Category Archives: Victimless Crimes

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Annual figures revealed a record 11 million in bus lane fines across Scotland were dished out last year, with 54,000 motorists clocked in Edinburgh a 60 per cent increase on the year before,

In total there were more than 180,000 fines issued in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen combined around one every three minutes.

The number of fines issued for driving in lanes reserved to help buses beat traffic congestion was up almost 30 per cent on the year before.

Meanwhile, the number of cameras operating to catch drivers who strayed into the lanes also rose by more than 50 per cent in the past two years.

It comes as the city council presses ahead with proposals for Edinburghs low emission zone, which will ban those vehicles failing to meet strict emission standards from a 1.2 square mile area of the city centre.

Critics said the proliferation of cameras was no surprise as local authorities look to top up their income from motorists who were committing victimless crimes.

Figures obtained by The Scottish Mail on Sunday also show the number of bus lane fines issued in Glasgow was around 80,000 and 49,000 in Aberdeen, more than double the previous years figure.

The 60 fines are reduced to 30 if paid within 14 days and increased to 90 if unpaid after 28 days.

The AAs Luke Bosdet said: "Bearing in mind how ruthless Scottish local authorities have been in enforcing bus lane fines, the threat of even more fines should send a shiver down the spines of drivers in Scotland.

Brian Gregory, policy director at the Alliance of British Drivers, said the signage was often confusing.

He said: Many drivers dont realise they are in a bus lane until they have encroached and incurred a fine.

But council chiefs have defended the bus lane fines, stating the prime aim of the restrictions is not generating revenue, but rather ensuring a managed flow of traffic.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Edinburgh City Councils transport and environment convener, said: Bus lane enforcement is vital in discouraging misuse of bus lanes by drivers which increases bus journey times.

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Bus lane fines rocket by more than 60 per cent in a year in Edinburgh as number cameras shot up during lockdown - Edinburgh News

Jonathan Porter, 57, from Loughton, Essex, and Peter Stanley, 64, from Westminster, central London, were found guilty of money laundering after a ten-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Porter was the director of alcohol broker Europlus Trading Ltd and claimed to be supplying wholesalers in Calais. He claimed French customers paid him in Sterling and the money was collected by cash couriers, who were overseen by Stanley, and delivered to Europlus base in Greenwich, London.

However, the court heard that Porter and Stanley were actually collecting millions of pounds from cash and carry wholesalers around London. Between April 2014 and June 2015, 15 million cash was deposited into Europlus bank accounts. The money is believed to derive from the sale of non-duty paid alcohol.

Porter laundered 15 million, and Stanley delivered 7.5 million of that.

Terry Braithwaite, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said:

Money laundering is not a victimless crime. Laundered cash funds other serious crimes that bring harm and misery to communities.

HMRC will investigate anyone suspected of being involved in money laundering and after conviction well pursue the money they owe.

We encourage anyonewho wishes to report suspected fraud to HMRC to search Report Fraud HMRC onGOV.UKand complete our online form.

Couriers would collect money and deliver it to Europlus, where it was logged by Porter.

Stanley was arrested on 11 June 2015 with 41,500 on him outside Europlus. A search of the premises revealed 45,000 in a safe in the warehouse.

Porter was arrested on the same day and 3,380 cash was discovered in a bedside cabinet at his home and more than 18,000 at Stanleys home.

The money seized is subject to a forfeiture application by HMRC. Non-UK duty paid alcohol was also seized from two of the London cash and carry wholesalers visited by the couriers and has been destroyed.

The men were found guilty of money laundering at Southwark Crown Court on 10 January 2022 and were sentenced at the same court today, 11 February 2022.

Porter was sentenced to seven years and Stanley was sentenced to five years and nine months. Porter was banned from being a company director for 10 years.

HMRC has launched confiscation proceedings to recoup the stolen money and is also seeking a Serious Crime Prevention Order against both men.

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Two men involved in laundering 15 million have been sentenced to a total of 12 years in jail UKNIP - UK News in Pictures

Kyle Willis remained silent as Judge Peter Kelson QC sent him to prison for 10 months, during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court on February 10.

Despite initially claiming that the 394 child abuse images found on his electronic devices were as a result of hacking, Willis later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.

As he jailed Willis, Judge Kelson said: I need to demonstrate to people who may be of the same mindset that this is what happens to those who make indecent images. You will be found out, you will be caught and you will be brought to justice.

You, and people like you, do need to realise that the children that you watch being raped are real victims. This is not a victimless crime, he added.

Prosecutor, Andrew Bailey, told the court that Willis home was raided by police in February 2019, when officers seized his mobile telephone and a safe which contained two additional phones.

In addition to the indecent images of children found on Willis devices, forensic examination also revealed that the search terms he used to find the illegal content included three year-old wh***, and seven-year-old a** friend.

The 24-year-old was found to have peer-to-peer software on his phone, such as YouTorrent and Tor, the latter of which was described by Judge Kelson as the gateway to the dark web.

Police also discovered apps with the ability to encrypt, and permanently delete, items on his devices, something Judge Kelson said he regarded as an aggravating factor.

Laura Marshall, defending, said Willis had already lost a lot as a result of his offending, including his home, his five-year relationship and was no longer allowed contact with his young child.

She added that Willis, of North Road in East Dene, Rotherham had previously been someone who was well regarded in his community, but that had changed after the details of his crimes became public knowledge.

"He understands why people find what he did abhorrernt, Ms Marshall said.

Willis was also made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and was put on the sex offenders register for the same period.

Continued here:

Judge in warning to people who view child abuse images as he jails dad who downloaded hundreds of vile pictures - The Star

CHICAGO (CBS) The accused ringleader of a group that pulled off nine smash and grab burglaries on Michigan Avenue and the elsewhere around the city, is under arrest.

As CBS 2s Suzanne Le Mignot reported Tuesday afternoon, Tacarre Harper, 24, of Maywood, was charged Tuesday with nine felony counts of burglary, according to the Cook County States Attorneys office.

Harper was taken down Monday evening at a house in the 600 block of North LeClaire Avenue in the South Austin neighborhood by the elite Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.

A source tells the CBS 2 Investigators that Harper may have overseen 100 smash-and-grab burglaries and we are told that number may be conservative.

Prosecutors say he not only admitted to the most recent crimes with which he has been charged, but also pointed himself out in still photos taken from store surveillance video.

His two biggest heists totaling $150,000 came from two burglaries at the Michigan Avenue Burberry store on Jan. 4 and Jan. 6, prosecutors said.

On Jan. 4, Harper along with two other people pulled on the door of the luxury retailers Magnificent Mile location until the front door popped open, prosecutors said. They stole shoes and purses from the display, totaling $70,000.

On Jan. 6, Harper returned to Burberry, opening the front door the same way pulling on it until it popped open, prosecutors said. On that occasion, Harper came with two to three other people and grabbed purses, handbags, and coats totaling $80,000, prosecutors said.

In addition to the Mag Mile Burberry store thefts, Harper is accused in numerous other retail thefts that targeted game and liquor stores in various parts of the city including East Lakeview, Logan Square, Wicker Park, Belmont Cragin, Belnont Central, and North Austin. Besides the Mag Mile thefts, the other thefts in which Harper is charged happened at the following locations and dates:

Nov. 26, 2021, in the 6100 block of West Diversey Avenue; Nov. 26, 2021, in the 1500 block of North Cicero Avenue; Nov. 26, 2021, in the 2000 block of West Division Street; Nov. 26, 2021, in the 3900 block of West Diversey Avenue; Dec. 28, 2021, in the 4900 block of West Fullerton Avenue; Jan. 6, 2022, in the 2900 block of North Broadway; Jan. 26, 2022, in the 400 block of West Belmont Avenue.

A search warrant for Harpers phone showed images of the stolen merchandise. Prosecutors say Harper even posted videos of himself along with co-defendants on Facebook.

Prosecutors also said Harper not only wore very distinctive clothing during the crimes a Hood Rich sweatshirt during some of the burglaries and a Mickey Mouse T-shirt in others.

Harper has a criminal record dating back to 2013. He has been charged in the past with domestic violence, identity theft, and retail theft, and there were already four arrest warrants out for him when he was picked up.

At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, police Supt. David Brown said the collaboration between Chicago Police officers from the Organized Retail Theft Crime Task Force, the Cook County States Attorneys office, and other law enforcement partners is to credit for the arrests and charges in the case.

They followed every lead, and utilized every tool at our disposal including technology resources and POD video cameras to track these offenders, Brown said.

Police are also working closely with the business community to prevent crime, Brown said.

Its quite satisfying that we are working these cases from the jump, and we are putting together the pieces of technology, video, and license plate readers, Brown said.

Some people mistakenly think these are victimless crimes, but these crimes have real victims the employees and customers physically present in stores during crimes who are put in harms way, added Kimberly Bares, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Magnificent Mile Association.

A judge on Tuesday Harpers bond at $200,000 saying the amount equals the total value of all of the merchandise Harper and his crew stole in the last two months.

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Tacarre Harper, Alleged Leader Of Smash-And-Grab Burglars That Targeted Stores On Mag Mile And Around City, Arrested And Charged - CBS Chicago

Authorities with the Department of Homeland Security and local law enforcement organizations are teaming up to crack down on counterfeit merchandise as Americans across the country travel into Southern California for Super Bowl LVI.

Eliminating counterfeits is vital because, according to authorities, profits made from sales of fake merchandise are often funneled into other criminal activities. This year's efforts to combat illegal product sales come in the wake of a record-breaking amount of counterfeit merchandise valued at $123 million that was seized leading up to Super Bowl LIV in Miami Gardens, Florida in February 2020.

Officials are now focused on the final days leading up to Sunday's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

"HSI, in cooperation with Inglewood Police and our other partners, will be out in full force at hotels, swap meets, pop-up stands, and other locations where this illegal activity takes place," Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang said in a news release.

Authorities seized counterfeit products worth an estimated $60 million in the 10 days leading up to last year's Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida, according to HSI.

The products were confiscated as part of Operation Team Player, an effort focused on counterfeit sports-related merchandise that the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) launched in 2013. Operation Team Player's goals are to "target the manufacturers and sellers of these itemsshutting them down and bringing them to justice," according to the IPR Center.

According to a release from HSI, preparations for each Super Bowl begin a year in advance as agents met with the NFL and other partners to begin working on supporting investigations.

As the game gets closer, the efforts intensify.

"HSI, in cooperation with Inglewood Police and our other partners, will be out in full force at hotels, swap meets, pop-up stands, and other locations where this illegal activity takes place," said Wang.

In addition to counterfeit items, authorities said they will also keep an eye out for signs of human trafficking "and anyone else threatening public safety," Wang added.

Speaking with Los Angeles-based news station KTTV, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said some specialized teams were focusing on Los Angeles International Airport and the local seaport to look for U.S.-bound counterfeit items. While counterfeit jerseys and tickets are commonly sold, officials said they also found a fake Vince Lombardi trophy and fake Super Bowl rings.

HSI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lamar Jackson told New York-based news station WPIX the money that sellers of counterfeit items get for their fake products "are often used to fund other crimes" and said counterfeit sales are thus "not simply a victimless crime."

Jackson recommended consumers be on the lookout for sports jerseys that appear to be poorly made, missing an official NFL logo tag or made with the wrong colors.

HSI Los Angeles tweeted a similar recommendation while raising awareness about the prevalence of counterfeit products earlier this week.

"Support your team," the agency's tweet said, "but buy from legit dealers."

Newsweek reached out to the IPR Center for comment and will update this article with any response.

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What Homeland Security Will Be on Prowl for at Super Bowl - Newsweek

Republican lawmakers are renewing their call to increase consequences for repeat youth offenders and they are hoping to find bipartisan support.

Republicans say these are not victimless crimes and they want to make sure something is done, including more support for victim services.

We were left as roadkill on the side of the road, John Rasimas said.

Raismas and his wife Kathy were pulling out of a gas station on their motorcycle when they were hit by a car being driven by someone underage.

My poor wife Kathy lost her leg, Rasimas said.

Raismas says the driver served six months.

This past Monday, Jan. 31 this young boy -- again Im not going to call him a man -- he was released, he said. Changes need to be made to the system and they need to be made now.

Sandy Kraus wasnt physically injured but shes still without a vehicle.

Ive had two cars stolen out of my driveway, Kraus said.

The first car was involved in multiple robberies and was ultimately in an accident with a Waterbury police car. She got a new car and had it for 10 weeks before it was stolen too.

It was locked. My house was locked. They broke into the house. Stole my pocketbook. Used my credit cards, used my car in multiple thefts, she said.

She says there seems to be a misunderstanding about what its like to be a victim of these crimes.

Whats always said to me is 'its just property. Your insurance company will make you whole again.' While I want to explain to you all that that is not the case, Kraus said.

Its been five months since Ive had the privilege of driving a car because the airbags are on backorder, she added.

Republicans want enhanced penalties for car thefts and more support for victims.

Connecticut residents deserve to feel safe within their state and their communities, Rep. Craig Fishbein said.

Fishbein says there need to be harsher penalties for repeat offenders.

Public safety should not be a partisan issue. Its not red or blue, its red, white, and blue, Fishbein said.

Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont says hes open to addressing the issue.

Were going to find reasonable common ground to get something done, Lamont said.

Crime and police accountability are expected to be issues in the upcoming election, but it's unclear if theres enough bipartisan support to get something done during the legislative session that starts Feb. 9.

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Republicans Call For Tougher Penalties For Car Thefts, Hit-And-Runs - NBC Connecticut

The continued misleading of the people of Tennessee with nothing to see here, folks flies in the face of claims of a spirit of humble service.

Michelle Fiscus| Guest Columnist

I watched Gov. BillLees State of the State Address on Monday.I shouldnt have.

My family warned me. And yet, I still have a vested interest in what happens to the people of Tennessee. My parents live there. The children and families I worked with in my medical practice over 17 years live there. My friends and colleagues and neighbors and people I deeply care about live there.

My inability to live there doesnt dampen my concern and frustration and, at times, outrage, on behalf of the people who do.

I watched as the governor recognized farmers, people who have fled the tyranny of California and New York, and police who have relocated to avoid vaccine mandates placed upon them by other states but who are warmly welcomed in Tennessee.

I listened as he told of the recent horror of a Texas synagogue taken hostage and, rather than work to keep people safe from guns, vowed to teach houses of worship how to protect themselves against such acts.

What I did not hear was any mention of COVID-19 or the 22,151 Tennesseans who have lost their lives to the pandemic over the past two years (as of Jan. 22). Not a call for a moment of silence. Not even thoughts and prayers for the families they left behind.

Oh, sure, there were veiled references to nurses and other health care workers who have cared for the sick and well-deserved praise for the National Guard who have met the worst of circumstances with grit, but not one mention of omicron which, at the time of the governors address, still had case counts more than three times that of last years peak (and those are the ones we know about).

Dr. Michelle Fiscus: Tennessee leaders are playing politics, but they must protect children from COVID-19 | Opinion

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The continued misleading of the people of Tennessee with nothing to see here, folks flies in the face of claims of a spirit of humble service.

According to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Tennessee ranks sixth in the country for the rate of COVID-19 cases among children and current case rates overall. Tennessee is also among states with the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates.

Instead of taking the opportunity to encourage Tennesseans to remain careful by limiting gatherings, wearing a mask, getting vaccinated and staying home when sick so they can get beyond omicron, the governor spoke of how Tennessee is ranked as one of the top five freest states in the country.

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A quick Google search shows the author of that ranking to be from the Charles Koch Institute.

Ironically, that same ranking places Tennessee among the worst for personal freedom, which includes victimless crimes, guns, tobacco, and education. Californians and New Yorkers looking to relocate may want to take notice.

It was Janis Joplin who once sang, Freedoms just another word for nothin left to lose. When youre at the bottom for health care, funding for education, workers rights, and COVID-19, I guess freedom is all you have left to talk about. Its an election year, after all.

Dr. Michelle Fiscus is a pediatrician who, until recently, residedin Williamson County. She served as the medical director for vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization programs at the Tennessee Department of Health until July 12, 2021

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Gov. Bill Lee plays politics by failing to mention Tennessee's 22,000 COVID dead | Opinion - Tennessean

Honda CR-V, Lexus RX series and Ford F-150 are the most stolen vehicles in Canada

NEWS RELEASE

GUELPH POLICE SERVICE

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The Guelph Police Service is urging residents to take steps to protect themselves against auto theft.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada reports across the country, a motor vehicle is stolen every six minutes. This represents more than 87,000 stolen vehicles each year.

Guelph is not immune, said Sgt. Kendall Brown of the newly formed B.E.A.T. (Break and Enter Auto Theft) Team. During 2021, the Guelph Police Service investigated almost 200 motor vehicle thefts, or an average of one stolen vehicle every 1.8 days.

Nationally, the Honda CR-V, Lexus RX series, Ford F-150 and Toyota Highlander topped the list of the most stolen vehicles in Canada. But auto theft is often a crime of opportunity and no make or model of vehicle is safe from would-be thieves.

Auto thefts are not victimless crimes or simply property crimes. Auto theft itself costs Canadians millions of dollars every year in policing, court, legal and out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and increased premiums. And stolen vehicles are often used in other crimes including break and enters and robberies.

The Insurance Bureau suggests these tips to prevent yourself from becoming a victim:

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Guelph police investigated almost 200 vehicle thefts in 2021 - GuelphToday

A protester in California demonstrates opposition to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Every two years, the Olympics get harder to watch. This year is no different.

Even if you normally keep your head in the sand when it comes to international affairs, allegations of human rights violations committed by the Chinese government have been impossible to ignore in the leadup to the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Repression of the peoples of Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan, along with suppression of freedom of speech and protest among Chinese citizens, gained renewed attention as China prepared to take center stage in the sporting world.

Tensions ramped up in November when tennis player Peng Shuai said a former government official sexually assaulted her and then disappeared from the public eye, prompting concern over her well-being. And let's not forget that these Olympics are again being held during a pandemic. Last month, Chinese authorities quarantined the 13 million residents of Xi'an in their homes with limited resources in an attempt to contain a COVID-19 outbreak under the country's zero-COVID policy.

But the biggest controversy leading up to these Olympics concerns the massive human rights crisis taking place in the Xinjiang region. As many as 2 million members of the Uyghur people and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups are being held in internment camps there, according to the U.S. State Department, which calls the treatment of the Uyghur people "genocide" and "crimes against humanity." Former detainees allege that the prisoners face torture, forced sterilization and more in an effort to wipe out their culture. Chinese officials have denied the allegations, branding the camps as "re-education camps."

Now, as athletes from around the world gather in a display of international friendship and competition, these issues call into question how much those in power are willing to tolerate for the sake of a sporting event. As President Xi Jinping uses the world's biggest sporting event to veil his government's alleged atrocities, is there anything we lowly viewers can do but sit and watch?

Unfortunately, we can't count on those with political or monetary power to take a stand. Companies like Visa and Procter & Gamble are holding back on their Olympics-related advertising, but they're not pulling their sponsorships despite pleas from over 200 groups around the world as they strike the delicate balance of appeasing both the American public and the Chinese markets. The U.S.'s diplomatic boycott, along with those of Lithuania, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, feels like an empty gesture. And when questioned about the issues at hand, International Olympic Committee officials won't take a stand, often citing the "political neutrality" outlined in the Olympic Charter.

What's more, by awarding the Olympics to Beijing for the second time since 2008, the IOC enables, and indeed condones, the actions of what Human Rights Watch calls an "authoritarian state" that "systemically curbs fundamental rights."

"The IOC deserves all of the disdain and disgust that comes their way for going back to China yet again," said Bob Costas, the former NBC commentator who hosted 12 Olympic Games, on CNN last month, adding: "They're shameless about this stuff."

Part of the IOC's lack of response comes from its unwillingness to upset one of the few countries that is willing to host an Olympics anymore. The cutthroat bidding wars that decided who would host the Games in decades past are all but nonexistent. A study published in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs cites the "spiraling costs" associated with the Olympics, along with the likelihood that hosting the Games doesn't have a positive economic impact. Instead, we get dead venues that become the stuff of depressing slideshows.

The IOC's desperationalong with, of course, the monetary value of its premier sporting eventmeans it's willing to overlook Russia's oppression of gay rights, Japan going ahead with the 2020 Olympics despite a lack of public support and Brazil's displacement of unhoused people in the leadup to the 2016 Olympics. Now, it means ignoring what many consider to be genocide by the Chinese government.

The IOC's decision isn't victimless. Hosting big events like the Olympics is an effective tool for "sportswashing," or using sporting events or teams to distract from political issues like human rights abuses. Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress, warned that those associated with the Olympics should "question whether these Games are legitimizing and prolonging grave abuses." Indeed, Xi stated that he hopes the Games will "show a good image of our country and demonstrate our nation's commitment to building a community with a shared future for mankind." In 2008, then vice president and in charge of preparations for the Games, he called a safe Olympics "the most important symbol of the country's international image."

Regardless of where the Olympics are held, they have negative consequences on the communities that are supposed to reap the rewards. Citizens are displaced, public funds are misspent and overspent, and cities are militarized for the sake of a spectacle that is meant to represent a nation's greatness.

Potential solutions exist for these problems, like hosting the Games in the same city each time or having a few cities rotate the responsibility. Alternatively, the format could change entirely. It could be time to question the things we take for granted each Olympic cycle, like why all these events have to happen in the same place.

But change will only come if the risks of hostingor, in the case of the IOC, organizingthe Olympics start to dramatically outweigh the rewards that come with sportswashing. The Olympics will only change if we change how we think about the Olympics. One potential outcome of Beijing 2022 is that media coverage of the alleged genocide will make the public see the Games as a gaudy display of nationalism used by governments to cover up injustices (call it an Olympic rebranding). When Americans see the opening ceremony in Los Angeles in 2028, it may evoke disgust over what it took to get there, rather than national pride. And maybe someday everyone will be able to enjoy the world's biggest sporting event without pangs of guilt.

For a brand as well protected as the Olympics, it's probably too much to ask. But a girl can dream.

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How Do We Reconcile the Olympics and China's Human Rights Crisis? - Bleacher Report

MONTECITO, Calif. - In a parking lot full of horsepower, car lovers spoke out about those who are "show offs" with their vehicles in a dangerous and deadly way. It is the focus of new legislation.

Some of the reckless driving has led to deaths in California.

Kevin Haeberle is with the Community Hot Rod Project, a non profit on the South Coast. He says "your 30 seconds of fame doesn't belong on the streets with showboating with your cars."

He promotes automobile education, design and engineering. The group also mentors youth. "Showing up and showing how creative you are with your build, that's a different story," he says.

Friday legislators in the Los Angeles area gathered with the California Highway Patrol to speak out against several forms forms of street racing and on-the-spot events that sometimes takes over entire streets with no notice.

State Senator Henry Stern(D-Los Angeles) is working on tough new enhanced laws andto improve traffic safety funding.

He says. "the reckless speeding and sideshows and street races,the use of cars as weapons are not victimless crimes and they are certainly not a game or a vanity project something to put on your Tik Toc or Instagram and be proud of." One victim of a high speed car crash during a street spectacle was the mother of a 13-year old who was eating in a restaurant. She died when an out of control car hit the building.

Senator Stern says at the state level they can write legislation that would effect how crimes are prosecuted without a range or discretion, and that could make the penalties far more costly than they are now. He said, "There's got to be an enforcement piece to this. There has to be consequences."

In some cases it could end up with the loss of a vehicle due to these violations.

The Senator's office says,Sterns bill is still in development, but it will require more resources go directly to enforcement, not just traffic safety infrastructure and public education, as has been the primary focus in years past. The bill he will introduce next month also will push prosecutors to be more aggressive in going after street racers and other reckless speeders.

Haeberle says, "when it comes to public safety, keep it off the road. Do it in a sanctioned area."

He also says those attending his events are advised to follow the rules to be able to return. "Upset neighbors is not a good thing. That's why we promote no revving, no burnouts and anything like that at our events."

Over the weekend, Santa Barbara transportation officials gathered in La Mesa Park to talk about a $25-million project for Cliff Drive on the Mesa. This will include more crosswalks, signals, and safety features in an area that has had deadly accidents, in some cases because of speeding and reckless driving.

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Car enthusiasts speak out about reckless driving as new bill is proposed to rev up penalties | News Channel 3-12 - KEYT