Latest news with #StanCross
CBC
08-07-2025
- CBC
Friends, family of central Alberta woman wait for answers after man charged with murder
Nearly six years after a Wetaskiwin woman disappeared without a trace, her loved ones are still waiting for answers. Stan Cross, 49, has now been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Twyla Evans. She was last seen alive on the evening of Sept. 6, 2019, according to information released by the RCMP at the time of her disappearance. Evans's remains have never been found despite what police describe as "exhaustive" efforts. "Investigators, however, continued to pursue all available leads, and recent developments led to the arrest of Stan Cross," Alberta RCMP said in a statement last month. RCMP say they continue to work to "bring Twyla home," but her friend Kelly Campbell told CBC News it's already been a long road to see the investigation progress. "I don't personally understand what took six years," she said. Campbell said she hasn't heard Cross's name before, and she's not sure who he is or how he might have known Evans. The day Evans went missing, she was heading out to go see a movie, but it wasn't clear whether she actually attended, according to police. Her green Jeep Compass was found the next day, parked near a grocery store on the south end of Wetaskiwin, about 70 kilometres south of Edmonton. "There is a general concern for Twyla's well-being," RCMP said in a 2019 statement requesting tips on her whereabouts. There were no further public updates until June 21, 2019, when Mounties announced an arrest in the case, which was investigated by the historical homicide unit. Insp. John Spaans with the Wetaskiwin RCMP said in a statement that it was "a particularly heartbreaking case due to the significant vulnerabilities the victim faced in her daily life." Campbell said that's not how she remembers her friend, who loved driving her Jeep and planning outings with her son — he was a teenager when she went missing. Evans and Campbell saw each other for the last time about two and a half years before Evans disappeared, when Campbell took her up on an offer to go see Canadian rock band USS play a show in Edmonton. "Even though the report said 'vulnerable person,' she's not what we would think of when you hear those terms. She was a regular, average person living her life, paying her bills, doing things she liked — like going to the concerts," Campbell said. "She did not live her life as a vulnerable person." Evans had been experiencing some mental health challenges she was working through, Campbell said. She added her friend had also struggled in the years leading up to her disappearance when she unexpectedly found herself out of a job. But hearing Evans was missing was terrifying, Campbell said, and a shock for her community. "I want people to know that she was a loving mom, and that Twyla did care for the people around her."
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
EV Charging Confidence Grows Just In Time For Summer Travel
Summer is here, and for millions of Americans, that means hitting the open road. While many are set to face higher gas prices in the coming months, electric vehicle drivers are counting on public charger reliability. For years, the idea of taking an EV on a long trip came with a disclaimer: plan carefully, cross your fingers, and hope the charger is working when you pull up. Today, while advanced planning is still necessary, key metrics indicate that EV road trippers will depend less on luck and more on improved charging reliability. A J.D. Power study shows charging success rates increased to 84% in Q1 2025 from 80% a few years ago. Paren's Q1 2025 State of the Industry Report considers fast charger uptime (the amount of time a charging station is functional) and other factors in a Reliability Index, which rose to 82.6, up nearly two points in a single quarter. While the system is still far from perfect, it is trending in a direction where long-distance EV travel can become increasingly routine. Charging up during a summer road trip. Charger Reliability Drivers For many current and prospective EV owners, public station reliability is a proxy for trust in the ecosystem beyond home charging. So what is driving these incremental improvements that mark progress on one of the most cited pain points in the EV experience? 'Two significant things have happened in the last few years to transform EV charging infrastructure,' says Stan Cross, Electric Transportation Director for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and a veteran of the EV charging industry. The first is the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding program, which established a 97% uptime metric as a key federal funding requirement. 'This really got everyone paying attention to reliability,' says Cross. The second was a shift from three EV charging standards to the North American Charging Standard (NACS), or SAE J3400. 'That's having the effect of reduced complexity and improved experience as more vehicle and charging station manufacturers incorporate the standard.' The industry knows how to deliver reliable fast charging that is seamless for EV drivers. Tesla Superchargers are widely regarded as a gold standard and the network set the bar high. Now, with companies like Electric Era and IONNA in the mix, healthy competition is helping to inspire innovation. Thanks to a unified focus on the customer experience, preventative maintenance, and rapid repairs, reliability is improving and station designs are evolving. Planning For The Season Summer road trips in any vehicle come with the expectation of busier highways, rest stops, and fueling sites. While queuing at EV charging stations in highly trafficked areas is always a possibility, continued infrastructure build-out is helping to address concerns about wait times by giving drivers more options. Another takeaway from Paren's report is that the national average for ports per station increased from 2.7 a year ago to 3.9 today. Because EV charging infrastructure and EV sales generally move together, we expect more EV charging ports to meet increased demand. As a frequent traveler, Cross shares his own experience. 'I typically stop to charge every 150-200 miles, which generally lines up with when I want to take a break anyway.' Traveling via EV means access to in-vehicle nav systems and apps populated with intel on public chargers, in addition to familiar resources like Google Maps. 'Take a look at how many chargers are installed at a site and whether there are other stations nearby. Don't forget to check out options at your destination, including overnight charging, which can reduce the need to stop along the way,' says Cross Factors like temperature and terrain could have an impact on charging speeds and range, respectively, but those impacts are negligible compared to common driving practices. A lead foot is a one-way ticket to reduced EV range, so stick to posted speeds. Shifts in Public Perception Improved reliability has the potential to influence public attitudes toward EV ownership. For some prospective buyers, concerns about range have given way to concerns about whether the public charging system will support long journeys with minimal friction. As more EV drivers complete lengthy trips without charging snags, consumer confidence is likely to increase. Each successful charging experience becomes a small proof point that electrified long distance travel can be convenient and scalable, especially if those stories are shared with others. Adding to the list of benefits is the operational cost savings. To put it in perspective Cross shares, 'I save about $1500 annually driving an EV, which means my EV provides me with a free vacation every year!' Incremental Progress Beats Standing Still National trends are encouraging, but public charging reliability still varies widely depending on geography, network operator, and compatibility between vehicle and infrastructure. Rural areas and lower-income communities, in particular, often lag behind in access and consistency raising equity concerns as EV adoption accelerates. To move from promising to dependable, the charging ecosystem will need stronger maintenance and monitoring practices, greater progress toward interoperability across vehicles and networks, clearer performance requirements tied to public funding, and as always, continued coordination among utilities, government entities, and network operators. While it's not yet seamless or universally available, EV charging infrastructure is getting closer to something most long-distance drivers can rely on. This summer may mark a subtle but important turning point.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Yahoo
Man charged with 2019 homicide of Wetaskiwin woman, Twyla Evans
After six years of unanswered questions, an arrest has been made in the 2019 disappearance and suspected homicide of Twyla Evans, a vulnerable Wetaskiwin woman who was last seen alive in the central Alberta city. Alberta RCMP's Historical Homicide Unit announced that 49-year-old Stan Cross has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Evans' death. He was arrested without incident on June 20 and remains in custody. His first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday at the Court of King's Bench in Wetaskiwin. Evans, 39, was reported missing in September 2019. According to RCMP at the time, she was last seen between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sept. 6, leaving her residence to go to a movie. Her green Jeep Compass was found the following day parked near a Safeway. Despite multiple searches over the years, she has never been found. 'This was a particularly heartbreaking case due to the significant vulnerabilities the victim faced in her daily life,' said Insp. John Spaans, officer in charge of the Wetaskiwin RCMP detachment in a statement. The RCMP did not elaborate on the nature of those vulnerabilities or whether Evans and Cross were known to each other. Police say no further details will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the court process. The Alberta RCMP historical homicide unit continued pursuing the case over the years, eventually uncovering new developments that led to the arrest. 'Our Alberta RCMP Historical Homicide Unit is a team of dedicated and meticulous investigators who are working for those who can no longer speak for themselves,' said Insp. Breanne Brown of the Alberta RCMP serious crimes branch. 'Our team has been able to bring Stan Cross to justice for his actions against Twyla Evans and provide some answers to her family and friends.' Brown said the investigation remains active, and efforts are still ongoing to recover Evans' remains. 'The Alberta RCMP does not stop investigating in these circumstances and our team continues to work to bring Twyla home,' she added. Evans was described in the original missing person alert as a Caucasian woman, five-foot-seven with an average build, green eyes, shoulder-length blackish-red hair, and a rose tattoo on her arm. She wore dark-rimmed glasses and may have been carrying a red shoulder purse and wearing a light grey jacket at the time of her disappearance. cnguyen@ DNA technology solves mystery of Edmonton woman's 2001 disappearance DNA identifies remains of Edmonton man who disappeared in 1990: EPS You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun
Edmonton Journal
22-06-2025
- Edmonton Journal
Man charged with 2019 Homicide of Wetaskiwin Woman, Twyla Evans
Article content After six years of unanswered questions, an arrest has been made in the 2019 disappearance and suspected homicide of Twyla Evans, a vulnerable Wetaskiwin woman who was last seen alive in the central Alberta city. Alberta RCMP 's Historical Homicide Unit announced that 49-year-old Stan Cross has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Evans' death.
CTV News
21-06-2025
- CTV News
Alberta RCMP make arrest in 2019 homicide case
An undated photo of Twyla Evans, whose death was ruled a homicide after she disappeared from Wetaskiwin, Alta., in September 2019. (Source: Alberta RCMP) A man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a woman who went missing from Wetaskiwin six years ago. Twyla Evans, 39, was reported missing in September 2019 in Wetaskiwin where she was last seen alive. Her death was ruled a homicide, even though her body was never found. Mounties say 'recent developments' led to the arrest and charging of Stan Cross, 49, on Friday. He is due in court on Tuesday in Wetaskiwin. 'Our Alberta RCMP Historical Homicide Unit is a team of dedicated and meticulous investigators who are working for those who can no longer speak for themselves,' said Insp. Breanne Brown in a statement. 'The Alberta RCMP does not stop investigating in these circumstances and our team continues to work to bring Twyla home. I can assure you that our investigators pour their hearts into these investigations and are committed to providing answers to victim's families regardless of how much time has passed.'
