The yard party.

Standing on the steps of the Capitol building wasn’t about anything Judy and I have done.  It’s about Matt and Lindsay, and all the other parents and families, and what they have done.  Matt and Lindsay have flown back and forth, and back and forth, to Colorado from Arizona, testifying before a House committee first, then later a Senate committee, about their experience with Alex.  They testified in support of that bill that acknowledges the problem that fentanyl is, and the danger it is to all of us; all of us, not just our kids.

People don’t die of fentanyl overdoses.  There is no safe dose of street fentanyl.  Fentanyl is a poison that is being sold freely as recreation.  Matt and Lindsay, and all the other parents and family of fentanyl deaths, gathered and waited hours for their turn to testify and tell the stories of their loved ones; each one reliving the tragedies they have experienced.  We are in awe of the fortitude it took for them to repeatedly share their heartbreak with the world, so that the world can respond more appropriately to the problem.  While we have been here, we have heard over and over that this legislation would not have happened but for the power of the testimonies of these families.

We are thankful for the politicians from both parties who sponsored and pushed so hard for this legislation, and for those who heard the pain of the families and changed their minds so that this bill could pass.  Standing on the steps, that was us standing in honor of Matt and Lindsay who did so much to touch the hearts of the people who could make this bill become law.

We stood on the steps of the Capitol today with son Matt, holding a picture of Alex.  We were there representing families of children and relatives killed by fentanyl, while the governor signed the new Colorado Fentanyl Bill into law.

The new law provides resources to help interdict, prosecute, educate, and rehabilitate.  Colorado is ahead of the curve here.  We hope it is the beginning of a national effort to devote more attention and resources to combatting the fentanyl epidemic.

Remember my ramble about how to extend the range of electric freight-hauling semi-trucks?  Incorporate battery packs in each trailer, enough to cover the extra power required to pull the trailer.

Well, it seems I might have accidentally stumbled onto a real idea back then, and it has come to fruition.  I just saw this article:

Einride Trailer Comes With 350kWh Battery To Add 400 Miles Of Range

Dan Mihalascu – 6h ago

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1The electric semi-trailer will be compatible with both Einride’s electric autonomous trucks and conventional electric semi-trucks.

Swedish freight technology company Einride has unveiled the all-new Einride Trailer design concept, an electric road semi-trailer powered by the firm’s Saga operating system.

Showcased at its first user conference called Einride Mesh, the new product is described as the first-of-its-kind electric semi-trailer and a solution to optimize fleet utilization and the total cost of operations. Einride says the Trailer is designed for seamless integration with its electric and autonomous vehicles, namely the Pod and the BYD-sourced Truck.

The big news is that the Einride Trailer will also be compatible with conventional electric semi-trucks, which should unlock a far greater market for the product. The Einride Trailer is said to extend the range of the aforementioned tractor units by up to 650 kilometers (404 miles) on a single charge thanks to integrated 320 kWh batteries.