News + current events

[LukesfirstJeep]

For 24 years, Gene and Debbie Weierbach have run an at-home mechanic shop from their home on a secluded property in Slatington, Pennsylvania. They never received complaints from customers or neighbors.

But, in 2023, Township Supervisor Dennis Klusaritz urged the township zoning board to investigate the business, after a personal falling out between Gene and Klusaritz, over work Gene had done on Klusaritz’ cars. After the Weierbachs received a cease-and-desist letter, they applied for a variance, which they were granted. But Klusaritz then convinced the township to appeal the variance, which the zoning board overturned.




Zoning laws were never meant to give government the power to erase a harmless, beloved 24-year-old business. Yet that’s exactly what North Whitehall Township is doing to Gene and Debbie Weierbach’s auto repair shop—weaponizing the zoning code to shut it down. But the repair shop has broad community support and has operated in that location for more than two decades. And yet North Whitehall is singling them out—all because they crossed the township’s most powerful politician.

The Weierbachs run a small, appointment-only auto shop from their home’s garage. Tucked away on their secluded 16-acre property, the shop is hidden from view, has never drawn a single complaint, and enjoys the full support of neighbors. For Gene and Debbie, the shop is more than just a livelihood—it makes it possible for Gene to remain at home to care for their autistic adult son.

Now the Weierbachs risk losing everything because they got on the wrong side of the township’s top official, Supervisor Dennis Klusaritz. Between 2021 and 2023, Klusaritz was a frequent customer, bringing several cars to Gene, including his BMW. After accusing Gene of incompetence and overcharging for work on the BMW, Klusaritz was politely told to take his business elsewhere.

Soon afterward, Klusaritz admitted that he asked township zoning police to investigate the shop. Although township codes prohibit home “auto repair garages,” that rule has apparently never been enforced—despite the existence of another long-running home auto shop nearby. Nevertheless, the township ordered the Weierbachs’ shop closed.

To save their livelihood, the Weierbachs applied for a variance, which would have granted them formal permission to keep operating. At the hearing before the Township Zoning Hearing Board, 20 neighbors and customers testified in their support, and no one spoke against them. Even the board acknowledged that the shop caused no harm. Yet in the end, it still denied the variance, ordering the Weierbachs to shut their doors.

The Institute for Justice (IJ) is now representing the Weierbachs to challenge this abuse of power. The Pennsylvania and U.S. Constitutions do not allow the government to shut down a harmless business over a technical zoning violation or to weaponize zoning codes out of retaliation. A victory will secure justice for the Weierbachs and help protect home-based entrepreneurs nationwide from arbitrary and abusive zoning enforcement.


https://ij.org/case/pennsylvania-home-auto-shop/
https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehi...cle_9efdb08b-c044-4579-bf8b-92233aed360a.html

What a shame. This happened to the local garage that works on my stuff. The Township lost the case when the garage owner showed a receipt for work done on Township vehicles. This was the proof that the Township recognized the business as legit.

The irony of the whole ordeal is this Township doesn't enforce many zoning laws, and houses the local landfill (and smell), the county jail, and multiple unlicensed junkyards.

Preserving property values is not high on the list of priorities.

 

[Apparition]

What a shame. This happened to the local garage that works on my stuff. The Township lost the case when the garage owner showed a receipt for work done on Township vehicles. This was the proof that the Township recognized the business as legit.

The irony of the whole ordeal is this Township doesn't enforce many zoning laws, and houses the local landfill (and smell), the county jail, and multiple unlicensed junkyards.

Preserving property values is not high on the list of priorities.

Glad they won

 

[Farmergreg]

Glad they won

And they fucking wonder how the killdozer came to be.

 

[Apparition]

And they fucking wonder how the killdozer came to be.

The place I saw the story posted had the thread titled something to the effect of “I’d be willing to help someone in this situation build a killdozer”

 

[Zorba]

@Zorba's dream car

GM will ditch Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on all its cars, not just EVs
https://www.theverge.com/transportation/804562/gm-apple-carplay-android-auto-gas-cars-mary-barra

No dream of mine - so they got rid of the PHOOOOOONNE, did they? But they still have the stupid infotainment nonsense. Show me one without and you'll get my attention - until then, its the same crap.

 

[Zorba]

For 24 years, Gene and Debbie Weierbach have run an at-home mechanic shop from their home on a secluded property in Slatington, Pennsylvania. They never received complaints from customers or neighbors.

But, in 2023, Township Supervisor Dennis Klusaritz urged the township zoning board to investigate the business, after a personal falling out between Gene and Klusaritz, over work Gene had done on Klusaritz’ cars. After the Weierbachs received a cease-and-desist letter, they applied for a variance, which they were granted. But Klusaritz then convinced the township to appeal the variance, which the zoning board overturned.




Zoning laws were never meant to give government the power to erase a harmless, beloved 24-year-old business. Yet that’s exactly what North Whitehall Township is doing to Gene and Debbie Weierbach’s auto repair shop—weaponizing the zoning code to shut it down. But the repair shop has broad community support and has operated in that location for more than two decades. And yet North Whitehall is singling them out—all because they crossed the township’s most powerful politician.

The Weierbachs run a small, appointment-only auto shop from their home’s garage. Tucked away on their secluded 16-acre property, the shop is hidden from view, has never drawn a single complaint, and enjoys the full support of neighbors. For Gene and Debbie, the shop is more than just a livelihood—it makes it possible for Gene to remain at home to care for their autistic adult son.

Now the Weierbachs risk losing everything because they got on the wrong side of the township’s top official, Supervisor Dennis Klusaritz. Between 2021 and 2023, Klusaritz was a frequent customer, bringing several cars to Gene, including his BMW. After accusing Gene of incompetence and overcharging for work on the BMW, Klusaritz was politely told to take his business elsewhere.

Soon afterward, Klusaritz admitted that he asked township zoning police to investigate the shop. Although township codes prohibit home “auto repair garages,” that rule has apparently never been enforced—despite the existence of another long-running home auto shop nearby. Nevertheless, the township ordered the Weierbachs’ shop closed.

To save their livelihood, the Weierbachs applied for a variance, which would have granted them formal permission to keep operating. At the hearing before the Township Zoning Hearing Board, 20 neighbors and customers testified in their support, and no one spoke against them. Even the board acknowledged that the shop caused no harm. Yet in the end, it still denied the variance, ordering the Weierbachs to shut their doors.

The Institute for Justice (IJ) is now representing the Weierbachs to challenge this abuse of power. The Pennsylvania and U.S. Constitutions do not allow the government to shut down a harmless business over a technical zoning violation or to weaponize zoning codes out of retaliation. A victory will secure justice for the Weierbachs and help protect home-based entrepreneurs nationwide from arbitrary and abusive zoning enforcement.


https://ij.org/case/pennsylvania-home-auto-shop/
https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehi...cle_9efdb08b-c044-4579-bf8b-92233aed360a.html

Typical building/zoning dept. bullshit. I have no use for those bastards.

 

[Rooscooter]

@Zorba's dream car

GM will ditch Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on all its cars, not just EVs
https://www.theverge.com/transportation/804562/gm-apple-carplay-android-auto-gas-cars-mary-barra

GM plans to drop support for phone projection on all new vehicles in the near future, and not just its electric car lineup, according to GM CEO Mary Barra.

In a Decoder interview with The Verge’s Nilay Patel, published Wednesday, Barra confirmed GM will eventually end support of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on both gas-powered and electric cars. The timing is unclear, but Barra pointed to a major rollout of what the company is calling a new centralized computing platform, set to launch in 2028, that will involve eventually transitioning its entire lineup to a unified in-car experience.

In place of phone projection, GM is working to update its current Android-powered infotainment implementation with a Google Gemini-powered assistant and an assortment of other custom apps, built both in-house and with partners. GM’s 2023 decision to drop CarPlay and Android Auto support in its EVs has proved controversial, though for now GM has maintained support for phone projection in its gas-powered vehicles.

Here’s the full exchange with Barra:

Let me ask you the second part of that question again, because, again, we’re talking so much about the future, and I understand the argument about the future you’re making, but you still have the smartphone projection in the gas cars. Why is it still in the gas cars?

A lot of it depends on when you do an update to that vehicle. When you look at the fact that we have over 40 models across our portfolio, you don’t just do this and they all update. As we move forward with each new vehicle and major new vehicle launch, I think you’re going to see us consistent on that. We made a decision to prioritize our EV vehicles during this timeframe, and as we go forward, we’ll continue across the portfolio.

So we should expect new gas cars will not have smartphone projection?

As we get to a major rollout, I think that’s the right expectation. Yes.

Data collection and the money around it is becoming big business with the proliferation of AI.

In the digital age you are the product.

 

[srimes]

Impressive.

 

[Rooscooter]

Impressive.

I know casually know a few people working on that project. My company has the "direct to fabrication" software they used as a sort of template for this.

A couple of our retired "historic preservation" experts are part of this in some way.

In the late 1800's through the 1950's the same sort of carving was done with hydraulic equipment and steel templates. We restore of lot of old churches and other historic buildings using a similar process to what they are describing now.

In the very early 2000's I designed a project where a stone arch from a historic high school was incorporated into it's replacement school.

This is what was installed. It had been torn out of the original building and was in a service yard for the school district. Much of it was broken. The restoration process included a very early form of scanning technology to get images of the areas that needed to be repaired or replaces. Most of the panel over the doors was beyond repair for example. Portions of the matching original stone blocks that where not going to be used were ground up and mixed with epoxy and injected into reverse sand molds made from wood "carvings" which were made from the scans.

I worked directly with a Monument company which makes and restores old and complex grave markers.

New entry in 2007.... you can see the arch in the glass entry.

Here's the original school with the entry highlighted.

The Owls at the top on each side had to be repaired as well.

The tech to re-create relieved stone has been around for a long time. Hydraulic slurry through steel templates created these original carvings. A technology similar to injection molding repaired them to original condition.

With AI, the technology easily exists to recreate this arch entirely with automated tools. Assembly... not so much. The parts however could be made easily from sketches, photographs or point cloud scans of historic originals. You could ask an AI to create a 3d model of a 1600's French Gothic church entry and get everything you need in a couple minutes to start the process.

 

[Apparition]

The ultra-strong beer is illegal in 15 states due to its alcohol content but available in 35 others for $240 per 24.5-ounce bottle.

New Sam Adams beer illegal in 15 states

Dig deeper:

But Utopias 2025 has also garnered a lot of attention because of its strength.

Due to the beer’s high alcohol content, it is illegal to sell in 15 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.

Meanwhile, the beer is legal in 35 states, including California, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania and more.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

https://www.fox13news.com/news/sam-adams-beer-illegal-buy-15-states-heres-why

The Brief​

• • Samuel Adams has released Utopias 2025, its 14th edition of the rare barrel-aged beer, boasting a record 30% ABV –one of the strongest ever brewed.
  • The ultra-strong beer is illegal in 15 states due to its alcohol content but available in 35 others for $240 per 24.5-ounce bottle.

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

The ultra-strong beer is illegal in 15 states due to its alcohol content but available in 35 others for $240 per 24.5-ounce bottle.
View attachment 651643
New Sam Adams beer illegal in 15 states

Dig deeper:

But Utopias 2025 has also garnered a lot of attention because of its strength.

Due to the beer’s high alcohol content, it is illegal to sell in 15 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.

Meanwhile, the beer is legal in 35 states, including California, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania and more.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

https://www.fox13news.com/news/sam-adams-beer-illegal-buy-15-states-heres-why

The Brief​

• • Samuel Adams has released Utopias 2025, its 14th edition of the rare barrel-aged beer, boasting a record 30% ABV –one of the strongest ever brewed.
  • The ultra-strong beer is illegal in 15 states due to its alcohol content but available in 35 others for $240 per 24.5-ounce bottle.

I read about this years ago. They had to develop a special type of hops to get the alcohol content to 30%.

 

[lBasket]

I bet it tastes like fucking shit

 

[KennethS]

I read about this years ago. They had to develop a special type of hops to get the alcohol content to 30%.

That would be the yeast. Each strain stops reproducing (dies out) a different alcohol concentration, and then the wort has to have enough fermentable material for the yeast to eat.

 

[1o1proof]

The ultra-strong beer is illegal in 15 states due to its alcohol content but available in 35 others for $240 per 24.5-ounce bottle.
View attachment 651643
New Sam Adams beer illegal in 15 states

Dig deeper:

But Utopias 2025 has also garnered a lot of attention because of its strength.

Due to the beer’s high alcohol content, it is illegal to sell in 15 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.

Meanwhile, the beer is legal in 35 states, including California, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania and more.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

https://www.fox13news.com/news/sam-adams-beer-illegal-buy-15-states-heres-why

The Brief​

• • Samuel Adams has released Utopias 2025, its 14th edition of the rare barrel-aged beer, boasting a record 30% ABV –one of the strongest ever brewed.
  • The ultra-strong beer is illegal in 15 states due to its alcohol content but available in 35 others for $240 per 24.5-ounce bottle.

So a 60 proof alcohol is illegal in some states? I have questions….

 

[lBasket]

So a 60 proof alcohol is illegal in some states? I have questions….

Probably some weirdness to do with it being a beer and how those are classified

 

[Apparition]

Good Samaritan Off-duty deputy says enough of this shit.





A motorcyclist who shot a sheriff's deputy in Rancho Cucamonga was taken into custody after colliding with a car on the 210 Freeway in San Bernardino County.

A pursuit was initiated of the suspect just before 1:30 p.m. not far from the area where the suspect was barricaded inside a home.

The collision occurred on the eastbound side of the freeway in Upland

The extent of the deputy's injuries or the suspect's injuries are unknown.

However, the suspect was seen sitting up in a neck brace before he was loaded onto a gurney and airlifted to the hospital.


**Update**

A deputy with the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department was shot and killed by a man while responding to an alleged domestic violence incident in Rancho Cucamonga on Monday, authorities confirmed.

The deputy was identified as 6-year department veteran Andrew Nunez. San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said during a news conference Monday afternoon that Nunez is survived by his 2-year-old daughter and his wife, who is pregnant.

"We're embedded in sorrow," Dicus said.

The suspect led authorities on a pursuit after the shooting, eventually crashing on the 210 Freeway in Upland. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment, although his condition remained unknown as of Monday afternoon.

The incident was first reported at about 12:37 p.m. on the 12300 block of Hollycock in Rancho Cucamonga, when deputies responded to reports of a man threatening a woman, the department confirmed.

The man allegedly fired his weapon at deputies immediately upon their arrival at 12:42 p.m. A deputy, later identified as Nunez was struck in the head by the gunfire and airlifted to a local hospital.

The suspect fled the scene on a motorcycle, reaching speeds approaching 200 miles per hour, Dicus said. He drove aggressively on the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway, at times crossing over to the westbound lanes in the wrong direction on side streets.

At 1:35 p.m., while reaching into a backpack, he collided with the back of a vehicle on the 210 Freeway in Ontario, near Campus Avenue and was ejected from the bike.

Dicus later stated that the vehicle's driver was an off-duty deputy who put himself on duty and "conducted a legal intervention by hitting the suspect on a motorcycle."

The suspect, who remains unidentified publicly, is in a local hospital in stable condition, according to Dicus

Link

KTLA Driver of vehicle was an off-duty deputy.

During a press conference late Monday afternoon, Dicus said the driver of the vehicle that brought the motorcycle down was actually an off-duty deputy who “put himself on duty and conducted a legal intervention.”

 

[lBasket]

Good Samaritan Off-duty deputy says enough of this shit.





A motorcyclist who shot a sheriff's deputy in Rancho Cucamonga was taken into custody after colliding with a car on the 210 Freeway in San Bernardino County.

A pursuit was initiated of the suspect just before 1:30 p.m. not far from the area where the suspect was barricaded inside a home.

The collision occurred on the eastbound side of the freeway in Upland

The extent of the deputy's injuries or the suspect's injuries are unknown.

However, the suspect was seen sitting up in a neck brace before he was loaded onto a gurney and airlifted to the hospital.


**Update**

A deputy with the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department was shot and killed by a man while responding to an alleged domestic violence incident in Rancho Cucamonga on Monday, authorities confirmed.

The deputy was identified as 6-year department veteran Andrew Nunez. San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said during a news conference Monday afternoon that Nunez is survived by his 2-year-old daughter and his wife, who is pregnant.

"We're embedded in sorrow," Dicus said.

The suspect led authorities on a pursuit after the shooting, eventually crashing on the 210 Freeway in Upland. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment, although his condition remained unknown as of Monday afternoon.

The incident was first reported at about 12:37 p.m. on the 12300 block of Hollycock in Rancho Cucamonga, when deputies responded to reports of a man threatening a woman, the department confirmed.

The man allegedly fired his weapon at deputies immediately upon their arrival at 12:42 p.m. A deputy, later identified as Nunez was struck in the head by the gunfire and airlifted to a local hospital.

The suspect fled the scene on a motorcycle, reaching speeds approaching 200 miles per hour, Dicus said. He drove aggressively on the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway, at times crossing over to the westbound lanes in the wrong direction on side streets.

At 1:35 p.m., while reaching into a backpack, he collided with the back of a vehicle on the 210 Freeway in Ontario, near Campus Avenue and was ejected from the bike.

Dicus later stated that the vehicle's driver was an off-duty deputy who put himself on duty and "conducted a legal intervention by hitting the suspect on a motorcycle."

The suspect, who remains unidentified publicly, is in a local hospital in stable condition, according to Dicus

Link

KTLA Driver of vehicle was an off-duty deputy.

During a press conference late Monday afternoon, Dicus said the driver of the vehicle that brought the motorcycle down was actually an off-duty deputy who “put himself on duty and conducted a legal intervention.”

View attachment 651725

California man is the new Florida man

 

[Apparition]

https://local12.com/news/nation-world/kentucky-english-teacher-convicted-sexual-abuse-student-acquitted-murder-plot-husband-incarceration-verdict-adair-county-elena-bardin

ADAIR COUNTY, Ky. (WKRC) - A former English teacher in Kentucky has been found guilty of sexually abusing an incarcerated teenager but acquitted of soliciting the teen to kill her husband. Elena Bardin, 28, was arrested in April and faced charges including sexual abuse, solicitation of murder and distribution of obscene material.

A jury convicted Bardin on one count each of sexual abuse, unlawful transaction with a minor and distributing obscene material to a minor. The verdict came in September after a two-day trial during which Bardin’s estranged husband, Michael Bardin, and the victim testified for the prosecution.

 

[Apparition]

 

[OldBuzzard]

October 23: Pair from Florida get stranded on top of Engineer Pass, CO in the snow and need a night rescue.

October 27: Pair from Texas get stranded on top of Engineer Pass, CO in the snow and need a night rescue.

Are ya'all gonna do this all winter, or what?