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Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission nears a decision on air guns
John McAdams Recreation & LeisureAfter initially approving air guns and air bows as a legal method of take for big game during a meeting back in March, some members of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission apparently had second thoughts about their decision and delayed final rulemaking on the issue. Since then, the question of using air guns for hunting big game has been in limbo. However, the Commission again has the issue on its agenda for an upcoming meeting in Austin on Aug. 22-23, so we may finally be nearing a resolution on that subject.
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3-D-printed gun controversy continues
Michelle R. Matisons Manufacturing3-D printing is an advanced technology that uses machines, sometimes desktop-sized, to make objects from computer-aided design (CAD) files. Simple as that. What’s not so simple is that the machines can be used to make almost anything. As more people have access to the hardware to make things, 3-D printing technology has been embraced as a transformative technology in manufacturing. But with that access comes accountability.
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Turkish Airlines prepares for Istanbul New Airport amid rumors of stake…
Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & AutomotiveTurkish Airlines, on the back of its highest ever load factors, has undertaken a trial operation of the Istanbul New Airport and announced plans for the largest movement of equipment in civil aviation history ahead of its October opening. It has certainly been a momentous time for the Turkish flag carrier and its growing dominance of air travel in Europe and the Middle East. On Aug. 9, the airline reported it carried a record 7.5 million passengers and 119,000 tons of cargo in July, marking its best ever month, with a $258 million net operating profit in the first half of 2018.
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Big Sur back in action as Highway 1 reopens
Dave G. Houser Recreation & LeisureCalifornia’s most famous road trip is back on. For the first time in 14 months, Highway 1 — aka the Pacific Coast Highway — is open without interruption, after a quarter-mile chunk of it in Big Sur was wiped away in a massive landslide last year. Over the years, landslides have taken out portions of the iconic highway, but none were as big as the so-called Mud Creek slide in May 2017, when more than 6 million cubic yards of earth collapsed into the sea following torrential rains.
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ANWR drilling threatens Porcupine caribou — and vice-versa?
Michelle R. Matisons Natural ResourcesIf you follow the U.S. debate about oil drilling, then you have no doubt heard of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). This is because it is probably some of the most hotly contested oil-rich land in the United States, and it now looks as if oil development is inevitable there after a decades-long battle over the Refuge’s oil reserves. Unless the fate of the beloved Porcupine caribou halts the oil development.
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Practical tips for employers to minimize immigration risks
D. Albert Brannen Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityUnder the Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has clearly increased its work site enforcement actions against employers. Unlike most labor and employment laws, federal immigration laws provide for criminal penalties, including large fines and jail time. This article outlines how ICE can gain access to your records, and lists practical guidance for minimizing or avoiding risks that put your company in violation of applicable immigration law.
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‘World first’ boiler scrappage scheme unveiled by London mayor
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingWhatever else you may have heard; the U.K. isn’t exclusively focused on the machinations of its proposed exit from Europe now. Beyond the constant debate about Brexit options, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has busy making his own headlines. Although it is on a decidedly smaller scale in policy terms than uncoupling from the EU, Mayor Khan’s unveiling of an upgrade scheme for boilers in the commercial sector and for small businesses does deserve attention.
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Historic California wildfires ignite blame game
Michelle R. Matisons Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityYou already know there are some serious wildfires burning in California and the west. So what’s new? What’s new is that the Mendocino Complex fire is now the largest in California history. This fire is so large that one astronaut on the International Space Station — 250 miles above Earth — tweeted a photo of the infernos as seen from space. The really bad news is that fires are expected to burn the rest of August as high temperatures further fan the flames.
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Increase in marijuana-impaired driving has police concerned
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityOklahoma law enforcement officers are worried that marijuana use may increase impaired driving as the state begins to introduce legal medical marijuana. Police are working with Oklahoma AAA to handle the increase in impaired drivers. However, Oklahoma is the not only state worrying about the increase in impaired driving. As more states go on to make marijuana legal, there are going to be traffic implications for each.
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Should you refrain from posting your hunt on social media?
John McAdams Recreation & LeisureIt’s the same story over and over again: a hunter posts a photo on social media of an animal that he or she harvested, someone with a large social following expresses condemnation of the hunt, and then a firestorm of disapproval ensues for the next few days. Then, the whole process repeats itself a few weeks later. Regardless of where the hunt took place, the end result is never good: the hunter is the object of harassment, and the hunting community in general gets a lot of negative publicity in the media. So, what can be done to break this cycle?
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