Renowned San Antonio Businessman Red McCombs Dies at 95

Written by Sye Bennefield Jr., San Antonio Express-News
Published Feb. 21, 2023

Billy Joe "Red" McCombs, the renowned San Antonio businessman who built a car dealership empire, reportedly died on Sunday, Feb. 19. He was 95 years old.

Numerous reports online say the founder of Red McCombs Automotive Group died peacefully while surrounded by family and friends. In a statement released Feb. 20, McCombs' family shared a heartfelt farewell before shining a spotlight on the positive impact he made both in the San Antonio community and across the state of Texas:

"The entire McCombs Family is heartbroken to announce that our

Louisiana Men Sentenced for Staging Accidents to Defraud Insurance, Trucking Companies

PublishedFeb. 20, 2023

John Diggs, 62, of Thibodaux, LA, and James Williams, 68, of Gibson, LA, were both sentenced Feb. 14 to 10 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lance M. Africk after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, arising out of staged automobile accidents with tractor-trailers occurring in New Orleans.

The announcement was made Feb. 16 by U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

According to court records, Diggs and Williams conspired with passengers Lois Russell and Tanya Givens to stage an

Missouri Residents Plead Guilty to $1.2 Million Insurance Fraud Conspiracy

PublishedFeb. 20, 2023

Two Columbia, MO, residents pleaded guilty in federal court Feb. 14 to their roles in a $1.2 million insurance fraud conspiracy that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents.

Latoya Marie Brown, 37, who also lived in the Kansas City, MO, area, and Cedrick Shawndale Goldman, 46, each pleaded guilty in separate appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epp Jr. to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

By pleading guilty, Brown and Goldman admitted they were part of a conspiracy that

Tesla Giga NY Workers Continue Union Fight Despite Terminations

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati
Published Feb. 20, 2023

The week of Feb. 13, TeslaGiga New York workers who organized a unionization campaign experienced a roller coaster of emotions. The group was full of hope as they launched their campaign Feb. 14, but Feb. 15 and 16, union organizers felt deflated as Tesla issued a round of terminations on the plant’s Autopilot labeling team.

In response to the terminations, the Workers United union filed a complaint with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board ...

Corvette Production Shuts Down, Yet Again

Written by Steven Symes, Motorious
Published Feb. 17, 2023

Production of Corvettes at Bowling Green Assembly in Kentucky will shut down for the week of Feb. 20.

General Motors cited a temporary parts shortage. It didn’t elaborate on what part(s) are lacking, only that the shutdown had nothing to do with the ongoing chip shortage.

If you feel like this might be déjà vu, that’s for good reason. Production at Bowling Green Assembly ground to a halt the week of Oct. 17 last year, with GM only saying it was due to a supply shortage. The same thing happened in March 2022 and May 2021.

One potential explanation for the parts shortages for GM is the

Teslawas recently accused of terminating Giga New York employees because they attempted to form a union. A blog post from the electric vehicle maker said this was not the case. 

In a recent filing with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board, the Workers United union said Tesla laid off dozens of Giga New York employees “in retaliation for union activity and to discourage union activity.” The union also asked the labor board to pursue a federal court

Auto Repair Shop Celebrates 1st Year in Business in Niagara Falls

Written by Mark Scheer, Niagara Gazette
Published Feb. 16, 2023

When they decided to get into the auto repair business together, one of the first things Doug Jones Jr. and Alex Young had to decide was what they should call their garage on Main Street in the City of Niagara Falls, NY.

Young suggested they borrow from a popular song by the rock band AC/DC, and Thunder Struck Auto Repair was born.

“We were going through names and Alex said, ‘What about thunder struck? I kind of thought about it and I said, ‘Yeah, I like that’ and that’s what it turned out to be,” Jones recalled.

On March 1,

Electrify America Breaks Ground on 75-MW Solar Power Plant in CA

Written by Iulian Dnistran, InsideEVs
Published Feb. 16, 2023

Electrify America (EA), one of the largest EV charging providers in the U.S., broke ground on its massive, 75-megawatt (MW) Solar Glow 1 photovoltaic project in San Bernardino County, CA.

The renewable energy plant built by Terra-Gen is expected to go online near the end of the summer with an estimated output of 225,000 megawatt-hours of energy per year.

According to a press release, Electrify America is purchasing and retiring all bundled environmental certificates associated with the new solar project over a 15-year period, shifting away from the usual

Tesla Accused of Terminating Giga New York Workers Over Unionization Efforts

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati
Published Feb. 16, 2023

Dozens of employees from Giga New York were laid off by Teslaon Feb. 15, per a complaint filed by union organizers. The terminations were implemented one day after a union campaign was announced by Autopilot workers at the plant.

The Workers United union said in its filing with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board that Tesla illegally terminated employees “in retaliation for union activity and to discourage

Fairfield, IA, Council Discusses Auto Body Shop

Written by Andy Hallman, Southeast Iowa Union 
Published Feb. 16, 2023

The Fairfield, IA, City Council discussed a business in town during its meeting Feb. 13, which city officials have accused of violating municipal infractions.

The business is Four Seasons Auto Body, located at 700 W. Jefferson Ave. and 400 S. Seventh St. Fairfield Code Compliance Officer Weston McKee told the council the business has received three letters and several verbal notices from the city to clean up the property.

McKee said Four Seasons is required to get a letter of approval from the city each year to obtain a vehicle recyclers license from the

Ford Idles Louisville Assembly Plant Amid Rocky Launch of New Escape

Written by Chris Otts, WDRB News
Published Feb. 15, 2023

Thousands of employees at Ford Motor Co.’s Louisville Assembly Plant are not working the week of Feb. 13 as the automaker sorts out production issues with its refreshed 2023 Escape SUV.

Workers are set to return Feb. 20, according to a layoff memo obtained by WDRB News. However, production at the plant on Fern Valley Road has been day-to-day for the last several weeks. It ran the week before the stoppage before work was halted midweek.

The plant, known as LAP, has been plagued by shortages of parts made by suppliers as well as hiccups with the redesigned Escape,

Huber Collision Center Becomes 1st Virginia Shop to Join 1Collision

PublishedFeb. 15, 2023

1Collisionis excited to announce the addition of its first location in Virginia, Huber Collision Center in Fredericksburg.

Opened in 2000, the independent collision repair facility is part of a dealer group owned by Clay Huber and includes Mercedes-Benz of Fredericksburg and Volvo Cars Fredericksburg. Phil Rice is the general manager.

"We are excited to add our first dealership location that operates as a standalone shop," said John Hollingworth, 1Collision's director of new location development. "Phil Rice is an excellent operator

Michigan OKs $1B Subsidy for $3.5B Ford EV Battery Plant

Written by Scott McClallen, The Center Square
Published Feb. 14, 2023

Michigan taxpayers will give $1 billion for Ford’s new $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery factory, which the automaker says will create 2,500 jobs in Marshall, MI.

The Michigan Strategic Fund approved incentives for the BlueOval Battery Park, including a $210 million Critical Industry Program grant from Michigan's Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund; $772 million in Renaissance Zone property; a real tax exemption over 15 years; and a $36 million loan.

John Mozena, president of the Center for Economic Accountability, a nonprofit

‘Everything Has Fallen into Place’ for TN Couple and Their Auto Repair Shop

Written by John McBryde, Williamson Herald
Published Feb. 14, 2023

Not long after he and his wife opened an auto repair shop in Nolensville, TN, Jay Vivrette greeted a customer who seemed somewhat familiar.

He couldn’t place her right away, but the more they spoke the more he realized why he knew her, even if only vaguely.

“She came in just this morning,” Vivrette said recently at J & Company Auto Repair, the shop he and his wife, Stacy Vivrette, started working on last August and opened Jan. 2. “I didn’t recognize her, but the more I got to talking to her, I started seeing the

Indiana Auto Body Shop Serves Community Through Generations

Written by Erika Malone, The Tribune
Published Feb. 14, 2023

Jim’s Body Shop in Seymour, IN, started in the midst of segregation in place across the U.S. in 1955.

Just 10 years before its establishment came the Freeman Field Mutiny, where more than 100 Black officers of the 477th Bombardment Group were arrested for attempting to gain entrance to the white officers’ club.

This incident was one of many leading President Harry Truman to issue an executive order declaring the end of segregation in the military in 1948.

Before Jim’s Body Shop was born, James Richey worked at Ford’s Garage

Tesla Workers at Buffalo Gigafactory Aiming to Unionize

Written by Joey Klender, Teslarati
Published Feb. 14, 2023

Teslaemployees at the company’s Gigafactory in Buffalo, NY, are aiming to unionize.

If successful, it would be the first Tesla facility to have an active union. Bloombergreported employees sent an email to CEO Elon Musk on Feb. 14, communicating their intent to unionize, which would include better pay, more job security and a reduction in production pressures.

“Unionizing will further accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy because it will give us a voice in our workplace and in the goals we set for ourselves to accomplish,” employees said

N.C. Rate Bureau Requests 28.4% Rate Increase for Auto Insurance

PublishedFeb. 13, 2023

Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey on Feb. 2 announced the North Carolina Rate Bureau has submitted a rate filing with the N.C. Department of Insurance, requesting an increase for auto policies.

In the filing, the bureau has requested an overall average statewide increase in private passenger auto insurance rates of 28.4%, which would become effective Oct. 1.

The N.C. Rate Bureau represents the auto insurance companies in the state and is not a part of the N.C. Department of Insurance. By law, the bureau must submit auto rate filings with the department every year by Feb. 1.

Causey and department

Hyundai, Colorado Dealers Donate $150,000 to Support Children's Hospital Colorado

Published Feb. 13, 2023

Hyundai Motor America and local Hyundai Colorado dealers donated $150,000 to Children's Hospital Colorado as part of Alice 105.9's (KALC-FM) annual Alice Cares for Kids Radiothon™.

Every donation to the Radiothon goes to Children's Colorado to support patient care and research, including pediatric cancer research---a major area of funding for the Hyundai Hope On Wheels nonprofit organization, and a top priority for Hyundai dealers across the nation.

"We are proud to partner with our Colorado Hyundai Dealers in supporting their mission to end pediatric cancer. Their championship of this

Tesla Cybertruck Initial Production Clears Potential Speed Bump

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati
Published Feb. 13, 2023

Gigafactory Texas is being prepared to build the TeslaCybertruck, expected to enter initial production this summer.

Tesla skeptics, however, continue to argue the all-electric pickup truck will either be delayed even more or never released at all, partly due to the company’s plans for the vehicle.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the Cybertruck would be Tesla’s masterpiece of sorts, meaning the Cybertruck will receive the best the company can offer, such as the Hardware 4 computer.

Little is known about the specifics of Tesla’s Hardware 4 computer,

PennDOT Seeks Input on Safety Issues as Traffic Fatalities Spike

Written by Lauren Jessop, The Center Square
Published Feb. 13, 2023

The agency responsible for overseeing transportation in Pennsylvania seeks the public’s input on traffic safety as fatalities climb for the second year in a row.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) said the online survey results will help the agency better understand the public’s attitude on highway safety and find more effective ways to reduce crashes.

Many of the deaths that have occurred on the state’s roadways in 2021 could have been prevented “simply by buckling up, slowing down, paying attention and driving sober,” said PennDOT Acting Secretary

Redwood Materials Gets $2B Loan to Expand NV Battery Materials Campus 

Written by Maria Merano, Teslarati
Published Feb. 10, 2023

Redwood Materials recently received a $2 billion conditional commitment from the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) to support the expansion of its McCarran site in Nevada. 

Redwood Materials plans to establish a recycling production facility on the site, located approximately 24 miles east of Sparks, NV, in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. The recycling production facility will reprocess lithium-ion battery materials and scrap copper wire into metal commodities. 

Once completed, the McCarran site might be instrumental to the U.S. EV battery supply

GlobalFoundries, GM to Produce Semiconductor Chips in Upstate NY

PublishedFeb. 10, 2023

General Motors Co.and GlobalFoundrieson Feb. 9 announced a strategic, long-term agreement establishing a dedicated capacity corridor exclusively for GM’s chip supply.

Through this first-of-its-kind agreement, GF will manufacture for GM’s key chip suppliers at GF’s advanced semiconductor facility in Upstate New York, bringing a critical process to the U.S.

This agreement supports GM’s strategy to reduce the number of unique chips needed to power increasingly complex and tech-laden vehicles. With this strategy, chips can be produced in higher volumes and are expected to offer better quality and

Driver of Tesla Model Y Who Drove Off 250-Foot CA Cliff Pleads Not Guilty

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati
Published Feb. 10, 2023

Dharmesh Patel of Pasadena, CA, the man behind the wheel of the TeslaModel Y that plunged 250 feet off a cliff at Devil’s Slide in California, pleaded not guilty in court Feb. 9.

Patel is charged with three counts of attempted murder and domestic violence.

Among Patel’s victims were his wife, as well as his 7-year-old daughter

Quincy, MA, Crews Snuff Auto Body Shop Fire Amidst Frozen Hydrants, Strong Winds

Written by David Cifarelli, Daily Voice Norfolk
Published Feb. 10, 2023

Firefighters had to brace record-breaking cold and strong winds to put out a two-alarm fire at a Quincy, MA, auto body shop Feb. 4, local firefighters reported.

The fire was reportedly coming from Quincy Collision & Frame Center, located at 125 Liberty St., according to WCVB's Brianna BorghionTwitter.

A second building also caught fire and crews were having issues getting water on the flames because of frozen hydrants, NBC10 Boston's Mary Markos reported, citing Quincy

Old EV Batteries Being Reused as Energy Storage Devices in CA

Written by Maria Merano, Teslarati
Published Feb. 9, 2023

Electric vehicles are here to stay, and the subject of what to do with their battery packs once they are no longer suitable for the road remains a key concern among skeptics. 

A response to these concerns is currently being demonstrated in California by B2U Storage Solutions Inc, a Los Angeles-based startup using secondhand EV batteries as energy storage systems that can support the grid. 

B2U said its use of old EV batteries can significantly lower the cost of carbon-free energy storage. The company also said so far, it has 25 MWh of storage capacity tied

Insurer Trade Groups Respond to Illinois’ Rate Regulation Bill

Written by Lyle Adriano, Insurance Business Magazine
Published Feb. 9, 2023

The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), the Illinois Insurance Association (IIA) and National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies(NAMIC) have together issued a statement decrying a newly announced Illinois bill which would limit the number of non-driving factors auto insurance companies can use in setting the rates of consumers.

House Bill 2203, announced Feb. 8 and sponsored by state Sen. Javier Cervantes and state Rep. Will Guzzardi, would allow the Illinois Department of

Fatal 2021 TX Tesla Crash Tied to Excessive Speed, Not Autopilot

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati
Published Feb. 9, 2023

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed Feb. 8 its investigation into an April 2021 fatal crash involving a TeslaModel S in Texas found no indications the vehicle was operating on Autopilot at the time of the incident.

Instead, the probable cause of the crash was determined to be the driver’s excessive speed, alcohol impairment and inability to maintain control of the vehicle.

Two men died in the accident, which caused the Model S to burst into flame. The victims were 69-year-old engineer Everett Talbot and 59-year-old Dr. William

MIT Study: Self-Driving Cars Could Drive Up Carbon Emissions

Written by Scott McClallen, The Center Square
Published Feb. 8, 2023

A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says the computers that power autonomous cars could become a significant source of carbon emissions if widely adopted.

For years, Michigan taxpayers have subsidized research on autonomous cars, which aim to drive themselves using a series of sensors and advanced technology.

The goal of autonomous vehicles is to reduce traffic deaths and relieve humans of manual driving. In 2021, the most recent data available, there were 282,640 crashes in Michigan. Of those crashes, 1,068 were fatal, according to crash data from the

Rivian Adventure Network Reaches the East Coast

Written by William Johnson, Teslarati
Published Feb. 8, 2023

Rivianhas placed its first Adventure Network fast charger on the East Coast, as it works to introduce 600 locations across the country.

The Rivian Adventure Network is the truck maker’s answer to the TeslaSupercharging Network. At Adventure Network charging locations, Rivian drivers have exclusive access to renewable 200kW fast charging, often in locations off the beaten path---hence the name.

While these chargers have already been placed more consistently throughout the West Coast, Rivian will now be installing its first Adventure Network charger on the other side of the

Minnesota Legislators Ponder Household Energy Efficiency Tax Credits

Written by Mary Stroka, The Center Square
Published Feb. 8, 2023

Minnesota legislators are considering a refundable tax credit of up to $2,000 for residents who invest in energy efficiency.

Rep. Jeff Brand, DFL-St. Peter, sponsored the bill, HF810.

“This will give folks an incentive if they were kind of teetering,” Brand said Feb. 2. “But maybe it will offer more incentive to folks who weren’t quite able to reach that affordability range.”

The House Tax Committee on Feb. 2 laid it over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. Expenditures in three categories---appliances, large improvements and energy