A CAT’S NOSE KNOWS
The Stray Dog Who Captured the World’s Heart Kupata’s Road to Fame
We often think dogs live the good life, as they seem to do nothing but play, eat, and sleep. Yet, some dogs are busy at work, some without being asked to do so! Take Kupata, the stray dog in Georgia, for example. This street-roaming pup takes it upon himself to guard a crosswalk all day, every day. In the town of Batumi, this stray stays by a single crosswalk and forces traffic to stop to allow pedestrians to cross the street. He’s especially protective of children! If Kupata sees a car isn’t slowing down, he’ll bark at the driver as they drive away and run to protect the person crossing the street. One local even shared that Kupata will cross the road with children and stay at the park to protect the youngsters.
Kupata, which in English means “sausage,” has become a staple in the community due to his hard work, and locals all pitch in to care for and feed the stray dog. His consistently round belly shows just how loved he is. You’ll even see a massive painting of the beloved animal on a nearby building. Now, after tireless days of guarding his street, Kupata has his own doghouse provided by the city with an accompanying star on the road with his name on it. Kupata’s dedication made him go viral on social media, and now travelers from all over the world come to see Kupata. Don’t distract him, though. He’s busy at work!
stray dogs in the country need shelter, food, and companionship. According to activists, around 500,000 stray dogs and cats roam the streets of Georgia. While stray animals may get a bad reputation for being dangerous or unfriendly, Kupata proves that even these furry friends deserve love and recognition.
Sadly, even though Kupata remains cherished by his community, thousands of
NEW YEAR, NEW LAWS EXPLORING TRAFFIC LAWS NOW IN EFFECT
Governor Newsom has signed hundreds of bills into law in 2023, and while they all apply to us, it’s more important than ever to become familiar with the newest traffic laws. As the new year rings in, we want to share just six of the new traffic laws for 2024. These laws are all in effect as of January 1st so remain proactive as you drive into the new year. A pilot system is in place to detect speeding drivers with video cameras. Just like red-light cameras, these aim to ticket those speeding through the streets. AB 645 is trying to cut back on the unsafe speeds many of us are familiar with in our state. In 2019, 68.4% of drivers drove 10 miles per hour over the speed limit on freeways, according to Berkley SafeTREC. That was down 4.2% from the previous study done in 2015. We’re not too happy about it in the office; even most of the police officers we talk to don’t like the red-light cameras and we feel even stronger about the red-light speeding
cameras. It’s just too Big Brother for us, but it won’t stay on your record as the pilot problem rolls out. You now have a two-month window to switch out your expired stickers. AB 256 prohibits police officers from pulling you over solely based on expired tags unless those two months have passed. This will reduce ticketing for this minor infraction. But remember that the vehicle can still be stopped for other infractions. We encourage you to get those tags replaced as soon as you can. Two new laws are in place to combat catalytic converter theft this year. AB 1519 prevents people from removing or altering the identification number on the catalytic converter itself and prohibits them from possessing three or more of these altered converters. AB 641 builds on this and allows law enforcement to officially charge those found with nine or more stolen converters as illegal auto dismantlers.
Another pair of laws encourage drivers to share the road. AB 413 prohibits vehicles from stopping (parking or otherwise) within 20 feet of crosswalks, marked or unmarked. Bulbouts, a sidewalk that juts out into the road, have a 15-foot radius. Lawmakers believe it will help prevent crashes with pedestrians and ensure safety for those crossing the walkway. AB 361 allows the installation of cameras on parking enforcement vehicles. The recorded photographs will be used to cite vehicles illegally parked in bike lanes. These laws push for mutual respect for others on the roads and walkways. As always in California, be sure to triple-check where you’re parking. These are just a few of the new traffic laws that may affect you in the new year. Feel free to chat with us about them if you have any questions. Shoot me an email with “Attention: Mark” in the subject line. We would hate for you to start the year with a ticket!
2 | www.bakersfieldtraffictickets.com
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