Highest Paid Electricians, Surviving a Blizzard, and Most Expensive Trucks

Wednesday, January 7th, 2025

Good morning! Welcome to The Tradesman, a 5-minute newsletter tailored just for America’s tradesmen—presented by Grab Your Gear.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced his stepping down from this year’s gubernatorial race amid reports of widespread childcare fraud in the state. Read more about the shocking details here, and find more info in In the News.

Have you ever driven in blizzard conditions? Let us know in today’s poll, and check out the guide below on how to survive if you get stranded!

New Kimber 2k11 Handgun Options Released

Just over a year after introducing the 2k11 platform, gunmaker Kimber is updating its 2k11 series with multiple changes.

The series, debuting this month, will feature black and stainless finishes, with full-size (5-inch barrel) and Pro-size (4.25-inch barrel) configurations available in each color.

The retail price on Kimber’s new models will start at $2,345. You can find more info on the new arms here.

Five Most Expensive Trucks of 2026

The new year is off to a hot start, with the first week of 2026 under our belts today. So, we wanted to keep the fire hot with this year’s most expensive full-size trucks.

The most expensive truck on the list is Chevy’s Silverado 1500 ZR2 AEV Bison, coming in at a meager $92,000. The Bison’s spec list is so long even Santa couldn’t read it.

But atop the list for the most expensive truck? Ford’s Raptor R. The beast costs a whopping $122,000 with $40,000 in options.

You can check out the full list of expensive trucks for this year here.

Ever wonder where you could make the most money as an electrician?

Well, wonder no longer. This list ranks the top U.S. cities and states for electrician pay, categorized by population size.

The highest large metro city? Chicago, Illinois, at $97,000.

Making the list were also a handful of midwestern cities, like Canton, Ohio, at $91,000. You can see the full list of cities here.

This winter has brought a couple blinding storms, and if you ever find yourself in the middle of a blizzard, these tips may save your life.

Weatherizing your vehicle is the first step to prepare, which can be as simple as buying items like non-perishable snacks, a flashlight with extra batteries, and first aid kit.

If you become stranded, warmth should be your biggest priority, as hypothermia is a real threat in blizzard conditions.

For the full guide on how to survive a blizzard, click here.

Governor Tim Walz dropped out of the 2026 Gubernatorial race Monday after nationwide reporting of alleged childcare fraud in the state of Minnesota.

Walz’ stepping down comes following the now-notorious video from 23-year-old Nick Shirley, exposing multiple daycares in the state who had no children inside despite millions of state funding.

Walz’ move also comes amid rumors of a pending investigation by the Department of Justice regarding alleged fraud. You can read more on the alleged fraud here.

Have you ever owned a Cummins truck?