The town's settlement area properties are largely located within the urban areas of Thornbury, Clarksburg, and along Highway 26 into Craigleith and Blue Mountain Village.

Town staff began working in 2019 to update the towns tree protection measures, but the work was largely put on hold until the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The towns current tree regulation, bylaw 2010-68, applies to municipal lands and lands that are subject to an approved tree preservation plan, but trees on many of the towns private properties are currently unregulated.

What we're trying with this bylaw is to fill the gap in the settlement area where those current regulations or authorities would not otherwise apply, said town planner Travis Sandberg at a joint committee meeting Jan. 13. This bylaw is intended to apply to privately owned properties within the settlement area only.

We need to provide some sort of regulation on clearcutting and larger tree removals, and to not encumber every small lot for every single tree to be cut.

Here are some of the new measures that could be put in place as the proposed bylaw currently stands:

The proposed bylaw also includes a number of exemptions, where a permit will not be required for the destruction of trees, some of which are outlined below:

Town staff plan to release an interactive map showing the properties that may be affected by the bylaw.

Individual property owners will be able to search their property in order to determine if there's any current regulations on the property, and then secondly to determine who they need to talk to if they want to cut trees, if there are regulations on it, Sandberg said.

The proposed bylaw stems from the enactment of Bill 68 in 2017, in which the province requires that each municipality develop policies for tree protection and the enhancement of natural vegetation. The town currently has policies in place to promote these ends, but only one that applies to privately owned lands.

The County of Grey Forest Management Bylaw prohibits the destruction of trees on forested, private lands over one hectare in size. It is currently the only bylaw that regulates tree-cutting on private lands in The Town of The Blue Mountains.

Committee members made a number of comments on the proposed bylaw.

John Ardiel voiced concerns about the town further extending its influence onto private properties.

I would suggest you go back and check Bill 68, as I firmly believe that does not applyto private properties, he said.

Bill 68 is not exclusive to the municipal lands, said director of planning and development services Nathan Westendorp. Bill 68 requires towns to have a municipal tree canopy policy, which we do have in the official plan, but when council was looking at astaff report when we were responding to Bill 68, [they said] Well, we do have a tree bylaw. We'd like you to look into it and see how we can update it.

Duncan McKinlay questioned whether the definition of the settlement area might be abruptly changed to encompass more of the town.

Theres been some people talking to me, they're very afraid that this will pass and then council can just pass a motion to amend [the settlement area] to include the whole township, he said.

Town staff sought to reassure McKinlay such a change wouldn't be done unless there was public consultation before the decision was made.

I can confirm that to amend [the settlement area] would be an amendment to the bylaw, and it would definitely include a public process, including a public meeting, Westendorp said.

Rosemary Mesley suggested that the town might give developers incentives to avoid clear-cutting the land.

How can we make this the best it can be, and not give them the opportunity to want to clear cut everything, and give them incentives? she asked.

The incentives comment is actually very intriguing to me, Westendorp said. Bylaws are the enforcement side of it, to say here's what you can and can't do, incentives are often done through programs, but [its] something we will take back and will look into.

After postponing the work through the pandemic, TBM held a public open houseand conducted a municipal survey in 2021.

Respondents to the survey strongly supported protections for the towns urban trees and for penalties to be imposed for unauthorized tree clearing.

However, just over half of respondents supported tree protection on privately owned lands under one hectare in size.

Following the joint committee meeting with members of the sustainable advisory committee and agricultural advisory committee, staff will update the draft bylaw and present it to council.

The revised bylaw will then be brought to a public meeting, after which a final draft will be brought to council for approval.

See more here:
Proposed TBM bylaw to impose restrictions on urban tree removal from private properties - CollingwoodToday.ca

It should be a pristine stretch of Northern Territory, but the Wessel Islands archipelago is being choked by plastic waste, and Charles Darwin University researchers and rangerssay the problem is only worsening.

The archipelago, which liesjust off the coast of Arnhem Land, is renowned for its picturesque beauty, but also as a biodiversity hotspot, anda haven for several endangered species.

However, growing amounts of plastic waste are washing up on itsbeaches, putting all of that at risk, according to Charles Darwin University research fellow Carol Palmer.

"I would say the archipelago is the most-littered place in the Northern Territory, if not Northern Australia,"Dr Palmer said.

Dr Palmer said she first noticed the plastic waste on a visit in 2011and, since then, she hadseen more and more rubbish of all kinds washing up.

"The amount of plastics, fishing gear [and]ghost netswas astounding," she said.

Photosshow plastic bottles, cartons, foamand even a battered, sun-bleached toy scooter littering one of the archipelago'sbeaches.

"Certainly, working with both the traditional owners and the Gumurr Marthakal Rangers, we all agreed that this hasnever, ever been recorded at this level before."

Executive officer of the Gumurr Marthakal Rangers, Marcus Lacey, saidwesterly winds during the wet season broughtthe plastic in from the Timor Sea, which was thendumped onto the islands during dry season winds.

Dr Palmersaid she had beenalso been surprised by the increase of ghost nets washing up, abandoned nets thatcould stretch for kilometres, snagging fish and other marine life.

"It would be really great to do a review of what is the percentage of the netting, the plastics, to work out where it's from," she said.

"Because it's not just all Asian. It's certainly Australian gear too."

The Gumurr Marthakal Rangershave managed the area around the Wessel Islands since 2016, and Mr Lacey also has a strong family connection to the islands.

"The waste is worse than it has ever been, and its continuing to get worse after every wet season," he said.

But, because of the isolation and limited resources, it's not a problem the rangers can tackle aloneand, Dr Palmer says,it will notbe an easy fix.

"It's very expensive to try [to]sort out, and requires a reallybig planning process," she said.

"To do the first clean-up will probably be the biggest clean-up in Australia I would say."

Dr Palmer said the task would befurther complicated because most of the work wouldneed to be boat-based, and required cooperation between traditional owners and rangers, scientists,government and non-government organisations.

"It does require good funding and ongoing funding, not just a couple of years. It's actually long-term funding so we can actually maintain this."

Mr Lacey is also calling a permanent ranger station there, after the last permanent settlement was destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Monica in 2006.

"To give people, and traditional owners, a chance to have access to their country, and to care for it," he said.

Read more:
Calls for clean-up to remove plastic waste piling up on the Wessel Islands, off Arnhem Land - ABC News

In the early stages of legislative chambers across the nation getting back to work, legislation in multiple statehouses address concerns about snow and ice removal from cars and trucks.

Rules covering concerns about accumulations on top of vehicles are already in place in states that include Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

Supporters say a snow and ice rule makes enforcement easier. Others say it provides significant motivation to clean off a vehicle following a snow or ice storm.

A bill nearing passage in the Delaware Legislature would require drivers to remove accumulated ice or snow before driving.

The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee voted 5-2 on Tuesday, Jan. 18, to advance a bill to allow law enforcement to pull over vehicles for failure to remove ice or snow. Fines would be set from $25 to $75. Incidents that cause property damage or physical injury would result in penalties of $200 to $1,000 for motorists. Truck drivers would face fines of $500 to $1,500.

The bill, SB64, would limit citations to affected vehicles to once per 24-hour period. Drivers would be exempt when accumulations occur while the vehicle is in operation.

The bill can next be considered on the House floor. The Senate voted 18-2 last week to advance a nearly identical version of the bill.

Sen. Bryan Townsend, D-Newark, told senators before the floor vote that people need to take the issue seriously.

I would like this to be a proactive law. I would like people to take this seriously and clean off their ice or snow from their vehicles before moving, Townsend said.

He added that drivers should not leave it up to enforcement to make sure vehicles are cleared of accumulations.

We are trying to strike the right balance.

In neighboring Pennsylvania, one bill would revise the states rule on the issue.

State law allows police to ticket car and truck drivers for fines of $200 to $1,000 if the wintry precipitation causes serious injury or death.

Sponsored by Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Northampton, the bill is intended to be proactive on the issue of ice removal from vehicles.

Specifically, SB114 would authorize law enforcement to issue tickets for failure to clear their vehicles of snow and ice. In addition to trucks, mass transit vehicles, buses and school buses would be covered by the rule.

Enforcement would be limited to highways.

Drivers would be required to make reasonable efforts to remove snow or ice from all parts of their vehicles within 24 hours of a weather event.

Offenders would face a maximum fine of $1,500 if the snow or ice causes serious injury or death. The bill includes an additional protection allowing police to ticket drivers $50 for failure to clear snow or ice before driving.

Truck operators would be excused if they are on their way to a facility to remove accumulated snow or ice. In addition, violations would not be issued if compliance would cause the trucker to violate any federal or state law or regulation regarding workplace safety, or if it would be a health or safety threat.

Senators approved the bill last spring. SB114 awaits further consideration in the House.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has concern about rules that let police pull over drivers whose vehicles were not cleared of snow or ice. They point out that facilities are not readily available to accommodate clearance mandates on trucks. Another problem is the practicality of rules that appear to require people to climb atop large vehicles, and do so in less-than desirable conditions.

The accumulation of snow and ice on any vehicle has the potential to negatively impact highway safety, OOIDA Manager of Government Affairs Mike Matousek has said.However, when it comes to commercial motor vehicles, theres really no practical or safe way of removing it from the top of a trailer, especially during winter weather conditions.

Speaking specifically about SB114, Matousek has said its far from a great bill, but the legislation does appear to address some of the safety issues that OOIDA and others have raised through the years.

A Massachusetts House bill singles out trucks for removal of snow or ice from vehicles.

H3518 would prohibit commercial vehicles from operating on roadways with any accumulation of snow or ice on the vehicle roof.

Violators would face fines starting at $500. Offenses that result in injury or property damage could result in fines starting at $1,000.

The bill is in the Joint Committee on Transportation.

In Vermont, one House bill introduced this week would create fines for driving before clearing any snow or ice accumulation.

H674 specifies clearance from any trailer or semi-trailer, to the extent needed to avoid a threat to persons or property caused by the dislodging of accumulated ice or snow or by obstruction of the operators view.

Violators operating large trucks would face minimum $100 fines. Subsequent offenses could result in fines of at least $500. Motorists would face fines between $25 and $75.

Operators would not be liable for snow or ice that accumulates on a vehicle while out on the road.

The bill is in the House Transportation Committee.

Another bill in Virginia would require the removal of accumulated snow or ice.

Delegate Mike Mullin, D-Newport News, introduced a bill to let police pull over motorists and truck drivers for failing to clear their vehicles of snow and ice before hitting the road.

Violators could face $100 fines.

Drivers would be exempt from the requirement if precipitation accumulates while the vehicle is out on the road.

HB1183 awaits assignment to committee in the House. LL

Keith Goble, state legislative editor for Land Line Media, keeps track of many trends among statehouses across the U.S. Here are some recent articles by him.

Read more from the original source:
Snow and ice removal from vehicles targeted in five states - Land Line Media

Imagine going to visit your loved ones final resting place and not knowing where to lay flowers. Imagine not feeling comfortable walking the grounds because of the large hidden roots you could easily trip on and the piles of trash scattered throughout the property. Imagine not being able to find your loved ones headstone because it had cracked and fallen over or was covered by debris.

Thats what 76-year-old Joe Ford experiences when he goes to visit his fathers grave at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Charlotte, located on Hildebrand Street off of Beatties Ford Road. The best he can do is stand in the general area where he thinks his father, John Ford, was laid to rest in 1963 after he died of a heart attack.

"Oh, it was a beautiful cemetery when he was buried here," Ford said. "But it would be very difficult for me to pick out the site, you know, unless we could find some type of marker."

Theres easily spotted evidence of people using Cedar Grove as a dumping ground or even a place to stay. Empty beer bottles and shiny food wrappers litter the property. Toilet paper used is also present.

Ford was a teenager when his father died. He wants to help any efforts to restore the property, but hes not sure who hed need to ask to get started.

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Headstones like this one are easily stepped on or tripped over due to leaves and branches that are not routinely cleared.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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With no one to keep up with the grounds, fallen headstones remain this way for years.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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Reporter Osker Spicer wrote about the confusion over ownership in 1982, even contacting Davidson's two daughters who denied ownership of the property.

The Charlotte Observer

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Bishop Robert Blair Bruce was a prominent figure in the AME Zion Church.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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This headstone that simply reads "J J" is in the process of leaning and will eventually fall.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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Many headstones have fallen during these many years of neglect.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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With no regular landscaping of the property, greenery has taken over.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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Vines have slowly crept over headstones throughout the years.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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Trash bags dumped amongst headstones.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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The last known owner John Davidson, is buried near the entrance of the Cedar Grove.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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The ground is uneven throughout the property which has taken a toll on headstones and makes it difficult to walk safely.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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Trash and furniture is regularly dumped on the grounds

Sarah Delia/WFAE

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Leaves cover the ground of Cedar Grove hiding large roots and headstones.

Sarah Delia/WFAE

"The main thing is finding the owner, you know, and getting his permission," Ford said.

The last known owner of Cedar Grove is buried near the front of the cemetery. Willie Griffin, the staff historian for the Levine Museum of the New South, stood near thetombstone recently. John Davidson, who was Black, bought the cemetery in 1955. He renamed it to Cedar Hill Cemetery, but the name apparently didnt stick, and in later years, people reverted to calling it Cedar Grove.

Davidson operated a funeral home in Charlotte. He died in 1972.

"People have voiced their concern about the state of the cemetery," Griffin said. "Each time, there may have been some major efforts to clean up, but each time it has fallen back to sort of dilapidated state that its in."

And its a very sad state. Ivy wraps tentacle-like arms around headstones, eventually covering them or pulling them to the ground. One veterans headstone has partially sunk into the dirt and is tilted to the side. One flat rectangular memorial that simply reads MOTHER is covered by leaves and is easily stepped on.

Griffin stood in front of one of the more elaborate and well-maintained headstones in the cemetery, belonging to Bishop Robert Blair Bruce, who was a high-ranking official in the AME Zion church, and according to reports was a presiding elder in Mecklenburg County.

"African American history in the city it's often overlooked and it falls into a state where it is unnoticed and it's sort of everything grows up around it," Griffin said. "And we forget about the efforts that African Americans have made to try to build communities."

When Davidson died, so did the care for the cemetery.

Burials continued at Cedar Grove at least through the early 1990s. But its hard to say in the cemeterys current state to say how many people are buried there or when the last person was laid to rest. Every corner you turn, a family plot is discovered. Pull back a branch, theres another grave. Plus, when Davidson bought the cemetery in 1955, it was already functioning as one. Its unclear how many people were buried there when he bought the land.

So who is responsible for the upkeep of this cemetery and why has it fallen into such disrepair? Its a question many journalists have tried to answer over the years.

In 1982, a reporter named Osker Spicer of the Charlotte News tracked down Davidsons two daughters, who lived out of state. Spicer wrote he found documents that said the property had been turned over to the women, but both denied it. One hung up on him and the other said the city of Charlotte was responsible.

According to Spicers article, the city at the time said it was not responsible for keeping private property clean.

In 2022, that' what the city is still saying, although now with an asterisk attached to that sentiment. Theres been a clear shift in tone. A representative from the city told WFAE it is interested in restoring Cedar Grove cemetery and even committed to doing a survey to help define the cemeterys legal boundaries. But Cedar Grove remains a complicated oddity because it was privately owned. Both of Davidsons daughters have died, neither had known children, so there is no apparent heir.

Melissa Timo, the historic cemetery specialist for the North Carolina Office of State Archeology, says places like Cedar Grove often fall through the cracks "because they were a private family cemetery on private property and the laws are built to cope with another entity assuming responsibility for that place at this time."

Timo says there are state laws in place to protect such properties. But at the local level, details about what should be done are murky. One option she says is for the cemetery to evolve.

"Just because it's a cemetery, it doesn't have to look like a specific thing," Timo said. "Those sort of more loose but still respectful ideas about what a cemetery could be can be less physically or financially taxing on people but still allow it to look like this isn't just an abandoned lot."

For example, turning Cedar Grove into a small park that has historical signage about the people buried there. Making it a space not just for families to come and honor their loved ones but creating an opportunity for the public to learn about its history.

But that often means neighborhood groups, schools or other service organizations donating a lot of time to organize regular cleanups.

Kevin Donaldson, a graduate student at UNC Charlotte, says he's ready to do that work.

"You can't help it when you come out here, when you visit and you see the decline that it's in, it's just sad," he said. "And it just makes you want to get out here on the weekends with your clippers and some trash bags and clean it up."

Donaldson has been working withGriffin, and they've been uncovering the history of Cedar Grove and trying to preserve it.

Step one is to take down the arch-nemesis of any cemetery overgrown trees. Donaldson says there are more than 90 trees that should be cleared, a process that is underway.

"This is like a museum to me," Donaldson said. "Just because it's a cemetery doesn't mean that it doesn't hold just as much great history. The people who are buried here hold so much great history about the city of Charlotte that we will lose if this place continues to fall into decline."

Donaldson is holding a cleanup Jan. 30 and says hes contacted community members about forming a board to oversee the upkeep of Cedar Grove. One option could be the formation of an association that works with the city. In the past when Cedar Grove has received media attention, theres been a public outcry and a clean-up here or there. The goal this time is to make sure the maintenance is ongoing.

Donaldson also created a website called savecedargrove.org, where he hopes to connect with families who are searching for ways to preserve and restore the cemetery. Connecting with these families is key if Cedar Grove cemetery hopes to live on.

Ford whose father was buried at Cedar Grove some 60 years ago, agrees.

"Because my father was a great father, we were close," Ford said. "I sure would like to find out where his grave (is) so I can start visiting and bring flowers, and it would mean world to my family."

And while it would be a way for everyone to see that although people interred at Cedar Grove Cemetery may be gone, theyre not forgotten.

Special thanks to the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room for archival access and help with fact-checking.

Read more from the original source:
Efforts to restore a neglected Charlotte cemetery prove it's neither gone nor forgotten - WFAE