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Flying tires kill trucker in Oregon

BAKER COUNTY, Oregon — An Idaho truck driver was killed on Sept. 6 when a set of dual tires flew off another 18-wheeler’s flatbed and smashed into the windshield of his rig. Oregon State Police said the incident happened at approximately 6:40 p.m. on Interstate 84 near milepost 338. James Green, 50, of Caldwell, Idaho, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a state police report. The report noted that the dual tires bounced across the center concrete barrier and became “airborne to a great height” before crashing into Green’s blue Freightliner. The tires had been on the flatbed trailer attached to a white Freightliner driven by Hassen Ibrahim, 38, of Dublin, Ohio, the report noted. Just after the accident, state police said that Ibrahim chained up the broken axle and left the scene. He was later located by state troopers near Baker City. Ibrahim was not injured; a passenger in his truck, Mohamed Kulale, 61, was also uninjured. Interstate 84 was closed for approximately six hours while emergency crews cleared the scene.

FMCSA declares Massachusetts truck driver an imminent hazard

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has declared a Massachusetts-licensed commercial driver to be an imminent hazard to public safety and has ordered him not to operate any commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce, according to an FMCSA news release. William Edward Dearth, Jr. was served the federal order on Sept. 3. This marks the fifth time this year that the FMCSA has issued such an order. The news release said that on Aug. 25, 2021, Dearth, a commercial driver’s license (CDL) holder, was operating a tractor-trailer on Vermont Route 108 in Lamoille County when his vehicle left the roadway and collided into a telephone pole. Abandoning his vehicle, Dearth left the scene of the crash on foot but was later found by a Vermont State Police K-9 unit and taken into custody. A preliminary breathalyzer test conducted on Dearth showed a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.217.  Approximately one hour later, two additional breathalyzer tests, taken within five minutes of each other, resulted in a BAC of 0.20, and 0.197, respectively. Possessing an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.04 while operating a commercial vehicle weighing more than 26,001 pounds and requiring a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is a violation of federal safety regulations. During the subsequent inspection of Dearth’s truck, Vermont State Police officers discovered an open can of beer in the driver’s cup holder, multiple empty beer cans in the trash, and nearly a case of unopened beer elsewhere in the cab. Dearth has been charged by Vermont State law enforcement with driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident, and negligent operation. FMCSA’s imminent hazard out-of-service order states that Dearth’s ” … blatant disregard for the safety of the motoring public … substantially increases the likelihood of serious injury or death to you and motoring public if not discontinued immediately.” If he doesn’t comply with the federal order, he could be fined up to $1,951 for each violation. Knowing and/or willful violations may result in criminal penalties, according to the FMCSA news release. Additionally, Dearth can’t operate a commercial motor vehicle until he successfully completes a substance abuse program.  

Trucker killed after crashing into Indiana weigh station

Updated at 4:06 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Indiana State Police (ISP) have identified a truck driver who crashed through a weigh station on Interstate 74 early Wednesday morning. According to an ISP report, James G. Bristol, 63, of Jefferson City, Tenn., was traveling westbound near the 171 mile marker close to the Indiana/Ohio state line when his 2021 Freightliner and box trailer left the road for an unknown reason and crashed into the station’s scale house, coming to rest inside of the building. Investigators said that a medical issue may have played a role in the crash, according to the report. Bristol was pronounced dead at the scene. Drugs and alcohol are not suspected in the crash, the report noted. An autopsy is pending, and the crash remains under investigation.   Original version Indiana State Police (ISP) are investigating a fatal 18-wheeler accident at a weight station on Interstate 74 at mile marker 171. According to ISP Sgt. Stephen Wheeles’ Twitter account, the driver left the roadway just after 5 a.m. Wednesday and crashed through a scale house at the West Harrison weigh station. The scale house was completely destroyed in the accident. There were no employees inside at the time, and there were no other injuries, Wheeles wrote in a Twitter post. ISP have not said yet what caused the crash, noting that “more information will be forthcoming.”

Section of I-70 to close for Missouri Marine’s procession

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Several miles of westbound traffic on Interstate 70 in suburban St. Louis will close briefly Wednesday, Sept. 7, as the remains of a Marine killed in Afghanistan are escorted from Lambert Airport to a funeral home. Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz was among 13 U.S. service members killed last month in a suicide bombing at the airport in Kabul. Schmitz, 20, was from Wentzville, Missouri, in St. Charles County. He was a 2019 graduate of Fort Zumwalt South High School. Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Dallas Thompson said Tuesday that the westbound lanes will be closed as a procession moves from the airport to Baue Funeral Home in St. Charles. Intersections will reopen as soon as the procession passes. Thompson said the procession is expected to start around 1 p.m. Wednesday and take about 20 minutes. Thompson said the interstate closure is for safety reasons because so many slow-moving vehicles will be involved. He said private vehicles as well as military vehicles will be involved in the procession. Eleven Marines, one Navy solder and one Army solder were among those killed in the explosion on Aug. 26, which was blamed on Afghanistan’s offshoot of the Islamic State group. The U.S. said it was the most lethal day for American forces in Afghanistan since 2011.

Trucker killed in Indiana crash

HENRY COUNTY, Ind. – An Illinois trucker driver was killed after his rig struck the rear end of another tractor-trailer on Sept. 3 on Interstate 70 near the 124 mile-marker, according to an Indiana State Police (ISP) report. The accident occurred in Henry County, Indiana, the report said. A preliminary investigation showed that Radenko Dzamic, 68, of Lyons, Illinois, was driving a 2018 Freightliner semi tractor-trailer westbound when he failed to recognize that traffic ahead of him had slowed down, state police said. Dzamic, who was traveling in the right lane, struck the rear of a 2018 Freightliner semi tractor-trailer driven by Ghoitom Hagos, 47, of Columbus, Ohio. That impact caused Hagos’ semi to strike the rear of a 2022 Peterbilt tractor-trailer driven by Charles Williams, 64, of Indianapolis, Indiana. Master Trooper Bischoff and a deputy from the Henry County Sheriff’s Department responded and found Dzamic unresponsive and entrapped in his vehicle, the report said. A small fire started underneath the semi, but officers were able to extinguish the flames before it spread to the cabin. Due to the vehicle damage, officers were unable to remove Dzamic from the vehicle. He was later pronounced dead by the Henry County coroner, according to the state police report. The ISP Pendleton Reconstruction Team assisted with the investigation. Both westbound lanes of I-70 were shut down for more than four hours for vehicle removal and scene processing. All lanes have now been re-opened. Hagos and Williams were both transported to a local hospital for a blood draw, which is required under Indiana law from all drivers involved in a serious bodily injury or fatal crash. Neither alcohol nor drugs are suspected of being a contributing factor at this time.

Lawmakers: Ida damage shows need for infrastructure upgrades

WASHINGTON — Shaken by haunting images of surging rivers, flooded roads and subways and other damage caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, lawmakers from both parties are vowing to upgrade the nation’s aging infrastructure network. As the deadly storm moved from the Gulf Coast through the Northeast, members of Congress said the deluge offered irrefutable evidence that power lines, roads, bridges and other infrastructure are deteriorating even as storms and other extreme weather are strengthening. At least 50 people from Virginia to Connecticut died as storm water from Ida’s remnants cascaded into people’s homes and engulfed automobiles, overwhelming urban drainage systems unable to handle so much rain in such a short time. At least 16 deaths were blamed on the storm in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. “Global warming is upon us,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “When you get two record rainfalls in a week (in New York City), it’s not just coincidence. When you get all the changes that we have seen in weather, that’s not a coincidence. … It’s going to get worse and worse and worse, unless we do something about it.” Schumer and other lawmakers said the catastrophe is the latest example of why the nation needs the nearly trillion-dollar infrastructure bill passed by the Senate last month. He and other Democrats also are calling for passage of President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion, partisan rebuilding plan aimed at helping families and combating climate change. “It’s so imperative to pass the two bills,” Schumer said. Democrats hope to pass both bills by the end of this month, but action on the bipartisan bill may be difficult until the larger package is ready. Progressives have said they won’t support a bipartisan bill without strong companion legislation to advance their priorities. Biden made a pitch Friday for the bipartisan bill, saying it “is going to change things on our streets across the country.” He cited the bill’s “historic investment” in roads, rail and bridges, as well as clean energy, clean water and universal broadband. “It’s about resilience,” Biden said. “Make our roads and highways safer. Make us more resilient to the kinds of devastating impacts from extreme weather we’re seeing in so many parts of the country.” The plan includes $110 billion to build and repair roads and bridges and $66 billion to upgrade railroads. It also includes about $60 billion to upgrade the electric grid and build thousands of miles of transmission lines to expand use of renewable energy and nearly $47 billion to adapt and rebuild roads, ports and bridges to help withstand damage from stronger storms as well as wildfires and drought. “If we’re going to make our country more resilient to natural disasters, whatever they are, we have to start preparing now,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. Cassidy, a lead negotiator on the bipartisan bill, has touted the infrastructure legislation as a boon to hurricane-prone states such as his. “I’m sure hoping that Republicans look around my state, see this damage and say, ‘If there’s money for resiliency, money to harden the grid, money to help sewer and water, then maybe this is something we should be for,’” he told CNN. Ultimately, repair and replacement of roads, bridges and other infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Ida and other natural disasters are likely to be funded by Congress as emergency relief money. But the bipartisan bill will be valuable in providing major investments in “future-proofing” infrastructure against climate change and extreme weather such as Ida, according to Jeff Davis, a senior fellow at the Eno Center for Transportation, a Washington think tank. The bill would be the first to devote money for “climate resilience,” including $17 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers to address backlogs in federal flood control projects. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would receive $492 million to map inland and coastal flooding, including “next-gen” modeling and forecasts. Another $492 million would go toward improving the resilience of coastal communities to flooding by restoring natural ecosystems. The legislation also provides $3.5 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help communities reduce the risk of flood damage and $8.7 billion for the Transportation Department to award grants to states to improve resiliency in ports and other coastal infrastructure. “We have to start planning for what the future might hold and do modeling that’s going to help us predict what these future risks are going to be,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told “Fox News Sunday,” calling the increasing frequency of severe storms that intensify more rapidly “a new normal” because of climate change. “These threats aren’t going to go away, and we need to start to reduce those impacts.” The U.S. had 22 climate and weather disasters in 2020 with losses exceeding $1 billion each, with eight such disasters this year as of July 9, according to NOAA. Ida and its remnants will likely cost in the tens of billions, analysts say. Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., said a bipartisan infrastructure bill is needed, but the bill approved by the Senate could harm oil-producing states such as Louisiana by freezing out benefits for states that encourage fossil-fuel production. The Democratic-only bill is even worse, Graves said, calling it “a final nail in the coffin” to the offshore oil industry, which is already struggling because of the pandemic and the hurricane. “All this does is benefit Iran,” Graves said. “It benefits Russia. It benefits China.” In an interview, Graves said he would prefer to use emergency spending to help Louisiana and other states hit by the hurricane. That way, money “is tailored to the disaster” and based on need, not ideology, he said. But Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, said emergency spending, and even the bipartisan infrastructure bill, is not sufficient to address the threat of climate change. “We have not taken the bold measures we need to protect our families and our way of life and our communities that we cherish,” he said. Potosnak, whose central New Jersey neighborhood was flooded by Ida, said storms are increasing in intensity and frequency, with at least seven “100-year storms” in the past few decades. “I hope this storm is a reminder to all our elected officials: This is what climate change looks like,”’ Potosnak said. “Congress needs to act to match the challenge we face.”

Road project between Brattleboro and Wilmington to start

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. — A two-year project to rebuild a stretch of Vermont Route 9 between Brattleboro and Wilmington starts next week with some preparation work. Crews from Pike Industries of Belmont, New Hampshire, will be doing shoulder work on the 12.5-mile section before the pavement will be removed next spring, Matt Bogaczyk, project manager for the Vermont Agency of Transportation, told the Brattleboro Reformer. “The contractor will do some geometric improvements, rebankings and little bit of widening in areas this fall,” he said. The contractor will also be clearing space to install a left-turn lane at South Road, just west of Marlboro Elementary School, Bogaczyk told the newspaper. “This year, traffic delays should be very minor,” he said. “Next year, when the road work beings, Route 9 will be gravel for quite a while. We’ll be asking drivers to be patient and work with us.” He expects the project to be done by late summer 2023. The project is expected to cost nearly $28 million, with 89% paid for with funds from the Federal Highway Administration, Bogaczyk said. The state is paying its portion with a bond.

Traveling in Vermont? Watch out for moose, officials say

MONTPELIER, Vt. — The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is urging motorists across the state to watch out for moose on the state’s highways. This is breeding season for moose and they are more likely to be crossing roadways, especially after dark or early in the morning. They can be difficult to see because of their dark color. Last year motorists hit 39 moose on Vermont highways. So far this year 41 moose have been hit. “We are asking drivers to be especially careful and for people to enjoy watching moose from a distance,” said Game Warden Lieutenant Carl Wedin. “Moose can be unpredictable and dangerous if you get too close and they feel cornered or get irritated,” Wedin added.

Celebrations abound in recognition of truckers

September 12-18 marks a special time for the trucking industry. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is earmarked as a time for America to honor professional drivers for their hard work and sacrifices in delivering necessities across our continent. The industry is often referred to as the backbone of the economy, with the drivers acting as the heart. Last year, truck drivers delivered 11.84 billion tons of freight around the country, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA). Today, more than 80% of U.S. communities rely on truck drivers to deliver goods, allowing some of the nation’s most remote locations access to modern conveniences. With stringent regulations and commercial training, professional drivers are committed to safely delivering all the things that make our collective quality of life possible. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week was founded by ATA in 1998 as a way to honor drivers. This year, there are many different events held by various companies and organizations to show appreciation to truckers. NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his racing team have partnered with Pilot Flying J to raise awareness about the importance of trucking with an initiative called #ThankATrucker. “At JR Motorsports, we know the importance and value of our nation’s truck drivers. Our drivers travel the country to NASCAR Xfinity Series events, and the trailers they carry allow us to do our job on the track each week. We join Pilot Flying J in thanking all the men and women who keep our country moving every day. Take the time today to #ThankATrucker,” Earnhardt said. Featured on the hood of the No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet NASCAR is the saying, “If you’ve got it, a trucker brought it” and #ThankATrucker is emblazoned across the rear of the car. Steve Vanderink, vice president of regional sales for Pilot Flying J, along with Earnhardt, recently revealed the racecar’s new look. Vanderink thanked the fleet customers whowere special guests at the event, representing the thousands of fleets and millions of professional drivers across the industry. “Pro drivers have carried us through this past year, delivering food, supplies and medicines around the country,” Vanderink said. “They have been our heroes during the pandemic. We hope this Driver Appreciation month will help raise awareness of their sacrifices and inspire all of us to celebrate what they do.” Michael Annett, who has driven the Pilot Flying J car since 2007, has a special place in his heart for the transportation industry. His dad was the chairman of TMC Transportation, so he knows first-hand how important trucking is and can appreciate being a “pro” behind the wheel. The special NASCAR vehicle can be seen racing Sept. 11 at Richmond Raceway and on Sept.18 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Additionally, Pilot Co. is encouraging motorists to join in bringing back the “trucker salute.” Pilot stores will be rewarding professional drivers all month long with free drinks, bonus loyalty points and more perks. “Professional drivers have carried us through many tough times, especially over this past year and a half, and we all owe them our gratitude and thanks,” said Shameek Konar, CEO of Pilot Co. “Our annual Driver Appreciation month in September is a special time to recognize and celebrate professional drivers everywhere, including our own Pilot drivers. The Pilot team thanks all of you and gives you a ‘Trucker Salute’ for working incredibly hard to haul all of the goods needed across the nation.” For those unfamiliar with the “Trucker Salute,” Pilot Company produced a video of the classic arm pump gesture that many professional drivers miss seeing and responding to with a friendly blow of their horn. To help bring back this beloved tradition, share a video of a “Trucker Salute” on social media. Pilot Co. will donate $5 to Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) for each post that tags @PilotFlyingJ and uses the #ThankATrucker hashtag, up to $25,000. Most other trucks stops across the nation are also offering promotions and specials as a way to thank truckers for their work. Travel Centers of America (TA) is holding an appreciation “swipestakes” where drivers can swipe their UltraONE card at the pump, truck service shop or UltraONE Kiosks. The grand prize is 1,500,000 UltraOne Points; second prize is an Indian Scout Bobber or Rolex watch; third prize is two plane tickets anywhere in the continental U.S. plus a $500 gift card; and 70 runners up will receive 50,000 UltraOne points. At Love’s, giveaways include a chance to win $100 instantly by using the My Love Rewards card each day in September. Drivers can enter to win 1 million Love Rewards points using the touch screen kiosks at the truckstop locations. Love’s is also offering a special on apparel, giving away a free hat with the purchase of three pairs of Love’s gloves.

2 tractor-trailers collide in Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM, N.H. — Two tractor-trailers collided head-on early Friday in Bethlehem, New Hampshire State Police said. The crash happened just before 12:30 a.m., and it had closed a section of Route 3, WMUR-TV reported. Further information was not immediately available.

Tanker spill snarls I-10 on West Coast

A gasoline tanker truck overturned on Interstate 10 in Banning, California, on the morning of Aug. 31, spilling 9,000 gallons and closing all lanes between Ramsey and Eighth Street for several hours, according to the California Transportation Department’s District 8 Twitter feed. At just after 7 a.m. local time, two of the four interstate lanes (eastbound) had reopened at Banning, CALTRANS reported. There was no information on the driver’s condition.

Flooding closes roads, kills dozens in northeast

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA – The remnants of Hurricane Ida have inundated the northeastern U.S. with torrential rains and flooding over the past several days, killing more than 25 people and causing billions of dollars in damage. From hard-hit Pennsylvania to Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island, residents faced ruined property, supply shortages and grief. President Joe Biden on Thursday pledged robust federal help for areas from the Gulf Coast to the northeast affected by Ida. The president said he will further press Congress to pass his nearly $1 trillion infrastructure bill to improve roads, bridges, the electric grid and sewer systems. “It’s a matter of life and death and we’re all in this together,” the president said. In rain-soaked Pennsylvania, there are 389 roads closed statewide, with 243 shut as a result of flooding. Many are also impassable due to downed trees and limbs as well as utilities, state emergency officials said Thursday. There are 16 major state interstates or expressways closed as well. Dozens of roads in New Jersey and New York were also flooded. The fire department in Wilmington, Delaware, performed water rescues and many streets and bridges remain closed, officials said. Flooding affected several neighborhoods and a Wilmington Fire Department spokesperson said crews had rescued 60 to 80 people by noon, The News Journal reported. Delaware Department of Transportation Community Relations Director CR McLeod said the flooding was impacting homes and businesses and there were many vehicles underwater, WDEL-FM reported. More than 50 bridges would need to be surveyed and assessed, he said. “A lot of this water is coming down from Pennsylvania with the excessive amounts of rain that they had associated with the storm yesterday. All that water is going to make its way down toward the Delaware River, and it’s all coming down the Brandywine.” The Brandywine entered a major flood stage Wednesday night and by Thursday morning it reached a maximum crest of 23.1 feet, a new record, according to the National Weather Service. Waters began to recede and the it was expected to fall below flood stage early Friday, according to the agency. In Connecticut, an on-duty state police sergeant died after his cruiser was swept away in flood waters early Thursday morning in Woodbury. The 26-year veteran of the department called for help at about 3:30 a.m. Police searched the area with divers, helicopters, boats and drones and found the sergeant in the swollen river later in the morning after daybreak. First responders performed live-saving measures and he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officials did not release the sergeant’s name, saying family notifications were still pending. In Frederick County, Maryland, first responders used a boat to rescue 10 children and a driver from a school bus caught in rising flood waters. The county’s school superintendent faced criticism for not dismissing students early. He apologized, saying the decision to remain open led to “stress and anxiety for many,” The Frederick News-Post reported. Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Director Randy Padfield said that “While the water is receding in most parts of the state, we are still seeing ongoing flooding in the southeast portion of the state, some of which is surpassing record flood levels. “We also know that Ida has not only caused significant damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure, but for many it has significantly disrupted lives and families. We continue to work with our federal and county partners to ensure that response and recovery efforts continue to move forward.” Pennsylvania saw prolific rainfall, both in storm totals and rates. Reports from across the state range from 5 to 8 inches, some falling in a short time. Daily all-time records were broken; specifically, Scranton saw its second wettest day on record and Harrisburg and Altoona recorded their third wettest day. “The remnants of Ida brought historic rainfall to Pennsylvania over the last several days,” Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said in a news release. “This was a rare culmination of events that caused record flooding in many places around the commonwealth. Many people across the state are dealing with the aftereffects of the storm today.” The National Weather Service will be out surveying potential tornado damage in Chester and Montgomery counties today, as well as three areas of Bucks County. Rivers and waterways are still high across the state, especially in southeastern Pennsylvania. Several waterways shattered previous crest records, including points along the East Branch of the Brandywine, the Brandywine, the Perkiomen, and the Schuylkill rivers. Approximately 120 Pennsylvania National Guard members remain on active duty statewide to support local emergency and rescue operations. The Commonwealth Response Coordination Center at PEMA remains activated. “We understand that closed roadways and other impacts from the storm can be frustrating,” said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Acting Executive Deputy Secretary Melissa Batula. “Even though the rains have stopped, it is still so important that the public remain vigilant, and allow space for our crews and for emergency workers to do their jobs.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.

South Carolina governor aims to widen I-26

SWANSEA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster urged state lawmakers Thursday to use $360 million in federal pandemic relief funds to jumpstart the widening of Interstate 26 between Charleston and Columbia. McMaster joined state transportation officials and business leaders south of Columbia at an eastbound exit off the busy highway, calling on legislators to speed up the expansion of one of South Carolina’s most economically vital corridors as state has become the 10th-fastest growing in the nation. “With that comes a lot more travel, a lot more traffic,” Secretary of Transportation Christy Hall said. “And with that, congestion when the infrastructure does not keep up with that growth.” The General Assembly has about $2.5 billion to spend in federal COVID-19 relief and will likely decide how to use the money in a special session later this month. The funds could go toward any number of needs, such as upgrading water and sewer systems, expanding broadband or replacing lost pandemic revenue. But an influx of cash toward the I-26 expansion could move up the project timeline by six years and save money on construction costs, Hall said. The Department of Transportation had previously planned to expand the nearly 70-mile corridor over the course of several phases through the end of the decade, working on adding a third lane to segments at either end before moving onto the middle stretch. A funding boost would allow the agency to put out contracts for most of the widening in the next three to four years instead, officials said. The stretch that crosses the rural areas between two of the state’s largest cities frequently sees traffic jams, delays and accidents. About 66,000 vehicles travel the corridor daily, as beachgoing tourists and other motorists mingle with the 15,000 trucks headed to and from the bustling Port of Charleston. Modernizing I-26 — from extending entry and exit ramps to designing better interchanges and signs — will help the state remain competitive, said Shawn Godwin, board chair of the South Carolina Trucking Association. “We all share this critical corridor,” Godwin said. “But, when I-26 bogs down, we all bog down with it.” Accelerate SC, a group of government and business leaders put together by the governor, made a similar recommendation last week to move the highway project forward with $170 million in virus aid. The state of South Carolina can use its relief dollars to replace about $453 million in revenue lost due to the pandemic, officials estimate. The $360 million for I-26 would come out of that pot of money. Officials said they were confident the dollars can be spent before a 2024 deadline.

TruckPark announces partnership with Roady’s

CHICAGO — TruckPark and Roady’s Truck Stops announced on Thursday a new partnership to offer Roady’s members parking using TruckPark’s on-demand app. TruckPark is a Chicago-based company that uses technology to help truckers find spaces for their rigs. “This agreement is aimed to significantly address the national shortage of parking for long-haul truckers,” said Anthony Petitte, CEO of TruckPark. “Our goal from the beginning has been to offer safe, secure and easily accessible parking solutions to truck drivers. Partnering with Roady’s will enable us to help make truck drivers’ lives easier and less stressful.” “Each year more than 10,000,000 truckers and travelers visit a Roady’s facility and purchase over a billion gallons of fuel across more than 300 retail locations,” said Scott Rhinehart of Roady’s Truck Stops. “With that large platform, Roady’s and our independent truck stops can make a sizable difference in the persistent problem truckers face—finding secure parking when and where they need it.” Roady’s Truck Stops has locations across 38 states.  

Florida Gators football player injured in big rig wreck

GAINESVILLE, Fla — A University of Florida football player was injured recently when he steered his scooter into the trailer of an 18-wheeler. Gainesville police said that Yousef Mugharbil, 18, was hit and dragged by a semi-truck on the morning of Aug. 30 on University Avenue, receiving only minor injuries. The semi truck was headed on West University Ave. and attempted to turn right on Northwest 16th St. While driving a scooter, Mugharbil sped up while in an undesignated driving lane and the semi hit him, police said. A witness, Josue Robateaw, said he saw Mugharbil get dragged about 100 feet, according to a report by Gainesville news station WCJB. “There was blood everywhere and under the truck too,” Robateaw told WCJB. Robateaw was working when he said he saw the 18-year-old in between the tires of the semi. He was able to get the young man out and said with blood everywhere and some getting on his clothes, it’s a moment he’ll never forget. “Instead of yielding to the semi-truck, the scooter got into a non-navigable lane,” GPD spokesman Graham Glover said. “That’s one of the lanes that was striped off where you shouldn’t have been driving. It caused the scooter to go straight into the truck that was turning right and had the right of way to make that turn.” Mugharbil, of Murphy, North Carolina, enrolled at Florida over the summer as one of three offensive line signees in the class of 2021. He is not listed on Florida’s unofficial depth chart for this weekend’s game against Florida Atlantic. Florida Gators Head Coach Dan Mullins said he was aware of the accident and said that Mugharbil is “OK.”

US infrastructure deal includes $3.5 billion for Canada, Mexico land border posts

HIGHGATE SPRINGS, Vt. — A giant infrastructure deal being considered by Congress includes $3.5 billion for improvements to 30 land ports of entry on both the Canadian and Mexican borders, officials said in early September. Vermont Democratic U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy and Robin Carnahan, the administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, toured the U.S. port of entry from Canada at Highgate Springs Sept. 1 to focus attention on the proposal. They say the upgrades are needed to speed the crossing of both people and goods between the two countries, while enhancing security and building state-of-the-art energy saving structures. If approved in its current form, the federal infrastructure bill would spend $3.5 billion to upgrade 30 ports of entry on both the Canadian and Mexican border. Of that, $285 million would be used to upgrade five ports of entry in Vermont, including $170 million to renovate the Vermont port in Highgate Springs at the northern terminus of Interstate 89, which links the United States with Saint-Armand and Philipsburg, Quebec. The move comes as the Canadian government is moving to complete an autoroute that would reach the border at Highgate Springs, which will mean more traffic entering the United States through Vermont, Leahy said. “I think that’s a very good thing, but we’ve got to be prepared for it,” Leahy said during a news conference outside the border post. Carnahan said Congress has the opportunity to do something “really big” with the infrastructure package. “It is a once in a generation opportunity to really invest in our infrastructure again, from roads and bridges, to ports to clean water and broadband internet across the country,” Carnahan said. During construction, the projects would create up to 2 million jobs, Carnahan said The money for the ports of entry would be included in the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was passed last month by the Senate by a vote of 69 to 30. The bill includes funding for hard infrastructure project like roads and bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, electric grid, water systems and broadband internet access. While it has passed the Senate, it had not yet passed the House at the time of this writing. The legislation is separate from a $3.5 trillion spending plan being worked on the House that some consider on a par with the New Deal that was used in the 1930s to help the country recover from the depression. In Vermont, the other border posts that would be included are in Alburgh Springs, Richford, Norton and Beebe Plain. By Wilson Ring, The Associated Press

Fuel shortages grip Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS — Gasoline and diesel fuel shortages across Louisiana are causing extremely long lines at stations and growing frustrations. All told, seven Louisiana refineries remained shuttered Wednesday. Combined, they account for about 9% of all U.S. refining capacity, according to the U.S. Energy Department. Some refineries on the Mississippi River reported damage to their docks from barges that broke loose during the storm. Louisiana Governor Jon Bell Edwards has asked the federal government for help. “We need bulk fuel to be brought in before refineries come back on their own,” Edwards said, noting two-thirds of the state’s considerable refining capacity is down. “The state of Louisiana provides fuel for rest of country, and now it’s time for rest of country to give up a little of their fuel and send it back to Louisiana.” Truck drivers supporting relief efforts tied to Hurricane Ida have been given a waiver from Hours of Service (HOS) rules. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued the waiver earlier this week for Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. The declaration was effective immediately. Under the emergency ruling, drive time caps are lifted for commercial vehicles under 49 CFR § 395.3 of the federal code, which covers hours of service. It covers truck drivers “providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts transportation supplies, goods, equipment and fuel into the (affected states.)” “Direct assistance terminates when a driver or commercial motor vehicle is used in interstate commerce to transport cargo or provide services that are not in support of emergency relief efforts related to Hurricane Ida,” the waiver says. The waiver also covers section 395.5, which is for HOS restrictions on passenger-carrying vehicles, such as buses. Under federal safety rules, commercial truck drivers are limited to 14 on-duty hours after 10 consecutive off-hours duty. The emergency waiver also covers the rule restricting drivers to 60 on duty hours in a 7-day period, or 70 hours in eight consecutive days. Drivers are not exempted from speed limits, requirements to pull off the road if their alertness is impaired due to fatigue or other reasons, texting while driving or using alcohol or drugs. Relief from the HOS rule is contingent upon providing what FMCSA refers to as “direct assistance.” The waiver is in effect until either a declared end to the Ida-created emergency, or the end of the day on Sept. 28, whichever comes first. Four days after Hurricane Ida struck, the storm’s aftermath — and progress in recovering from it — are being felt unevenly across affected communities in Louisiana. The levee system revamped after Katrina protected New Orleans from catastrophic flooding after Ida struck on Sunday with 150 mph winds, tied for the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the mainland U.S. The power was back on before dawn Thursday in parts of the city’s central business district, Uptown, Midtown, New Orleans East and the Carrollton area, the electricity company Entergy announced. Utility crews also restored power to Ochsner’s main hospital campus in Jefferson Parish and several hospitals near Baton Rouge. City crews completely cleared some New Orleans streets of fallen trees and debris, and a few corner stores reopened. Outside New Orleans, neighborhoods remained flooded and residents were still reeling from damage to their homes and property. More than 1,200 people were walking through some of Ida’s hardest-hit communities to look for those needing help, according to the Louisiana Fire Marshal’s office. President Joe Biden was scheduled to visit Louisiana on Friday to survey the damage, the White House said. Gayle Lawrence lost two cars, refrigerators and almost everything in her garage to floodwaters in southern Louisiana’s Plaquemines Parish. The garage was filled with marsh grass and dead fish. Scores of other homes in the neighborhood were also flooded. “The house is solid. It didn’t even move. But when the water came up, it destroyed everything,” she said. In Jefferson Parish, authorities on Wednesday were still waiting for floodwaters to recede enough for trucks carrying food, water and repair supplies to begin moving into Lafitte and other low-lying communities. The parish neighbors New Orleans and saw widespread destruction from Ida. Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said a gas shortage was hampering hospital staff, food bank employees and other critical workers. “Today, we’re a broken community,” Sheng told a news conference. “It won’t always be that way.” Evacuees considering returning home to Terrebonne Parish were warned by emergency officials on Twitter that “there are no shelters, no electricity, very limited resources for food, gasoline and supplies and absolutely no medical services.” The leader of Louisiana’s largest hospital system, Ochsner Health, is considering opening a field hospital somewhere in Terrebonne or Lafourche parish because the shuttering of most of the hospitals in the area removed about 250 to 300 beds. When “folks come back, this is going to definitely put a strain on the situation,” Ochsner President and CEO Warner Thomas told reporters. Governor Edwards said he’s pleased that power returned for some people. It’s “critically important to show progress” after the storm, he said, while acknowledging that much more work lies ahead. Roughly 2,600 people remain in shelters, he said. “I’m very mindful that it’s a start, and only a start,” he told a news conference. As the staggering scope of the disaster began to come into focus, with a private firm estimating that total damage from Ida could exceed $50 billion, making it among the costliest U.S. hurricanes. Ida’s remnants caused catastrophic flooding in New York City and surrounding areas and tornados struck around Philadelphia. At least nine deaths have been confirmed in the Northeast with officials warning there would be more once authorities confirm details. But about 989,000 homes and businesses — 44% of all state utility customers in southeast Louisiana, from the New Orleans area to Baton Rouge — were without power, according to the state Public Service Commission. In neighboring Mississippi, more than 30,000 customers had no electricity. More than 600,000 people were without water. Hard-hit areas in southeast Louisiana were under a heat advisory Thursday, with forecasters warning combined heat and humidity could make some areas feel like 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius). New Orleans officials opened seven places where people could get a meal and sit in air conditioning. The city was also using 70 transit buses as cooling sites, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. Karen Evans charged electronic devices at a New Orleans gym where four tall fans stirred the air. Her home in the city was not damaged, but she was struggling without power. “The great challenge is living a life in a sweltering place without air conditioning,” she said. The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.  

Ida’s remnants close roads, prompt concerns of dam failure

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Soaking rains from the remnants of Hurricane Ida prompted the evacuations of thousands of people Wednesday after water reached dangerous levels at a dam near Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The storm soaked much of western and central Pennsylvania after high water drove some from their homes in Maryland and Virginia. The storm killed a teenager, two people were not accounted for and a tornado was believed to have touched down along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Ida caused countless school and business closures in Pennsylvania. About 150 roadways maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation were closed and many smaller roadways also were impassable. Some 18,000 customers were without power, including some 12,000 in central Pennsylvania. Some areas near Johnstown, whose history includes several deadly floods, saw 5 inches or more of rain by midafternoon, an inundation that triggered an evacuation order for those downstream from the Wilmore dam. Cambria County emergency management director and 911 center head Art Martynuska said the water level at the Wilmore dam reached a height that required evacuation. Nearby Hinckston Run Dam was also being monitored but appeared stable by late afternoon, he said, by which time water levels at Wilmore dam were receding. “If that trend continues we’ll be allowing folks to return back to their residences shortly, hopefully by this evening,” Martynuska said. Both dams were considered high-hazard dams that are likely to kill someone were they to fail. Evacuees were taken to a nearby high school with help from the Red Cross, National Guard, local transit authority and school transportation services, he said. The 1889 Johnstown flood killed 2,200 people, a disaster blamed on poor maintenance on the South Fork Dam on the Little Conemaugh River. It sent a 36-foot wall of water roaring into a populated area at 40 mph. The National Weather Service had predicted flooding from what remained of Hurricane Ida, saying steep terrain and even city streets were particularly vulnerable to a band of severe weather that extended from the Appalachians into Massachusetts. Flash flooding knocked about 20 homes off their foundations and washed several trailers away in Virginia’s mountainous western corner, where about 50 people were rescued and hundreds were evacuated. News outlets reported that one person was unaccounted for in the small mountain community of Hurley. Water had almost reached the ceilings of basement units when crews arrived at an apartment complex in Rockville, Maryland, on Wednesday. A 19-year-old was found dead, another person was missing and about 200 people from 60 apartments near Rock Creek were displaced, Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said Wednesday. “In many years I have not seen circumstances like this,” Goldstein said. Tropical Storm Larry was strengthening and moving quickly westward after forming off the coast of Africa earlier Wednesday. Forecasters predicted it would rapidly intensify in a manner similar to Ida, becoming a major hurricane with top wind speeds of 120 mph by Saturday. Kate remained a tropical depression and was expected to weaken without threatening land.

Winds threaten to whip flames approaching Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — A day after an explosive wildfire emptied a resort city at the southern tip of Lake Tahoe, a huge firefighting force braced for strong winds Tuesday as some residents in neighboring Nevada were ordered to evacuate. Area roadways are also closed due to blazes. Affected roads include US Highway 50 and state roads 88 and 89. Current highway conditions in California can be found at the California Transportation Department by clicking here. The city of South Lake Tahoe, usually bustling with summer tourists, was eerily empty and the air thick and hazy with smoke from the Caldor Fire, one of two major fires burning in the same area. On Monday, roughly 22,000 residents jammed the city’s main artery for hours after they were ordered to leave as the fire advanced, chewing up drought-stricken vegetation. The National Weather Service warned that weather conditions through Wednesday would include low humidity, dry fuel and wind gusts up to 30 mph (48 kph). “That’s definitely not going to help the firefighting efforts,” said Courtney Coats, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service. The fire was 3 miles (5 kilometers) outside of South Lake Tahoe, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief Henry Herrera told KGO-TV. South Lake Tahoe city officials said only a handful of residents defied Monday’s evacuation order. But nearly everyone worried Tuesday about what the fire would do next. “It just kind of sucks waiting. I mean, I know it’s close down that way,” said Russ Crupi, gesturing south from his home in the Heavenly Valley Estates mobile home park, which he and his wife manage for a living. He had arranged sprinklers and tractors around the neighborhood. “I’m worried about what’ll be here when people come back. People want to come back to their houses and that’s what I’m going to try to do,” he said. Pushed by strong winds, the Caldor Fire crossed two major highways and burned mountain cabins as it swept down slopes into the Tahoe Basin. Thick smoke prevented air firefighting operations periodically last week. But since then, nearly two dozen helicopters and three air tankers dumped thousands of gallons of water and retardant on the fire, fire spokesman Dominic Polito said Tuesday. The Lake Tahoe area is usually a year-round recreational paradise offering beaches, water sports, hiking, ski resorts and golfing. South Lake Tahoe bustles with outdoor activities while just across the state border in Stateline, Nevada tourists can gamble at major casinos. But on Tuesday, only a few dozen tourists remained on the casino floor of the Montbleu Resort, Casino and Spa. The state board that controls gaming said that casino regulators were monitoring operations at the four largest gambling properties in the city. Hotels are housing evacuees, fire crews and other emergency personnel. In all, Harrah’s, Harveys Lake Tahoe Casino, the Hard Rock and Montbleu Resort have more than 2,200 hotel rooms. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak urged residents to be prepared, saying there was no timeline for when evacuations might be ordered. At a news conference in Carson City, he noted that ash was falling on him even though the fire was about 20 miles (32 kilometers) away. “I’m standing here and I’m getting all ash particulates on my jacket, even,” the governor said. “This is serious, folks.” Hours later, residents in parts of Douglas County under an evacuation warning were ordered to leave, although casinos were excluded. At the Douglas County Community & Senior Center in Gardnerville, people had their temperature checked before entering a gymnasium of cots set up by the Red Cross. Outside, evacuees who had stayed in tents sorted through ramen noodles and plastic bags of clothes and keepsakes. South Lake Tahoe resident Lorie Major was at the grocery store when she got the alert on her phone. “I had to tell myself: ‘OK, Lorie: Get it together. It’s time to go,’” she said. She put on headphones, turned on the Grateful Dead’s “Fire on the Mountain” and walked home to an empty apartment complex already vacated by neighbors. She and her mini Australian shepherd, Koda, took a 20-mile (32-kilometer) taxi ride from her South Lake Tahoe apartment to a hotel in Minden, Nevada. A firefighter injured while battling the Caldor Fire last weekend was expected to be hospitalized for a month after undergoing skin grafting surgery. Richard Gerety III of Patterson, California suffered third-degree burns over 20% of his body, the Modesto Bee reported. Despite the very active fire year, there have not been many injuries or deaths among firefighters or residents. More than 15,000 firefighters were battling dozens of California blazes, with help from out of state crews. Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive, scientists say. The threat of fire is so widespread that the U.S. Forest Service announced Monday that all national forests in California would be closed until Sept. 17. Crews are battling the Dixie, the second-largest wildfire in state history at 1,260 square miles (3,267 square kilometers). The weeks-old fire was burning about 65 miles (105 kilometers) north of the Lake Tahoe-area blaze and prompting new evacuation orders and warnings this week. The Caldor Fire has scorched nearly 312 square miles (808 square kilometers) since breaking out Aug. 14. It was 18% contained. More than 600 structures have been destroyed, and at least 33,000 more were threatened. The last two wildfires that ripped through populated areas near Tahoe were the Angora Fire that destroyed more than 200 homes in 2007 and the Gondola Fire in 2002 that ignited near a chairlift at Heavenly Mountain Resort. At the evacuation center in Gardnerville, Joe Gillespie said he, his girlfriend and her son left their home in Meyers south of South Lake Tahoe on Sunday, bringing clothes, picture frames and collectibles like Hot Wheels toys from the 1960s that Gillespie’s mother gave him. Gillespie, a mechanic at Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort, said that unlike the northern shore of Lake Tahoe, which is dotted with mansions and second homes, the area currently under threat houses blue-collar workers who make their living at the casinos and ski resorts that make the area so popular. The Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort is beloved for its unpretentious and comparatively affordable winter prices. It turns 75 this year, he said. “It sounds like we won’t be opening because of the fire,” he said.  

Louisiana interstates reopen

NEW ORLEANS — All interstate systems in Louisiana are back open after being closed due to the effects of Hurricane Ida, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced Tuesday afternoon. “DOTD crews have worked around the clock to get all of Louisiana’s interstates reopened, and I’m extremely grateful to them for their tireless work,” said DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson. “But we still urge motorists to keep the interstates clear for emergency responders, as undue traveling could potentially burden emergency services. Check with your parish before returning because essentials like food, water and gas can be hard to come by and local, state and federal responders have already begun the recovery process. Let’s all work together to recover from this storm.” Many other state roadways remain impacted by the storm and DOTD crews from around the state are working to clear them, officials said. The DOTD advises checking 511la.org before traveling, and check with parish officials before returning to impacted areas.