Your letters for Feb. 16, 2024

By NewsPress Now

Your letters for Feb. 16, 2024

E.V.—Whoops?

Has the push to get EV vehicle into the market overlooked something?

Cold weather might be one nightmare, as this causes slow charging and reduced range on these EV’s. A problem that seems to have been overlooked was that the batteries are also the “source” to heat the car, wipers, lights, defrosting, radio. And as the batteries get cold, they draw more.

Reports from cold areas are calling these recharging stations “car graveyards,” as they must wait in line for recharging. Cars have even been abandoned and left there waiting. Plus, the recharging times are taking longer due to the cold.

Hertz announced that it was going to sell 20,000 EV’s from its fleet due to elevated cost, lack of demand for rentals and repair cost.

The confusing tax and rebate programs have not aided in the sale of the EV’s. Even the price cuts seem not to be helping sales. The Inflation Act of 2022 amended the Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit, now known as the Clean Vehicle Credit!

To be eligible for the Clean Vehicle Credit, the unit “must” have a capacity of at least 7 kilowatt-hours. A “Critical Mineral” tax credit of up to $3750.00 meets the requirements of the critical mineral’s minimum percent value requirement. Battery components are worth another $3750.00 in tax credit , if the percentage of the value of the battery components manufactured or assembled in North America must meet or exceed battery components minimum percent value requirements.

All depending on the model, the MSRP, the battery in the unit, when you bought it, it must meet the requirement at the time of purchase and your income status (AGI).

So, if you decide to buy a EV, be prepared to adjust your route to match where the recharging states are located, if finished.

Ben Pecora

St. Joseph



Failing education system

American education is rotting. Two thirds of students cannot read; the U.S. ranks 31st out of seventy-nine countries in math scores; and only 13% of 8th graders are proficient in American history. So, the St. Joseph School District thought it was a golden time to attach a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion tentacle to itself.

Under DEI, the Evanston Township High School in Chicago has resegregated its math and English classes. If our district wants to reinstitute this great practice here, it should continue this course of action. In 2021, the American College Testing organization rated only 10% of black high school seniors college ready. If St. Joseph wants its black students to continue this trend, full steam ahead; telling them failure=systemic racism will undoubtedly fix the problem. Ibram Kendi, a major promoter of DEI, recently said white people see themselves being “over humanity,” because a “construction of whiteness prevents white people from connecting to humanity.”

If the school district’s goal is to sow the seeds of future race riots, then let us cheer it on!

Gene Stone

Cosby, MO