I know I'm getting a reputation (and a prominent place on some blacklist on Eighth Avenue) for constantly reporting on the car-centric reporting in the New York Times, but yesterday brought another infuriating example.
In a piece headlined, "E.V. Range Anxiety: A Case Study" and subheaded, "A dearth of charging stations makes road trips dicey," climate reporter (!) David Gelles somehow wrote more than 1,100 words about a road trip he took in an electric car that focused solely on the nation's failure to build out a robust EV charging infrastructure.
You would think that the Paper of Record's climate reporter (!) would focus more on the shortcomings of EVs as a climate solution. Or on the misguided attempt by a new generation of Big Auto enablers to entrench auto dependency for another 100 years ("...but it's electric!").
But instead, Gelles's sob story wasn't for the fate of our climate (!), but for the coming demise of "the great American road trip" because "the nation’s E.V. infrastructure is not ready for prime time."
And this is the climate reporter?
In other news:
- New York Magazine wisely led its annual "Most Powerful New Yorkers You’ve Never Heard Of" issue with certainly the most-powerful person in the Adams administration: Ingrid Lewis-Martin. Much of Lewis-Martin's abuse of power will be well known to Streetsblog readers, but the real takeaway was in the headline itself, which said Lewis-Martin earned her place on the list because she has "the power to enforce the mayor’s petty grudges."
- Speaking of the mayor and petty grudges, Hizzoner was forced to share a stage (well, more accurately, a hoist) with his least-favorite Council member, Lincoln Restler, on Monday. (Mayor's Office via Instagram)
- Our friends at Open Plans got more positive coverage of their "People Over Parking" exhibit inside a Williamsburg garage. What's more important: space for two cars or a studio apartment for a human? (amNY)
- Who needs vibrant retails spaces when the MTA can turn shuttered food halls or business space into art? (NYDN)
- The Post took a second-day look at the road rage incident that led to the murder of Jasmer Singh, a beloved figure in the Sikh community.
- There was another huge blaze that the FDNY linked to lithium-ion batteries on Sunday, the Brooklyn Paper reported — one day before the Council had a hearing that revealed how hard it is to get rid of substandard power packs. (Streetsblog)
- Subway crime is down. (amNY)
- Hell Gate and Crain's showed the world that politicians' talk of greening the power grid is just a lie. Komanoff echoed it:
- And finally, the Times further infuriated residents of the city that gave the paper its name by removing the "NY" hyperlink at the top of its online edition homepage. Now you have to click on "U.S." and then on "New York" ... as if New York City is actually part of the U.S.!
