CALIFORNIA -- A German tourist was hit by a tow truck on April 25, dragged behind it for 200 feet and taken to the hospital with what a fire department spokesman called "major road rash."

Uwe Walter Shoppel was airlifted by the California Highway Patrol to Marion Medical Center in Santa Maria. Traffic on Highway 1 was blocked in both directions so the helicopter could land on the roadway north of the accident scene.

Shoppel, estimated by police to be in his late 30s, was riding a bike northbound on Highway 1 approximately nine miles south of Lompoc when he was hit from behind by a tow truck traveling approximately 65 miles per hour.

Officer Malone of the Buellton CHP said the tow truck driver did not purposely hit Shoppel.

"This was not a deliberate act; it was just an accident," Malone said. "If anything, the driver may receive a ticket, but no charges are being pressed."

Fire Dept. Capt. Charlie Johnson said the patient only spoke German, but this was not a problem because Eric Buelletzer, one of the responding medics, was fluent in German.

"A real fortunate set of circumstances came into play," Johnson said. (Kristina Ackermann - Daily Nexus)

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PENNSYLVANIA -- A Missouri truck driver has been fined $250 for lying under his rig in an attempt to stop a tow truck operator from moving the vehicle off Route 11 during a state of emergency in February.

Jeff Childress, 52, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty Monday to harassment and disorderly conduct before District Justice Susan Day. Harassment carries a $50 fine and disorderly conduct carries a $200 fine.

A charge of terroristic threats was dismissed.

A winter storm dumped about two feet of snow throughout the state Feb. 16-17 making roads nearly impassable.

Middlesex Township police hired John's Mobile Service in Carlisle to tow parked trucks off Harrisburg Pike.

Childress, whose rig was parked in the 1200 block for more than two hours on Feb. 17, refused to move his truck and began to argue with, and then threaten, the tow truck driver.

Then Childress crawled underneath the truck so Cunningham couldn't tow it.

Defense attorney Paul Orr said Childress was a former Arkansas state trooper and had "lost his cool" that day.

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ALASKA -- Thom Buzard, a Juneau maintenance department employee at Wright Services, has been doing battle with Juneau's junk cars. And he isn't winning.

"I am dealing with a car right now that is literally teetering on the edge of a rock in a very crowded trailer park," he said last week. "To look at it, you know it's a junk car. The engine and transmission are missing, the tires are gone, the glass has been broken and the kids were playing around it. It's basically an environmental hazard."

Neighbors had been calling Buzard's company daily about the car, which since has been removed. The owner disappeared, leaving the unsightly wreck at Glacier View trailer park near Stephen Richards Memorial Drive, Buzard said.

"The people in the trailer space had possession of the car and they moved in the middle in the night," he said. "They came back over the next three nights and stripped the car out. This is what we're dealing with. We're left holding the bag."

This junker - although a neighborhood menace - is not unusual in Juneau. Ugly, rusting wrecks can be found all over town, much to the dismay of private-property owners and the city. City officials think a low-cost, ongoing disposal program could help, and have added $200,000 in funding to next year's draft budget. The final decision will rest with the Juneau Assembly.

The city estimates Juneau residents legally dispose of about 250 junk cars each year. The Juneau Police Department picks up another 200 to 300 cars that are illegally left in the public right of way, city environmental zoning officer Dan Garcia said.

"The city picks them up off the side of the road, public land, the end of cul-de-sacs, you name it - any public street, especially those out of the way," he said. "The rest just get tucked away."

Waste Management District Manager Mike Allison said the number of junkers coming into the landfill fluctuates.

"We shipped out about 400 in February," he said.

A ticket for an illegal abandoned or junk car in Juneau is $295, plus a $10 surcharge, said Sgt. Troy Wilson of the police department's community services unit. From pink warning tag to impound, an officer can spend eight to 10 hours dealing with one car, he said.

"It's fairly extensive, it really is," he said. "A lot of times we're not able to track down or get word of the last owner, or they've left town. It makes it real difficult."

While the police department's budget set aside $66,000 for junk cars this year, actual expenditures are expected to reach $100,000, Deputy City Manager Donna Pierce said. Ideally, the city wants to create an disincentive for people to abandon cars, she said.

"It's an issue we want to work on," she told the Assembly earlier this month. "We're just throwing money at it (now) instead of trying to solve the problem."

Under the new junk car disposal program, the city would hire contractors to tow, clean and dispose of junk cars at a nominal cost to the owner, said city Public Works Director Joe Buck. The funding in next year's budget is for a pilot program, he said.

"If someone calls to get rid of a car, a company under contract would tow the car back to a garage and the garage would clean the car," he said. "The garage would dispose of the garbage, containerize the batteries for recycling, collect the fluids and gas, dispose of the tires and take the hazardous waste to the city's facility. ... We'd then tow it to a storage site, where it would be crushed and stored until there are enough to ship down to the (Lower 48) for recycling."

If it is funded by the Assembly, the program could start in September and handle 600 to 650 cars a year. The city hasn't figured out what car owners would have to pay, Buck said.

"It may be if the vehicle needs to be towed it would be $100, otherwise it would be $50," Buck said. "It's something we need to develop a little further."

Funding for the program would come from the city's general fund, which is supported by local property and sales taxes. Juneau Assembly members in November turned down a proposal to tack a $13 annual fee onto vehicle registration through the state Division of Motor Vehicles to pay for handling junk cars.

Pierce said adding a charge for junk cars to the city's hazardous waste fee is another possibility.

"The reason why we didn't do that is because we're doing a utility rate study," she said. "We wanted to wait until it's decided what the utility rates will be in the future. It's definitely an option."

The city has tried limited disposal programs before, running six, one-day Junk Car Roundups in 2001. People could bring their cars in for a $50 to $150 fee, and the effort netted 774 junkers, Garcia said. Without such a program, it can cost upwards of $350 to get rid of a junk car, including towing, cleanup and disposal.

The trouble is some people would rather buy another cheap car than pay the disposal cost, said Buzard, of Wright Services.

"If it's a $300 or $500 car, it's cheaper to leave it on the side of the road," he said.

Buck said an ongoing disposal program won't eliminate Juneau's abandoned car problem, but could help.

"The benefit is you don't have junk cars lying all over town," he said. "It's an extension of household hazardous waste program to get people not to abandon old cars. ... (A junk car is) a blight on the community and environmentally not a sound thing to do. It leaks out into groundwater, and kids play in the things."

Buzard, who favors a motor vehicle registration fee to pay for junk car disposal, doesn't see the problem going away. His company is dealing with another five abandoned cars in another trailer park in town, he said.

"If we can narrow it down to an individual owner we do have the option of going after them in court, but more often than not, they've left the state and can't be served," he said. "Basically what it boils down to is it's a four-wheeled nuisance that could easily be taken care of with another method." (Joanna Markell - Juneau Empire)

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CALIFORNIA -- A tow truck driver was arrested Wednesday morning and San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies say he stole three computers from a vehicle he had towed.

The victim, identified as Ethan Ducre of Chino Hills, discovered the computers - worth a combined $4,900 - were missing after claiming his vehicle from Gotcha Towing at 11466 East End Ave. in an unincorporated area of Chino, deputies said.

Ducre's vehicle had been towed from the area of the 300 block of South Grove Street in an unincorporated area of Ontario. Sheriff's detectives contacted the tow truck driver, 30-year-old Timothy H. Jackson of Ontario, at his home, where they found evidence of the crime and arrested him.

Jackson was booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on suspicion of grand theft and possession of stolen property, deputies said.

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FLORIDA -- Tallahassee residents who've wrecked their cars or been towed for illegally parking may now pay steeper fees for towing services.

The City Commission on Wednesday approved a revision to the city's towing ordinance, which regulates towing companies and sets maximum rates they can charge for towing and storage of vehicles. The rates were increased as the result of increased expenses for the companies. The ordinance had not been significantly revised since 1991.

The ordinance included minor amendments requested by local tow-truck companies, who said they were pleased that the ordinance passed.

"We got 100-percent backing from every towing company," said Jim Patton, manager of Ability Towing.

Under the new ordinance, owners will now pay a maximum of $80 for towing and $15 per day for storage of their vehicles. That's an increase of $10 for each category.

"We requested a rate change in October 2000," Patton said before the City Commission's decision. "Costs on average have increased 125 percent since 1993. Fees haven't gone up at all."

According to the local towing industry, average expenses for operating a wrecking service have increased by the following since 1991: fuel, 211 percent, lot rental, 182 percent and annual insurance, 296 percent.

The revised ordinance also eliminates conflicts and differences between towing ordinances regulated by the city and county, said City Attorney James English. The uniformity will make it easier for law enforcement officers to do their jobs, English said. (Kim McCoy - Tallahassee Democrat)

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At Ford Motor Company, providing customers with high quality, dependable vehicles has been a top priority for 100 years. In order to maintain these standards, the company is offering no-charge Customer Satisfaction Programs to owners of certain 2003 MY F-Superduty (250-550) and Excursion models with 6.0L diesel engines.

A number of these vehicles may exhibit reduced engine performance and rough idle due to a faulty Injection Control Pressure (ICP) sensor. Additional vehicles may exhibit the same symptoms in cold weather conditions due to a mismatch in the Fuel Injection Control Module (FICM) and the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). Two Customer Satisfaction Programs are underway to repair these concerns.

Customer notification letters were mailed out in mid-April (Customer Satisfaction Programs 03B05 and 03B06) to owners of approximately 47,000 2003 model year Ford F-Series Superduty (250/350/450/550) and Excursion vehicles equipped with 6.0 liter diesel engines built from June 1, 2002, through February 3, 2003.

These vehicles may exhibit reduced engine performance and rough idle due to powertrain calibration and Injection Control Pressure sensor (ICP) concerns. Dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module and replace the ICP sensor at no charge.

An additional 19,482 trucks built from June 1, 2002, through February 23, 2003 are covered in Customer Satisfaction Program 03B06 for reprogramming of the Powertrain Control Module only. (Note: After February 3, 2003, a redesigned ICP sensor was installed in production. Replacement of this part is not required for vehicles in program 030B06.)

As a show of appreciation to our customers, Ford is offering one free Motorcraft oil and filter change at authorized dealers. This offer is for affected vehicles only and will expire December 31, 2003. The voluntary Customer Satisfaction Programs will be in effect through December 31, 2005, regardless of mileage.

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CALIFORNIA -- Agricultural groups, taxpayers, and labor, energy and business organizations have joined forces to form "Consumers Against the Hidden Gas Tax,'' a coalition in opposition to an alleged "hidden tax'' contained in two bills by state lawmakers.

The group contends that Assembly Bill 1500 and Senate Bill 981, would impose $1.30 in new taxes on every barrel of oil refined into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel in California.

Since gas prices are already at near-record levels, coalition members say now is not the time to impose a tax that could potentially cost Californians $1 billion a year more for fuel.

"When the cost of fuel goes up, the cost of everything we produce goes up as well,'' said James Bogart, president of the Grower-Shipper Association. "That means consumers are paying more every time they shop for groceries. And since many of our farmers operate in a national, or even international marketplace, higher costs here only put our farmers at a disadvantage against our out-of-state competition.''

Consumers Against the Hidden Gas Tax is urging state Assemblyman Simon Salinas, D-Salinas, to join them in opposition to the two bills. The group says Salinas has a key vote in an upcoming committee hearing.

On April 28, Assembly Bill 1500 will go before the Assembly Transportation Committee, of which Assemblyman Salinas is a member. Supporters of the bill say the $1 fee per barrel it would require refineries to pay would encourage them to turn to cleaner operations.

SB 981 will go before the Senate Environmental Quality Committee also on April 28. (Thanks Ted)

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GEORGIA -- A bill being discussed in the Georgia Senate could make things safer for tow truck drivers, law enforcement, fire truck drivers, and highway maintenance equipment operators.

The bill has already passed in the Georgia House of Representatives. It calls for motorists to either change lanes or slow down to "a reasonable and proper speed," which "shall be less than the posted speed limit" when approaching an emergency or law enforcement vehicle that's stopped on a call with lights flashing.

Those caught violating the law would be fined $500.

Victor Hill, a representative and police officer from College Park, was a sponsor of the bill.

"Stopping a car is probably one of the most dangerous things a law enforcement officer can do," he said. "You're not just in danger of the car you pull over and the person in the car, but traffic can prove to be even more dangerous."

Mr. Hill said that he hasn't heard any negative comments about the bill and that it has a good chance of passing this legislative session. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

"If it's in the Rules Committee, it stands a good chance" of being passed this session, he said.

The idea also has gained support from the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police. It comes in light of an incident late last year when an East Point officer was killed by a passing vehicle as he struggled with a suspect along Interstate 285.

"Anything we can do to raise public awareness, I think we'll really improve that situation," said Dan Scoggins, the president of the group.

Nearly 1,000 police officers have been struck and killed by a vehicle in the past 100 years, making it the fourth-leading cause of officer deaths, according to the official site of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Mr. Scoggins said the proposed bill makes sense.

"I would compare it to something we've always been taught driving through a neighborhood," he said. "You see a child's ball bouncing through the street, and obviously you would slow down and be prepared for the child walking out into the street."

Erick Skrum, the communications director for the National Motorists Association, which has been a speed limit critic, said his organization would support the law if it helps prevent wrecks.

However, he challenged the sponsors of the bill also to push for better enforcement of left lanes being used for passing and right lanes being used for slower travel. Such enforcement, he said, would provide even better safety for officers.

"We would support better lane discipline," he said.

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MICHIGAN -- Some area businesses are coming up with creative ways to show their support for U.S. troops in Iraq.

At Dick's Towing & Recovery, employees Dave Schmidt, Chris Hoisington and Kal Hoisington spent five weeks painting an American flag design on one of the company's trucks.

"We're pretty patriotic around here, I guess," Chris Hoisington said.

Public reaction to the paint job has been very positive, the men told the Grand Haven Tribune for a story published Thursday.

In Ferrysburg, Rob Hopp, owner of Automotive Advantage, is giving free oil changes to the spouses of active-duty reservists who present military identification.

Automotive Advantage is one of at least eight Michigan businesses offering such a free service. He said he wants to help reservists' families because they usually take a hard financial hit when duty calls.

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KENTUCKY -- The Oak Grove council passed a resolution that limits the towing companies included on the city's police wrecker list to those based within Oak Grove.

"These businesses pay city and state taxes, and we need to do what we can for them," said Councilman Rick Ford.

Of the five towing companies currently on the Oak Grove wrecker list, three of them are based in Clarksville.

"It was never a problem before, but I think the city attorney will agree that there could be some problems with taking cars out of Kentucky and into Tennessee," Mayor Colleen Ochs said.

Police Maj. Campbell Reid said that insurance companies often call for tow services from Nashville, Tenn., after an accident, which could take over an hour in some cases.

"When it becomes a safety issue, we will call a wrecker off that list to move the vehicles out of the way," he said.

Councilmen asked Ochs if Oak Grove should refund the money paid by the Clarksville companies for business licenses, but the mayor said she felt the wrecker services should be notified of the new resolution, and go from there. (Gary Burton -Kentuckynewera.com)

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CALIFORNIA -- The first time Pedro Solorzano's van was towed from his apartment complex in Imperial Beach for not having the proper parking permit, he grumbled but paid the $100 fine.

When his van was towed again hours later, because it still did not have a parking permit,  he turned to the police for help.

Since Congress deregulated the towing industry in 1994, simple parking disputes like Solorzano's have have become a national debate over the practice of "patrol towing" in private parking lots.

Under the controversial practice, towing companies sign contracts to patrol parking lots and tow any cars parked illegally. The companies tow the cars at their own discretion, without the parking lot owner being present.

The towing companies believe deregulation made patrol towing legal. However, the practice isn't allowed under California law, which requires that parking lot owners be present when cars are towed from their property.

Patrol towing has become such a hot issue in San Diego that it ended up in federal court.

The city of San Diego argues that the California law supersedes the federal deregulation. Police say enforcing the law discourages tow truck drivers from hauling away legally-parked cars and helps prevent fights between angry vehicle owners and tow truck drivers.

John Tillison, owner of San Diego-based West Coast Towing, asked the court for an injunction against the police action.

Tillison's company was the first in San Diego to patrol tow, but after he sued the city, other companies adopted the practice. Their fees vary, with West Coast charging vehicle owners a $125 fee, plus $25 a day for storage.

U.S. District Judge Rudi Brewster ruled in February that police had no right to ticket one of West Coast's tow trucks. But both sides agree the case is far from resolved.

The city vowed to appeal the ruling, which could take years. 

Tillison also is pursuing the matter. He wants Brewster to fine the city for harassment; a hearing is scheduled later this month.

Tillison said police officers bother his drivers and tell his clients that he is a criminal. "They can't handle that their power has been taken away from them," he said.

West Coast Towing tried to challenge another section of the California law, which allows police to ticket tow truck drivers if they refuse to accept credit cards. Brewster ruled against the company on that point, citing safety concerns.

"People who don't have the cash to pay for the tow could get robbed at ATMs in the middle of the night," Telfer said.

The dispute began in December 2001 when police tried to cite a West Coast driver, ordering him to return a car to the parking lot where he had found it.

When the driver refused, he was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a police officer in the performance of his duties. The tow truck was impounded.

When the company sued, city officials countered that they were enforcing the state law for law enforcement and safety reasons.

"We do have a concern that people are being ripped off," Telfer said. "The more you believe your car shouldn't have been towed, the more angry you get. That anger translates into violence, and violence translates into more police officers being called out."

Tillison, who has been in the towing business for 20 years, denied ever intentionally towing legally-parked cars.

Michael McGovern, an attorney who specializes in towing law and represents West Coast, contended that police officers targeted his client because they dislike patrol towing – not because his client was breaking the law.

"Cities want it to go away," he said. "They don't like the practice of private property towing. But they have to realize it's a legal activity. It's distasteful, but it's perfectly legal."

Other communities across California and the nation are watching the case closely because San Diego's legal tangle soon could be theirs.

Tillison said he plans to expand his business to Seattle. His attorney recently sent city officials there a letter, telling them he plans to patrol tow. (Thanks Terry)

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The price of oil fell in early trading Monday as the United States-led coalition entered Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit – seen as the last stronghold of the falling regime in Iraq, Bloomberg reported.

In electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the price of crude oil for May delivery fell 53 cents a barrel to $27.61, Bloomberg reported.

In a little over a month, the price of oil has shed more than $12 a barrel from its pre-war high of $39.99, Bloomberg said.

U.S. victories have helped ease supply fears and push prices lower. Several international groups, including the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and the International Energy Agency, have said that there is a real possibility of a glut of oil on the market in the near-term, Bloomberg said.

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TEXAS -- The Texas House has approved a 3-cents-a-gallon tax on diesel while tow operators are struggling to afford already high diesel fuel prices.

Texas tow operators are upset because modern diesel engines create less pollution than gas engines, yet diesel users are being targeted with a tax to help clean the environment

Environmentalist supporters say the tax will help clean up dirty air and help Texas comply with federal environmental rules.

The bill also would increase the tax on the sale, rental or lease of diesel equipment by 2 percent, The Associated Press reported.

According to AP, it's anticipated that the fuel tax would provide $150 million in revenue to be used for environmental programs that focus on diesel emissions, help replace older diesel engines or retrofit engines to bring them into compliance.

However, opponents objected to a portion of the measure that would repeal low emission standards, which they say will endanger federal highway funds.

The Environmental Protection Agency has required Texas to reduce its emissions by 16.3 tons a day in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and 18.9 tons a day in Houston by 2007, AP reported.

Supporters of the bill say it's not a tax but a "user fee," AP reports stated. Keeping with that logic, there will apparently be no "user fee" for the largest polluters, which are gasoline engine users.

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OHIO -- The Ohio Senate will begin work on the state’s $48.5 billion two-year budget next week by adding taxes to towing service.

Last week, the Ohio House approved the budget 53-46. The House approved a budget which includes a temporary one-cent increase in the state’s sales tax. Lawmakers also added a provision allowing Ohioans to vote on how to balance the budget, either with a temporary sales tax increase or through allowing electronic slot machines at racetracks. That provision will likely be on the state’s November ballot.

The budget includes changes Governor Bob Taft (D) proposed to the state’s tax system. Under the budget, the state’s sales tax would be extended to currently untaxed services like such as towing. The state says this change is necessary as Ohio has moved from a goods-based to a service-based economy.

Taft says he is concerned about the budget bill. The governor says the budget uses too much one-time money raised by a temporary sales tax increase.

Taft also criticizes the bill, claiming Republicans made it hard to balance the budget in the future by eliminating several reforms to the key program that provides health care services for the poor and disabled.

Lawmakers must approve the two-year budget by July 1. Under law, Ohio must have a balanced budget.

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NORTH CAROLINA -- Tow truck companies could charge no more than $120 for vehicles that are illegally parked on private property if the Charlotte City Council approves the measure tonight.

The proposed ordinance also would limit booting costs to $50. Storage charges would be limited to $10 a day, after 24 hours.

Officials are considering the ordinance after residents complained they have been charged more than $200 for what's called a nonconsensual tow. That often happens when a driver can't find a space at a busy bar or restaurant and leaves the car at a nearby business, which calls a tow truck.

"People feel they are being gouged by these unreasonable prices," said Patrick Cannon, mayor pro tem, who has pushed for the price cap.

The proposal also requires a sign be posted warning that trespassers will be towed. The sign must give a phone number to call to reclaim the vehicle. If the owner returns before the vehicle is towed, the tow truck driver must release it without charge.

The proposed ordinance would be reviewed after six months by the council's public safety committee. It will expire after a year but can be extended.

Robbie Moore of Charlotte Automotive Recovery Systems opposes the caps, which he says are too low. "We charge $170, and from what I hear, we are probably the cheapest in town," he said.

Tow truck companies must file paperwork with police and the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles, which adds to their costs, he said.

His company charges $120 to remove a "boot," a locking device that keeps a car from driving away. "We'll stop booting. I can't make any money at $50."

Charlotte driver Charles McCollum welcomes a maximum charge on towing and booting. "They've got you," said McCollum, who ate breakfast at a Charlotte restaurant recently, parking his car blocking a nearby alley.

He came out to find a boot locked on the rear wheel, and had to pay $120 to have the device removed. "They are the prosecutor, judge and jury," McCollum said.

The proposed regulations would not affect what a driver pays to move a disabled car.

More states and cities are setting charge limits, said Harriet Cooley, executive director of the Towing and Recovery Association of America. "They are looking for ways to cool it," she said. "This is the kind of stuff that gets out of hand."

North Carolina and 13 other states, but not South Carolina, allow cities to set a cap. There is no official estimate of how many U.S. cities regulate such towing, but it seems to be an urban issue. Atlanta, for instance, sets a $95 limit. Matthews has a $100 limit.

Cannon says he expects many tow truck companies and residents who have been towed will speak at the Monday meeting. (Dianne Whitacre -- The Charlotte Observer)

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FLORIDA -- AAA, the nation’s largest organization for motorists, today named five towing companies its “Highway Heroes” for 2003. The award winning businesses – all of which have compiled outstanding service records to members, their communities and AAA – are:

• 40 West Auto Care, Frederick, Md.

• B & B Towing, Ontario, Canada (Canadian Automobile Assoc.)

• George and Sons Car Care Center, St. Petersburg, Fla.

• Mandic Motors, Inc., Huntington Beach, Calif.

• Personal Auto Care Service Center, Middleton, Conn.

Each of the winning businesses received recognition today at the annual Professional Wreckers of Florida Show in Kissimmee, Fla. Additional AAA and Canadian Automobile Association-affiliated towers were recognized during the ceremony with Silver and Bronze awards.

“The Highway Heroes award is AAA’s recognition for towing businesses that most exemplify leadership and innovation in the towing industry, while achieving an admirable record of community service,” said Margaret Pittelkow, managing director, AAA Emergency Road Service Network.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its 46 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at www.aaa.com.

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TEXAS -- The small town of Luling in Caldwell County has a neighborhood feud brewing over a towing company across the street from some longtime residents. Neighbors want the city to force the business to close, saying it’s an eyesore and presents a dangerous site to children.

Edward and Debbie Moses have lived in Luling for over 20 years. They and their neighbors take great pride in their homes and yards’ appearances.

“In fact, the neighbor right next to me has the yard of the month, so, and we've had it here before," Edward Moses said.

Right down the street, 19-year-old Josh Kimball takes a lot of pride in his business, J&R Towing. The young entrepreneur temporarily stores wrecked cars while insurance companies decide on the vehicle's fate. By law, no vehicle will be there longer than 30 days, so the cars won't be piling up.

"I live right down the road from my business. We put a big fence up, I know kids play around here, that's why we went with the big fence, where they couldn't hop it and get in there," Kimball said.

Moses can see J&R Towing and its high fence from his front yard and doesn't like it. He said it's unwelcome and unsafe.

"I have a problem with them storing wrecked cars in an enclosed fence like that, 'cause people can get in there," he said.

Moses claims he's not alone. He claims he’s collected about 130 names on a petition in three afternoons. City Manager Pee Wee Drake thinks the fence is the main concern. He said he wouldn’t want in near his front door either, but it meets all city regulations and requirements. The business, which will soon add a garage for minor repairs, also meets all requirements.

While Moses plans to present the Luling City Council with his petition at Thursday’s meeting, since it isn’t on the agenda, the council can’t take any action.

Moses said he still plans to let the city council know how he and his neighbors feel. (Natasha Allen, News 8 Austin's Hays)

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ILLINOIS -- Two Elgin residents who parked their cars on private property with "for sale" signs displayed, complained to the city when they got impounded.

City officials Wednesday night tried and failed to resolve the complaints of two residents who claim their cars were wrongfully towed from a grocery store parking lot simply because they had "for sale" signs in their windows.

The two attended the Elgin City Council meeting Wednesday night to complain that Ohm's Towing of Elgin took their cars one Saturday last month, not while they shopped at the grocery store, but supposedly while they were shopping in the McLean Boulevard strip mall next door. Both had to shell out $125 to get their cars back.

Mike Deloncker, the owner of Ohm's, said his company was hired by the grocery store to patrol the lot and tow cars with "for sale" signs because some people were leaving their cars there in hopes of attracting buyers. Elgin code enforcement officials had warned the store it's illegal for them to let people use the lot for such purposes.

But Galvan and Rodriguez claimed the towing company was targeting Hispanics, who make up the majority of the stores' shoppers, because some of them only speak Spanish and would have a language barrier in understanding what had happened to them.

Deloncker and Elgin police Sgt. Tom Olson deny any targeting. Instead, they say Galvan may have been caught in an effort to discourage what seems to be a growing trend: use of private parking lots to sell used cars.

The practice is an eyesore as well as a violation of Elgin's city code, said Olson, who oversees the department's traffic division. "If (code enforcement) doesn't enforce it, that parking lot is going to look like a used car lot," Olson said.

When City Manager David Dorgan heard the residents' stories Wednesday night, he asked police Deputy Chief Robert Duffy to talk with them. Duffy then held an informal meeting with them, Ohm's owner, code enforcement director Jerry Deering and Zachary Wilson of the Illinois Commerce Commission police, which investigates claims against towing firms.

But after the brief discussion during the city council meeting, Galvan and Rodriguez said there still was no resolution.

They both threatened to file formal complaints against Ohm's with the state commerce commission. However, in an effort to scare action out of the city, Rodriguez said he now is considering going somewhere else to spend his money instead of in Elgin. Rodriguez also said he may reach out to area Spanish-language publications in hopes of spreading his story.

Council member Gilliam said he empathized with the two and that Elgin leaders should act to prevent the same from happening to others.

"If I had a for-sale sign on my car and they towed it, I'd be mad, too," Gilliam said, drawing applause from the council's audience. "There has to be some ability to discern between people who have been there 30 minutes and people who have been there three days. We should make some adjustment (in the law) for the future." (Thanks Tracy)

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INDIANA -- How much of a responsibility should a property owner bear when old or disabled cars they do not own are left on their property?

That question made for a lively debate with Logansport city officials and their constituents Monday afternoon at the Logansport City Council meeting. In the end, public response to an amended abandoned vehicle ordinance led council members to take the ordinance under advisement for further review.

Councilman John Vernon said the proposed ordinance would take owners of abandoned vehicles "off the hook" by placing the responsibility of removal on owners of the properties where the vehicles are located. City Attorney Don Tribbett disagreed. Tribbett said the inclusion of a state statute in the ordinance would allow the city to pursue either a vehicle owner or a property owner to remove an abandoned vehicle, but does not target the property owner first. 

Tribbett said the council may want to add a provision to the ordinance to require an attempt be made to contact owners of abandoned vehicles first before towing. An existing ordinance in the city only allows the city to pursue towing through the vehicle owner. Landlord Wilbur Bingaman told the council he does not want property owners to be stuck with additional costs for poor tenants, who can do thousands in damage to rental properties in a matter of days.

"When are you going to hold these people responsible and quit giving them a free ride?" Bingaman asked.

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VIRGINIA -- A Fredericksburg advisory committee recommended yesterday that the maximum fee for towing vehicles from private lots in Fredericksburg should remain $95.

But the committee agreed that cars towed from private lots should be impounded only within the city limits.

The group, which includes City Councilmen Joe Wilson and Matt Kelly, downtown lot owners and towing-company representatives, was formed in February to look into complaints about private towing practices in the city. Yesterday was its second and final meeting.

The City Council is expected to take up a towing ordinance, based on yesterday's recommendations, at its April 22 meeting.

Committee Chairman Wilson said he hopes the ordinance will result in fewer complaints about exorbitant towing fees and predatory tow-truck operators.

"I think we have something here that will help our problem, and hopefully we'll be able to deal with issues of letters to the editor and that sort of thing," he said.

A McLean man wrote a letter to the editor of The Free Lance-Star earlier this year decrying the $100 he paid to get his car back after it was towed while he ate at a downtown restaurant. He vowed to never return to Fredericksburg.

Business owners and local residents also have complained about towing from downtown lots, and some people have reported paying as much as $115 to retrieve their vehicles. Others have complained that they had to travel deep into Spotsylvania and Stafford counties to get their impounded cars back.

The committee also recommended yesterday that signs should be uniform in private parking lots where towing is enforced.

It agreed that the signs should be 18 inches wide and 24 inches tall, with red letters on a white reflective background. The signs should specify that the lot is private and whether 24-hour towing is enforced, the group decided.

But Tommy Mitchell, who owns several downtown properties and has proposed building a hotel off Sophia Street, said he doesn't think better signs will help much.

"The signs are not the problem," he said. "I think the majority of folks agree they're being ignored."

The committee decided to limit towing fees to $85--plus a $10 after-hours fee on nights, weekends and holidays--to remain consistent with the maximum fees allowed in the state code. The state code does specify, however, that localities have the right to set their own limits. (Elizabeth Waters - Fredericksburg.com)

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VIRGINIA -- Two men were arrested in Stafford County late Monday for taking off in their own cars--from a towing company lot.

Sheriff Charles Jett said the men had been at apartment complex parking lots in the areas of Shasta Place and Mews Court late Monday night.

By the time they returned to their vehicles about 11:30 p.m., Patriot Towing had taken them to its complex on Porter Lane.

Patriot Towing has contracts with various property owners that allow it to tow vehicles parked in improper spaces, Jett said yesterday.

The business owner told police that he later received a call to meet the vehicle owners at the storage lot to make arrangements to have their vehicles released.

When he got there, Jett said, a section of the fence was torn down, and the vehicles were missing.

Deputy Michelle Gibbons spotted one of the vehicles on Garrisonville Road and stopped it. Jett said the driver, 21-year-old David L. Cooper Jr. of Quantico, admitted damaging the fence while leaving with his vehicle.

Michael J. Brown, 20, of Fredericksburg was later found at his home with his vehicle.

Both Cooper and Brown were charged with defrauding a garage keeper and trespassing. Cooper also was charged with destruction of property.

Jett said the police report does not indicate Cooper and Brown had any connection other than having had their cars towed.

The Sheriff's Office does not police improper parking on private lots, so many apartment complexes and landowners hire towing companies to do the job, he said. Some give the companies the right to tow illegally parked cars at will, while in other cases the towing company responds to complaints, Jett said.

There was a similar incident at Patriot Towing in December, in which two people were charged with breaking into the company's complex and taking back a car that had been towed from a lot in Fredericksburg.

A deputy caught them as they were driving away. (Keith Epps - Fredericksburg.com)

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KANSAS -- In a vote taken late Thursday, Kansas legislators passed a final version of Casey’s Law, an anti-drunken-driving measure inspired by an Atchison city commissioner.

The law would allow courts to impound or immobilize for up to one year the vehicles owned or used by people convicted of drunken driving.

Earlier this week, a committee of House and Senate members worked out differences between the two bodies’ versions of the bill. The House adopted the bill 115 to 7. The Senate’s vote was 39 to 0.

The bill is called Casey’s Law in memory of Casey Ray Beaver, who was killed by an eight-time drunken driver in August 2000. His parents, Dennis and Linda Beaver, helped craft the legislation. Mr. Beaver sits on the Atchison City Commission.

On Thursday night, the Beavers listened to a Web cast of the vote being taken. Mr. Beaver said it was gratifying to see a law that would address the problem of repeated drunken driving — a law he says might have saved his son.

“It’s fantastic,” he said. “We worked really hard on that.”

The bill has changed several times from Mr. Beaver’s original version, which he had intended to be a city and county ordinance. Mr. Beaver said getting it passed at the state level would avoid creating a “patchwork” of laws in different counties.

Under the final version, stolen cars cannot be impounded.

The bill does not protect people who merely lend a car to a drunken driver, however.

The bill allows judges to consider if the loss of the car would harm the convicted driver’s family, particularly if it would impair employment, medical care or education.

Sen. Jim Barnett, R-Emporia, who sponsored the original Senate bill, said he supported the House’s amendments.

“I think the House actually strengthened the bill,” he said.

The governor’s signature on the bill is expected in the next two weeks. If signed, the new law would go into effect July 1. Mr. Barnett said a signing ceremony has been planned and likely will take place in May.

The Beavers plan to present Casey’s Law later this month to municipal judges around Kansas.

“Hopefully, it will save a lot of lives,” Mr. Beaver said.

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NEBRASKA -- A Grand Island city division that used to cover its expenses stopped doing so three years ago when they purchased a $62,000 tow truck.

The city's Fleet Services Division, a part of the Public Works Department, saw its expenses surpass revenues beginning in 2000. Fleet Services was formerly known as the city shop/garage and performs maintenance on city vehicles.

Fleet Services Superintendent Allan Hoffman said the increase in expense was due largely to "capital improvements" -- the most expensive of which was a $62,000 city wrecker.

Since the purchase of the wrecker in 2000, the city has stepped up the number of tows it performs, including doing the work previously performed by private towing companies, in an unsuccessful attempt to cover expenses.

"It costs $50 for the city folks and $70 for the private folks," said Police Chief Kyle Hetrick, whose department is one that most frequently calls for towing service.

Hetrick said city Fleet Services now performs all of the towing the Police Department needs during regular daytime work hours Monday through Friday. A rotation of private towers is called upon after hours and on weekends.

It raises the issue of privatization that the city council and administration have debated previously regarding ambulance service -- should the city perform work that private companies can do?

Hoffman said it would be difficult to privatize the work Fleet Services does because the city has so much specialized equipment -- motor graders, utility line trucks, dump trucks, fire engines and ambulances, which have become so heavy a special hoist had to be purchased.

To help offset the cost of doing maintenance on those special vehicles, Fleet Services also does routine work such as oil changes on city cars. And now, to help offset the cost of the new wrecker, purchased in part because of the city's increased focus on removing junk cars from the streets, he looks for other city towing jobs in order to raise money.

The city claims that the extra towing work has other city benefits, such as freeing up time for police officers.

"As soon as we hook up to the car, the police officer can take off," Hoffman said. "It saves him time in not having to follow us to the impound lot and unlock the lot."

Fleet services has a key to the impound lot, something that Hetrick said wouldn't be possible to do with all private tow companies.

"We can't have everybody and their mother with a key to the lot," he said.

That's why on nights and weekends, officers do have to follow private tow companies to the impound lot, which shortens the officers' time on the streets.

Hetrick said the Police Department used to not have an impound lot at all and the private companies would simply tow the vehicles to their own private lots and store them there. Having a city impound lot is better, he believes, because the police have the ability to check for a valid driver's license and vehicle insurance when the impounded vehicle is retrieved.

"Now they don't get the vehicle back until it's a licensed driver, insured, vehicle registration and they've paid the impound, tow and storage fee," Hetrick said.

But the rising expenses for Fleet Services remain, something that Public Works Director Steve Riehle said needs to be evaluated as the city prepares its 2003-04 budget.

"The revenue is down and we're trying to figure that out," he said.

Hoffman and Riehle both said the rates charged by Fleet Services should be reviewed. Currently, they bill at $40 an hour for labor, which is about $10 lower than private shops in Grand Island, and mark up parts by 30 percent, versus mark-ups closer to 100 percent at private shops.

Hoffman believes even if Fleet Services' rates were equalized to the market, many city departments would still pick the city over a private provider. The city can more easily prioritize its work, meaning it can put aside work on a Building Department vehicle, for example, if an ambulance or police car came in needing immediate service.

Fleet Services also offers a preventive maintenance program by keeping track of all city vehicle use and scheduled routine work and safety checks, Hoffman said.

But the growing expenses are something Riehle said must be addressed sooner than later, considering tightening budgets.

"We need to bridge that gap," he said.

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The oil cartel OPEC is considering an emergency cut in production to prevent a free-fall in the oil price, which yesterday tumbled to a four-month low at one point as the US-led Allied forces scored fresh gains in Iraq.

OPEC is growing increasingly worried that a swift victory would eliminate fears of an oil shortage which, combined with continued economic weakness, could trigger fresh drops in prices. The 11-member group, which includes Iraq, will meet in Vienna on 24 April.

The OPEC president, Abdullah al-Attiyah, Qatar's Minister of Energy and Industry, said: "My main worry is how to deal with the dramatic price drop. The market is full of oil, it's facing a glut not a shortage."

Oil prices have dropped by about a third over the last month as the launch of war against Iraq removed the uncertainty that had pushed the price of a barrel of crude to within a whisker of $40 in New York. Yesterday, the price almost broke through $27, later recovering to $28.07; while in London Brent crude prices fell more than a $1 to $23.40 at one point, the lowest level since November last year. The price rallied later to $24.52 a barrel.

Prices were also kept high by disruption to supplies from Venezuela and Nigeria but there were mounting hopes yesterday that both crises had been solved.

In Iraq, Allied forces now control 900 of the 950 oil wells in the southern Rumaila oil field, the country's largest.

OPEC has set a price band of $22 to $28 for a basket of oil prices, which most recently was set at $25.38 a barrel.

Oil prices fell as low as $10 a barrel five years ago when OPEC mis-timed a large expansion in output which coincided with the Asian financial crisis that threatened to push the whole world into recession.

Falling oil prices and further military gains combined to trigger a sharp surge on the world's major stock markets.

In London the FTSE 100 index closed up 121 points or 3.2 per cent to 3,936 ­ putting it within five points of showing a gain for the year for the first time.

On the Continent, markets gained as much as 5 per cent while on Wall Street the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq indexes were up about 2 per cent in early trade, but gains were wiped out as investors booked profits and turned their attention to the fragile US economy.

Stephen Jen, the chief currency economist at Morgan Stanley, said: "Positive progress in Iraq means stocks and the dollar get bought and bonds, oil and gold are being sold off."

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WYOMING -- A state trooper testified Wednesday that truck driver Ronda Len Winebarger was driving at an unsafe speed when his rig, loaded with 44,000 pounds of soda ash, struck and killed a tow truck driver on Interstate 80 east of Laramie.

Circuit Court Judge Robert Castor bound the North Carolina driver over to District Court for arraignment and possible trial, saying there was "probable cause to believe he was driving in a reckless manner" at the time of the March 24 collision.

The maximum penalty for aggravated vehicular homicide is 20 years in prison.

Trooper Dave Reddinger testified at Winebarger's preliminary hearing that the eastbound trucker was driving about 50 miles an hour, after passing signs warning that I-80 was icy with blowing snow, when his vehicle left the highway.

Reddinger, a state trooper in Albany County for 12 years, said he was familiar with the stretch of highway and believed a safe speed under the conditions would have been 40 to 45. He said Winebarger told him he had been traveling at speeds up to 55, but slowed down when he saw the tow truck.

Cody Lynn Coordes, owner of Summit Towing, was crushed to death when Winebarger's semi-truck struck a Ford F-150 pickup truck to which he was attempting to attach his chain. The driver of the pickup, Jason T. Spears of Valparaiso, Ind., was injured but declared in stable condition at Ivinson Memorial Hospital after the accident.

Reddinger said one of two highway signs just east of Laramie warned of slick spots and the other read "'Icy roadways with blowing snow', or something like that."

Winebarger, a driver for Zenith Freightlines, is free after posting bond for $50,000. He told the judge at his arraignment in Circuit Court that the company would hire an attorney for him. He was represented at Wednesday's hearing by attorney Tom Lee of Cheyenne.

Reddinger said that Spears told him he was driving about 50 miles an hour when his eastbound car slid off the highway. He said the Indiana man told him he would probably have been able to keep control of his vehicle had he been going 40 mph.

He quoted Spears as saying that he advised Coordes to attach the chain to the rear of his pickup instead of the front. Thus, Coordes's truck was facing northwest when the accident occurred.

Reddinger estimated the combined weight of the truck and its load of soda ash at 70,000 pounds. He said no flares had been put out around the accident scene.

Winebarger's vehicle went off the right side of the highway and went 332 feet before it stopped, Reddinger said. He said the driver told him he had been warned by two drivers ahead of him that the road was slick and there was blowing snow. He recalled that Winebarger acknowledged seeing at least one of the warning signs. He said Winebarger did not deny that the accident was his fault. Under questioning by Lee, Reddinger said he did not read Winebarger his Miranda rights.

He said his notes showed that Winebarger told him he turned right in order not to hit the tow truck head on. The tow truck was parked in an emergency lane, with amber warning lights turned on. When asked by Reddinger why he did not veer left into the traffic lanes, he said that everything was happening too fast, the trooper reported. The defendant was in court Wednesday, but was not called to testify.

In his closing argument, Deputy Albany County Attorney Theodore R. Racines said he agreed that everything happened too fast at the scene, but it was because Winebarger was driving too fast. "He was an experienced truck driver and he should have known better," said Racines.

Lee argued that "speed alone is not proof of recklessness" and that there had been no proof that any reasonable person would have done differently than Winebarger did.

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NEW YORK -- A new Whitestone towing company has stirred the anger of local residents, who claim the resulting truck traffic is an annoyance and a potential hazard.

About 40 people joined Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) for a meeting in front of the Charles F. Follini Depot at 151-45 6th Rd. Monday afternoon. The residents complained about tow trucks racing through their quiet streets through all hours of the day to get to the depot.

"It's like the jet planes coming to land on an aircraft carrier," said Helen Paladrino, who lives near the entrance to the company.

The depot, located in a small industrial area along the East River, has been open for about a month. The main entrance of the depot is on 152nd Street, just north of Powell's Cove Boulevard, although trucks also enter at 151st Place and 6th Road.

Avella said he was asking the city Department of Investigation to look into the operations of Follini, even though the company is operating legally.

"I am going to try to get them to move to another location," Avella told the crowd. "It's a totally inappropriate facility for this community."

So far, Follini's operations appear to be completely legal, Avella said. Its vehicles are allowed to drive seven blocks off truck routes, which means the trucks can drive on almost any street in Whitestone, Avella said.

If the city has no grounds on which to ask the company to move, the councilman said he would try to negotiate with Follini.

Reducing the hours of operation or having trucks use the lot's back entrance could help solve the problem, Avella said.

The councilman said he would try to draw media attention to the issue, telling those who gathered that they might have to hold demonstrations in the future.

In the meantime, James Raymond, a local resident, has started a petition against the facility.

Monday's meeting was not the first time Avella has brought public attention to a private company in Whitestone based on the complaints of a few residents.

Last year the councilman and local residents staged three rallies in an attempt to convince a new CVS Pharmacy on Francis Lewis Boulevard to give up some of its space to allow a small grocery store to move in. The CVS replaced a Key Food Supermarket, and some were angered over the lack of a grocery store in their neighborhood.

Despite the demonstrations, the CVS did not give up enough room for a grocery store, and the pharmacy opened as planned.

Avella, however, hoped this time would be different.

Most at Monday's meeting complained about the noise from the trucks headed to the depot.

"It's disgusting," Regina Randazzo said. "Nobody wants to hear the tow trucks running up and down the block."

Others said the company had an impact on other quality-of-life issues. "They are dropping broken glass all over the street," Mike Salaby claimed.

Others called the traffic a safety issue. Karen Licalzi said she was concerned about her family. "[The trucks] are coming down my street, and I have a lot of kids."

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NORTH CAROLINA -- Later this month, residents will have the opportunity to weigh in with comments on a towing ordinance the Boone Town Council is considering for adoption.

Town Manager Greg Young presented a draft ordinance developed by the towing subcommittee to the council at last Thursday’s meeting and provided an overview of its provisions. Council members voted to schedule a public hearing on the ordinance for the April 24 meeting.

The proposed ordinance would regulate nonconsensual towing from private parking lots and private parking spaces, with the regulation taking the form of a notification requirement and a cap on towing and storage fees.

The provisions allow two forms of notification — either a conspicuously placed sign warning that towing is enforced or a weather-resistant notice placed under the windshield wiper of the illegally parked car several hours in advance of the actual towing. Both the sign and the notice must provide the name of the towing company, its phone number and the location where the towed vehicle will be taken.

The draft ordinance allows towing companies to charge up to 175 percent of their normal consensual towing fee for removing an illegally parked vehicle.

However, the driver who shows up before the tow truck operator hooks the vehicle can prevent the tow by paying the operator 25 percent of the nonconsensual fee. The fee increases to 50 percent for the driver who arrives after the operator has lifted or loaded the car.

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WYOMING -- After months of contention, the city of Casper finally has a new towing and wrecker policy.

Near the end of a very long meeting the Casper City Council on Tuesday approved a towing policy that provides for a rotation that will work on a one-call-per-company basis and will allow felons who have been out of the penal system for three years to answer calls from the city, City Manager Tom Forslund said.

The council first began to look at altering the city's towing and wrecker policy from a one-call-per-truck rotation to a one-call-per-business rotation last year. The issue became a quagmire after several towing companies complained about a new clause that would have banned drivers convicted of any felony committed at any time in their lives from answering a rotation call.

The complaints from the towing companies prompted the council in October to ask city staff to rework the policy.

The city utilizes its wrecker rotation when an accident occurs and the owner of a vehicle that must be towed has no preference as to what company is called to do the job. The police then call whatever company is next on the rotation.

City staff presented the council with a revised towing policy, but the felony clause remained intact and the towing companies kept complaining.

The City Council was divided on the issue between members like Councilwomen Lynne Whalen and Renee Burgess, who supported inclusion of the felony clause, and members like Councilmen Guy Padgett and Paul Bertoglio, who thought it was unduly harsh.

Finally in March, the council hammered out a compromise that would exclude only felons who had been clear of the penal system for less than three years from answering rotation calls.

On Tuesday, the council approved a policy that included the compromise on a 7-2 vote, with Whalen and Councilwoman Barb Watters casting the dissenting votes. (Brendan Burke - Star Tribune)

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Crude oil prices closed down 4% on the New York Mercantile Exchange after labor unions in Nigeria agreed to call of a strike that was threatening oil supplies, Bloomberg said.

Changes in crude oil prices often can force changes in the price of motor fuels like diesel and gasoline.

More than a third of Nigeria's oil output was already halted because of ethnic violence, but a general strike would have choked off oil shipments entirely, Bloomberg said. Many analysts believed that if both Nigeria and Iraq were unable to provide oil to the market, then there would likely be supply shortages.

The decline of $1.50 a barrel from Monday's closing price on the Nymex for Crude oil for May delivery left the price at $29.80.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday that it has finalized its rules, forcing light trucks to meet tougher fuel efficiency standards.

NHTSA said that under the new rule, which was first proposed in the Dec. 13, 2002 issue of the Federal Register, would boost corporate average fuel economy or CAFE standards to 21 miles per gallon in model year 2005 from the current 20.7 mpg level. In model year 2006, the CAFE limit would be extended to 21.6 mpg and finally in 2007, light trucks would be required to meet a standard of 22.2 mpg.

The new standard would apply to pickup trucks, vans and sport-utility vehicles – some of which are used by the towing industry.

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United Road Services Inc. told the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it lost nearly $85 million in 2002.

The Colonie, N.Y.-based holding company for automobile towing and transport firms was due to file its 10K annual report with regulators by March 31, but instead notified the SEC that it would miss the deadline. It attributed its inability to file on time to the fact that "the company is in discussions with third parties regarding events that would affect the financial statement of the company." It did not provide details.

But United Road (OTC: URSI) said it would report a loss of $84.7 million, or $40.57 a diluted share, for the year. This compares to a net loss of $13.7 million, or $6.52 a diluted share, in 2001. The 2002 loss includes an impairment loss of $43.4 million for the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle. Revenue for 2002 was $248.7 million, compared to $226.5 million in 2001.

United Road Services, Inc. (URS) provides automobile transport and motor vehicle and equipment towing and recovery services. As of December 31, 2001, URS operated a network of 12 transport divisions and 17 towing and recovery divisions located in a total of 20 states. The Company offers a broad range of towing and recovery services in its local markets, including towing, impounding and storing motor vehicles, conducting lien sales and auctions of abandoned vehicles, towing heavy equipment and recovering and towing heavy-duty commercial and recreational vehicles.

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Reacting to lower oil prices and positive news from the war in Iraq, diesel prices fell another 6 cents to close at $1.602 per gallon for the week ending March 31.

While the price is still 30 cents higher than a year ago, it is now 17 cents cheaper nationally than it was at its peak during March, according to U.S. Department of Energy figures.

Crude oil imports are above 9 million barrels per day for the first time since Dec. 20, DOE analysts said, a sign that the lingering effects of Venezuela’s oil strike are over. Still, overall imports are lower than analysts said are needed to reverse the sharp spike in fuel costs. Diesel inventories in particular remain at low levels and continue to fall, and oil imports may not be enough to keep up; a spike in demand could cause prices to rise again, the DOE said.

Retail diesel fuel prices fell for the third straight week. Prices remained highest in New England, at $1.823.

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PENNSYLVANIA -- Philadelphia Police say a body was found inside the trunk of a stolen car in the city’s Tacony section late Monday morning.

Employees at the Orthodox Towing Company called police when they smelled a foul odor coming from the car, which was towed there Monday morning. Police discovered the body in the trunk.

Police have not yet identified the body.

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