The Smoke Signal

By: Staff Writer Andrew Choi

Local: Proposed trail would link Niles to Sunol

A plan for a multi-use trail through NilesCanyon connecting Fremont and Sunol was presented on April 14 to Fremont City Council. In its early stages, the proposed project would create a 10-foot-wide path for pedestrians, bicyclists, and possibly equestrians to travel the picturesque canyon for about 4 miles, according to East Bay Regional Park District. Two other trail connections were proposed. Council members said the trail project is long overdue and a welcome addition to the community with Councilman Vinnie Bacon saying, “I think this is a great project. This is a great idea.”

National: Supreme Court rules cops can’t hold suspects to wait for drug-sniffing dog

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on April 21 that the Constitution forbids police from holding a suspect without probable cause, even for fewer than 10 extra minutes. Writing on behalf of the court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg declared that the constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure prevent police from extending an otherwise completed traffic stop to allow for a drug-sniffing dog to arrive. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Ginsburg said, “We hold that a police stop exceeding the time needed to handle the matter for which the stop was made violates the Constitution’s shield against unreasonable seizures.”

International: Austria Recognizes Armenian Genocide

The Austrian Parliament drafted a statement on April 21 condemning the Armenian Genocide and calling on Turkey to face its past. All six factions of Parliament came together and agreed on the statement. It is one of the first times that the genocide has been recognized by a major country. The news came just a day after Germany announced its plan to “stand behind” a resolution affirming the Armenian Genocide. Germany’s Parliament is set to use the term “genocide” for the first time in a resolution affirming the genocide. The government said on April 20 that it would support the motion sponsored by the ruling parties.

Quirky: Roommates Stab Each Other Over iPhone vs Android Debate

A fight between two roommates in Oklahoma over whether the iPhone or Android was better resulted in a double stabbing. Reports suggest the men were drinking when conversation turned to smartphones. Police say the two men broke beer bottles and stabbed each other with them, while one of the men smashed a bottle over the back of the other man’s head. The police have yet to charge either of the men, who are currently being treated at a nearby hospital.