Author: Alex Trent

A recent piece by Peter Valdes-Dapena of CNN started a discussion of an often underreported problem when it comes to electric vehicle owners: charger hogs. The lines to wait for electric chargers have created a dysfunctional etiquette around charging resources, and companies are trying out various policies to try and fix the problem. EV Etiquette Source: LuckyLife11/Pixabay In his piece, Valdes-Dapena outlined a problem he saw with EV drivers who don’t observe proper etiquette: increasing line queues for people needing to charge. “It took us four hours to get home that night. We were sitting in line for electric vehicle…

On Monday, Governor of California Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have strengthened air pollution monitoring, sending it back to the legislature without his signature. If passed, this bill would update what are known as “fence-line zones” to include more kinds of facilities that would have been subject to increased reporting requirements and third-party audits. Senate Bill Source: Josh Hild/Unsplash The bill that Newsom rejected, known as Senate Bill 674 or the Refinery Air Pollution Transparency and Reduction Act, was introduced by Democrat Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez in 2023. After a lengthy time in committee, it officially passed the…

On Saturday, authorities in Decatur, Georgia unveiled a statue dedicated to the civil rights leader John Lewis, which will now stand in a square that was once home to an old Confederate obelisk. Previously, the Confederate monument was removed in 2020 during protests against the police that erupted across the country during the summer of that year. Statue Unveiled Source: Jeff Hutchens/Getty Images Working crews moved to begin the installation of the 12-foot-tall Lewis statue, as the statue’s sculptor Basil Watson looked on with excitement. “It’s exciting to see it going up and exciting for the city because of what…

A New York Federal Reserve survey released on Monday revealed worrying signs in the economy as people documented growing discontent with their pay rates and are more worried about finding work. The survey found that 4.4% of its respondents expected to lose their current job within the next four months, which was the highest percentage on record. Also, another 11.6% of survey respondents expected to transition to a different job during this same time period. Market Survey Source: Scott Graham/Unsplash This Federal Reservice Bank of New York survey published on August 19 is called the SCE Labor Market Survey of…

Last Thursday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) handed down a decision that a Republican commissioner is warning could have consequences for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in American businesses. According to FTC Commissioner Melissa Holyoak, the decision reached in the case could have a “pernicious” effect in incentivizing the adoption of DEI for companies to protect against future cases of discrimination. FTC Case Source: Harrison Keely/ Wikimedia Commons The FTC settled a case last week involving an Arizona car dealership that was accused of advertising misleading prices to attract customers, with the allegation being that actual prices for the…

On July 25, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order for local governments to start removing homeless camps, a move that had many local officials in the state divided. Now, weeks after the order was released, the city of Long Beach is finally willing to comply, feeling confident in its ability to act. Time to Act Source: Mark Neal/Unsplash Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson told KTLA that the time had come for the city to follow through on the governor’s order, saying that they didn’t want to rush its rollout as a reason for the delay. “We fully understand…

Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott flew out to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and promised to continue sending border-crossing migrants on buses to blue cities as retaliation to Democrat border policies. However, NBC reports that recently the number of apprehended migrants has dropped significantly, which is affecting Abbott’s ability to bus migrants out on a consistent basis. Abbott’s Promise Source: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons At the RNC, Abbott addressed a cheerful crowd where he vowed to continue bussing migrants until the border problem has been solved. “We have continued busing migrants to sanctuary cities all across the country,”…

In what some are describing as one of the worst data hacks in history, a notorious hacking group has reportedly stolen and released records of potentially 2.9 billion people, which may include social security numbers and sensitive data from every American. In the wake of news that the data breach was being leaked online, public advocates fear an unprecedented wave of identity fraud and theft is on the horizon. Data Breach Sora Shimazaki/Pexels A hacking group was revealed in a new class action lawsuit to have allegedly stolen the personal records of 2.9 billion people from a records database known…

Following a shooting that happened last year on the fairgrounds, the State Fair of Texas has decided to implement a no-guns rule before festivities begin this year. However, the firearm prohibition has drawn ire from gun advocates and state lawmakers. Now, the state’s Republican Attorney General is threatening legal action if the ban is not rescinded. Ban Announcment Source: Thomas Tucker/Unsplash Last week, fair organizers held a news conference where they announced changes to their weapon policy that now disallows licensed concealed carry at the venue. All firearms are now prohibited from being carried to the fair, joining the list…

On Wednesday, the presidential campaign for Kamala Harris announced an intent to propose the nation’s first federal ban on corporate price gouging in grocery stores and other areas in the food industry. This move comes as many Americans are struggling under the high cost of food items including meat and dairy, an issue that will likely be critical in deciding the outcome of the November election. Harris Campaign Statement Source: The United States Senate/Wikimedia Commons The Harris campaign in a statement took aim at the unfairness that many Americans see when buying groceries, and hoped to address what they called…