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Fines as high as $500 hit drivers from midnight after sneaky new cameras installed – but some can opt out

DRIVERS face fines of up to $500 as newly installed cameras across a major US city are now operational.

City officials have announced that 33 automated cameras are actively monitoring for speeding violations, ready to issue substantial fines.

Traffic stopped at a red light in San Francisco.
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Drivers risk fines of up to $500 with newly installed cameras across a major US city[/caption]
Traffic cameras mounted on a pole.
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Cameras went live at midnight after a short warning period[/caption]
Traffic cameras and a red light.
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Speed limits are being enforced in both directions with fines starting at $50 for exceeding the speed limit[/caption]

According to Axious San Francisco, a range of new speed safety cameras are to be made operational from midnight on Tuesday, August 6 – with locals informed in March of their arrival.

This new tech, installed earlier in the year, has started issuing fines to drivers as of midnight – after a short warning period.

Speed limits are being enforced in both directions unless otherwise noted, with fines for those caught out starting at $50 for exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 mph and going up to $500 for speeds of 100 mph or more.

However, some drivers may be eligible for discounts if they are low-income residents or recipients of public assistance.

Transportation officials have said the cameras have been effective in reducing speeding and fatal traffic collisions at high-risk intersections since their launch in March.

Viktoriya Wise, SFMTA’s director of streets, said: “By using technology to change driving behavior, we’re not only slowing cars, but saving lives – especially as children head back to school.”

This comes days after a controversial citywide parking ban was revealed – angering certain drivers.

Hundreds of struggling homeless families will no longer be allowed to live in their vehicles, after the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a ban on long-term RV parking.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said in June that the plan would help “clean the streets.”

But the approval prompted one homeless man to declare he would refuse to move his vehicle.

“We don’t plan on leaving at all because we’ve been here for years,” said Zach Bollinger, who lives in his RV.

There has been a mixed reaction from residents after the plan was given the green light.

One concerned opponent asked on social media, “So the big question is who will make coffee and fast food when they chase everyone away?

“Who will be left to take care of the elite? If a worker can’t afford to live where they work, then the whole area will lose its foundation and fail.

“The bottom line is no company can run without its lowest paid employees.

“Instead of backing all these useless CEOs and their out-of-control wages, we need to invest in making sure lower wage folks can actually survive.”

New 'daylighting' law

A new parking law has been introduced in California.

California Assembly Bill 413, also known as the Daylighting to Save Lives Bill, prohibits parking within 20 feet of crosswalks.

The law makes it illegal for drivers to stop, stand, or park within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk.

Daylighting is a term for keeping the areas next to intersections as clear as possible to improve visibility on the street and protect pedestrians and bike riders.

The law also prohibits parking personal and commercial vehicles within 20 feet of the left curb on one-way streets or within 15 feet of crosswalks where a curb extension is present.

The law goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

There will be a 60-day grace period for violations until March 1.

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Drivers face new on-the-spot $256 fine over ‘horrible’ freeway habit – it can spiral to $5k penalty and prison for year 

DRIVERS in the US are being hit with a new on-the-spot penalty  – and some could face fines up to $5k or even jail.

A new law signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson has toughened the punishment for state residents.

Litter beside a road.
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Drivers across the US are being hit with new traffic laws  – and some could face fines up to $5k or even jail[/caption]

New fines in Washington

Washington residents will soon face heftier fines for littering and higher prices for plastic grocery bags.

A new law toughens the punishment for littering and delays requirements for retailers to offer thicker bags for sale from Jan. 1, 2026 until 2028. 

Rep. Mark Klicker, R-Walla Walla, sponsor of House Bill 1293 said: “We’re called the Evergreen State and is it really evergreen with all the litter?

“Our freeways, our interstates, are just packed with litter, it’s horrible.”

He added: “The state’s low fines could be a reason why “people don’t really care”.

Washington’s new law raises the penalty from a class three to a class two civil infraction.

The fine will increase from $103 to $256, which includes all state mandated charges, according to legislative staff.

The fine would apply to amounts up to one cubic foot, or roughly the size of a backpack. The new law will take effect in late July.

Over the past five years, the number of Washington State Patrol encounters with suspected litterers decreased from 636 in 2019 to 258 in 2024.

Most of those resulted in verbal warnings rather than citations, according to state patrol data.

However, Kilcked said that while the state patrol tallied fewer contacts, the amount of litter has not decreased.

He originally wanted a task force to study possible ways to better deal with the problem but that part was removed reports The Washington Standard.

The Senate added language to delay the date when retail establishments would be required to provide thicker, reusable plastic bags to customers.

Kilcker said: “Increasing the thickness of the bag isn’t going to help people keep the bags.

“They’ll throw the bags away anyway, so it creates that much more litter into the landfills.”

In 2020, the state passed a law banning single-use plastic bags and required retail establishments to offer paper bags or thicker, reusable plastic bags for sale to consumers.

Litter costs

States spend millions of dollars each year to clean up littered roadways, parks, and coastal areas.

In addition to the direct cost of litter removal, litter also harms the environment, property values and other economic activity.

The most common types of litter are food packaging, bottles, cans, plastic bags, paper and tobacco products.

States can discourage littering through a variety of methods, one of which is to create and enforce criminal penalties that punish unwanted behavior.

In Washington for example, a gross misdemeanor for litter amounts of one cubic yard or more is punishable by a fine up to $5,000, imprisonment up to one year, or both.

How different states impose fines

While all states have some type of litter law, penalties vary, based on the amount, type, and location of litter.

In 10 states, for example, the weight or volume of litter determines the severity of the crime.

Other states focus on the type of litter, imposing penalties for dumping large items, such as furniture or major appliances.

Many states have also enacted legislation to address littering in certain places, such as public highways, coastal areas and recreational areas.

For relatively minor cases, courts typically impose a fine and may order litter cleanup or community service.

Fines range from $25 in Massachusetts to $30,000 in Maryland.

In more serious cases, offenders may be subject to imprisonment.

With sentences ranging from 10 days in Idaho to six years in Tennessee.

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Heartbreaking video shows smiling Walking Dead star Kelley Mack re-learning to walk before sudden death aged just 33

HEARTBREAKING video shows actress Kelley Mack re-learning to walk – just months before her death at the age of 33. 

Mack, who played Addy in season nine of The Walking Dead, died on Saturday after battling the aggressive cancer diffuse midline glioma. 

Woman in wheelchair with her father on a snowy sidewalk.
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Kelley Mack and her boyfriend navigating the stairs[/caption]
Woman in hospital bed giving thumbs up.
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Kelley shared her health updates on Instagram[/caption]
Patient on stretcher being prepped for proton radiation therapy.
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A photo shared by Kelley after her first day of proton radiation in January[/caption]
Kelley Mack in The Walking Dead.
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Kelley played Addy in the Walking Dead[/caption]

In a January Instagram post, Kelley explained the circumstances that led up to her diagnosis.

She revealed she started to experience back pain – a month after moving into a new apartment with her boyfriend Logan. But, her symptoms worsened.

“The shooting pains in my legs and back began, which resulted in me having to sleep in a recliner for a month because laying down was too painful,” she wrote on Instagram.

She was diagnosed with the illness after an abnormal mass was found on her spinal cord.

She underwent proton radiation and documented her health battle.

She revealed that she lost the use of her right leg and most of her left. But, she also shared milestones.

In late March, Kelley posted a video marking a major milestone – regaining the ability to walk up and down a flight of stairs.

“I’ve been up and down these stairs now 2x in the past few days,” she wrote.

“It’s a big deal for me (Life has also had its ups and downs lately am I right lol).”

In the video, her boyfriend Logan was described as a “stairs king” as he helped her.

Friends praised Kelley as she navigated the basement stairs.

She continued to share updates about her work despite her illness.

She stars in the comedy-drama Universal, alongside Inbetweeners actor Joe Thomas.

What is Diffuse midline glioma?

DIFFUSE midline glioma is a rare, aggressive form of cancer that predominately affects children and young adults.

Tumors tend to form in the brain or spinal cord and the cancers are classified as grade IV.

Symptoms:

  • Double vision
  • Swallowing problems
  • Weakness on one side or both sides of the body
  • Loss of balance

The cause of diffuse midline glioma is unknown.

Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are used to try and manage the cancer.

Patients can be put forward in trials for new immunotherapy or chemotherapy drugs.

The five-year survival rate is 42.2%, according to the National Cancer Institute

Just under 4,000 people across the US are living with the type of cancer.

TRIBUTES POUR IN

Kelley died on August 2 in Cincinnati after her brave battle with central nervous system glioma.

“It is with indelible sadness that we are announcing the passing of our dear Kelley,” her family said in a statement announcing her death.

“Such a bright, fervent light has transitioned to the beyond, where we all eventually must go.

“Kelley passed peacefully on Saturday evening with her loving mother Kristen and steadfast aunt Karen present.

“Kelley has already come to many of her loved ones in the form of various butterflies.

“She will be missed by so many to depths that words cannot express.”

A life celebration is to be held on August 16.

Kelley’s sister said she was so “f**king proud” of the actress.

“And as her sister, I want you all to know how brave that tough SOB was, especially when she decided to make the leap to be reunited with God,” she wrote on social media.

“I’m so f**king proud of her.”

On June 17, Kelley promoted the premiere of the movie Universal.

She vowed to attend the premiere with the director of the movie, Stephen Portland.

This turned out to be her final Instagram post.

She played Ricky in the film which is yet to be released.

Kelley played Penelope Jacobs in Chicago Med, starring in one episode in 2022.

She also appeared in shows such as 9-1-1, Schooled, and The College Tapes.

Kelley Mack at the Chicago International Film Festival.
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Mack on the red carpet at the Chicago International Film Festival in October 2021[/caption]
A woman using a walker stands with a man.
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Actress Kelley Mack and baseball legend George Foster in a photo posted in February[/caption]
Headshot of Kelley Mack.
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Kelley tragically died at the age of 33[/caption]

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Phuket copper thief caught red-handed stripping stolen wire

A Phuket man was caught red-handed slicing up stolen copper wire in what police say is part of a wider cable theft ring fuelling local drug habits. The suspect, identified only as 55 year old Somchai, was arrested on Monday, August 4, at a property in Village 3, Ratsada, where he was actively stripping insulation …

The story Phuket copper thief caught red-handed stripping stolen wire as seen on Thaiger News.

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