Latest news with #Koenig
Miami Herald
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
EV Charger Installations Decline Amid Trump Criticism
The growth of high-speed electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the U.S. has hit a major speed bump. Installations dropped more than 21% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to BloombergNEF analysis of Energy Department data. Analysts say the sharp decline could threaten broader EV adoption just as the U.S. market needs to scale rapidly to meet climate goals and consumer demand. The dip in installations comes amid heightened political uncertainty. President Donald Trump has vowed to dismantle much of the Biden-era climate agenda, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides up to $7,500 in tax credits for EV buyers. Trump's allies in Congress have also proposed eliminating those credits, and his administration has already rolled back auto emissions standards and paused implementation of federally funded charging programs. That has led to a "negative feedback loop," says BloombergNEF analyst Ash Wang. "The uncertainty has automakers scaling back EV investments.". BloombergNEF has already revised its charging installation forecast for 2025 downward, from 360,000 new chargers to just 285,000. Although the bipartisan infrastructure law designated $5 billion for EV charging buildout, some states have halted or delayed projects tied to that money, citing the Trump administration's freeze on implementation. With federal momentum stalled and no clarity on whether tax credits will be preserved, private sector investment has also cooled. Wood Mackenzie analyst Emil Koenig noted that his firm's charging projections are still based on the existing EV credit, but even so, they've lowered expectations. "If the credit is repealed, it would materially affect our forecast," Koenig said. Beyond tax credits and infrastructure, analysts are also eyeing how Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods and foreign-sourced auto parts could further stifle EV momentum. About 35% of EVs sold in the U.S. last year were imported, and even some U.S.-assembled models rely heavily on global supply chains. Rising costs could kill or delay the launch of affordable EVs in the $25,000 range - models that are crucial for mass adoption. "Any delay in low-cost EV models will also materially set back charging infrastructure deployment," said Koenig. With more than 208,000 public EV charging ports currently online, the U.S. still lags far behind what's needed to support projected EV adoption by 2030. BNEF estimates that nearly 174,000 new charging points need to be added every year just to stay on track, assuming no new policies are introduced. Without continued federal support, experts warn, EV infrastructure could fall dangerously short, discouraging new buyers and risking a major setback in the transition away from fossil fuels. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Studios of Taos Society of Artists painters could become a National Historic Landmark
May 2—The studios of two Taos artists could be recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Painters Eanger Irving Couse and Joseph Henry Sharp were best known for their portrayals of Native Americans. The two men were founding members of the Taos Society of Artists in 1915, an art colony that played a role in making Taos an iconic art destination. Their studios and Couse's home in Taos have been maintained as the Couse-Sharp Historic Site, a 2-acre property in the village's central district. "At the end of the day, the humanities impact of these artists is that they helped change Americans' perceptions of Native America and influenced federal Indian policy as advocates of Native rights and sovereignty," said Davison Koenig, the historic site's executive director. The United States has more than 2,600 National Historic Landmarks, which are meant to represent outstanding aspects of American history and culture, according to the National Park Service. The National Historic Landmarks Committee is set to make a decision about the Taos property's designation on May 22. The designation could help the historic property with fundraising efforts to support its preservation and its recently opened Lunder Research Center, which is focused on the early Taos art colony and Taos Society of Artists. "The strength of the site is the ability to tell a very complex story of New Mexico history and its place within the larger framework of both nation building and our national identity," Koenig said. The site also plays a role in the history of Taos Pueblo. Pueblo members were often models for the artists' paintings. The site offers insights into the relationship between the Taos Society of Artists and the pueblo, according to Ilona Spruce, marketing and tourism director at Taos Pueblo. "Everyone had their own experience, and those experiences have to be acknowledged, whether they were positive or negative. But one thing that did come to light with the research and the review of the photos that were accounted for from Couse, was that there was definitely a relationship built between the Couse family and Ben Lujan's family, and it was pretty reciprocal," Spruce said. Lujan was a Taos Pueblo member who was frequently portrayed in early 20th-century art and advertisements. Much of the Pueblo's history is recorded via oral history and the Couse-Sharp site offers additional documentation of the pueblo's history, Spruce said, especially during the time when Taos Pueblo lost ownership of Blue Lake from 1906 to 1970. "We're not really teaching the deep history of New Mexico and the national import of New Mexico's history, and we're certainly not teaching the history of Taos on any meaningful level," Koenig said. An NHL designation could give the historic site's staff a renewed vigor for sharing New Mexico history, he said.
CNN
28-04-2025
- CNN
Teens' night of rock throwing leads to murder conviction for 1 of them
Three Denver-area teens cheered each other during a night of throwing rocks at cars — until one of the stones crashed through a windshield and killed a woman, leading to a murder conviction Friday after the trio turned on one another. Jurors found Joseph Koenig guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Alexa Bartell on April 19, 2023, after the other young men riding with him reached deals with prosecutors and testified against him. Koenig, now 20, was also convicted of attempted murder and other less serious crimes for rocks and other objects thrown at vehicles the night Bartell was killed and in previous weeks. Bartell's family and friends hugged and cried in court after the verdict. Her mother, Kelly Bartell, said later that justice had been done but she had mixed feelings, expressing some sympathy for Koenig and the other two young men, who were all 18 when her daughter was killed. 'It's hard to be happy or feel satisfied that justice was served today, because I feel one amazing life was lost and three others are also lost and impacted,' she said. Jurors had to consider shifting and competing versions of the truth offered by Koenig's former co-defendants during the two-week trial. No one disputed that a 9-pound (4-kilogram) landscaping rock taken from a Walmart parking lot crashed through Bartell's windshield, killing her instantly. The issue was who threw it. The only DNA found on the rock was Bartell's, making the testimony from the other two, Zachary Kwak and Nicholas Karol-Chik, key to the prosecution. Lawyers for Koenig said Kwak threw the rock that killed Bartell. But Kwak and Karol-Chik, whose plea agreements on lesser charges could lead to shorter prison sentences, said Koenig threw it. Although Karol-Chik said they each threw about 10 rocks that night, Kwak testified that he did not throw any. Chief Deputy District Attorney Katharine Decker told jurors the damage to Bartell's car was consistent with Koenig — who is left-handed and was driving — throwing the rock, shotput-style, out the driver's-side window, as Karol-Chik testified. Even if jurors were unconvinced that Koenig threw it, she told them, they should still find him guilty of first-degree murder as a conspirator. Koenig's attorneys said he did not know anyone had been hurt until Bartell's car went off the road. They also argued that he had borderline personality disorder, affecting his impulse control and judgment. Defense lawyer Martin Stuart asked jurors to instead find Koenig guilty of manslaughter, the least serious charge he faced, saying he did not knowingly try to kill her. Jurors also had the option of finding him guilty of manslaughter as a conspirator. After seeing Bartell's car leave the road, the three friends circled back a few times to look again, according to testimony. Kwak took a photo as a memento, but no one checked on the driver or called for help, according to their testimony. Bartell's body would not be discovered until her girlfriend, Jenna Griggs, who was on a call with her when it abruptly cut out, tracked her phone to the field, she testified. The three agreed not to talk to anyone about what happened, but Kwak, the newest to the group of friends, later told investigators that Koenig threw the rock. Karol-Chik, who said Koenig was like a 'brother' to him, initially pointed the finger at Kwak before changing his story and blaming Koenig. Karol-Chik testified that Koenig seemed 'excited' as they drove by Bartell's car and at one point made a 'whoop' sound. 'It sounded like him celebrating,' said Karol-Chik, who admitted placing the rock next to Koenig so he could grab it and throw it. Koenig's lawyers tried to cast doubt on the reliability of the other men's accounts but also stressed that none of the three intended to hurt anyone. The defense declined to comment on the conviction. Kwak entered into a plea deal first, pleading guilty in May 2024 to first-degree assault. In doing so he acknowledged acting in a way that created a grave risk of death. He also pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and attempted second-degree assault for rocks that were thrown earlier in the night. He faces between 20 and 32 years in prison, according to prosecutors. About a week later, Karol-Chik pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and committing a crime of violence. He also pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder for throwing rocks at a total of nine people that night and earlier in 2023. Under his agreement, Karol-Chik could be sent to prison for between 35 and 72 years when he is sentenced Thursday, a day before Kwak. Koenig is to be sentenced June 3 and faces a mandatory life term for the murder conviction.
Toronto Sun
25-04-2025
- Toronto Sun
Driver convicted of murder in case of Colorado teens who threw fatal rock at car
Published Apr 25, 2025 • 4 minute read Defendant Joseph Koenig listens to district court judge Christopher C. Zenisek during an arraignment in Jefferson County district court on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, in Golden, Colo. Photo by AAron Ontiveroz / AP The last of three friends accused of killing a driver in Colorado by throwing a rock through the windshield of her car was convicted of first-degree murder Friday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The teens were driving around suburban Denver throwing rocks at passing cars when one struck and killed 20-year-old Alexa Bartell, in a crime prosecutors classified as murder. After two of the defendants had taken plea deals, a Colorado jury found the third, Joseph Koenig, guilty at the conclusion of a two-week trial during which jurors had to wade through the shifting and competing versions of the truth offered by the defendants. Koenig, now 20, insisted that another person in the trio threw the rock that killed Bartell. But the two friends — whose agreements with prosecutors could lead to shorter prison sentences _ said Koenig threw it. Chief Deputy District Attorney Katharine Decker told jurors the damage to Bartell's car was consistent with Koenig — who is left-handed and was driving — throwing the rock, shotput-style, out the driver's side window at Bartell's car as one of the friends, Nicholas Karol-Chik, testified. Even if jurors weren't convinced Koenig threw the rock, she had urged them to still find him guilty of first-degree murder as a conspirator with his friends, who both pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The defense didn't dispute that Koenig participated in the night of rock-throwing but said the third defendant, Zachary Kwak, threw the fatal rock. His attorneys argued Koenig did not know anyone had been hurt until Bartell's car went off the road, and that he had borderline personality disorder, which affected his impulse control and judgment. One of Koenig's lawyers, Martin Stuart, told jurors to instead find him guilty of manslaughter, the least serious charge he faced in Bartell's death, because he didn't knowingly try to kill her. Jurors also had the option of finding Koenig guilty of manslaughter as a conspirator, even if they didn't think he threw the rock himself. On April 19, 2023, after seeing Bartell's car leave the road after being hit, the three friends circled back a few times to look again, according to testimony and investigators. One of them, Kwak, took a photo as a memento but no one checked on the driver or called for help, according to their testimony. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Bartell's body would not be discovered until her girlfriend, Jenna Griggs, who was on the phone with her that night when the call abruptly cut out, tracked her phone to the field, she testified. The only DNA found on the fatal rock was Bartell's, making the testimony from Kwak and Karol-Chik key to the prosecution. The friends agreed not to talk to anyone about what had happened. But Kwak, the newest one to the group, later told investigators that Koenig had thrown the fatal rock. Karol-Chik, who said Koenig was like a 'brother' to him, pointed the finger at Kwak before changing his story and saying that Koenig had thrown the rock that killed Bartell. Karol-Chik, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the pickup as Koenig drove, testified that Koenig seemed 'excited' as they drove by Bartell's car and at one point made a 'whoop' sound. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It sounded like him celebrating,' said Karol-Chik, who admitted he had placed the fatal rock next to Koenig so he could grab it and throw it as he drove. Koenig's lawyers tried to cast doubt on the reliability of the other men's accounts. 'You have no reason to believe me but I also have no reason to protect anyone anymore,' Karol-Chik said on cross-examination. Karol-Chik and Kwak contradicted one another on a key point. Karol-Chik said they all threw about 10 rocks each that night. Kwak said he didn't throw any. The defense pointed out that Kwak did not say Koenig had thrown the rock until a detective told him someone had accused Kwak himself of doing it. But in their questioning of the friends, the defense also stressed that none of the three had intended to hurt anyone. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Kwak entered into a plea deal first, pleading guilty in May 2024 to first-degree assault in Bartell's death, acknowledging that he acted in a way that created a grave risk of death. He also pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and attempted second-degree assault for the rocks that were thrown earlier in the night. He faces between 20 and 32 years in prison, prosecutors said. About a week later, Karol-Chik pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and committing a crime of violence. He also pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder for throwing rocks at a total of nine people that night and earlier in 2023. Under his plea agreement, Karol-Chik could be sent to prison for between 35 and 72 years in prison when he is sentenced. Ontario Toronto Maple Leafs Canada Toronto & GTA Toronto Maple Leafs
CBS News
25-04-2025
- CBS News
Colorado jury finds Joseph Koenig guilty of first-degree murder in deadly rock-throwing trial
Jurors have delivered a guilty verdict for first-degree murder for Joseph Koenig, the Colorado man accused of throwing a rock through the windshield of Alexa Bartell's moving vehicle, killing her. Deliberations began Thursday, with the jury returning the verdict less than two hours after returning to deliberate on Friday morning. Joseph Koenig Jefferson County Koenig was charged with first-degree murder in Bartell's death, as well as nine additional criminal counts of attempted first-degree murder for allegedly throwing rocks at other vehicles. There were also three counts of second-degree assault and six counts of attempted second-degree assault for a total of 19 counts. Witnesses testified last week, sharing their experiences that night as they became victims of the rock-throwing attacks. CBS Two co-defendants, Nicholas "Mitch" Karol-Chik and Zachary Kwak, pleaded guilty last year for their roles in the 2023 attack. Last week, both men testified against Koenig as part of their plea agreements. Both claimed that it was Koenig who threw the rock that killed Bartell. The defense questioned Karol-Chik's testimony, pointing to previous interviews where he claimed Kwak had thrown the last rock of the night. Nicholas "Mitch" Karol-Chik (left) and Zachary Kwak (right) CBS Koenig did not testify. Instead, his defense called behavioral health researcher and Temple University professor Laurence Steinberg to the stand. The defense stressed that Koenig wasn't fully aware of the consequences of his actions. Steinberg was cross-examined for several hours as District Attorney Katharine Decker sought to establish that adolescents are capable of impulse control and logical reasoning. Koenig's trial, initially scheduled to begin last summer, was delayed for a court-ordered evaluation after his attorneys raised concerns about an ADHD diagnosis. Closing arguments were heard Thursday morning. The defense asserted that what Koenig did was manslaughter, not murder. "Did he make a lot of bad decisions? Yes. Knowingly and intentionally," one prosecutor said. Koenig's defense didn't argue that he didn't commit a crime but pleaded that the jury find him guilty of a reckless manslaughter charge. "You're right. What Joe Koenig did was a crime. He is guilty. We're asking you to find him guilty of what he did." Sentencing hearings for Karol-Chik and Kwak have been scheduled for next week, May 1 and May 2, respectively, after the verdict in Koenig's trial.
