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Students protest Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to UWM [Video]
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Students protest Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to UWM [Video]

Dozens of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students gathered to protest Thursday, as Vice President Kamala Harris and billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban spoke to a business class during a campaign visit.The VP’s motorcade arrived just before noon to a fired-up crowd of students.”It was a chance to voice our opinion. That’s why we’re here today. We are the voices for the people who are not here today in Palestine,” said UWM freshman Ahmed Hussein.He is one of many students outraged over the Biden-Harris administration’s involvement in the war between Israel and Hamas.”I do not believe the U.S. should be funding Israel. That is one of our main points,” he said.This comes about six months after students camped out for weeks at UWM, protesting the same cause.Junior Amir Daher had some strong words for the vice president.”I believe by supporting Israel, by supporting what’s going on in Gaza, she’s not a human. She’s a human with a black heart,” Daher said.With less than three weeks till election day, Daher says he cannot vote, as this war continues.”None of them are worthy of my vote, to be honest. They’re supporting the same thing,” Daher said. Daher said he does not plan to vote.Hussein is looking at other options.”I’m not going to vote for the two main political parties, but I will vote for an opposing political party,” Hussein said.He says he hopes their message is clear.”Kamala Harris, we tell you, the people in Palestine are suffering,” Hussein said.

New infrastructure fee required for electric vehicle owners in Vermont [Video]
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New infrastructure fee required for electric vehicle owners in Vermont [Video]

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles will be implementing a new infrastructure fee at the start of the new year for electric vehicle owners.Starting in January 2025, all owners of electric vehicles that are registered in Vermont will have to pay an additional $89 for a one-year registration and $163 for two years. Plug-in electric hybrid vehicles will have to pay up too. They will need to pay $44.50 for a one-year registration and $81.50 for two years.These fees are in addition to the current annual vehicle registration fee.Michael DeLuca of Rutland used to drive a Subaru but opted for a Tesla EV in February to save money. He told NBC5 that he did not put in the miles that were worth the price.”We just got this letter saying this is it. You have to pay $89 starting this January, and that is that. It’s just frustrating,” DeLuca said.DeLuca said despite the fee, he is sticking with his new set of wheels.”I still like the car for what it is. It has saved me money. I figure compared to using gasoline, I am spending a third of what I would normally spend,” DeLuca said.Democratic state Sen. Thomas Chittenden is on the Transportation Committee in the legislature. He said he believes the user fee is fair given the fact that the state does not collect gas revenue from EV owners.”Electric vehicles need our roads to be maintained, and we need to have them contribute, similarly to how gas users pay for the roads,” Chittenden said. “This is one of the very few fees I know of that the governor did not veto, and I think that is because the rationale is that this is justifiable.” The senator said the temporary funding measure will stay in effect until the legislature can approve a mileage-based fee.”It’s similar to how the gas tax currently works. The more you use roads, the more you pay at the pumps, which means more money gets redirected into our roadways,” Chittenden said.NBC5 also reached out to the Vermont Agency of Transportation to comment but they would not give us a statement for this report.Chittenden said he hopes this fee does not turn off buyers, and urges folks to check out electric vehicles to help build a greener future for Vermonters.”I think we should all be proud of what we are doing to reduce our emissions through our transportation sector,” Chittenden said.The temporary fee will go into effect on Jan. 1 for EV owners across the state.