Despite laws to the contrary, you still see people yakking on cell phones while they drive. Motorists just hold their phones to their right ears instead of the left, and hope passing police won’t notice.
It’s dangerous as hell, of course. And texting is even worse because it keeps the driver’s eyes busy, too. I’ve seen a couple of near-misses lately caused by drivers who were busily texting while zooming up to red lights.
Transportation experts have launched a two-day conference where they’re focusing on the problem of distracted drivers. The White House says nearly 6,000 Americans were killed last year in accidents caused by driver distraction, and half a million were injured.
A recent study by Car and Driver magazine found that driving while texting was more dangerous than driving while drunk.
For more, click here.
- The Redding Rancheria Health Clinic hosts its annual Health Fair TODAY at the Tribal Administration Community Center. The event, which runs from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., is open to the public. Various health screenings will be available, along with food, informational booths and vendors. Tribal dancing and drumming, too. For more info, click here.
- Change in the Weather: That gusty storm front that dropped temperatures in Redding will be with us again today, and there’s even a chance of showers. The sudden arrival of autumn allowed me to break out my lifelong favorite outfit — a blue chambray shirt and jeans. My sons call that combo a “Texas tuxedo.” I prefer to think of it as “prison farm clothes.” Har.
- Don’t flush your drugs! We’ve got a big problem with prescription medications being discarded improperly, so they end up in water supplies and affect wildlife. The city of Redding is collecting old medications at a free event Oct. 8-10 at the Hazardous Waste Facility, 2255 Abernathy Lane. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on those days, the facility will accept medications in their original containers with personal info blacked out. All the medications will be incinerated. For more info, call 378-6701.
- Headline of the Day: From the Jerusalem Post: ‘Israel at Fault for Not Probing Self.’ Ooch.
- Someday I’ll shape this into an actual joke: You hear about the dyslexic zombie? He starved to death, roaming the city, trying to feed on BRIANS.
Tips appreciated: Send news tidbits to steveb.anewscafe@gmail.com.
