Vahid Mahmoudi (وحید محمودی), one of the staff at the Bahai Open University (BIHE), has been given a suspended sentence of four and a half years in prison by a review court in Tehran. He was also sentenced to six months in prison, which is less than the time he has already served since his arrest. He had previously been sentenced to five years in prison. The review court's ruling means that he should be released.
Mr. Fakhr ad-Din Samimi (فخرالدین صمیمی), a Bahai resident of Qaemshahr in Iran's northerly Mazandaran province, was released from prison on December 19 after serving half of his six-month prison sentence.
At 6 a.m. on December 19, Ministry of Intelligence officers raided a number of homes belonging to Bahais in Sanandaj, searching them and seizing books, CDs, computers and many personal items. Many of the officers were said to have been armed.
Kamran Rahimiyan and Faran Hesami (کامران رحیمیان و فاران حسامی), a Bahai couple who are among those arrested during the recent crackdown on the Bahai Open University (BIHE), were tried on December 14 and 15. They were accused of membership of the Bahai community, and meeting and colluding to harm national security. Seven other teachers at the university have already been given lengthy prison sentences. The couple have a two-year old child. Faran Hesami was freed on bail in late November; her husband was held in Evin prison in Tehran, but was transfered to Rajai Shahr prison, in Karaj, after his trial.
On November 12, Mr. Anvar Moslemi (انور مسلمی), a Bahai from Sari, was transferred to Sari prison to begin his one-year sentence. He was first arrested on November 22, 2008, and released on bail in December that year. In June, 2009, he was sentenced for "propaganda against the regime." He was also fined 300,000 tuman (just over 200 euros).
An Iranian court has said it will delay for one year a final verdict on the case of imprisoned Christian pastor Yusef Nadarkhani, who is accused of apostasy for having converted from Islam, and could face a death sentence. Previous reports said that Nadarkhani's case would be decided in mid-December by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah ali Khamenei. Iranian authorities also have arrested and detained other pastors.
"Three church leaders were told to report to prison to begin serving long-term sentences on November 29. Another pastor, Behnam Irani, is currently being tortured in prison and is in poor health, according to Present Truth Ministries. Others, like Ehsan Behrouz from Mashhad, have recently been arrested," according to Aidan Clay Clay of International Christian Concern.
Recently the Office for the administration of public places in Tehran wrote to the Department of Culture in Karaj, instructing them to withdraw the operating licence of Mr. Sa`id Mirza-Zadeh (سعید میرزا زاده), a Bahai artist living in Karaj who is the owner of the Parsa Institute of Sound Arts in Tehran.
Zahra Nik-A'in (زهره نیک آیین), one of a number of Bahais in Semnan who were arrested in March and released on exceptionally high bail in April, has been sentenced to seven years in prison. She is charged with initiating Bahai children's classes (similar to Sunday school classes), membership of a Ruhi study circle (similar to a catechism class), and attending the Bahai 19th-day "feast" (a meeting for Bahai worship and fellowship), as well as "propaganda against the regime in the form of receiving messages from the International House of Justice (the highest administrative body of the world-wide Bahai community), and implementing these messages." She was arrested on March 12, 2011, and interrogated for 23 days. She was released on bail on April 3.
Mrs. Simin Gorji, Mrs. Parisa Baba'i and Mr. `Ali Ahmadi (سیمین گرجی، علی احمدی و پریسا بابایی), all Bahai residents of Qaemshahr, have been freed on bail. At the time of their arrests, the accusation against them was participation in Bahai administrative activities. Following searches of the three homes on October 23, Parisa Baba'i was arrested on November 3. Mr. Ahmadi was arrested on November 18 and held in solitary confinement from the time of his arrest. Mrs. Gorji was arrested on November 19.
Negar Salahi (نگار صالحی), a Bahai student in her first year of a course in Information Technology, has been expelled from the University of Mazandaran. On December 10, university officials informed her that she had been expelled, giving the reason as "adherence to the Bahai Faith." Thus far, more than 20 Bahai students have been expelled this academic year. Dozens of others were refused enrollment, on the grounds that their forms were incomplete.
Farhud Ishtiyaq ( فرهود اشتیاق), a Bahai from Isfahan who has been imprisoned in Mashhad for the past five months, has been released on bail. He was arrested on June 27, 2011, and then transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence's jail in Mashhad in June. For some time he was held in very bad conditions, and he was also deprived of some prisoners' rights such as regular visits and phone contact with his family. He had also been arrested previously, on February 28, 2011, and was released on bail of 50 million tuman (about 34,500 euros) on April 25.
Nader Kasani (نادر کسایی), a Bahai living in Semnan, was arrested on December 1 to begin serving a three-year sentence for his religious beliefs.
Shima Ranjbar ( شیما رنجبر), a first-year Bahai student of mechanical engineering for agricultural machinery at Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, has been expelled from the university because of her religious beliefs. In November she found that her name was not in the list of students, and on enquiring at the university administration, she was told that her file had been lost. Later she was told her file was with the University's security department, who in turn said it was with the Ministry of Education. On November 21 she was informed that she had been expelled because of her belief in the Bahai Faith.
Farham (Hadi) Ma`sumi and Wahdat Dana(افرهام معصومی و وحدت دانا), two Shiraz Bahais who were summoned to begin serving their 10-month sentences on November 30, have been transferred to another prison on the Southeastern edge of Shiraz, the Pir Banu prison. There is no information about conditions in this prison.
Keyvan Kerami (کیوان کرمی), a Bahai of Shiraz, was arrested by security forces on November 30 and taken to the Ministry of Intelligence's No. 100 detention centre. The agents went to his home in the morning, where his wife and 11-year old daughter were also present, and arrested him after confiscating his computer and mobile phone.
Khabarnavard adds that this arrest, like that of Ma`sumi, Wahdat Dana, and Afshin Ehsanayan (وحدت دانا، فرهام معصومی و افشین احسنیان), also arrested in Shiraz, is in connection with Mr. Kerami beginning to serve a 10-month sentence.
Iran Press Watch adds the name of Haleh Hushmandi (هاله هوشمندی), making five Bahais of Shiraz who are beginning their sentences.
Mr. Ian C. Semple, a noted Bahai speaker and a member of the Universal House of Justice from the time of its first election in 1963 until his retirement in 2005, passed away today in Switzerland. He was 82 years old. He is married to Mrs. Louise Semple (nee Gloor) and leaves three children.
Born in 1928 in England, Mr. Semple did his national service in the British Army from 1947-50, earning a commission in the Royal Corps of Signals. He became a Bahai in 1950. He studied at Pembroke College, Oxford, obtaining a BA in German and French Language and Literature in 1952 and an MA in 1955. He subsequently studied accounting and became a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
In 1956, he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the British Isles in 1956, and served on it until he was elected to the International Baha'i Council at Ridvan in 1961. From 1957-61 he also served as a member of the Auxiliary Board for the propagation of the Baha'i Faith in Europe.
Farmam (Hadi) Ma`sumi and Wahdat Dana,(افرهام معصومی و وحدت دانا), two Shiraz Bahais, were summoned to begin serving their 10-month sentences today. Another Bahai of Shiraz, Afshin Ehsanayan (افشین أحسنیان) is due to report tomorrow to begin his 10-month sentence. They were arrested about two years ago and detained by the Ministry of Intelligence for some time before being released on bail.
Mrs. Shorareh Kashani-nezhad (شراره کاشانی نژاد) and her husband Pezhman Niku-nezhad ( پژمان نیکونژاد), Bahai residents of Babolsar, were arrested on June 4, 2011. She has now been sentenced to one year in prison, the sentence to be suspended for five years.
Recently officials of the Ministry of Information in Tabriz summoned Mr. Mithaqi (میثاقی ) and his wife for interrogation. Mr. Mithaqi is the son of Mr. Allahvardi Mithaqi (الله وردی میثاقی), who was executed in 1981 on charges of being a Bahai. After discussing community activities, the officials said that putting flowers on the graves of [Bahai] martyrs was considered a form of propaganda, and asked him not to lay flowers on the grave of his father and not to maintain the grave stone. The couple refused to comply, saying that the request was improper.
Mr. Allahvardi Mithaqi was an educator, and a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Tabriz. He was married, and had five children. He was executed on July 29, 1981.
Recently Mr. Mi`ad Mahdizadeh (میعاد مهدی زاده), a resident of Shiraz presently serving in the armed forces and deployed in Karaj, was arrested on charges of teaching the Bahai Faith, and was later released on a bail of 20 million tumans (almost 14,000 euros).
On November 19, Mr. Mazidi (آقای مزیدی), a teacher of agriculture at the Bahai Open University, was arrested. For an overview of the repression of Bahai educators in Iran, see the Bahai News Service report from November 7, and its links (in English).
November 26: RAHANA adds that he was arrested in Isfahan, and that his present whereabouts and status are unknown.
Faran Hesami (فاران حسامی), one of those arrested during the crackdown on the Bahai Open University (BIHE), has been freed on bail. Her husband Kamran Rahimian (کامران رحیمیان) was arrested at the same time, on September 13, 2011, and remains in prison. The couple have a two-year old child.
Del Aradarabi (آرا دارابی), a Bahai in the last semester of her studies in Physics at the Babolsar campus of the University of Mazandaran, has been expelled.
The home of Mirza Hassan Shams (میرزا حسن شمس) in the village of Isfandabad, in Abarkuh district, in central Iran, has been demolished. Mr. Shams is described in the report — by a quasi-official news agency close to the Revolutionary Guards – as the leader of the local Bahai assembly, which is impossible since these assemblies were dissolved following the 1979 revolution. According to the report, the house was destroyed by government authorities, and its destruction was welcomed in a petition from the people of the village, which cites the destruction of the home of the Bab in Shiraz as a precedent. The petition states the the villagers are pious Shiah Muslims, and had driven numerous Bahais out of the village even before the 1979 revolution. They had tried to destroy the house several times, but had unfortunately failed, and were now happy that it had been destroyed.
Given that the source is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, it is possible that the villagers' petition, may be fictional.
November 27: Iran Press Watch reports that the home was a historic building from the Qajar area, and had been razed to the ground.
A man described as a musical legend – whose 70-year career in jazz and film saw him work with the likes of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Walt Disney and Clint Eastwood – has died at his home in Kerikeri, New Zealand, aged 95.
Mr. Majid Majidi (مجید مجیدی), a Bahai from Mashhad, and Mr. Keyvan Dehqani (کیوان دهقانی), a Bahai from Isfahan who was living in Mashhad, have been released on bail. Mr. Majidi is one of the staff of Achilan Doors, who has been detained since January 31 this year. On November 20 he was freed on a bail of 500 million tuman (34,000 euros). He spent much of his time in prison in solitary confinement, and was denied the usual rights of prisoners such as contact with a lawyer and his family. The charges which have previously been cited were "causing economic disruption," "earnings from illegal sources" and "participation in the Bahai administration." Some other employees of Achilan Doors remain in prison, including Behrang Mahusni, and Farzad and Farnud Muhammadzade ( بهرنگ محسنی، فرنود محمد‌زاده، فرزاد محمد‌زاده).
Keyvan Dehqani was arrested in Isfahan on June 29 and transferred to prison in Mashhad. His sister, Anisa Dehqani (انیسا دهقانی) was also imprisoned in Mashhad from some time, early this year. Mr. Dehqani is said to have been released on bail recently.
There is still no clarity about the case of Farhud Ishtiyaq ( فرهود اشتیاق), another Bahai from Isfahan who is imprisoned in Mashhad, after being transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence there in June. He has been denied contact with his family for some time past. RAHANA reports that he is suffering from heart problems and Guuillain-Barre Syndrome.
For previous reports on the arrests and dismissals of Bahai employees at Achilan Doors, see the news summary for February and March 2011 on this blog.
On November 18, Mr. `Ali Ahmadi (علی احمدی) was arrested after reporting to the 'news' service of the Ministry of Intelligence in Qaemshahr. The next day, Mrs. Simin Gorji (سیمین گرجی) was arrested in the same way. On November 16, officers from the Ministry had visited their homes and asked them to go to the Ministry office to answer some questions, but after their arrest they were transferred under a 10-day temporary detention order to Kochu'i prison in Sari.
This is the third time Mr. Ahmadi has been arrested. On the first occasion he was sentenced to 10 months in prison, and on the second occasion he was acquitted. Mrs. Gorji has also been arrested previously, spending six months in solitary confinement in Kochu'i prison. The homes of Mr. Ahmadi, Mrs Gorji, and Saman Thabeti ( سامان ثابتی), in Qaemshahr, had been searched by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence on a previous occasion. Following those searches. Mrs. Gorji wrote a letter to Iran's Attorney General to protest the illegal searches.
Update, November 27: HRANA reports that the pair are still being held in prison.
The four men accused of involvement in the shooting of John Veira, a Bahai and the Director of Civil Aviation in Suriname, have all been freed. Two were acquitted entirely, and two received sentences equal to the time they had already spent in prison. A fifth man is still being sought in the case. John Veira's family indicated that they were deeply disappointed but would leave the matter in the hands of God.
December 3: NoSpang reports that The state prosecutor has announced he will appeal the acquittals. A fifth man, suspected of being the assassin, has been extradited to Surinam, and is expected to appear in court in December.
A spokeswoman for the Bahai community in the Netherlands has told Nieuwsuur, a Dutch television news programme, that the Dutch government has informed her that Iran has been tapping her telephone. The interview is due to be broadcast at 22.00 local time (GMT +1) on Nederland 2. Other topics will include the persecution of the Bahais in Iran, and a contribution from Nobel prize winner Shirin Ebadi.
Mrs. Elham Ruzbehi, Mr. Sepehr Sobhani and Mr. Puya Tabayaniyan (الهام روزبهی (متعارفی)، آقای سپهر سبحانی و آقای پویا تبیانیان), all residents of Semnan, were summoned to the local office of the Ministry of Intelligence and interrogated for two hours before being released. Elham Ruzbehi was arrested on March 12 this year, following a search of her home and the seizure of some of her personal effects. She is the sister in law of Mr. Behnam Mut'arefi (بهنام متعارفی), who has been in prison since July, 2010. Mr. Tabayaniyan was arrested on March 8, 2009. He was later sentenced to two years in prison, and was granted a conditional release on April 29, 2010. It is not known how long he remained in prison, however it appears he was again detained, on March 12 this year, and that he was released on June 21.
Mr. Vahid Mukhtari (وحید مختاری) has been released in Karaj, after refusing to promise not to work with the Bahai Open University (BIHE). He had previously been detained in connection with his work for the BIHE, and was later summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence in Karaj, subjected to an interrogation, and put under pressure to make a written commitment not to work with the BIHE in the future. He declined to do so and was released after two hours.
On October 4, Mr. Fakhr ad-Din Samimi (فخرالدین صمیمی), a Bahai resident of Qaemshahr in Iran's northerly Mazandaran province, began serving his six-month prison sentence. He was arrested on May 31st, 2010, and released on bail on June 25 that year. On September 13, 2010, he was found guilty of propagating the Bahai Faith and sentenced to six months in prison.
On September 29, the homes of four Bahais in Isfahan were raided, and 23 people were detained. Two of these were friends of Bahais, who were present at the time in the home of Mr. Dariush (داریوش). They were taken away blindfolded. Numerous photos, Baha'i books and other materials were confiscated. One of the two who were friends of the Bahais was also arrested. The full story on Bahai News gives the names of those arrested, which I will not transliterate here: one is a 14-year old girl.
Later that evening, several officers accompanied Mr. Ata'ollah Daneshgiri (عطاءالله دانشگر) to his home, where they confiscated Bahai materials including books, and his computer. Then they took him back to the prison, where he was interrogated for four days.
On the same evening, officers forced an entry to the home of Mr. Farzad Ruhani (فرزاد روحانی), ignoring the objections of his son. They seized materials relating to the Bahai Faith. At about same time, government officers raided the home of Mr. Husayn Ruhani (حسین روحانی), the father of Farzad Ruhani. They seized all books and other items relating to the Bahai Faith, including a Bahai ring taken from the hand of Mrs. Ruhani. They insisted that those present should contact Mr. Husayn Ruhani, and when he returned home, he was arrested.
The next day, six of those detained were released. A seventh, Mrs Anisa Daneshgar (انیسا دانشگر) was released and then arrested again and taken to prison. On October 1, four more of the detainees were freed.
The health of Mehran Bandi (مهران بندی), a Bahai from Yazd who has been serving a prison sentence in Khash prison is very poor, due to a series of heart problems. He was arrested in Yazd on August 15, 2008, and has been held in prison since then. He was first held in temporary detention for more than 3 months, of which more than 40 days were in solitary confinement. He has been admitted to an intensive care unit several times, with heart and respiratory problems. While in the general wing of Yazd prison, he had a heart attack. The coroner and several other qualified doctors have said that his health is not good enough for him to serve his prison sentence, but the judiciary and the Ministry of Intelligence have declined to suspend his sentence. His family were told that he would not be eligible for this.
Further information has become available about the refusal to permit the burial of Fatimah Sultan Za'iri (فاطمه سلطان زائری) in Tabriz according to Bahai rites. The day after her death, Tabriz cemetery officials said the burial could take place next day, and designated a plot. Officials did not say that permission for burial according to Bahai religious practices (in a coffin) had not been granted until the family and guests had already gathered at the cemetery. The burial ceremony did not take place, and those who had gathered left the cemetery. Mrs. Za'ri's son, Iraj Cherakhi ( ایرج چرخی) went to various government offices, including the Mayor's Office, City Hall, the Office of the Governor, the Governor General's office, the Islamic Council of Tabriz, and the Friday prayer leader of Tabriz, but he was told that the decision was final. Following his appeals, the Friday prayer leader of Tabriz wrote to the cemetery officials to say that, if the family did not remove the body, the cemetery officials should do this. When the family members heard this, they went to Miandoab, identified the body, and buried it according to Bahai rites.
Mrs. Wajiheh Golpour (وجیهه گلپور), a Bahai resident of Sari, was freed from Sari prison on September 29. She was arrested on August 20.
Hannana Kana`ani (حنّانه کنعانی), a Bahai student at Mashhad University, was expelled recently. Her efforts to obtain a hearing have thus far been fruitless.
Rozita Vaseghi and Nahid Qadiri (رزیتا واثقی و ناهید قدیری), two Bahai women from Mashhad who are already serving 5 year prison sentences for their faith, have been sentenced to five additional years in prison. They were first arrested in August 2005. Before being transferred to Mashhad prison, Mrs. Vaseghi spent more than six months in solitary confinement in the hands of the Ministry of Intelligence in Mashhad.
Two other Bahai women from Mashhad, Noura Nabilzadeh and Sonya Ahmadi ( نورا نبیل زاده وم سونیا احمدی), who had been free on bail, have both been sentenced to five years in prison. They were among eight Bahais who were tried in a closed court in Mashhad on December 20, 2010. Two friends of these Bahais were also tried. They appealed the verdict. Mrs. Nabilzadeh was arrested on June 22, 2010, and freed on bail on September 19. She was granted a new trial. Mrs. Ahmadi was arrested on November 2, 2009, and released on bail on February 2, 2010.
Sahba Muttahedin (صهبا متحدین), a Bahai student of industrial engineering at the University of Qazvin, was expelled on September 19.
Parisa Baba'i (پریسا بابایی), a Bahai resident of Qaemshahr, was arrested this morning and transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence facilities in Sari. Yesterday, security officials came to her home and asked her to report to Ministry offices at 8 a.m. today, November 3. When she presented herself, she was arrested. Her home had been previously been searched by officers from the Ministry of Intelligence.
Samira Gholami (سمیرا غلامی), a Bahai student in the second year of a course in mechanical engineering, was expelled from the University of Sirjan, in Kerman province, on October 30. A few days earlier, university officials had summoned her for interrogation regarding her religious beliefs.
Early on November 1, security forces arrived at the home of Dhatullah Akbari (ات الله اکبری), a Bahai resident of Sari. They searched it and seized religious literature and photographs, as well as family CDs and photo albums, and a certificate. Then two of them left the home and searched Mr Akbari's work place, taking him with them. On the same day, security forces went the home of Kamal Akbari («کمال اکبری), another Bahai resident in Sari, and searched it. They seized books and CDs relating to the Bahai Faith.
After entering the house with curses and threats, the officers searched the house very thoroughly, including even the refrigerator, and seized a computer, religious CDs and tapes, car papers and a users manual, religious books and leaflets, scientific books, especially books on the law, all the posters and pictures relating to the Bahai Faith, including even a wall clock with a picture of the Lotus Temple on its face, and educational diplomas and other documents. At 1 p.m., Ali Ahmadi came home and discovered what had happened.
Three more businesses associated with Bahais in Semnan have been closed. An industrial tool shop managed by Ali Tabiyaniyan (علی تبیانیان) was closed by local authorities on October 27, on instructions from the Ministry of Intelligence. The reason given was failure to comply with clause 28: no further specifics were given. Similarly, on October 26, stores belonging to Leydar Tabiyaniyan and Sepher Sobhani ( لیدر تبیانیان و سپهر سبحانی) were closed, without any specified reason. A store belonging to Afrasiyab Sobhani (افراسیاب سبحانی), which local authorities had previously threatened with closure unless he was present in the shop at all times, was closed definitively on October 24. These closures are a new stage in a sequence of government actions against the Bahais of Semnan, beginning on September 3 when, in a large-scale operation, local government officials inspected all the stores belonging to Bahais in the city. According to one of these officials, they were told to search every corner to find a pretext for closure.
Staff from the Ministry of Intelligence have telephoned a number of Bahais in Sanandaj, demanding that they completely cease all commercial activities. Mrs. Shohreh Ra'ufi, Sudabeh Moudati and Parvaneh Rahmani (شهره رئوفی، سودابه مودتی و پروانه رحمانی) were accused of promoting the Bahai Faith through their commercial activities. They were told that, if they did not close their businesses, more serious steps might be taken against members of their families. There was even an explicit warning that Shohreh Ra'ufi's young daughter might suffer the consequences. Such threats against the Bahais of Sanandaj have been made previously. When Mr. Sama Ra'ufi (سما رئوفی) was being interrogated, he was threatened with unpleasant consequences. In the event, he was arrested and then transferred on October 5.
For the past several months, efforts are being made to seize the Bahai cemetery in Sanandaj. First the Ministry of Intelligence, and then the city's department for the environment have pressured the Bahais to hand over the land.
Government officials in Tabriz have refused to issue a permit to bury the body of Khalil Nourmuhammadi Shisheban (خلیل نورمحمدی شیشوان), who died in hospital in Tabriz on October 25, in the Wadi Rahmat cemetery. The asked his children either to bury his body according to Islamic rites in the Wadi Rahmat cemetery, or to take his body to the city of Miandoab, which lies about 160 km south of Tabriz. Bahai teachings do not allow either moving a body long distances for burial (more than one hour's travel), or burying the body of a Bahai in ways contrary to the Bahai burial rites. On October 27, Mr. Shisheban's body was transported to Miandoab mortuary without his family's consent. The report notes that a similar situation has occurred once in the past, and that HRANA has heard reports of another case in recent days. Bahais have been buried in the Wadi Rahmat cemetery, according to Bahai rites, since 1969, and the Bahais of Tabriz share in the cost of construction and maintenance of the cemetery.
In Isfahan, three Bahais were released on bail on October 23, after more than 100 days in detention. They are Navid Parvini, his wife Negar Sobhaniyan, and Farshid Badakhsh (نوید پروینی، نگار سبحانیان و فرشید بدخش). The bail was set at 50 million tumans (33,000 euros). They were among a number of Bahais arrested in Isfahan on July 12, 2011, at a Bahai celebration — the Feast of Words — held at the home of Navid Parvini. The interrogations of these three were completed on August 20, yet their detention continued for almost two months. Keyvan Dehqani (کیوان دهقانی), one of those detained at the time, was transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence's facilities in Mashhad several weeks ago, and remains in detention there. Farhud Ishtiyaq (فرهود اشتیاق), another Bahai from Isfahan who was transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence in Mashhad, in July this year, is still held there, in a state of uncertainty.
Azizullah Samandari (عزیزالله سمندری), a Bahai from Tehran, has been sentenced to five years in prison. He was arrested on January 14, 2009, along with eleven other Bahais in Tehran, and held for some time for interrogation in solitary confinement. The charges against him were "participating in the Bahai sect," "attempting to establish and run a computer programme" (presumably, an educational programme), and "technical support for the Bahai Open University (BIHE). However KhabarNavard reports the charges as membership of the Bahai Faith, "endangering national security" and "copying CDs." KhabarNavard explains, "At his trial he was acquitted of all charges, but with the security forces conducting a widespread campaign against the Bahai Open University (BIHE), and the arrest of seven of its staff, it was announced that his case would be re-opened, with new accusations." Presumably, supporting the BIHE and running a computer course were among the additional charges.
23 November: the Bahai News Service states that his sentence has been confirmed by the review court.
Security officials have searched dozens of Bahai homes and work places in Rasht and have interrogated the Bahais. Thus far it is known that they have arrested Nadia Asadiyan, Shiva Kashani and Susan Badevam (نادیا اسدیان، شیوا کاشانی نژاد و سوسن بادوام). Several other Bahais have been temporarily detained in recent days, and more have been told they will be arrested shortly.
Officers from the Ministry of Intelligence in Qaemshahr, Iran, searched three Bahai homes there on October 23. They had warrants for the searches. The homes belong to Dhikrullah Baba'i, Simin Gorji and Saman Thabeti (ذکرالله بابایی، سیمین گرجی و سامان ثابتی). The officers seized computers, and religious books and photographs, and took the three Bahais away. Their whereabouts is unknown. The officers said that the accusation was participation in the administration of the Bahai community. This was dissolved after the 1979 revolution, and the informal facilitators who later assisted the Bahai community in dealings with authorities on matters such as burials also ceased their work in 2008, following the arrest of seven national facilitators ('Yaran'). Simin Gorji has written a letter of protest which is available in Persian on the HRANA site.
On October 17, intelligence agents and police in the town of Omidiyeh, in Khuzestan province, searched the home of Mr. Shokrollah Azizi (شکرالله عزیزی) and Mrs. Nasrin Sha'erzadeh ( نسرین شاعرزاده), and arrested the latter. They first went to her place of work and asked her to accompany them to her home, for which they claimed to have a search warrant. When she refused, saying she could not go with them without her husband present, they telephoned her husband to come home. When Mr. Azizi arrived, he found that the officers had already forced an entrance. When Nasrin Sha'erzadeh arrived, in the company of other officers, she and her husband were kept outside while their home was searched. The search was exceptionally unrestrained, resulting in total disorder. The officers seized a computer, all religious books, CDs, and satellite equipment. The couple were detained and questioned, and freed on bail to appear in court next day. Nasrin Sha'erzadeh was charged with propaganda against the Islamic Republic and possessing satellite equipment. She is free on bail, awaiting trial.
In a report released today, the Baha'i International Community documents and analyzes more than 400 press and media items over a 16-month period, that typify an insidious state-sponsored effort to demonize and vilify Baha'is, using false accusations, inflammatory terminology, and repugnant imagery.
The full report is available here in pdf format, but is rather heavy for those with slower connections. You can get a good idea of the type of vilification and images involved from 'Quirky and worse' on my Bahai studies blog, and from "The blood libel : Qom variant" and "Gold merchants and Iran's self-reinforcing anti-Bahaism" on this blog.
Houman Rahmanian (هومن رحمانیان) has become the latest Bahai student to be expelled from university in Isfahan. He was a student of computer science at the Technical University of Isfahan. He was summoned to the university and questioned about his religious beliefs, and told to return the following week. He was then told that he would be expelled unless he declared himself a Muslim. He is the third Bahai student to be expelled from this university this term. Five other Bahai students have been expelled from other universities in Iran this term.
Mr. Didar Ra'ufi ( دیدار رئوفی ), a Bahai resident of Tehran, began serving his 3-year sentence on October 16. His detention had been delayed for a month because of health issues. He has been convicted for membership of the Bahai community of Iran and propagating the Bahai Faith. He was one of 12 Bahais arrested in Tehran on January 12, 2009, and released on bail in March 2009. The bail was unusually high, at about 49,000 euros.
Seven members of staff and assistants at the Bahai Open University (BIHE) in Iran have been sentenced over the past two days. Mr. Kamran Morteza'i and Wahid Mahmudi(کامران مرتضایی و وحید محمودی) were sentenced to five years in prison. Mr. Riaz Sobhani, Mahmud Badevam, Ramin Ziba'i, Farhad Sadeqi and Mrs. Nushin Khadem (ریاض سبحانی، محمود بادوام، رامین زیبایی، فرهاد صدقی و خانم نوشین خادم) were sentenced to four years in prison. Last week, all those named were transferred to Rajai Shahr prison, near Tehran, except that Mrs. Nushin Khadem was taken to Evin prison for women, in Tehran.
Over the past few months more than 20 people have been arrested in connection with their work for the University, which offers education to those who are excluded from public institutions because they are Bahais. Close to 50 people have been summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence, and some premises affiliated with the University have been closed down.
October 19: the Bahai News Service now has a report in English.
Bashir Ehsani ( بشیر احسانی ), a Bahai student excluded from education, and an educational rights activist, has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment by a court in Tehran. He is at present free on bail, following his trial.
He was charged with gathering and colluding contrary to national security (he is a member of the PCED, an educational rights organisation), and with disturbing public order and possessing a satellite dish. However another report from his trial said that he was acquitted of charges of assembly and conspiracy, acting against national security and propaganda against the regime. It is unclear whether the five year sentence is levied soley for "disturbing public order and possessing a satellite dish," or the court has sentenced him for things it has found him not guilty of.
Mr. Ehsani is one of the Bahais arrested after the Ashura protests of 2009, which the regime tried to blame on a Bahai conspiracy. He was arrested on 10 February 2010, and held for 27 days in Evin prison in Tehran before being released on bail. In March of 2010 his home was again searched by security agents.
Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani has twice refused to recant his Christian faith during two court hearings held in Rasht, Gilan Province on 25 and 26 September. Sources indicate that recanting will again be demanded at sessions scheduled for 27 and 28 September, and that if he continues to refuse, he will be executed thereafter.
Pastor Nadarkhani was tried and found guilty of apostasy (abandoning Islam) in September 2010 by the court of appeals in Rasht. At the appeal in June 2011, the Supreme Court of Iran upheld Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's sentence, but asked the court in Rasht to re-examine whether or not he had been a practicing Muslim adult prior to converting to Christianity. The Supreme Court's decision included provision for annulment of the death sentence if Pastor Nadarkhani recanted his faith.
Raha Sabet (رها ثابت), a Bahai and social development activist, has been freed after serving a four-year sentence, most of it in solitary confinement in "Detention centre 100" in Shiraz. She was arrested on May 19, 2006, and held for a while before being released on bail. On November 19, 2007 she was summoned along with two colleagues, Sasan Taqva and Haleh Rouhi (ساسان تقوا و هاله روحی) to court to answer some questions, and without further ado taken to prison to serve sentences. She, and more than 50 other youth from Shiraz, had been active in the disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Shiraz, helping to get children to school and giving classes in morals, health, drawing, storytelling and music. They also worked with the mothers of these children in the fields of health and literacy. She and her two colleagues were sentenced to 3 years for participating in an illegal group, and to 1 year for propaganda against the regime. Sasan Taqva and Haleh Rouhi were released last year.
In recent days, Shahnaz Ranjbar and Farhad Sana'i (شهناز رنجبر و فرهاد سنایی), two Bahai residents of Qaemshahr have been sentenced. Mr. Sana'i was sentenced to five months in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime, while Mrs. Ranjbar was fined 300,000 tuman (about 200 euros).
Mona Mo`meni (منا مومنی), a student who has reached the seventh semester at the Medical University in Shiraz, has been expelled because she follows the Bahai religion.
Bahai News Service (Persian), September 25.
Four Bahai men in Yazd were arrested on August 26. They are named as Shamim Etehadi (25 years old, Milad Aqdasi (23), Adib Maqimi (17) and Vafa Bandi (15) ( شمیم اتحادی، میلاد اقدسی، ادیب مقیمی، وفا بندی). They had gone tramping in a mountainous area near Yazd. All four were freed on bail on August 31.
Ruhollah and Bashir Tashkir ( روح الله و بشیر تشکر), students at Isfahan's technical university, have been told they cannot enroll for the coming term. They were also summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence in Isfahan.
Mrs. Noura Daneshger (نورا دانشگر), a Bahai resident of Isfahan, has been freed after posting bail of 50 million tuman (about 35,000 euros) and pledging not to engage in activities against the common weal or the regime. She was summoned on June 27, and interrogated and arrested on the same day.
Bahai News Service, September 25.
Hushang Mithaqiyan ( هوشنگ میثاقیان ), a member of staff at the BIHE who was arrested in Shiraz on May 29, has been freed.
On September 4, Mrs. Kuchek Rahim-Niya, Mrs. Nazeli Rahim-Munshi, Mr. Husayn-Ali Dalavar-Munshi, Mr. Sarvan Havasi and Mr. Nirumand Rastin (خانم کوچک رحیم نیا، خانم نازلی رحیمی منش، آقای حسنعلی دلاورمنش، آقای سروان حواسی و آقای نیرومند راستین), all Bahai residents of Kota, were summoned to court and asked to renounce ownership of their farms. When they refused to comply, Mrs. Kuchek Rahim-Niya, Mrs. Nazeli Rahim-Munshi and Mr. Husayn-Ali Dalavar-Munshi were imprisoned. The two women were later freed on bail, but Mr. Dalavar-Munshi was taken to prison in Yasuj.
It is not clear whether this account refers to the earlier report that a number of Bahais were imprisoned, and their farms seized, but were later released and their land returned, or is a separate incident in a campaign of harassment.
Mr. Mas`ud Mahmudi (مسعود محمودی), a Bahai resident of Shirvan, in Iran's North Khurasan province, has been freed after providing bail of 100 million tuman (about 69,000 euros). He was arrested on August 29 and freed on September 12. His arrest apparently related to participation in the work of the Open University, the BIHE.
Keyvan Rahimiyan and Shakib Nasrutallah (شکیب نصرالله و کیوان رحیمیان), two teachers at the Bahai Open University (BIHE) in Iran, who were arrested on September 13, were freed on bail on September 21. This leaves nine Bahais still in prison in Iran for participating in the work of the university.
Ramin Eydelkhani (رامین ایدلخانی), a Bahai from Parsabad, in the city of Ardabil, Iran, has been sentenced to two years in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime and insulting Iran's Supreme Leader (Khamene'i). He was also barred from living in the Province of Ardabil for five years. He was summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence in Ardabil on May 5, 2010. His wife, Ahdiyyeh Rashdi-Rad (عهدیه راشدی راد) was imprisoned when she enquired about the whereabouts of her husband, and was freed on bail after 10 days.
On August 29, Mr. Mas`ud Mahmudi (مسعود محمودی), a Bahai resident of Shirvan, in Iran's North Khurasan province, was arrested. The arrest related to the educational work of the Bahai 'open university,' the BIHE.
Mrs. Wajihat Golpour (وجیهه گلپور), a Bahai resident of Sari, was arrested on August 20, following a search of her home by three security officers. She is the wife of Wajeh-ullah Mirza Golpour (وجیه الله میرزا گلپو), who was arrested on April 28 and held in Tonekabon prison until he was freed on bail on May 9.
In Bojnurd, the capital city of North Khorasan province, Iran, officers from the Ministry of Intelligence have searched the homes of two Bahai residents, Mahmud Shahidi and Houshmand Thena'i (محمود شهیدی و هوشمند ثنائی). They seized video cameras, and CDs, books and images relating to the Bahai Faith.
Update, Sept. 20: HRANA adds that there was a third house search, four days later, in the city of Qaemshahr, where the home of Feyrouzeh Hashemi (فیروزه هاشمی) was searched.
The review court has confirmed the six month sentence imposed on Fakhr ad-Din Samimi (فخرالدین صمیمی), a Bahai resident of Qaemshahr in Iran's northerly Mazandaran province. He was charged with propagating the Bahai Faith.
Babak Sharifi-Niya (بابک شریفی نیا), a Bahai youth living in Qaemshahr, has been dismissed from his job in a pharmacy following the intervention of the Ministry of Intelligence. He was summoned to the Ministry's offices in Mazandaran to answer some questions, and was supposedly dismissed for failing to cooperate with the Ministry.
Mrs. Haleh Houshmandi (هاله هوشمندی) and Mssrs. Keyvan Karami, Farmam (Hadi) Ma`sumi, Wahdat Dana, Afshin Ehsanayan and Kavus Dahgham ( کیوان کرمی، فرهام (هادی) معصومی، وحدت دانا، افشین احسنیان و کاووس ضرغام), all Bahai residents of Shiraz, have been summoned to begin serving 10-month prison sentences which had previously been suspended. Mrs. Houshmandi, Mr. Ehsanayan and Mr. Ma`sumi were among the 54 young people arrested in Shiraz in 2006 for teaching underprivileged children there. Mr. Karami was arrested in February, 2009, after a search of his home, and Mr. Dana was arrested in April 2009. This is the first report of the arrest of Mr. Dahgham: no further details are available.
Ava Tavakoli, a Bahai student of Anesthesiology at Hormozgan University of Medical Science and a resident of Bandar-Abbas, has been expelled due to her faith after 4 semesters. She was informed verbally that she has been expelled due to her faith by the officials of the University Admission Organization. The written letter will be sent to her college. She will not receive the expulsion document herself but her account for class registration will be deactivated.
Masrour Fazli and Farmoud Aqdasi (مسرور فضلی و فرهود اقدسی), two Bahai residents of Urmia (capital of the province of West Azerbaijan, in Northwest Iran) have been detained to begin serving their 6-MONTH sentences. They were charged with propaganda against the regime, and had been free on bail.
Sharheh Ruhani (شهره روحانی) scored 151 in Persian language in Iran's university entrance examinations. But after the results had been announced, she was excluded from further participation because, as a Bahai, she had no right to attend university.
On September 7, a shop in Semnan belonging to Afshin Iqani and Peyman Shadman (افشین ایقانی و پیمان شادمان) was closed by the authorities because the owners are Bahais. A shop belonging to Peyman Shadman had previously suffered arson attacks three times, and is now being rebuilt. On September 12, Afshin Iqani was taken into custody at Semnan prison, to begin serving a prison sentence there. In the past few weeks, 3 other businesses belonging to Bahais in Semnan have been arbitrarily closed.
Update, Sept. 24: HRANA reports numerous closures of Bahai businesses in Semnan, including Zeis optical equipment shop, plastic goods shops, hairdressers, filter element sellers, and stationary stores.
November 1: The Bahai News Service in Persian has its own list of the businesses closed.
On September 13, Faran Hesami, Keyvan Rahimiyan, Shakib Nasrutallah and Kamran Rahimiyan (فاران حسامی، کیوان رحیمیان، شکیب نصرالله و کامران رحیمیان)were detained after answering a court summons delivered by telephone two days previously. They were transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran. They had been voluntary teachers at the disbanded Bahai Open University (BIHE), in the field of behavioural sciences. All four were dismissed from their day jobs in NGOs, following threats from the Ministry of Intelligence to their employers.
The Bahai News Service (in Persian) states that they were told they were regarding as practicing psychology without a license.
Update, Sept 24: Iran Press Watch has an account in English, naming the four as Shakib Nasrollah, Keyvon Rahimian, Kamran Rahimian and Faran Hesami. IPW's spelling is likely to reflect the pronunciation of the names correctly.
On August 10, five Bahais who had been arrested in Isfahan for participating in social development work were released on bail. The five are named as Yeganeh Agahi, Matin Haqiri, Soroush Bayati and Matin Janmeyan ( یگانه آگاهی، متین حقیری، سروش بیاتی، متین جانمیان), all men, and Mrs. Parisa Muqaddas ( پریسا مقدس).
In the mountainous province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, in Iran, a number of Bahais were recently imprisoned, and their farms seized. They were later released and their land has now been returned to them. The authorities have given them permission to gather the harvest.
In addition, five other Baha'is who are all originally from Boyer-Ahmad, but now live in Lar, Isfahan and Yasuj, have been arrested. It was initially believed that the arrest of the five related to the issue of the farms. However, it later became clear that they have been accused of immorality. No further information is available.
The prison sentence of Mr. Sina Girshaseb ( سینا گرشاسبی ) has been confirmed by the review court. Mr. Girshaseb had recently returned from Canada to Tenakbon, in Iran's northern province of Mazandaran. He was summoned to court and sentenced to six months in prison, on charges of leaving Iran without permission. It is not clear whether he is already serving this term in prison.
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland is pleased to announce a search for the next holder of the Bahá'í Chair for World Peace. The mission of the Chair is to study and apply innovative approaches to peace in fields such as human security, peace education, conflict resolution, international development, and spiritual awareness.
Inaugurated in 1993, the Bahá'í Chair conducts and publishes research, designs and teaches courses, organizes seminars and international conferences and serves as an interdisciplinary forum for the expression of a broad range of views.
There is no closing date for applications: the position is open until filled. However, for best consideration, a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the name and e-mail addresses for a minimum of three professional references should be submitted by November 30, 2011 to https://jobs.umd.edu.
Afshin Iqani ( افشین ایقانی ) has reported to Semnan Prison after his 4 year, 3 month and 1 day prison sentence was upheld by the appeals court. He was arrested on January 5, 2010 and was released on bail on February 28, 2010. He was convicted on charges of disturbing national security and propaganda against the regime by supporting anti-regime groups. The verdict also indicated that all possessions of Mr. Iqani which are related to his charges will be confiscated.
On March 12, 2009, Ministry of Intelligence agents has visited Mr Iqani's shops, confiscated half of his goods and asked him to sell the remaining items before the start of Iranian new year (March 21).
On 10 September, Abdolfattah Soltani, human rights lawyer and a founding member of the Defenders of Human Rights Center was arrested. Mr. Abdolfattah Soltani is a senior member of the legal team representing the BIHE prisoners: Bahai academics who face vague charges of threatening national security for teaching biology, engineering, architecture and other academic disciplines to young Bahais excluded from university education because of their religion.
Soltani's wife, Massoumeh Dehghan, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that security forces also illegally entered his offices, and confiscated several of his personal and family documents. Abdolfattah Soltani has represented several political and human rights activists, including Akbar Ghanji, Zahra Kazemi, Zahra Baniyaghoub, and Haleh Esfandiari. He was earlier arrested in 2009 and released after two months.


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Join in WNC Driver's License Restoration efforts – Free CLE
By: Pisgah Legal Services about 4 weeks ago
Pisgah Legal Services is working to address the Driver's License Suspension crisis in our region and invites local attorneys to join us in helping our neighbors who are most affected by this crisis.
Driver's License Suspension Crisis: In 2018 more than 1,225,000 across our state with active driver's license suspensions for failure to pay traffic fines and court costs. These suspensions constitute about 15% of all adult drivers in the state. Since 1995 there has been a 260% increase in the General Court of Justice Fee (District). Many of our lower-income neighbors cannot pay fines and fees and, therefore, go without a driver's license for years.
Impact of Driver's License Suspension: A driver's license suspension can lead to job loss, barriers to medical services, high transportation costs and long commute times, and criminal-justice involvement. According to the Administrative Office of the Courts, when a traffic court debt is not paid within a year, it is not likely to ever be paid. The average length of a license suspension for failure to pay in NC is more than 8 ½ years.
Catastrophic Racial Disparities: Households of color are disproportionately impacted by traffic debt and long-term suspensions disproportionately affect people of color. Statewide Black or African-American drivers had active suspensions for unpaid courts costs and fines at a rate 4 times higher than white, non-Hispanic drivers. In Buncombe County the rate is 5 times higher for Black drivers.
You can learn more at www.ncprobono.org/drive/story.
Providing Relief – Restoring Driver's Licenses: Pisgah Legal Services is launching a Driver's License Restoration (DLR) Project in Western North Carolina. We need your help to restore our neighbors' driver's licenses through legal advice and representation.
FREE CLE: Pisgah Legal is hosting a free Driver's License Restoration CLE for volunteer attorneys on Friday, January 21st, 11am to 1pm on Zoom. The CLE will provide an overview of the license suspension crisis in NC and pro bono models of driver's license restoration, including legal clinics and individual representation and mass relief debt remittance. In this CLE we will train volunteers to review driver's DMV records and advise them on their options. The training will also provide background for representing individuals to restore their license. This CLE is free for volunteer attorneys and $50 for others. Presenters include: PLS Staff Attorney Ed Treat, Restorative Justice Director at the NC Pro Bono Resource Center Leigh Wicclair and Attorney Blake Marcus, Managing Partner at Minnick Law in Asheville. CLE credit approval from the NC Bar is pending.
A WAY TO HELP
Following the CLE Pisgah Legal Services will assign two initial DLR advice cases to each interested volunteer attorney. PLS staff attorney Ed Treat will support volunteers to review DMV records and write advice letters for their clients. Volunteers will then meet with their clients via phone, Zoom or in person to review the advice letter. This is a good introduction to a high impact legal service that can help make our region a safer and more equitable place for all. Advice for individuals with suspended licenses makes a difference.
REGISTER HERE Driver's License Restoration CLE. After the CLE you can decide if you'd like to assist pro bono clients in our initial advice clinic.
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Supreme Court of North Carolina Issues an Administrative Order Regarding Recusal Motions
The Supreme Court of North Carolina has issued an administrative order regarding motions for the disqualification or recusal of supreme court justices. The order indicates that the Court shall assign the motion to the justice who is the subject of the motion for their determination. Read the administrative order here.
Administrative Order For Jury Trial Resumption
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE COUNTY OF BUNCOMBE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION TWENTY-EIGHTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER December 20, 2021 Re: Jury Trial Resumption in the District Courts of Buncombe County Consistent with 7A-146, the Chief District Court Judge has the authority to the administrative and operational direction of the District [...]
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The following new attorneys were recently sworn in by District Court Judge Ed Clontz: Shelly Cridlin, Morgan Marshall, and Alyson Merlin. Welcome to the Buncombe County Bar!
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Grimes Teich Anderson Attorneys On Super Lawyers List
Grimes Teich Anderson LLP is pleased to announce that four attorneys have been selected for the 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers® list. Henry (Hank) Teich and Anna Hamrick, both North Carolina Board Certified Workers' Compensation Law Specialists, are listed for Workers' Compensation Law – Plaintiffs. Scott Anderson is listed for Personal Injury General – Plaintiff, [...]
Six Roberts & Stevens attorneys selected for inclusion on 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
Roberts & Stevens is pleased to announce that six of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2022 North Carolina Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than five percent of lawyers from all across the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Attorneys selected to [...]
Jamie Whitlock Recognized in Business North Carolina's 2022 Legal Elite
Davis & Whitlock, P.C., is pleased to announce that firm partner Jamie Whitlock has been recognized in the 2022 edition of Business North Carolina's Legal Elite, a listing of the state's best practitioners in their fields. This year, only 3 percent of the state's 28,000 active attorneys were selected for Legal Elite recognition. For the [...]
Nine MWB Attorney Recognized as 2022 Legal Elite by Business North Carolina Magazine
Seven Roberts & Stevens attorneys recognized in Business North Carolina's 2022 Legal Elite
Roberts & Stevens is pleased to announce that seven of its attorneys — William "Billy" Clarke, Mary Robinson Hervig, Ann-Patton Hornthal, Gregory D. Hutchins, Susan Russo Klein, Carolyn Clark Snipes, and Wyatt S. Stevens — have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2022 edition of Business North Carolina's Legal Elite, a listing [...]
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'Defund the police' painted outside Hamilton city hall as activists gather peacefully ahead of police board meeting
By Teviah MoroSpectator Reporter
Kate McCullough
Sebastian BronThe Hamilton Spectator
Thu., July 23, 2020timer4 min. read
The Hamilton police board is defending the service's track record on mental-health calls, use of force and its work in schools as a campaign aimed at defunding its budget sustains pressure.
More than 100 protesters gathered outside city hall Thursday to call for the reallocation of police funds to other services like housing, mental health and education just as board members settled in for an agenda packed with reports.
The demonstration — which blocked about 200 metres of Main Street — resonated with such rallying cries as "Black Lives Matter" and "defund, disarm, dismantle — abolish."
The protest culminated with activists painting in capital, yellow letters, "Defund the police," in the middle of the street — a message that the city said it would remove in the "interest of public safety" due to the slippery paint.
Deputy chief Frank Bergen later told reporters police planned to investigate the incident.
"Our job is crime prevention, and if people are feeling comfortable enough to affix graffiti or paint or anything like that onto statues or onto our roadways, that is a criminal code offence of mischief."
Earlier, board vice-chair Don MacVicar responded to a raft of letters — 297 of them — calling for police reform, body-worn cameras and redirection of funds. Some, he noted, were in opposition to those sentiments.
"At this time, I want to thank each and very one of you who sent in a letter, as we appreciate your feedback and we are listening and trying to act."
Demonstrators, meanwhile, suggested nothing short of a significant change was necessary — including a 20 per cent cut to the $171-million city police budget.
"It's shameful that the city believes that much funding should be allocated to the police, when so many services in this city are underfunded," organizer Koubra Haggar said.
Greg Dongen took city councillor and police board member Chad Collins to task for arguing a 20 per cent reduction isn't feasible. "We say it's nothing but possible."
Dongen also argued those funds should be invested in the community "instead of put to use to bully the community."
Last month, Collins, in asking for a staff report that's expected in September, contended such a cut would "neuter" the service and put the public's safety in jeopardy.
On Thursday, Chief Eric Girt told reporters he "looked forward to community solutions that may or may not involve us, and if they can prevent that criminality through all those other means available, I look forward to what that would look like."
He added: "In the interim, we do have the obligation to handle these calls for service, whether it's mental health or whether it's criminal offences."
Thursday's packed agenda included staff presentations on use of force, the crisis response unit and youth crime — all pertinent to the climate of protest.
The death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man in Minneapolis police custody in May, sparked rallies around the world — including Hamilton — against systemic racism and in favour of reform.
Locally, the momentum has led to the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board ending a long-standing police liaison program in its schools after students argued it affected racialized youths adversely.
On Thursday, Girt said the initiative has enabled police to take a "proactive" approach to prevent crime, but noted the service would "respect" the board's decision.
The defunding movement has also trained a spotlight on how police respond to crisis calls, maintaining those situations are best left to mental-health professionals.
Girt said the service supports more mental-health funding and said it would be "happy to get out of the business, so to speak." However, police are still required for life-threatening calls, he added.
The chief also told the board the service's "three-pronged" crisis response unit has proven a trailblazer in pairing officers with paramedics and mental-health professionals.
The unit — which includes the Social Navigator, Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Unit and COAST — is "quite diverse" in its approaches.
The rapid response initiative, in particular, has responded to 2,691 people in crisis annually over five years. The percentage of patients taken to hospital has reduced to 17.2 per cent from 75.4 per cent in that period by referring them to community-based services.
In a presentation, Sgt. Steve Holmes said this drop was "quite staggering," noting the decline in apprehensions has taken pressure off emergency rooms.
Police board member and city councillor Tom Jackson called the overview a "gem for our community" that needs to be aired to a wider audience. But he added "there will always be protesters that are just anti-police."
Explaining the highlights of a year-end report on use of force, Sgt. Andrew Poustie noted officers used force in 1.9 per cent of criminal arrests last year. "We don't shoot to kill. We shoot to stop the threat."
Earlier Thursday, the grieving friends and family of Jason Peterson — a 42-year-old man police shot dead three weeks ago — issued a plea for answers during a news conference outside city hall.
The Special Investigations Unit, a provincial agency, is probing the shooting, which happened outside Corner's Variety on Cannon Street East and Gage Avenue North on July 7.
Reach The Spectator newsroom at 905-526-3420 or news@thespec.com


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Black Women are Eagerly Using the Votes They Fought For
Jillean McCommons
On 12/29/17 at 10:12 AM EST
Opinion Black Vote Alabama Racist
This article first appeared on the History News Network.
On December 12, 2017, Black women voted overwhelmingly for Democrat Doug Jones in his Alabama Senate race against Republican candidate Roy Moore.
Black women made up 17 percent of voters compared to white women, who made up 31 percent.
While 63 percent of white women voted for Moore—a man accused of sexual abuse and harassment by numerous women during their teenage years—98 percent of black women voted for Jones, helping him to win by a slim but decisive 1.5 percent margin.
Without the support of black voters, Jones would have lost the election, and Roy Moore would have been elected to the United States Senate. This would have had a detrimental effect on the lives of black Alabamians.
In September, Moore declared that his support of Trump's promise to "Make America Great Again" would involve a return to a time when slavery was legal and women had yet to win the franchise. Black women stopped him from winning the Senate race.
The voting power and progressive political thought of black women is an old tradition. In the United States, their history of participation in the passing of the nineteenth amendment has been lost in debates about whether the amendment helped them or was largely a victory for white women.
A woman casts her vote during Missouri primary voting at Jury Elementary School on March 15, 2016 in Florissant, Missouri. MICHAEL B. THOMAS/AFP/Getty
What these debates often leave out is the history of black participation in the suffrage movement. From the days of its inception, black women decided they would not be left out.
The historical record indicates that it was not an allegiance to white suffragists that determined whether black women participated, nor was it Republican Party loyalty. These assertions negate the intellectual work black women did to make political choices.
Black suffragists spoke for themselves to win the vote for themselves. This was done to win freedom from racism, classism and sexism.
Black women have always pushed the country to live up to that ideal. Their standing at the intersection of the most marginalized communities in the country ensures that, as they rise economically, politically, and socially, other marginalized communities will rise as well.
In her 1998 book, African American Women in the Struggle for the Vote, 1850-1920 , historian Rosalyn Terborg-Penn points out that black women began their struggle for voting rights while enslaved as abolitionists and after Emancipation as active participants in the women's suffrage movement.
Debates about the voting power of black women began before the nineteenth amendment, and black women in Colorado, Illinois, and California voted in local elections.
In the 1920 presidential campaign, Warren G. Harding sought the support of black women. Lethia C. Fleming, Mary B. Talbert, and Mary Church Terrell were some of the black women involved in that campaign.
Black women were also running for political office as early as 1920. In Seattle, Washington, Mrs. W. L. Presto was a candidate for the Washington state senate.
Terborg-Penn makes a crucial point about the political thought of black women in the 1920s. Black women were already "reflecting the growing socialist movement among intellectuals and professionals of the times." Black women were fighting for voting rights as women, black people, and progressives.
Once we understand their political strategies today, we can get closer to supporting them in their intentions to improve conditions for themselves and other women, the black community, and economically marginalized people nationally.
Black women continued to make a space for themselves in the political arena. The life and work of Fannie Lou Hamer decades after the suffrage movement demonstrates that by the mid twentieth century black women in the South were still struggling for the right to vote unharmed and unhampered.
Her speech at the 1964 Democratic National Convention shows that black women in the South were also struggling for representation in the Democratic Party. Her brave declarations and the larger Civil Rights Movement, made up significantly of black women across the nation, pushed President Lyndon B. Johnson to sign the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
This protective legislation led to more black women voting, and in places where black people made up the majority, black women were elected to office. Hamer was a member of the first policy council of the National Women's Political Caucus along with another black woman who was especially committed to exercising her right to run for political office: Shirley Chisholm.
Shirley Chisholm won office in New York State as an Assemblywoman in 1964. Four years later, she became the first black congresswoman in 1968 where she served for seven terms. In 1972, Chisholm became the first black woman to run for the office of President of the United States.
Historian Anastasia Curwood describes the political thought of Chisholm in her 2015 article, "Black Feminism on Capitol Hill: Shirley Chisholm and Movement Politics, 1968-1984."
Curwood notes that Chisholm understood the unique position black women held as black, female, and for a large part of the community, working class. Chisholm referred to this position as "twin jeopardy," a term influenced by Frances Beal. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s black women were political thinkers and actors.
Recent elections have shown that the political activity of black women is strong. What has changed since the rebellion against the Trump Administration is a deeper understanding of how dependent the Democratic Party is on black women's votes.
One organization, Higher Heights, is pushing the Democratic Party to recognize the strength of black women's votes. Higher Heights is an organization that advocates for the political participation and election of black women.
In an open letter to the Democratic National Committee chair, Tom Perez, published in May 2017, Higher Heights petitioned Perez to take black women's political contributions seriously by meeting with them to discuss their concerns. They argued that since black women overwhelmingly support the party's candidates, their support and representation should be increased within the party.
A day after the election of Doug Jones, Perez would declare on Twitter, "Black women are the backbone of the Democratic Party, and we can't take that for granted. Period."
People of color, poor people, and women account for the majority of people in this country. As black women vote and advocate for the candidates with their interests in mind, and as people trust their choices, the country will be pushed further to the political left.
So, it isn't so much that black women "turn out" to vote. It is who they choose, their political agenda, the political party that shares their agenda, and the savvy way with which they cast their votes. It isn't just that black women vote, it is that they choose freedom.
They choose freedom for themselves and for anyone affected by race, class, and gender in this country. Organizations like Higher Heights are aware and calling for others to go beyond being excited to directly supporting black women.
Black women must be recognized beyond the times they turn out to vote. That recognition must extend to change.
Jillean McCommons is a PhD student in the Department of History at the University of Kentucky.
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Avengers Assemble! At Oriental Wok?
Mark Ruffalo spotted at Tri-State restaurant
LAKESIDE PARK, Ky. – It's not every day Sammy Harmon goes to work at Oriental Wok and meets a customer who could bench press a building if he gets irate.
"It was insane," said the 19-year-old, who recently graduated from Covington Catholic High School.
Harmon quickly added, "He actually was pretty cool to be around."
The customer Harmon met isn't actually that strong. But his character is.
Actor Mark Ruffalo -- who famously portrays Bruce Banner and his alter ego the Incredible Hulk in the Marvel "Avengers" series of major motion pictures -- stopped by Oriental Wok at 317 Buttermilk Pike in Lakeside Park Wednesday.
Ruffalo most recently played the character in "Avengers: Infinity War," the third installment of the series.
Harmon said it was a total surprise when Ruffalo showed up at the business.
"I don't know why he was here," Harmon said. "I think he came in at seven and was there until nine."
Harmon said Ruffalo ate dinner with about nine other people. None of the Hulk's fellow Avengers, which include Thor, Iron Man, Captain America and Black Widow, were among Ruffalo's fellow patrons.
And unlike the second-to-last scene of the first Avengers' film, Ruffalo did not order a shwarma sandwich.
"I don't know what he ordered," Harmon said. "All I know was he was with the eight or nine other people and they got family style."
Oriental Wok co-owner Sussana Wong did not know why Ruffalo was in town either. She said he was very friendly.
"He was very gracious and took pictures with fans," she said.
Sussana And Michael Wong, along with children in the Wong Family, and Harmon each took photos with Ruffalo. Harmon said one of the owner's sons, an obvious fan of Ruffalo's work, received a signed memento from the actor.
"I think this was my first time getting to meet a major celebrity," Harmon said. "And for the most part, everyone kept their cool."


Chic on a Shoestring Decorating: Easy Halloween Ghost Cloches... Boo!!
Easy Halloween Ghost Cloches... Boo!!
Happy fall weekend, friends! Halloween is fast approaching so it is high-time I shared some of my spooky ghost cloches with you. This was another cheap and easy decoration if you have a cloche(s) already.
These were so super easy. I already had the cloches and pedastels so it was really inexpensive too!
I picked up some black cardstock paper at Wal-Mart for $3.47 but I would've used black construction paper if my kiddos would've had some in their art supplies. I already had a bag of poly-fil pillow stuffing that can also be found for about $3 bucks at Wally-World.
I used my fancy-schmancy and cheap cutting machine, scissors. I cut out rather sloppy looking ovals because I couldn't find a good oval to trace.
I stuck the ovals to the cloches with sticky tack but you could easily use double-sided tape. I used my creepy fabic "table runner" from the dollar store last year and picked up some spider webs for a buck. I already had the pumpkins too.
I also added a silvery-grey feather wreath from Joann's Fabric that I got for 70% off. It is so fabulous I want to hang it up all year long... going to have to think about that one.
I want to thank The Diary of Dave's Wife for giving me the inspiration for this vignette. Ingenious!!
LOL, it's adorable. Great idea.
They are too cute, love this idea!
DEFINTIELY GREAT!!! I will be coming back when I am not using my phone to pin one of these on pinterest for next year. Next year if we are still blogging that will give me a post to link to you! Thanks for sharing!
I love the cloche ghosts. They look like fun - I mean, frightening.
Oh, I love these! They are so cutesy instead of creepy! Love it!
This is BRILLIANT! Love it and I know my B's would get such a kick out of it, too!!! Thanks for sharing! And you'll have to check back in the next week or so b/c my wreath for Thanksgiving has some similarities to yours over the mantle! Can't wait to share!!! I'll be checking here again soon, too!!! I love your blog and am your newest follower!!
I love these! Chic but simple!
Just adorable and so easy. I pinned it so I could remember it for next year.
SO CUTE~ And I'm so envious of your feather wreath! I have been wanting one but don't want to pay an arm and a leg for one! I'll find one.
Fabulous Halloween post! Great job. Thanks for sharing.
Where can you buy glass cloches inexpensively? This is adorable!!


Yes, we love Disney, but sometimes that love can get in the way of others' enjoyment of the park. Sometimes, we love it so much that we do some things that really should be frowned upon.
Should You Purchase a Disneyland Annual Pass in 2019?
With hefty price hikes and system-wide changes in the works, Disney's 2019 passes may not be the penny-savers of years past.
Let's examine a crucial Turning Point, the instances when Disney sneakily introduced paid FastPasses at their theme parks.
Here's how DVC just changed and why it's terrible for members.
While advice on when to visit remains ever-changing, there is good news. There are still a number of times of year where one can visit Walt Disney World and find reasonably reduced crowds.
Take a look through our alphabetical dictionary below. Are there any of these terms you didn't know or hadn't heard? Which ones do you suspect would confuse your friends?
When imagining what the Walt Disney World of the future might look like, we must also ask ourselves this important question: Which attractions are likely to be the next ones to go?
Here are the baker's dozen must-eat restaurants at Walt Disney World.
Here are seven suggestions for incredible day trips off Disney property that should give you a unique vacation experience on par with that of any other location on planet earth. And, with such great diversity of options, there should be something for every kind of traveler.


It is higher this year than last and it only seems to affect young children. Colorado has the highest cases, so be on the lookout parents.
Have you heard about the 'Lady Killer'?
Hello one and all- Happy November! I know the calendar still says it is autumn, however I'd say winter is here with snow and temps in the mid to upper 20's and some lucky areas in the 30's. When I woke yesterday and saw the blanket of white accumulation I was awed by the beauty of it. Snow does seem to make life a little more tranquil I think…that is unless you have to go out into it. Okay enough about the weather.
Today lets talk about the 'Lady Killer' as described by Jennifer Hudson in the public service announcement that airs on t.v. occasionally, HEART DISEASE.
This health crisis affects both men and women but is often missed by women and their doctors, who don't recognize the symptoms they are experiencing as being those of heart disease since these symptoms can often be explained away as something less critical, since they mirror those of other health issues that are more minor. The reality though is that in both men and women Heart disease causes more deaths annually then all cancers combined. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) 398,035 women die each year in the U.S., that breaks down to one woman every minute of everyday the year who dies!
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), better known as hardening of the Arteries, caused by buildup of plaque within blood vessels that stick to and harden along the walls of arteries. Symptoms of CAD are more generally known and followed up on for men, however women can often experience different symptoms that are frequently attributed to a more minor condition and thus are overlooked.
It is important to familiarise yourself with Heart Health Facts. Our heart is the hardest working muscle in our bodies and we as a whole need to treat it as such. As has been said for generations 'An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.' Listen to your heart.
I hope this finds each of you doing as well as you can be. I'm sending each of you my wishes that today has been and is a great day and that your tomorrow is even better.
To ensure there aren't any unwanted guests.
Checking yourself is the key.
Terrible tricks cancer plays on the mind.
Will help to be sure you're in the clear.
Not checking monthly isn't worth the cost.
And searching for a cure is never done.
October…breast cancer awareness…yes…I will think pink!
As I spoke about earlier October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Recently the title of an article in the Everyday Health newsletter I receive daily caught my eye "Childhood Abuse Raises Risk of Adult Osteoarthritis". This drew me to it because I have been diagnosed with Osteoarthritis as well as Rheumatoid Arthritis/Disease, and growing up I experienced many different forms of abuse, physical, emotional, verbal and I witnessed the brutal abuse that was my parents marriage. So I decided to delve into this further.
Turns out that there have been a few studies surrounding Childhood abuse and the impacts that can affect an individual as an adult. I think one of the most considered effects is to the mind, an adult who survives an abusive childhood is likely to experience low self esteem, indecisiveness, an inability to control their temper and may often lash out. Additionally this adult survivor may experience a larger propensity for intimate relationship battles. One may also develop severe anxiety, depression and for some posttraumatic stress disorder.
Personally I'm a textbook example of an adult survivor, I have minimal self esteem, I have always been self deprecating, my marriages were very turbulent with the 2nd being the worst, I've been diagnosed with depression, and when my children and I were living in a transitional housing program after we lost our home to foreclosure, I through working with a therapist for the first time ever (I was at the time 45), was able to realize just how the occurances of abuse I experienced and witnessed as a child, were still affecting my everyday life on a mental level.
Now in my recent exploration of this topic I have also seen what could be yet another link to the reason for the issues I face to this day as far as my health is concerned. In addition to mental/emotional health, are my physical issues also a result of my childhood experience? A handful of non-clinical research suggests that there may be a link.
During the past few decades, researchers have demonstrated how trauma early in life can strongly impact and potentially trigger the development of chronic illness. In addition to mental illness, victims of child abuse are more susceptible to developing allergies and asthma, autoimmune disorders, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. It has also been suggested that people like me may be at risk of dying younger secondary to the chronic effects of inflammation. Several specific characteristics occur more frequently in victims of childhood abuse and might influence the development of chronic illness. These include poor sleep quality, elevated perceived stress, high body weight and small social networks. These factors have all been demonstrated to increase inflammation in victims of childhood abuse compared with non victims.
Of course I am not telling you that these are the reasons you and I may have the illness struggles we have, I'm simply asking is it related?
What do you think? I look forward to your answers in the comments.
'Til next time I hope you are having the greatest day possible and that your tomorrow is even better.
Acute flaccid myelitis- Affects the nervous system, specifically the area of the spinal cord called the gray matter causing the muscles and reflexes to weaken.
Acute- Describing a disease that consists of an onset of symptoms of short duration, that is rapidly progressing and needs urgent care.
Flaccid- Lacking normal muscle tone, such as can occur with neuritis, poliomyelitis and stroke paralysis.
Myelitis- Inflammation of the spinal cord or bone marrow.
This condition has been seen before but rarely, that is until 2014, which is when the disease occurrence started to rise. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that less than 1 in one million people will contract AFM every year. The recent cases reported to the CDC have mostly affected children.
The Colorado Department of Health and Environment announced that 14 cases of AFM have occured in the state this year. Six cases of AFM were diagnosed in Minnesota (a state that may see a case less than once a year). On October 9th, a hospital in Pittsburgh confirmed that 3 children were currently being treated for suspected AFM. October 10th, the Illinois Department of Public Health received recent reports that 9 children had been diagnosed with the condition. As a whole this year there have been 38 cases in 16 states reported thus far. Over the last four year period more than 350 cases have been reported within the United States.
AFM affects the nervous system and causes muscle weakness, particularly in the legs and arms, along with a loss of muscle tone and reflexes. Additionally symptoms could include facial drooping, difficulty moving the eyes, swallowing and slurred speech and (potentially) the ability to breath may be impacted.
The cause of AFM and the reason for the increase of cases since 2014 is unknown, yet some cases coincide with an outbreak of a respiratory illness related to an enterovirus D68 outbreak in 2014, actually AFM may have a variety of causes including viruses such as poliovirus and enteroviruses, environmental toxins and even a genetic disorder, no one knows for certain.
Information for this post based on articles covered and written in LiveScience.
Ok all done with that. I truly hope that each of you are having the greatest day possible today and that your tomorrow is even better. 'Til next time I am interested in your thoughts on this or any other area you would like to discuss, just let me know in the comments.


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Ensure A Smooth Drive Without Spending Too Much: Know When to Replace Your Car Tyres, DIY Maintenance & More
by Meredith Woo on 5 July 2021
This post was written in collaboration with Borneo Motors. While we are financially compensated by them, we nonetheless strive to maintain our editorial integrity and review products with the same objective lens. We are committed to providing the best recommendations and advice in order for you to make personal financial decisions with confidence. You can view our Editorial Guidelines here.
In Singapore, a car is a big investment.
For one, car prices here are much higher than in other countries — a vehicle that costs over $100,000 here could cost a third of the price in Europe due to the Certificate of Entitlement, dealer's margin, GST, duty and so on.
There are other fees too, such as buying the in-vehicle unit (you know, for paying ERP, parking and so on), the interest on your car loan, road tax, vehicular emissions, parking, petrol, and of course, insurance and maintenance.
With all of that added up, owning a brand new car could be akin to buying a new BTO flat in Yishun. So you'll definitely want to make sure that you're getting a smooth ride from this investment… without spending too much, of course!
If you're willing to roll up your sleeves and get down to business, here are some practical tips to ensure a smooth experience (for both your car and your wallet):
Tyres: Know when to replace them
Car tyres have an average lifespan of about 5 to 6 years — under proper conditions, of course. In sunny Singapore, where there's high humidity and exposure to sunlight, not to mention fluctuating temperatures (parking in an air-conditioned place, then driving out in the afternoon heat), that might affect your tyres' lifespan. Your driving habits and even the road conditions could also play a part in determining tyre lifespan.
And just because the tyre is still attached to the wheel axle doesn't mean it's still functioning efficiently. Please don't risk your life and others' unnecessarily. Worn tyres could cause you to skid on a wet road, affect your braking ability, might make your tyres more susceptible to punctures, and on a less serious note, could impact fuel economy (and hence your wallet).
If your tyres have any of the following signs, you'll need to get them replaced ASAP:
The tyre tread is worn beyond the recommended levels
There are holes in the tyre tread bigger than 0.6cm wide
The sidewall is damaged
The bead on the edge of the tyre is deformed/damaged
What is tyre tread depth and how to check if it's okay?
Tread depth is, essentially, the depth of your tyre's grooves. Just like your shoes, deeper tread depth (or grooves), means there's more grip on the surface. With time, a tyre's treads (like your shoes) get worn with friction. In Singapore, the Land Transport Authority requires tyre tread depth to be at least 1.6mm. One easy test, according to Steer, is to place your 1-dollar coin (use the 2013 edition onwards) in the tyre tread with the word "dollar" towards the tread. The tread should cover all of the "dollar" word, else it's time to get your tyres changed!
A tyre could cost anywhere between $70 to $1,000. Add to that the cost of getting a mechanic to fix them for you, and you're looking at about $500 and upwards to change all 4 tyres.
Since 1 May 2021, Borneo Motors/Champion Motors has been the first in the industry to offer the Total Tyre Shield programme.
How it works: You get all 4 tyres changed from as low as $96 per tyre (Toyota/Suzuki) or from $160 per tyre (Lexus), with a complimentary tyre protection programme thrown in. That's a sweet deal, considering that the tyre brands available include Dunlop, Michelin and Yokohama. (We feel it's even worth it if you just change the tyres without using the tyre protection programme.)
Tyres: Make sure they're well-maintained too
Your duty as a car owner doesn't stop once you change your tyres. You also need to regularly check on them, keep them regularly maintained, and this will prolong your tyres' lifespan while keeping you and other drivers safe on the road.
For example, if you continue driving while your tyres look fine but actually have lost some air pressure within, the increased friction with the road (underinflated) could increase wear and tear and decrease fuel economy (more $$ spent on petrol).
You probably have also heard about other drivers discussing regular maintenance that include tyre rotation (to ensure that the wear-and-tear on the tyre treads are uniform, and longer lifespan of your tyres) and tyre balancing (for smoother rides with less vibration). These could help improve fuel economy as well. Other tyre works you may also need include puncture repairs and patching.
A new tyre should have a tread depth of 8 to 9mm. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as you wear down your tyre, your braking distance could increase by 20% (normal, up to 4mm tread depth) and beyond that it goes up to double that of a brand-new tyre's braking distance (dangerous, go change your tyres ASAP!)
Here's a quick look at roughly how much these tyre repairs and maintenance works cost:
Wheel alignment (rotation and balancing) $50 to $100
Car tyre repair and patching $50 to $80 (doesn't include product price)
You'll want to go for servicing every 6 months or when you hit a certain mileage, say about 10,000 miles or so, to ensure that your tyres are well-balanced and the treads are all even. This could help you spend less on fuel too.
Assuming you send in your car for tyre maintenance every 6 months, that's about $100 to $200 every year (assuming there's no puncture). With Total Tyre Shield, you can pay absolutely nothing — there's unlimited coverage for puncture repairs, patching, rotation and balancing. It's actually a super comprehensive programme, with other car workshops offering limited sessions of free rotation and balancing only.
Learn basic skills so you can DIY
No, we're not asking you to transform into a full-fledged grease monkey and buy a whole lot of auto tools and accessories. But it's helpful to be able to carry out some simple works on your own… just in case!
For example, knowing how to change a flat tyre or jumpstart your car with jump cables could get you out of a pinch. You can also do other simple tasks such as changing your wiper blades, replacing air filters and non-headlight bulbs, touching up paint chips, patching up small tears on your leather/vinyl seat, and much more.
In addition to doing simple maintenance tasks, being more clued in about maintenance (even if you're not doing it yourself) could help you be more aware of what the mechanics are doing at a workshop (especially if it's your first time at this new workshop), what you're being charged for, and even how to detect if your car might need a follow-up visit for a still-unresolved issue.
However, unless you're a licensed mechanic, leave the main job to the professionals — they have all the gear and hands-on experience to tend to your ride on your regular 6-monthly visits.
Keep your car clean
Ugh, you don't want to be that car owner with a million things in their car, a perpetually cluttered car seat, cookie crumbs on the carpet, dirty windows, choked up vents and even roaches running amok around your passengers' legs.
While it's common for a car to get cluttered, keeping it clean is a sign of good hygiene. Also, it's kinda embarrassing to ask your passengers to hold on while you scramble to shift said clutter from your backseat to your boot when you offer them a ride — All. The. Time.
Also, bacteria, dust and grime can accumulate on your steering wheel, car seats, air vents (clean them out with an old toothbrush), in those tiny gaps and on your carpet. If you're allergic to dust, this could keep your sneezing fit at bay.
Needless to say, clean windows improve visibility and prevent unneeded accidents from happening; while loading your car with too much junk might add to its weight and decrease fuel efficiency. Even washing and waxing the exterior of your car regularly does it good, as dirt, grime and salt could erode the car's paint and metal too.
Some easy ways to help you keep your car clean include:
Keep a trash can in your car (and emptying it daily)
Keep wet wipes and tissues on hand to mop up spills or dirt
Try to dust off your shoes before stepping into the car (muddy floor etc)
Line cup holders just in case your drink leaks or spills over
We all have limited time and energy in a day, so it's sometimes easier to just have a professional do everything for you. In the spirit of being MoneySmart, your best bet is then to seek out affordable ways to maintain your car for the smoothest ride possible.
Remember, when you perform regular servicing, your car and its tyres will be well-maintained, and any possible issues could be diagnosed or nipped in the bud before it becomes too serious to be rectified.
One of these ways is to get Total Tyre Shield, which offers the following benefits:
Unlimited coverage of puncture repairs, patching, rotation and wheel balancing
Tyre brands from Dunlop, Michelin and Yokohama
Competitive pricing from as low as $96/tyre (Toyota/Suzuki) OR from $160/tyre for Lexus
Skilled workforce (it's under an Authorised Distributor) and peace of mind
National Day promo
From 1 July to 31 Aug 2021, get $56 off when you spend $556 during your vehicle servicing.
Find more service booking deals for your:
This comprehensive tyre protection programme is perfect for car owners, especially those who drive Toyota, Suzuki and Lexus. Find out more about Total Tyre Shield and purchase your set of 4 tyres now.
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https://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/article/AG-s-suit-advances-political-agenda-not-law-13485630.php
AG's suit advances political agenda, not law
By Andy Segovia, For the Express-News
Published 10:14 pm CST, Friday, December 21, 2018
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus addresses the media during a press conference to raise awareness of human trafficking on the steps of City Hall on Thursday, Jan. 11. The police department's actions in the case of undocumented immigrants discovered the previous December sparked a lawsuit against the city by the state Attorney General. The city attorney says the lawsuit — and an op-ed written by AG Ken Paxton — are in error.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus addresses the media during a press conference to raise awareness of human trafficking on the steps of City Hall on Thursday, Jan. 11. The police department's actions
Photo: Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio is not a sanctuary city.
Unfortunately, you would arrive at a different conclusion by reading Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Dec. 6 op-ed, "State sues S.A., police chief because law demands it."
Allow me to set the record straight: San Antonio does not engage in policies or practices that "prohibit or materially limit" the enforcement of federal immigration law.
The San Antonio Police Department does provide federal immigration authorities daily access to our detention facility. SAPD complies with legal detainer requests and did so before the passage of Senate Bill 4. During the last Texas legislative session, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus testified against SB 4 out of concern that it would make certain communities less cooperative with local law enforcement, compromising public safety efforts. In spite of that concern, SAPD follows the law and has assisted federal authorities before and after SB 4's implementation.
The crux of Paxton's complaint is the release by SAPD of individuals found in a trailer on Dec. 23 of last year. SAPD had no legal authority to hold them beyond what was needed to obtain evidence to prosecute a human-smuggling case. SAPD complied with applicable law and the Constitution. San Antonio did not violate any provisions of SB 4.
Among the misinformation and glaring omissions in his op-ed, Paxton fails to acknowledge enforcement of federal immigration law is reserved for federal law enforcement agencies.
"There is nothing in Senate Bill 4 that would allow for or condone a Texas law enforcement officer from doing anything more than inquiring into immigration status, not to arrest based on immigration status or anything else … . There is nothing in Senate Bill 4 that suggests that Texas police officers are going to enforce immigration laws." An attorney from the Texas attorney general's office made these declarations to a federal judge last fall, before Paxton sued the city, SAPD and McManus over this very allegation.
Though the city hadn't been served the lawsuit, Paxton uploaded a video announcement, delivered advance copies of the suit to media outlets and published a factually inaccurate op-ed in this paper. This lawsuit is not about enforcing the law. It's about forwarding a political agenda.
As Paxton pointed out, Texans hold a broad range of views on immigration laws. However, not all those views pass muster in the face of the U.S. Constitution. SAPD has no legal authority to hold someone unless they are detained or arrested for matters within the jurisdiction of local law enforcement. SB 4 does not require local police to don the hat of immigration officers upon any request from federal authorities.
The suggestion that San Antonio did nothing to hold the driver of the trailer accountable is patently false. On April 24, SAPD filed a Charge and Disposition Report against Herbert Alan Nichols for smuggling of persons under 18 with the Bexar County District Attorney's Office. SAPD remains committed to working with that office to prosecute the individual.
After the Dec. 23 event, SAPD developed a communications protocol with Homeland Security Investigations to enhance coordination for human-smuggling and trafficking incidents. That protocol includes a notification to Catholic Charities and RAICES for necessary translation services, aid and comfort to undocumented people who are not arrested. Despite our cooperation with the attorney general's investigation (which has yet to be acknowledged), Paxton never expressed concern about the protocol until he sued us. According to Paxton, the city is violating SB 4 by facilitating access to legal advice — a cornerstone of the rule of law.
The entire legal profession should be shocked by this.
Again, San Antonio is not a sanctuary city. We are a thriving, diverse, compassionate city that will look to do what is best for the community within the parameters of the law.
In his video, Paxton says he wants "to send a message that all Texas cities must obey the law." Unfortunately, the message he's sending is that pushing a politically driven immigration agenda takes precedence over working productively with local entities to achieve fair and impartial law enforcement.
Andy Segovia is San Antonio's city attorney.