Connect with us

Connecticut

Connecticut Auto Dealers Celebrate Earth Day With PR & Greenwashing

Published

on

Connecticut Auto Dealers Celebrate Earth Day With PR & Greenwashing


The Connecticut Automotive Retailers Affiliation’s public relations agency shared a candy, heartwarming tweet about Earth Day and their dedication to sustainability and defending the planet. It’s a fantastic tweet, however, in my view, extremely deceptive. In the event that they actually cared about our planet, the dealership affiliation wouldn’t foyer so exhausting to stop automotive producers similar to Tesla and Rivian from promoting on to clients within the state.

In keeping with the agency, the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Affiliation was being celebrated on Earth Day for his or her “dedication to sustainability and defending our planet.”

Though the PR agency is solely doing their job by highlighting their companions — as any enterprise would do — I feel that utilizing Earth Day to advertise organizations that advocate towards sustainability is a very dangerous take.

Advertisement

Let’s have a look at how the auto dealerships in Connecticut fought so exhausting to stop electrical automobile gross sales within the state. In June 2021, I wrote this text about their huge win on the expense of Tesla, Rivian, and clear air.

The EV Freedom invoice was a beacon of hope, but auto dealerships lobbied exhausting to battle the invoice. One dealership even sued Tesla and the city of East Hartford to stop Tesla from opening a service heart of their city. Additionally they received that, and now, Tesla is unable to service its clients within the space. Even Plug In America modified its stance from supportive of the invoice to impartial after the dealerships utilized strain.

Final summer time, I used to be invited to talk with Connecticut State Senator Will Haskell, who’s in favor of EVs being bought on to shoppers in his state, about EVs, Tesla, dealerships, and his hopes for the state and EV freedom. That is what he needed to say about direct gross sales:

“It’s about extra than simply saying the best issues in relation to environmental coverage. We’ve bought to speak the discuss and stroll the stroll. We handed this state aim that we’d have 150,000 EVs on the highway by 2025 Nicely, as of July [2021], we solely had 17,217 EVs registered in Connecticut.

“So we’re solely 11.5% of the way in which in the direction of our 2025 aim and that’s across the nook. So except we allow direct gross sales, and develop participation, except we wholeheartedly embrace EVs, I can’t think about how we’re going to fulfill the formidable objectives that we’ve been setting for ourselves.”

Advertisement

Senator Haskell added that it isn’t sufficient to say you’re going to place 150,000 EVs on the highway by 2025, however it’s a must to take concrete steps to make it occur. I identified that from an outsider’s viewpoint, it seemed as if Connecticut was setting itself as much as fail. They make these EV objectives after which cater to the lobbying of seller associations, which ends up in the tip results of the objectives not being met. How will you push EVs however make it towards the regulation to purchase one in your state? Louisiana has comparable seller legal guidelines and so do many different states — so it’s not simply Connecticut.

Senator Haskell additionally shared his ideas about how he felt concerning the dealership expertise and the significance of a free market.

“My feeling concerning the sellers is that they declare repeatedly that they’ve the superior enterprise mannequin; the purchasers love going to dealerships. I personally don’t assume that that’s true. I feel that individuals are not essentially in love with the automobile dealership expertise however possibly they’re proper and the purpose of residing in a free market is permitting the shopper to determine.

“If dealerships really consider that they’re serving clients in a superior means, that they’re the preferable choice, properly, then clients will probably proceed to decide on to purchase their vehicles at dealerships even when direct sale is an choice.

“However by proscribing the free market, I discover so type of complicated. It’s just like the world is turned the wrong way up. I’m a progressive Democrat in Connecticut begging to permit companies to return to Connecticut and to allow free market dynamics to do what they do greatest which is empower the buyer to select that’s greatest for them.

Advertisement

“And one factor that struck me there was a ballot as as to whether or not enabling direct gross sales particularly of electrical automobiles was a well-liked concept in Connecticut. And the ballot was carried out in most likely early 2021. Excessive 80% help charge.”

You may watch the total interview right here.

Last Ideas

I feel that we as a nation of states collectively have an extended highway forward of us by way of electrical automobiles and innovation. There at all times appears to be some type of energy at play that isn’t in favor of innovation. This will likely sound a bit insane, however once you have a look at the outcomes of the continual lobbying in favor of greed and income whereas sacrificing clear power and the objectives set for the local weather, it appears simply as ludicrous.

Let’s be sincere right here: the PR agency was utilizing Earth Day as a advertising tactic to advertise its shopper. And lots of firms do that. Nonetheless, we have to be truthful and come clean with the truth that Earth Day shouldn’t be celebrated solely on at some point. Corporations similar to Tesla and Rivian are celebrating by making automobiles that don’t pollute. They’re celebrating every day by advocating for sustainability and clear power.

One cute tweet isn’t going to undo all of the harm that has been carried out. As Senator Haskell stated, there’s a want for concrete steps to be taken. Stroll the stroll.

Advertisement

 

 


Commercial

 
Advertisement

Admire CleanTechnica’s originality? Contemplate changing into a CleanTechnica Member, Supporter, Technician, or Ambassador — or a patron on Patreon.

 

Have a tip for CleanTechnica, need to promote, or need to counsel a visitor for our CleanTech Speak podcast? Contact us right here.





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connecticut

Police shoot man who allegedly stabbed Bridgeport officer

Published

on

Police shoot man who allegedly stabbed Bridgeport officer


Police shot a man brandishing a knife in Bridgeport early Saturday morning.

Officers responded to the 100 block of Terry Place for a report of an emotionally disturbed person, according to police.

When they arrived, they found a man with a knife. Police shot the man, who was then rushed to the hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.

It is not clear how many officers were involved or how many fired their weapons.

Advertisement

Police have identified the man as 45-year-old Huntly Jackson, of Bridgeport.

According to police, Jackson is under arrest, charged with criminal attempted murder, first-degree assault, assault on a public safety officer, second-degree threatening, interfering/resisting arrest, and carrying a dangerous weapon.

Bridgeport police also said one of the responding officers was stabbed in the shoulder, neck and head by the suspect. The officer was taken to the hospital for treatment but has since been released.

The Office of the Inspector General is investigating the shooting along with the State Police Western District Major Crimes Squad.

The officer or officers involved in the incident have been placed on modified duty, according to police.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Connecticut

WNBA playoffs: Resurgent Las Vegas rout New York to keep title defense alive

Published

on

WNBA playoffs: Resurgent Las Vegas rout New York to keep title defense alive


Jackie Young scored 24 points and the Las Vegas Aces took control with a 16-point third-quarter run Friday night to stave off elimination with a 95-81 win over the New York Liberty in Game 3 of the WNBA semi-finals.

The Liberty, who lead the series 2-1, will get another shot at closing out the two-time defending champion Aces on Sunday. If Las Vegas wins that, a winner-take-all Game 5 will be Tuesday in New York.

This was the Aces’ 12th consecutive home playoff victory, breaking the WNBA record shared by the Los Angeles Sparks (2001-04) and Sacramento Monarchs (2003-06).

Las Vegas finally beat the Liberty for the first this time year. New York won all three regular-season meetings and the first two games of this series.

Advertisement

In addition, Kelsey Plum scored 20 points, A’ja Wilson had 19 points and 14 rebounds, Tiffany Hayes finished with 11 points and Chelsea Gray totaled 10 points and seven assists. The Aces shot 52.1%, including 40.6% from the three-point line.

Breanna Stewart led the Liberty with 19 points, Jonquel Jones and Nyara Sabally each scored 11 points and Leonie Fiebich had 10 points.

Sabrina Ionescu, who entered the game averaging 24.5 points in the playoffs, was held to four points on 1-of-7 shooting. She was shut out until a minute into the fourth quarter when she made a technical free throw.

A back-and-forth first half quickly became one-sided in the third quarter when the Aces turned a 57-53 lead into a 73-53 advantage. New York went 7:36 between field goals and scored just six points in the period. Liberty coach Sandy Brondello called two timeouts to try to stop the Aces’ momentum.

Las Vegas extended its lead to 78-55 early in the fourth quarter to cap a 21-2 run.

Advertisement

The game looked like it could go either way when the second half began. Both teams went back and forth in the first 30 minutes, which featured 18 lead changes and eight ties.

The Aces played without Kiah Stokes, who suffered a concussion toward the end of Game 3.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić sat courtside next to teammate Dereck Lively II, coach Jason Kidd and general manager Nico Harrison. The Mavericks’ training camp was in Las Vegas this week. Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, one of the Heisman Trophy front runners, also were in attendance.

Minnesota Lynx 90-81 Connecticut Sun

After struggling in the last game offensively, Napheesa Collier wasn’t going to let it happen again.

The Lynx’s star scored 26 points and Minnesota beat the Connecticut Sun 90-81 on Friday night to take a 2-1 advantage in their best-of-five semi-final matchup.

Advertisement

“Everyone has an off night and I try to contribute in other ways to help the team,” said Collier, who had only nine points on 3-of-14 shooting in Game 2.

She has put in the work all season on both ends of the court and the league’s runner-up for MVP had the confidence to know the poor shooting game was a one-off.

With Connecticut making a run late, Collier also made three straight plays to change the momentum and seal the win.

Minnesota led 81-73 with 3:03 left when she scored, then got a deflection on the other end and capped it off by hitting Alanna Smith for a three-pointer to make it a 13-point game.

“It’s crunch time, I knew I had to be aggressive especially in one-on-one coverage,” Collier said. “Then, you know, just being the same on the other side, we really had to be aggressive. They were playing with desperation at the end.”

Advertisement
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, left, scored 26 points in Friday’s win over the Connecticut Sun in Game 3 of the WNBA semi-finals. Photograph: Jessica Hill/AP

Game 4 is Sunday in Connecticut with the Lynx looking to advance to the WNBA finals for the first time since 2017. That season ended in the fourth of Minnesota’s championships during a seven-year stretch. Game 5 would be in Minnesota on Tuesday night if necessary.

Collier had 16 in the first half on Friday night and was aggressive from the start. Minnesota led by seven after one quarter and 48-36 at the half thanks to Collier, who made seven of her 10 shots in the opening 20 minutes.

The Sun tried to rally, cutting the deficit to seven on a three-point play by Marina Mabrey midway through the third quarter. But that’s as close as they got.

“Tough one for us. They do what they wanted to do on the offensive end of the floor,” Connecticut coach Stephanie White said. “We didn’t do a good enough job getting us prepared to play today. We got outplayed, outexecuted and outcoached.”

Brionna Jones, who had just eight points combined in the first two games, led Connecticut with 21.

Advertisement

DeWanna Bonner scored 16 for the Sun to move into second place on the WNBA career postseason scoring list in the third quarter. She passed Candace Parker, who had 1,149 during her illustrious career. Bonner now has 1,159 points, moving ahead of Parker by hitting a free throw with 1:36 left in the quarter. Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi is the leader with 1,455.

All five of the Sun starters scored in double figures, but they got little contribution from the bench. The Sun reserves were outscored 16-4 by their Minnesota counterparts.

The first two games featured a chippiness between the teams, who pride themselves on playing physical defense. They were the two best defensive teams in the regular season – the Sun allowed an average of 73.6 points per game, the Lynx 75.6.

There had been hard fouls on both sides in the two games in Minnesota. There wasn’t much of that at all in Game 3.

“I just thought it was across the board a slugfest,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said of the first two games. “And I’m quite sure they felt the same.”

Advertisement

There’s also been a lot of trash talk on the court especially between Courtney Williams and Mabrey. The pair were teammates in Chicago last year and say that it’s just on-court fun and there’s no bad blood between them.



Source link

Continue Reading

Connecticut

Connecticut rehab center murder-suicide: Husband killed wife, then himself

Published

on

Connecticut rehab center murder-suicide: Husband killed wife, then himself


A man fatally shot his wife at a Connecticut rehabilitation facility before turning the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide.

Barbara Brandt, 81, was shot in her room by her husband, Dennis Brandt, 82, according to the Cromwell Police Department.

“It is with great sadness to inform you that the husband of one of our residents at Apple Rehab Cromwell took the life of his wife and then his own this morning,” Michael Landi, Apple Rehab’s vice president of operations, said in a statement to Newsweek.

She had no roommate and no witnesses were present. Landi said staff immediately called 911, and no other residents or staff were injured or involved in the incident.

Advertisement

Barbara Brand lived in the facility as a resident for three years.

A man fatally shot his wife inside the Apple Rehab facility in Cromwell, Connecticut before turning the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide.

Google Maps

Landi said there were no known previous threats, and the motive remains unclear at this time.

“Our focus will remain on our staff and residents and we will be providing any and all resources and counseling services that they may need to get through this tragic event, many of which are already onsite,” Landi said.

Newsweek reached out to the Cromwell Police Department about the fatal shooting, which stated they had no further information.

KinderCare, located next to Apple Rehab, was on lockdown earlier this morning. However, they told Newsweek that the lockdown has been lifted, and police have left the area. They declined to comment further on the shooting.

Advertisement

Apple Rehab Cromwell

Apple Rehab Cromwell is a nursing facility located in Cromwell, Connecticut, offering a range of services, including short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, and specialized therapy programs.

The facility is Medicare and Medicaid certified, with 85 licensed beds and an average occupancy rate of 73.41 percent. It provides progressive nursing and rehabilitation services, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy, catering to patients recovering from various conditions such as surgeries, cardiac events, or strokes.

The facility emphasizes patient-centered care, creating customized care plans for each resident, and offers amenities such as private rooms with flat-screen TVs, wireless internet, and fine dining. The rehabilitation gym is equipped with the latest therapeutic equipment.

In addition to medical care, the center provides comprehensive discharge planning, family education, and support groups.

According to the Violence Policy Center, nearly 1,200 Americans die in murder-suicides each year. A gun is involved in nine out of 10 murder-suicides. In nearly two-thirds of all murder-suicides, the shooter’s intimate partner is among the victims.

Advertisement

Cromwell, Connecticut

Cromwell, Connecticut, a suburban town in Middlesex County, is known for its blend of history and modern community life.

Covering approximately 15 square miles, Cromwell is located along the Connecticut River and near major highways. As of the 2020 census, the town has a population of about 13,000, offering a family-friendly environment with a mix of suburban and rural.

Cromwell maintains a low crime rate, contributing to its reputation as a safe community. The town typically reports fewer than five violent crimes annually, including incidents such as homicide, assault, and robbery.

Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending