Latest news with #Voigt
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Second man charged in school van crash that killed 15-year-old student found guilty in court
One of the men charged in a race that ended in a deadly school van crash was found guilty of most charges in court. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 15-year-old student killed in school van crash in Dravosburg 'Two days of mixed emotions because we have to relive this over and over,' Nenita Kalkbrenner told Channel 11. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 'Not easy': Samantha Kalkbrenner's parents volunteer at fish fry in her memory It's the second trial the Kalkbrenners have had to sit through in connection to the death of their 15-year-old daughter Samantha. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Man pleads guilty in school van crash that killed 15-year-old Serra Catholic student Today, Allegheny County Judge Bruce Beemer determined Andrew Voigt is guilty of five counts of reckless endangerment. He's the second man who was charged in connection to Samatha's death after he was driving approximately 90 miles per hour on Richland Avenue in Dravosburg, back in September of 2023. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Family, friends of local cheerleader killed in school van crash hold fundraiser in her memory Since that day, police suspected Voigt and William Soliday, the other driver, were drag racing on the busy highway. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> New videos played in court show moment just before deadly school van crash in Dravosburg Soliday's car crashed into the van, and Samatha was killed. Voigt never stopped, and kept driving. 'We are just happy that he was able to find him guilty of most of the charges. We were a little worried about how that was going to play out,' Karl Kalkbrenner said During the trial, Voigt's attorney attempted to shift blame for the crash to the van bus driver — who tested positive for traces cocaine after the crash, but was never charged. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Driver of Serra Catholic school van had cocaine in his system at time of deadly crash, sources say 'We weren't too worried about that, really, because we knew from the beginning the toxicology screening said he was not under the influence,' he added. Voigt will be sentenced in August, where he could face jail time. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
USA Today
22-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Vikings legend announced for pick announcement on day two of NFL Draft
Vikings legend announced for pick announcement on day two of NFL Draft The NFL will again have legends from each franchise to announce picks in rounds two and three this week. Some teams have several picks, so they'll have several legends making appearances. That won't be the case for the Minnesota Vikings, who are slated to have only one pick on Day 2 of the draft. Former tight end Stu Voigt, who played his entire 11-year career in Minnesota, will announce the Vikings' pick. The team drafted Voigt out of Wisconsin in the 10th round (260th overall) of the 1970 draft. Voigt didn't play much as a rookie and only started nine games in his first three seasons. But he became a full-time starter in 1973, catching 23 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings reached their second Super Bowl. In all, Voigt played 131 regular-season games with 80 starts in Minnesota, catching 177 passes for 1,919 yards and 17 touchdowns. He started in Super Bowls VIII, IX, and XI, all of which the Vikings lost.
Forbes
16-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Market-Driven Clean Energy Shift—And Why Texas Matters
The energy sector is undergoing a transition toward cleaner and more sustainable sources. Deloitte's 2025 Energy Outlook highlights key trends shaping the sector—from industrial policy influencing renewable growth to advancements in 24/7 renewable solutions and carbon management. The report also notes that record public and private investment in clean energy supported the expansion of renewables in 2024. Sean Voigt, founder of the Austin Energy Hub and Director of EarthxCapital, said the most significant success in this sector, globally, is that clean energy has won the economic argument. "Solar, wind and battery have emerged as the lowest cost, fastest to deploy forms of energy, hands down," said Voigt. "We are not talking about climate change here, not talking about the environment, just talking about the cheapest and most effective way to power homes, industry, data centers, countries and economic growth." Voigt says this is because 90% of all new generation capacity built out over the last five to ten years globally has been clean energy. 'This is true not just in developed countries and countries with climate targets, but—perhaps most powerfully—in the emerging south, in India, in Pakistan, where there are market forces, individuals and businesses simply seeking out the best economic solutions,' he added. "You simply cannot compete with zero marginal cost. When you combine this with the cost of battery storage, which has declined ten times in the last ten years and is only going continue this trend, you start to see how utterly dominant these technologies already are," said Voigt. "There really is nowhere left for conventional energy to hide," he added. Texas consistently hits day-time peaks of 70-80% of total power generation - across the entire state from renewables. "In Texas, we are blessed with an energy market that operates purely on price signals," said Voigt. "And here in Texas, we don't care what you build - gas, nuclear, coal, solar - or where you build it, we just say, if you build the capacity, we will connect it to the grid, and we'll buy those electrons from you if they are the cheapest electrons we can buy." "We have no state policies pushing or subsidizing clean energy - if anything, this is an antagonistic environment for clean energy," he added. "Yet renewables are dominant in Texas, the largest energy market by a factor of two and a half times and set to nearly double again in the next five years," said Voigt. "Why? Because Texas operates its grid according to Texas values - free market and minimal bureaucracy. And, in a world where technologies have to compete and time to market, clean energy is unstoppable." According to Rebecca Kacaba, CEO and co-founder of DealMaker, Texas is ground zero for the clean energy economy. "And that surprises people because they assume it's all oil and gas. But if you actually look at the data, Texas is number one in solar, number one in wind, and is about to become number one in battery storage too." In 2023, Texas generated approximately 119,836 GWh of wind energy, the highest of any U.S. state. The state had more than 15,300 wind turbines, the most in the country. Wind power accounted for 28.6% of Texas's total energy generation in 2023. Wind generation in Texas has nearly tripled since 2014. Kacaba adds that those numbers are not policy-driven — they are market-driven. "Price signals alone are dictating this shift. That's what's so compelling," said Kacaba. "It's not just happening — it's competing and winning in the open market. Texas is already running on 30% renewables year-round and hitting 80% on some days." "That tells you where they're headed. I think founders and investors need to watch Texas closely because what happens there will shape the future of energy across North America," said Kacaba. Kacaba says distributed generation is going to scale fast. "Think modular, localized power instead of relying on massive centralized plants. And the entire battery ecosystem is going to evolve quickly too, especially as data centers and AI demand more and more power." "We going to see new forms of energy storage, new models for how power is generated and sold, and new ways for consumers to be part of that system," she added. "And as battery tech improves, we will finally see explosive growth in EVs and EV infrastructure." "This isn't theoretical anymore. What we haven't caught up on yet is giving founders in those sectors the right capital tools to grow with that demand," she said. "Retail investors have a strong appetite to see these ideas come to fruition." Thomas Healy, CEO and co-founder of Hyliion, an Austin-based clean tech company, says the real shift needs to happen in how we think about energy infrastructure. "For decades, power has been centralized—generated far away and pushed through a grid that wasn't designed for the kind of demand we're seeing today," said Healy. "It is becoming clearer that trillions of dollars in new investment is required to modernize the grid, and it will take decades to achieve." "This is resulting in a significant shift toward localized, on-site generation as the new normal," he said. "That means designing facilities with localized power generation as part of the core architecture, not always as a backup." Healy says the main challenge to distributed energy is that while it's essential for resiliency—especially with increasing grid instability—the technologies are outdated. "Most distributed systems are built around diesel or natural gas generators that are noisy, polluting, and limited in terms of fuel flexibility," said Healy. "They also require a lot of maintenance and aren't designed for a world that's prioritizing resilience, sustainability and rapid energy access." Healy says that if distributed energy is going to be part of the solution in the long term, it has to evolve. "It can now be cleaner, more efficient, and adaptable to different use cases and fuel sources," said Healy. "We believe power generation needs to become decentralized, resilient, and closer to the point of use." As part of its approach to distributed energy, Hyliion says we have to rethink power generation. They have done this with the KARNO Power Module—a portable, clean generator that integrates mechanical, chemical, and power electronics technologies alongside advances in metallurgy and manufacturing. "KARNO builds on the foundational work of the Stirling engine and the principles behind the Carnot cycle—which is the gold standard for converting heat into work efficiently," said Healy. "What makes the system different is that it uses a proprietary flameless oxidation process to generate heat, so instead of relying on traditional combustion, which produces a lot of harmful emissions, we oxidize the fuel in a much more controlled and efficient way." Healy says it's quieter and cleaner and designed to work with more than 20 different fuel types, including hydrogen, natural gas, and biogas. The company uses additive manufacturing (3D metal printing) to build key components of the system. "These parts are incredibly complex, and 3D printing lets us produce them with a level of precision and efficiency that wouldn't be possible using traditional manufacturing methods," said Healy. "Even material selection is key to building a system that is capable of operating on a wide range of fuels and application conditions." Siddhant Masson, CEO and co-founder of Wokelo AI, says the company analyzed more than 1,600 climate-related fundraises from 2021 through 2025 and found that private equity (PE) is outpacing venture capital in funding climate tech. "If we look back at 2021, private equity funding was lower than total VC funding (across all stages), but in just the past few years, PE investment has steadily grown and now surpasses VC," said Masson. 'I also see that this gap is continuing to widen.' Masson says that these two funders are investing in completely different ways. "Most of the PE-funded deals are concentrated in the power and energy space, focused on large-scale renewables and clean energy projects," said Masson. "Venture capital, meanwhile, is much broader in scope and covers innovative concepts across energy, biotech, building materials, information and analytics services, consulting, ag-tech, blockchain, mobility (EVs, ridesharing), waste management, and food tech." Kacaba says we have passed the tipping point for cleantech investment. "The real shift now is in how capital is deployed," said Kacaba. "We're no longer talking about whether clean energy is viable — the economics have settled that debate. Wind, solar, storage — they're already cheaper, faster to deploy, and in many cases more reliable." "What's catching up now is the infrastructure around investment itself," she said. "The financial models, the capital stacks, the routes founders take to raise money — that's where the innovation needs to happen next. So yes, we're past the tipping point in terms of technology and demand; now the focus is on modernizing the way capital moves and who gets access to invest." "If an investor hasn't taken a close look at this space in a few years, their take on it is obsolete," added Voigt. "So there is a basic barrier around understanding the $50 - $100 trillion opportunity that is going to unfold over the coming decades." "What I find promising is that many of the investors staying in the game right now are playing the long game," said Masson. "They understand and accept that these investments will not bring them quick exits. They choose to put their effort into building infrastructure for the future – solutions that will be essential tomorrow." Healy says distributed energy moves us toward a future where energy is no longer something you passively receive from a distant power plant—but something you control right at the point of use. "Innovations like ours give businesses and communities the ability to generate their power in a cleaner, more efficient, and more resilient way," said Healy. "That shift unlocks new possibilities—not just for decarbonization, but for energy access, reliability, and independence." Healy says that, over time, that will fundamentally change how society thinks about power—making it more local, more flexible, and more aligned with the pace of innovation across every other industry. Voigt says clean energy is not about climate change or a niche altruistic goal to save the planet but the economic and technological future upon which the strength of nations and empires will be built in the century to come. "Energy is power. Technology is power. Economic growth and trade drive geopolitics," said Voigt. "The nations that harness and own these technologies and supply chains will own the geopolitics of the next century." "Just as the oil industry, the automobile and the semiconductor fueled America's rise to dominance as a global super power in the 20th century, the countries that own clean energy will own the 21st century - on the battlefield, in global commerce and trade, in soft power," added Voigt. Voigt says the national champions of the next century are being built right now—the equivalents of Ford Motor Company, General Electric and Exxon. "Do we want these companies to be built in the U.S. or China? America's very relevance on the global stage is being decided right now," he said. "This is about national security, energy independence, military superiority." "This is about rural economic development. This is about onshoring good-paying, blue-collar jobs. This about American ingenuity and grit," added Voigt. "Clean energy is not about climate change; it is not about a niche altruistic goal to save the planet," said Voigt. "Clean energy is the economic and technological future upon which the strength of nations and empires will be built in the century to come."
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
She Was Relieved Her Flight Was Landing. Then Her Seatmate Pointed Out Something Disgusting (Exclusive)
Noelia Voigt was unexpectedly vomited on mid-flight and left without proper cleaning supplies, prompting her to share her experience in a now-viral TikTok Delta's initial response included napkins to clean up and a small offer of SkyMiles compensation, she says Voigt is now calling for airlines to better prepare for biohazard incidents in-flight A Delta flight from Washington, D.C., to New York City's JFK Airport was meant to be a quick journey — but for one woman, it ended up turning into her worst nightmare. Noelia Voigt recounts her experience in a now-viral TikTok, describing the moment she was unexpectedly projectile vomited on by a man seated behind her. She begins the viral clip by saying, 'I need to vent. A girl next to me and myself just got projectile vomited on, on a Delta flight.' Speaking with PEOPLE about the traumatic experience, Voigt explains, 'I first smelled something weird — it was like someone burped after drinking beer.' Initially dismissing the smell as an inconvenience, she soon realized the gravity of the situation when her seatmate tapped her arm. 'She gestured to herself and then pointed at me,' Voigt said. 'That's when I saw it ... all over her hood and my left side.' Related: 'Biohazard' Event on United Airlines Plane Forces Emergency Landing as Flight Attendants Become Ill The vomit, which Voigt believes was propelled by minor turbulence during descent, had arched over their seats, landing on both women and their belongings. "Instead of this man vomiting down toward his feet, he did one of these," she explains, mimicking a forward motion. Voigt describes the aftermath as surreal. "We were literally minutes away from landing ... we couldn't just jump up because the plane had just landed and they say you can't stand up while they're taxing to the gate." Forced to sit in their soiled clothes for several minutes, Voigt and her seatmate pressed the flight attendant call button twice before receiving assistance. 'When they came over, they only brought us cocktail napkins to clean ourselves up. No gloves, no wipes — nothing," she says. The lack of adequate cleaning supplies left Voigt scrambling for solutions once she deplaned. "We were sitting there with full realization of the fact that we have this man's vomit all over us," she says. Voigt described feeling humiliated and dehumanized by the lack of care. 'This was a biohazard. We were covered in someone else's bodily fluids with no real help.' Making matters worse, Voigt's carry-on bag — which contained a change of clothes — had been checked at the gate. 'Had I been allowed to keep my bag, I could've changed immediately," she says. Instead, she had to purchase new clothes at JFK Airport and carry her vomit-stained coat in a trash bag provided by a Michael Kors store. Voigt expresses frustration not just with the incident itself but with Delta's response afterward. When she reached out to the airline's customer service team, she was initially offered 3,000 SkyMiles as compensation. Related: Doctor Has Lived Saved by Passenger During Flight Home from Hawaii Honeymoon: 'She Did Everything Right' Displeased with their offer, she decided to escalate her complaint. Delta increased their offer to 20,000 miles, but Voigt remains unsatisfied. 'This wasn't spilled soda; this was biohazard exposure,' she emphasizes. While Voigt doesn't blame the passenger — whom she believes was intoxicated — she does hold Delta accountable for their handling of the aftermath. 'Delta prides itself on customer service and safety,' she says. 'But they dropped the ball here. We weren't given proper cleaning supplies or any resources after being exposed to biohazard. This is my first bad experience with them ever." When reached by PEOPLE, a representative for Delta said, "We encourage the customer to reach out to Delta so we can come up with a resolution." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Voigt hopes her story will prompt airlines to improve their preparedness. 'Planes should always be stocked with vomit bags, gloves, wipes — basic essentials,' she says. Despite everything, she has maintained a sense of humor about the ordeal. 'If I don't laugh about it, I'll cry,' she admits. But one thing is certain: this experience has forever changed how she approaches air travel. Voigt now has a pre-flight routine that includes wearing protective layers and packing essentials to guard against worst-case scenarios. As Voigt continues to process what happened — and considers escalating her complaint further — she remains committed to sharing her story in hopes of helping others avoid similar experiences. She notes, 'I just don't want anyone else to go through what I went through.' Read the original article on People
Los Angeles Times
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
At 80th anniversary of Buchenwald liberation, former German president warns of rise of far right
VIENNA — Germany marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazis' Buchenwald death camp on Sunday as one of the country's former presidents warned against 'radicalization and a worldwide shift to the right.' The governor of the state of Thuringia, Mario Voigt, and former German President Christian Wulff spoke at a ceremony in the city of Weimar, near Buchenwald, attended by scores of people, including several Holocaust survivors from across Europe. Voigt, whose state includes Buchenwald, called it 'a place of systematic dehumanization' and said that everything that happened at the concentration camp 'was designed to break the human spirit and its dignity.' The Buchenwald camp was established in 1937. More than 56,000 of the 280,000 inmates held at Buchenwald and its satellite camps were killed by the Nazis or died as a result of hunger, illness or medical experiments before the camp's liberation by U.S. Army forces on April 11, 1945. Voigt also said that the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel showed that 'the intention to exterminate Jews is not a thing of the past.' The attack led by the Palestinian militant group left about 1,200 people dead, and 251 were taken hostage, sparking the war between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli retaliatory offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 50,695 Palestinians and wounded 115,338, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. In his speech, Wulff issued a stark warning about the current global political situation. 'Due to the brutalization and radicalization and a worldwide shift to the right, I can now — and this makes me uneasy — imagine more clearly how this could have happened back then,' Wulff said, referring to Nazi terror and the developments leading up to it. He called for active commitment to democracy and the preservation of humanity. 'We bear a permanent, ongoing, eternal responsibility from this because evil must never be allowed to prevail again,' he said. Wulff criticized the anti-immigrant, far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD. He said that those who 'trivialize' the party 'are ignoring the fact that the Alternative for Germany's ideology is creating a breeding ground for people to feel uncomfortable in Germany and that they are actually in real danger.' Trump White House advisor and billionaire Elon Musk has praised AfD, and Vice President JD Vance met with the party's leader during a recent visit in Munich. Holocaust survivor Naftali Furst, 92, spoke at the wreath-laying ceremony held at the camp's former roll call area. From the ages of 9 to 12, he resided at four Nazi camps, including Auschwitz. 'To this day, the image is etched in my memory: carts pushed by prisoners loaded with corpses that were collected from the barracks and taken to the crematorium, reduced to ashes,' Furst recalled. Addressing the dwindling number of Holocaust survivors, Furst remarked, 'There are by now only very few of us left. Soon, we will pass the baton of remembrance on to you for good. In doing so, we are entrusting you with a historic responsibility. Remember on our behalf what you have learned from us. Because you are the witnesses of the witnesses.' Furst concluded: 'Keep coming back to this place, to Buchenwald, where civilization was reduced to zero. Remain vigilant in our name, and in memory of us; recognize when human rights, women's rights, children's rights and minority rights are being violated. And when and where democracy is under threat, act and remain, each of you, a human being.' In the run-up to the memorial event, Israeli officials objected to a planned commemoration speech by philosopher Omri Boehm, the grandson of a Holocaust survivor and a critic of the Israeli government and its military actions in Gaza. Organizers withdrew the invitation. Some 6 million European Jews were killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Liechtenstein writes for the Associated Press.
