Adam Schefter Just Poured Gas On Those Ben Johnson Rumors [Video]

New Yorks new toll for drivers entering the center of Manhattan debuted Sunday, meaning many people will pay $9 to access the busiest part of the Big Apple during peak hours.The toll, known as congestion pricing, is meant to reduce traffic gridlock in the densely packed city while also raising money to help fix its ailing public transit infrastructure.Drivers of most passenger cars will pay $9 to enter Manhattan south of Central Park on weekdays between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. and on weekends between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. During off hours, the toll will be $2.25 for most vehicles.After years of studies, delays and a last-ditch bid by New Jersey to halt the toll, the program launched without major hiccups early Sunday. But transit officials cautioned the first-in-the-nation scheme could require adjustments and likely would not get its first true test until the workweek.This is a toll system that has never been tried before in terms of complexity, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said at a press conference held at Grand Central Terminal Sunday. We dont expect New Yorkers to overnight change their behavior. Everybodys going to have to adjust to this.The fee which varies for motorcyclists, truck drivers and ride-share apps will be collected by electronic toll collection systems at over 100 detection sites now scattered across the lower half of Manhattan.It comes on top of tolls drivers pay for crossing various bridges and tunnels to get to the city in the first place, although there will be a credit of up to $3 for those who have already paid to enter Manhattan via certain tunnels during peak hours.On Sunday morning, hours after the toll went live, traffic moved briskly along the northern edge of the congestion zone at 60th Street and 2nd Avenue. Many motorists appeared unaware that the newly activated cameras, set along the arm of a steel gantry above the street, would soon send a new charge to their E-Z Passes.Are you kidding me? said Chris Smith, a realtor from Somerville, New Jersey, as he drove against traffic beneath the cameras, circumventing the charge. Whose idea was this? Kathy Hochul? She should be arrested for being ignorant.Some local residents and transit riders, meanwhile, said they were hopeful the program would lessen the bottlenecks and frequent honking in their neighborhoods, while helping to modernize the subway system.I think the idea would be good to try to minimize the amount of traffic down and try to promote people to use public transportation, said Phil Bauer, a surgeon who lives in midtown Manhattan, describing the constant din of traffic in his neighborhood as "pretty brutal.President-elect Donald Trump, a Republican, has vowed to kill the program when he takes office, but its unclear if he will follow through. The plan had stalled during his first term while it waited on a federal environmental review.In November, Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower is in the toll zone, said congestion pricing will put New York City at a disadvantage over competing cities and states, and businesses will flee.Lieber, the MTA head, said he was not overly concerned that the president-elect would succeed in unwinding the program, even if he did follow through. I think he understands living on 59th and 5th Avenue what traffic is doing to our city, Lieber said Sunday.Other big cities around the world, including London and Stockholm, have similar congestion pricing schemes, but it is the first in the U.S. Proponents of the idea note the programs were largely unpopular when first implemented, gaining approval as the public felt benefits like faster bus speeds and less traffic.In New York City, even some transit riders voiced skepticism of a plan intended to raise much-needed funds for the subway system.With my experience of the MTA and where theyve allocated their funds in the past, theyve done a pretty poor job with that, said Christakis Charalambides, a supervisor in the fashion industry, as he waited for a subway Sunday morning in Lower Manhattan. I dont know if I necessarily believe it until I really see something.The toll was supposed to go into effect last year with a $15 charge, but Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul abruptly paused the program before the 2024 election, when congressional races in suburban areas around the city the epicenter of opposition to the program were considered to be vital to her partys effort to retake control of Congress.Not long after the election, Hochul rebooted the plan at the lower $9 toll. She denies politics were at play and said she thought the original $15 charge was too much, though she had been a vocal supporter of the program before halting it.Congestion pricing also survived several lawsuits seeking to block the program, including a last-ditch effort from the state of New Jersey to have a judge put up a temporary roadblock against it. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, has vowed to continue fighting against the scheme.In response, Lieber described the New Jersey governors views as the definition of hypocrisy, adding that he expected the state to adjust its strategy after losing again and again and again in court.

During a recent interview, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair shared his views on wrestlers practicing their matches, which he doesn't like.

As an adult, it can sometimes be difficult making new friends. There's no step-by-step process. But, a Milwaukee social group is working to make it easier for people by combining friendship with fitness.With this group, there's no need to run or jog. These women walk and call themselves "Girls Who Walk Milwaukee," The idea is to build friendship one step at a time. Sam Schulte founded the group and created something she saw a need for. "I think it's really accessible for a lot of people and it's easy to talk and meet people and connect and share conversation while you're walking," said Schulte. With one foot in front of the other, dozens of women walked around Estabrook Park in Shorewood. They braved the cold with their coats, scarves and coffee for a common purpose -- fitness and friendship, which is not always easy. "Meeting new friends as an adult is really hard," said Schulte. It's the reason Ariana Brooks joined; she moved to Milwaukee less than a year ago. "To meet people in the Milwaukee area, more girls," said Brooks. "I've gotten to know a couple girls like more so in person than Instagram. So, it's been great."One new friend she met is Anna Brandt who says she loves the walking group. Girls Who Walk Milwaukee started in May 2023. At some of the first walks, Schulte says 20-30 people showed up. Now, she says, there are sometimes 70 women. With each step, strangers turn into friends. It's one of the best parts for Schulte. "That's one of my favorite parts of the walks is when there's people kind of lingering around afterwards, exchanging phone numbers and Instagram handles. So it's really cool to see that happen," said Schulte. The dates and locations for the walks vary. The group is always looking for new routes to explore. The next walk is Saturday at 10 a.m. at Lakefront Brewery. If you can't make it this weekend, visit the group's Instagram page for the schedule.

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -- Construction is still in-progress for Spokane's first year-round farmer's market.