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Eight New Brunswick tourist attractions are joining the federal government’s offer of free or discounted admission this summer.
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Refugees from travel ban countries must be allowed to enter U.S., Seattle judge rules
The Trump administration must allow refugees to enter the United States from countries covered by the president’s travel ban, a federal judge in Seattle ruled Monday.
U.S. District Court Judge Jamal Whitehead’s decision opens the door for around 80 refugees to immediately arrive from countries whose citizens are banned from traveling here.
Whitehead also ruled the Trump administration needs to potentially allow refugees to enter the United States even if their planned travel was postponed before the president took office.
Affected individuals and resettlement organizations, including Lutheran Community Services Northwest in Tacoma, brought the lawsuit after President Donald Trump halted refugee admissions via executive order on his first day in office.
In February, Whitehead, a Biden appointee, ruled the president’s order likely “crossed the line” of separation of powers.
But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later narrowed Whitehead’s ruling to only allow the entry of refugees whose applications were approved before Trump signed the executive order. For refugees to enter the country under the appeals court ruling, they also needed clearance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and travel plans arranged at the time Trump issued his ban on refugee admissions.
That decision from a three-judge 9th Circuit panel didn’t stop Trump from otherwise halting the United States Refugee Admissions Program.
Whitehead ordered the federal government to facilitate entry for refugees who met the appeals court’s three-prong test and had travel scheduled within two weeks of Trump’s order. The feds reported 160 people met those criteria.
Magistrate Judge Michelle Peterson, of Seattle, will review the cases of others whose scheduled arrival date was after Feb. 3. This includes more than 4,000 cases comprising upward of 12,000 potential refugees.
The question before the district court was whether the Trump administration still needed to admit refugees from countries targeted in Trump’s early June travel ban. Refugees from these countries make up two-thirds of those who met the appeals court’s criteria but haven’t been admitted to the U.S. yet.
One of the plaintiffs in the litigation is a Bellevue woman who filed an application to sponsor a refugee family from Afghanistan before the federal government suspended their case. Afghanistan is included in the president’s travel ban.
The organizations involved in the case also fear the Trump administration is undercounting the number of impacted refugees. They say the federal government isn’t including people whose travel plans were postponed for reasons other than the refugee ban, like application processing delays. And some plans may have been canceled in anticipation of the president’s actions.
The Trump administration countered in court documents that those refugees aren’t covered by the appeals court’s order. Department of Justice attorney Joseph McCarter called the request a “baseless and unrestrained expansion” of the ruling.
Whitehead ruled refugees whose travel plans were canceled between Dec. 1 and Jan. 20 are also covered by his order, paving a path for more to arrive in the United States.
Within a week from Monday, the federal government must identify all cases meeting the appellate court’s three-part test, Whitehead ordered.
The government must also expedite the entry of unaccompanied refugee children and Afghan refugees temporarily staying at a camp in Qatar.
Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com.
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Shocking footage posted to the Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) brought attention to the moment four bikers cut through the Grand Prismatic at Yellowstone National Park.
“The 4 of them were biking from the tree line towards the boardwalk when, as they were nearing the actual hot springs, several people yelled at them to turn around,” the caption reads.
The Grand Prismatic in Yellowstone is the largest hot spring in the United States, known for its geysers. Microbial mats have played a major role in scientific research and help preserve the unique geothermal ecosystem. Biking over the springs is not only dangerous for bikers, but it also has considerable impacts on the landscape.
“I have never seen anything like this in Yellowstone ever after many decades,” TouronsOfYellowstone wrote. “This is next level! I just don’t understand the thought process these people had to think that it was okay for them to not just walk but to ride their bikes on the Grand Prismatic.”
Infiltrating ecosystems meant to be preserved can lead to a slew of legal issues. Some people who have done so have ended up with $5,000 in fines. Risking safety is also a dangerous factor. Geysers such as the Grand Prismatic have been known to seriously injure or kill people who have broken safety protocols.
Brandon Gauthier, Yellowstone’s chief safety officer, explained that the park tries “to educate people starting when they come through the gate.” Gauthier further stated that there is “a fine line between giving visitors a chance to get close to popular attractions and ruining the natural landscapes that national parks were created to preserve.”
Due to past deaths, the park continues to emphasize how dangerous such actions can be.
Trespassing can further ruin biodiversity. Tourist interference has caused water pollution, introduced invasive species, and damaged microbial mats, according to some reports. Biking over the ecosystem is undoubtedly another massive blow to the preservation of the geysers.
Disregarding safety signs and regulations can also make wildlife interactions more likely, endangering both humans and animals. Animals that injure humans, whether they’re provoked or not, may be euthanized.
Commenters were appalled by the tourists’ behavior.
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“They should all be arrested immediately, fined and banned from all national parks forever,” voiced one angry user.
Another user commented, “I’ve said it before, the possibility of being boiled alive and turned into goo does not scare people enough.”
To avoid legal, safety, and biodiversity issues, the solution is clear: Follow the rules when enjoying national parks.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
A short list of staples selected by Ottawa now offer free admission for children aged 17 and under and 50 per cent off for those 18 to 24
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The Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Kings Landing Historical Settlement, Ministers Island, Cape Enrage, and Fort La Tour in Saint John are among a short list of cultural and historical staples in the province selected by Ottawa to offer free admission for children aged 17 and under and 50 per cent off admission fees for youth aged 18 to 24.
That’s with the feds saying they’re paying to offset admission costs.
Mark Carney ran on a federal election campaign promise to offer free or discounted admission to some of the country’s most iconic places through what he called a “Canada Strong Pass” with hopes to see more Canadians vacationing at home this summer.
The initial announcement included free admission for all visitors to national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas administered by Parks Canada and a 25 per cent discount on camping fees until Sept. 2.
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VIA Rail travel is free for children aged 17 and under when accompanied by an adult with a 25 per cent discount for young adults aged 18 to 24.
National museums also have free admission for children 17 and under and a 50 per cent discount for 18 to 24.
The feds then suggested other attractions may join in.
It has now announced that 86 provincial and territorial museums and galleries will be participating.
In New Brunswick, there’s eight:
- Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton
- Cape Enrage in Waterside
- New Brunswick Botanical Garden in Edmundston
- Kings Landing Historical Settlement in Prince William
- Ministers Island near Saint Andrews
- Miscou Lighthouse in Miscou
- Place Fort La Tour in Saint John
- Village Historique Acadien in Bertrand
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“Provincial and territorial museums and galleries were invited to join the Canada Strong Pass initiative, with government of Canada support helping offset admission costs,” the federal government said in a statement. “These museums are in addition to the national museums in Canada that are offering the same benefits.
“Now is the perfect time for Canadians to explore their rich cultural history and traditions by visiting and learning at any of these wonderful museums.”
In a statement, Beaverbrook Art Gallery spokesperson Curtis Richardson said Ottawa invited it to submit an application to the Canada Strong Pass Initiative under the Museums Assistance Program through Canadian Heritage.
“The funding they offer supports the costs associated with implementing the Canada Strong Pass, this includes help compensating for lost revenues,” Richardson said, believing the dollars will be enough to cover any loss.
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He added that the gallery is “confident with our admission projections that we won’t incur any losses by being a part of this initiative.”
The feds confirmed that each eligible organization had to complete an application with information including their total admission revenues for the last completed fiscal year.
Funding of up to 15 per cent of total admission revenues for the last year is then provided, up to a maximum of $1 million.
The discounts are available until Sept. 2.
While the program is called the Canada Strong Pass, no registration or physical pass is actually necessary – just show up and enjoy the benefits offered at participating establishments, according to the feds.
The program is open to all visitors, whether you are Canadian or coming from abroad.
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The discounts are also on top of one recently announced by the Holt government, which has discounted all provincial park passes for New Brunswickers by 25 per cent.
“We are doing this to help make vacationing in New Brunswick and staying in New Brunswick and getting outside in New Brunswick with your families more affordable,” Holt said at an announcement held at Fundy Trail Provincial Park in May.
The new Fundy Trail Provincial Park is one of the seven parks with discounted admission fees this season.
The six others are New River Beach, Murray Beach, Parlee Beach, Mount Carleton, Le Village Historique Acadien and Hopewell Rocks provincial parks.
Six other provincial parks don’t charge entrance fees.
More than 1.1 million visitors took in New Brunswick’s provincial parks in the 2024-25 fiscal year. Last year, New Brunswickers accounted for 235,000 paid daily visits.
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