Tag Archive for: parks

Bill from Illinois Democrat seeks to bridge digital divide through free wifi in local parks

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A Democratic congressman announced legislation this week that aims to use multiple federal government programs to bring broadband internet and computers to local parks across the country, bridging the digital divide in underserved communities by providing free internet services.

The Technology in the Parks Act of 2023, introduced by Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., aims to boost innovation, increase technology training and decrease inequality through multiple relevant internet programs.

“I believe that this legislation aligns with the nation’s commitment to fostering innovation, education, and community development,” Davis said in a statement. “This legislation, once passed, will contribute to building a more technologically inclusive society, ensuring that the benefits of advancements reach all corners of our community.”

The bill proposes an expansion of the Federal Communications Commission’s E-rates internet program to include local parks, which Davis said is key to bringing broadband access to outdoor community spaces, similar to the existing coverage for schools and libraries.

The FCC’s E-rate program helps schools and libraries across the country gain access to affordable broadband internet and is the government’s largest educational technology program.

The legislation would include local parks in the U.S. General Services Computers for Learning Program, providing access to computer equipment that federal agencies have identified as excess property and enabling technological advancements and digital literacy in those areas.

The third piece of the legislation would require the Labor Department to establish a program to offer grants for technology training programs in local parks, supporting skill development and ensuring that local parks that host such programs are eligible for E-Rate support.

The legislation “is a crucial step in bridging the technological divide and promoting education and skill development in our communities,” Davis said. “By extending E-Rate support to local parks, we empower these spaces to become hubs for technology training, creating opportunities for skill acquisition in areas such as coding, cyber…

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Double shooting leaves 1 dead • Comerica Park’s new lights • Racial slur at DSO performance

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1 killed in double shooting on Detroit’s west side

One person died and another’s condition is unknown after Detroit police say a double shooting took place on the city’s west side Monday morning.

MONDAY NEWS HIT – Officers could be seen with flashlights and cameras in the upstairs floor of a home where a double shooting occurred early Monday morning.

Detroit police say at least one of the victims died from their injuries while the second’s condition remains unknown after gunfire was exchanged in a home on the city’s west side.

Police haven’t released much information on the nature of the shooting, but did say they started getting calls around 3:30 a.m. about reports of shots being fired.

The scene remains active inside the home, located on the 13600 block of Santa Rosa. It’s near Oakman Boulevard and Livernois.

It’s unclear what motive might be at play regarding the shooting. 

Police are expected to canvass for witnesses and any home surveillance footage that could tell them anything about what happened. 

DSO investigating racial slur incident

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra said it is investigating an incident during one of the group’s performances last week involving a racial slur. In a Facebook post over the weekend, the DSO said it was “deeply disappointed by an incident that took place towards the end of Friday night’s concert when an audience member shouted a racial slur.”

“Racism and bigotry have no place in Orchestra Hall, and behavior like this is unacceptable. We are currently investigating and will enact a permanent ban once we identify the ticketholder,” wrote the post.

The DSO is currently performing many holiday-themed series with Christmas around the corner. On Dec. 9, the night of the incident, the orchestra put on a show that included music from A Charlie Brown Christmas. 

“Live music is a profoundly human experience that taps into our emotions and provides us all with a sacred space for listening. We apologize that this space was violated. We appreciate our audiences so much and hope to see you back at Orchestra Hall soon.”

Read the Facebook post here.

Comerica Park getting new lights

While it’s the Detroit Lions making waves in Motor City sports, the…

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Toronto posts new request for private security firm to ‘patrol and monitor’ parks – Toronto

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The City of Toronto is once again petitioning for private security companies to patrol its parks and investigate “possible attempted encampments, safety hazards and criminal activity.”

The new posting comes after an attempt in May to find a company to provide security at municipal parks failed.

The city came under fire from some earlier this year when it put out a request for proposals (RFP) to find private security firms to prevent encampments in parks.

That RFP failed to draw qualified bidders, the city said, with two companies given short-term, non-competitive contracts to provide the service.

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Toronto looking at hiring private security at major parks to prevent encampments

During the spring, the city awarded two short-term contracts to patrol parks including Trinity Bellwoods Park, Lamport Stadium Park, Alexandra Park and Dufferin Grove.

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“The current parks security contracts with Logix Security Inc. and Valguard Security Inc. for $500,000 each began on April 13, 2022, and are temporary interim contracts to provide parks security until the contract associated with the RFP can be awarded,” a spokesperson for the City of Toronto said.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, large encampments formed across parks in Toronto as homeless people said they felt the shelters weren’t safe and feared contracting the virus.

Lamport Stadium and Trinity Bellwoods were both sites that saw many structures and tents. The City of Toronto was criticized for the tactics police officers used to clear the encampments.

Read more:

Toronto planned encampment clearing operation for months, built profiles of residents

An RFP for security services to patrol city parks closed on May 30, 2022, but none of the bidders met Toronto’s criteria, the city said.

The new RFP, posted on Wednesday, says Toronto is looking to retain a company that will offer security guard services at parks around the city.

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Cities, theme parks adopt new weapons detection technology to curb gun violence

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Weapons detection screening systems are becoming more and more common. These systems use touchless sensors to screen for objects that look like weapons in people’s pockets or backpacks, then they feed that information back to a computer system where security guards can view it.

In Detroit, city leaders hope the technology can be used to prevent gun violence.

As WDET’s Eli Newman reports, that means bringing security checkpoints to public spaces.

This story originally appeared on “Marketplace” on Aug. 11, 2022.

Weapons detection screening systems are popping up in many places — think metal detectors 2.0. Disney World and Six Flags have them, and more and more school districts screen students through one every day as they enter school.

In Detroit, city leaders hope the technology can be used to cut down on gun violence as they bring security checkpoints to public spaces. As part of the city’s celebrations around the Fourth of July, crowds of people headed to the riverfront to get a good view of the annual fireworks show. It was the first one since the pandemic started and thousands showed up to watch from Detroit and its surrounding suburbs.

The spectacle brought Tony Semenuk down to watch. Up until this year, the St. Clair Shores, Michigan, resident had been hesitant to attend.

“Every year that you come down here, they light fireworks off and you don’t know if they’re gunshots,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve been down here in six years.”

Semenuk noted the big difference at the fireworks show this year — the Detroit Police Department sectioned off the best place to watch the fireworks and created a temporary “weapons detection zone.”

The Detroit Police Department fenced off Hart Plaza, requiring attendees to walk through an Evolv Technology weapons detection gate checkpoint.
The Detroit Police Department fenced off Hart Plaza, requiring attendees to walk through an Evolv Technology weapons detection gate. (Eli Newman/WDET)

Before people entered, they had to go through a weapons detection checkpoint. There were rows of gates with little cameras on them as people walk past to be screened. Taliyah Brown was there working for a private security company hired to manage the system for the fireworks. She monitored a tablet to see if…

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