Articles by Steven Gilchrist

In August, 2016, the American Automobile Association (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety issued a report regarding roadway debris in the United States.  Research from the report stated that roadway debris resulted in more than 200,000 motor vehicle accidents from 2011 - 2014.  Also during this four-year span accidents from roadway debris caused 500 deaths.  Research from the AAA Foundation also shows that roadway debris is a more significant hazard on highways than on other roadways.  About 1/3rd of the road debris crashes occurred on highways. The study also said that approximately 39,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents from 2011 - 2014 on roadways in the United States.  "This new report shows that road debris can be extremely dangerous but all of these crashes are preventable.  Drivers can easily save lives and prevent injuries by securing their loads and taking other simple precautions to prevent items from falling off the vehicle," say...

In 1666, the island of St. Thomas was settled by a group of Danish explorers.   Between 1672-1680, Fort Christian was built in Charlotte Amalie - the capital city of the U.S. Virgin Islands.   The fort was named after King Christian V of Denmark.   Governor Jorgen Iversen was the architect of the fort.  In 1977, the fort was designated a National Historic Landmark.   Fort Christian is the oldest structure in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Fort Christian - Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas U.S.V.I.

  In 2015, the documentary The Hunting Ground was released.   The documentary focuses on how sexual assault cases are handled on various college campuses in the United States.   The Hunting Ground was written and directed by Kirby Dick and produced by Amy Ziering.   Students who have endured sexual assaults from colleges and universities including Harvard Law School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Florida State University were interviewed for the documentary.   The Hunting Ground covers topics such as Title IX legislation, institutional cover-ups, and retaliation that victims face for coming forward with sexual assault charges. Additional information from The Hunting Ground includes: * More than 16% of female college students become the victims of sexual assault. * 88% of women who are sexually assaulted on college campuses do not report that they have been assaulted. * In 2012, 45% of colleges/universities reported no i...

On June 9, 1998, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st Century (TEA-21) was enacted by the federal government as Public Law 105-178.   This Act was authorized by the federal government to create various transportation projects from 1998-2003.   TEA-21 was allowed to lapse since Congress could not agree on funding levels for the bill.   TEA-21 mandated that seven planning directives should be included in regional transportation plans.   The planning directives included: 1. Support the economic vitality of metropolitan area transportation needs. 2. Increase the safety and security of transportation systems for motorized & non-motorized users. 3. Increase accessibility options for individual users and freight transportation. 4. Protect the environment by promoting energy conservation. 5. Improve the connectivity of transportation systems. 6. Promote efficient transportation system management. 7. Emphasize efficient preservation of existin...

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, also known as the Appalachian Trail, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern part of the United States.   The Appalachian Trail covers 2,175 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail passes through 14 states and it was completed in 1937.   Rising to an elevation of 6,643 feet Clingmans Dome is the highest point on the trail.   Clingmans Dome is located in Tennessee and North Carolina.   The lowest point of the trail is Bear Mountain State Park in New York.   This park reaches 124 feet.   The National Trails System Act of 1968 established the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail as the first national scenic trails in the United States.       The idea for the Appalachian Trail was first proposed by Benton MacKaye (1879 – 1975).   MacKaye, a graduate of Harvard University, wrote an article titled: “An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Region...

On July 26, 1948 President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981.   This legislation declared the elimination of racial discrimination in the United States Armed Forces and established a precedent for the equal treatment and opportunity of all uniformed services members.   A section of Executive Order 9981 states: “It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.   This policy shall be put into effect as rapidly as possible, having due regard to the time required to effectuate any necessary changes without impairing efficiency or morale.” Enforcement of the Executive Order did not take effect until the Eisenhower administration.   The last all black military units were disbanded in September 1954.

Newport, RI. - Located in Newport, Rhode Island, Fort Adams State Park is a National Historic Landmark.   Fort Adams was originally built on July 4, 1799 as a First System coastal fortification.   The original fort was designed by Major Louis de Tousard of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.   After the War of 1812, the federal government decided to replace the original Fort Adams.   The new Fort Adams was designed by French Brigadier General Simon Bernard.   The fort eventually became the most complex military fortification in the Western Hemisphere. Fort Adams remained an active military installation until 1950.   From 1841 until 1950, the fort was active in five major wars: Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. Entrance to Fort Adams -  Newport, Rhode Island