MARYLAND -- A Detroit man, jailed for stealing a $10 bottle of hand sanitizer in downtown Cumberland on Friday, is now wanted for car theft, according to a report from the Cumberland Police Department.

Ioan Onu Chera, 45, was released from the Allegany County Detention Center on Saturday after friends paid his $3,000 bond.

Afterward Chera went to the police department to obtain a release for his vehicle, a red Chevrolet Geo that had been impounded following his arrest on Friday.

According to Cumberland Police Sgt. Chuck Ternent, Chera initially went to the wrong towing lot, American Towing, on Edison Street. When lot owner Dennis Rhodes discovered Chera was at the wrong location, he offered to drive him to the correct towing lot at Wayne’s Citgo on Queen City Drive.

At the Citgo station Rhodes got out of the car to help Chera find the Geo. But Chera slid into the driver’s seat and drove away in Rhodes’ purple two-door 1997 Hyundai Tiburon.

Local authorities were alerted and searched for the stolen vehicle Saturday night, but Chera has apparently left the area.

Police believe the Tiburon was last seen on state Route 36 near Motor City on Saturday evening.

Ternent said an attempt to locate bulletin has been issued to police agencies throughout the East Coast for the stolen car bearing Maryland license plate number MAE 656.

Anyone with information about this crime should contact Cumberland Police at (301) 777-1600. (Cumberland Times-News)

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ARIZONA -- Vehicles from Santa Cruz County are ending up at the Huachuca City impound lot.
Due to drug smuggling and traffic violations, numerous cars and trucks are impounded each year by law enforcement.

Huachuca City is running a vehicle impound business, which Patagonia joined earlier this year. This is a practice that has hurt independent towing companies in eastern Santa Cruz County and Cochise County, some almost to the point of closing their doors.

"They're killing us," said Gary Cheeks, proprietor of Whetstone Towing in western Cochise County.

Cheeks said that he believes many of the vehicles in Huachuca City's impound lot came from the United States Border Patrol. Huachuca city is north of Sierra Vista near the Cochise County/Santa Cruz County line.

He said that he thinks Border Patrol agents are turning the cars over to police officers from Huachuca City and Patagonia, rather than using Border Patrol's towing rotation policy.

"We have to go by Border Patrol's guidelines and rotation," he said.

The Nogales Police Department and Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office have consistently used a rotation list. The Patagonia Marshal's Office does not.

Border Patrol has regulations governing impound lots and towing practices that independent companies have to follow. For example, when a tow driver arrives on a Border Patrol stop that involves two vehicles, the towing company is only allowed to take one, due to the agency's rotation policy, Cheeks explained.

Cheeks also said that Huachuca City charges $40 per day for vehicle storage, a figure that is far above the average storage fee range of $10 to $15 per day.

"They're charging $40 a day for a car sitting in a public parking lot," he said.

Cheeks also said he believes that Huachuca City Police Chief Dennis Grey owns an auto body shop, a location that he suspects is being used to store cars impounded by Huachuca City.

Grey refused to speak with the Nogales International when contacted last week. He directed staff at the police department to say, "Regarding the vehicle impound lot, we have no comment."

Therefore, specific details about Huachuca City's impound fees, locations and practices were not made available. Huachuca City officials did not return a telephone call from the Nogales International asking for revenue figures for the town's impound lot.

Troy Barnett, owner of Barnett's Towing in Sierra Vista and president of the Arizona Tower's Association, said that practices such as Huachuca City's have severely hurt small towing companies, which are often family-owned enterprises.

He said that municipalities take only the better vehicles, leaving vehicles that don't run, have no keys or are older vehicles, to the private towers.

Barnett said that he guessed that Huachuca City obtains approximately 300 titles per year. If three towing companies were on the Huachuca City Police Department's rotation list, each company would lose 100 vehicles per year, he explained.

He said that police officers from Huachuca City are driving the vehicles into impound. The department does not have to buy tow trucks, pay for insurance or adhere to the regulations to which towing companies are bound. It is unclear whether these practices violate state law.

"This is powerful government basically walking all over free enterprise," Barnett said.

Border Patrol policies

Border Patrol, when contacted about its vehicle seizure and transport rules, said that the agency seizes vehicles used to carry illegal immigrants or drugs.

Vehicles are supposed to be auctioned, crushed or stored commercially. Commercial storage is when a vehicle is turned over to a private towing company, who then can charge the vehicle's owner towing and storage fees, or can file for title on the vehicle.

That practice was once the bread and butter of towing companies in Santa Cruz and Cochise Counties, but appears to be drying up.

A Nogales towing company representative who asked not to be identified told the Nogales International that Border Patrol has changed its vehicle seizure and towing procedures several times over the past years. Such changes have cost independent towers approximately $10,000 per year in fees and vehicle sales, he said.

Border Patrol has a rotation policy for towing companies, said Andy Adame, agency spokesman. A rotation policy means that the agency rotates companies that receive tows.

However, Adame said that when a local agency stops a vehicle transporting illegal immigrants, agents will often turn responsibility for the vehicle over to that agency.

He said that, due to agents' involvement in Operation Pipeline, tow companies in Santa Cruz County and Cochise County may be receiving fewer vehicles from Border Patrol. Operation Pipeline began in November, and consists of increased enforcement in the Huachuca Mountains, San Rafael Valley and Highways 82 and 90, as previously reported in the Nogales International.

As a result, agents are not always operating in areas where they did before, Adame said.

Patagonia impounds cars

The Patagonia Town Council approved, and signed, an intergovernmental agreement July 23 with Huachuca City for vehicle storage and auction services. However, the Nogales International has learned that, as of Nov. 14, the Huachuca City Council had not ratified the agreement.

The agreement stated that "from time to time the Patagonia Marshal's Office engages in the seizure of motor vehicles that are abandoned by undocumented aliens in Patagonia."

Under the terms of the intergovernmental agreement, Patagonia is responsible for transporting all seized motor vehicles to the Huachuca City Police Department impound yard, and for completing a vehicle inventory form for each seized vehicle.

Huachuca City, according to the agreement, stores seized vehicles, fills out abandoned or regular title paperwork for the vehicles, auctions vehicles and charges storage fees.

All monies received by Huachuca City for auctions or storage of vehicles the Marshal's Office impounds is sent to Patagonia.

Patagonia Town Marshal Keith Barth said that vehicles are not seized, but rather stored for proof of ownership.

Private towing companies will normally store a vehicle until its owner pays towing and storage fees, and shows proof of ownership. Towing charges and storage fees are a large part of a towing company's income.

He said that deputies have stopped vehicles used to transport illegal immigrants, and have removed the vehicles because they can be a traffic hazard if left on the side of the road. Deputies have also impounded vehicles that were found abandoned on the side of the road, he said.

He denied that the Marshal's Office intended to hurt local companies, saying that he would like to have local towers be involved in the process.

Inspection of impounded vehicle records revealed that 10 out of 11 such vehicles were impounded from outside town limits.

Barth said that, although the vehicles were impounded outside of Patagonia, offenses leading to the traffic stops were committed in Patagonia.

"It's hard to stop in the heart of town," Barth said.

He said that a deputy would see a suspicious vehicle in town, then would follow it. During some stops, deputies waited for another officer to arrive as backup, Barth said.

"For officer safety reasons, we will wait for another unit."

Impounds started in June

Patagonia Marshal's deputies began impounding vehicles in June, according to vehicle removal reports filed by the department.

Patagonia Town Marshal Keith Barth said that two deputies are required to transport a vehicle to Huachuca City, a distance of approximately 36 miles. One deputy has to drive the impounded vehicle and another must follow, to give the deputy a ride back to Patagonia.

Marshal's deputies impounded 11 vehicles from June through Nov. 8. Most of the vehicles were taken from outside town limits, in areas ranging from Harshaw Road to milepost 35 on Highway 82, milepost 35 on to Highway 83.

Records for vehicles impounded by Marshal's deputies since Nov. 8 were requested last Wednesday. The records were not received by press time.

Since Patagonia began impounding vehicles in Huachuca City, the town received more than $3,600 in impound fees.

Barth said that the added revenue was his objective when his office started to impound vehicles.

"All I'm trying to do is bring some revenue in the town and get these cars that were used for the transportation of UDAs (undocumented aliens) off of the street," Barth said. (Sierra Vista Herald)

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Cities and counties all over America are doing it, taking cars that they believe to be ugly, dangerous, or a nuisance against the wishes of the owner.

While we all want beautiful neighborhoods, many of these programs cross the line into violation of our rights and the violation of the fair use of own private property.

The cities and counties usually begin by drafting an ordinance that defines a nuisance vehicle. These definitions are very broad and can often apply to many cars currently driving down the highway.

If you have a broken taillight or a crack in your windshield you're driving a nuisance vehicle according to some counties. Or, if your park your car and let grass grow around it, it might qualify to be towed away. Even one single complaint from a neighbor would allow some counties to remove a vehicle from your property.

Take for example the truck of Master Sgt. Madison Rayford of Bryan Texas. Bryan city officials towed Rayford's running and driving truck from his own private property because it was "covered in dust, had low tires, and expired tags". Rayford's truck was towed to a wrecking yard where it was dissembled and sold. Sgt. Rayford was, and still is deployed in Iraq.

Even on your own private property. Some of these cities and counties will trespass on your private property and steal your car. Oh, that's right, it not stealing because they have written an ordinance.

As I said before, we all want beautiful neighborhoods but what's next? Well, I'll tell you what's next.

In some counties in Florida, if you drive a tow truck, it's illegal to park it at your house. That's right, you can drive a Dodge Ram diesel truck home, but not if has a business name on the door because commercial vehicles are "loud" according to county officials. That's right, even the Ford Escort commercial vehicles fall under this "noise prevention" ordinance.

Some counties have also forbidden all boats and RV's from residential neighborhoods as well. If you own any of these you must pay a storage facility to store them for you, and you must transport them someplace else if you need to work on them.

The city and county officials that come up with these ridicules solutions are short sighted, selfish, and are treating the symptoms instead of the root problem.

The reason there are so many junk vehicles sitting around is there is no easy cost effective way to get rid of them. But instead of working toward that solution they enact a law that negatively affects all people.

I say all people because even if these laws don't directly affect you now, they are eroding our rights as Americans. Private property is no longer private, and you don't really own anything.

If left unchecked, these same officials will eventually try to regulate the color of your house and height of your lawn. Oh… they already do that.

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MICHIGAN -- GM's Duramax 6600 6.6L turbo-diesel V-8 engine will provide higher power and torque ratings and major emission improvements beginning in January 2004.

Silverado and Sierra 2500HD and 3500 Series trucks with the Duramax 6600 and the Allison automatic transmission will receive a new version of the engine with 310 hp @ 3100 rpm, 10 more horsepower than before. The engine also features a higher torque rating of 590 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm, a 70 lb-ft increase over its previous maximum high. At the same time, Duramax 6600 NOx emissions have been reduced almost by half.

"Since its introduction in 2001, the Duramax 6600 has re-established GM in the full-size diesel powered truck market by increasing our share of the segment to nearly 30 percent," said Charlie Freese, executive director, diesel engineering for GM Powertrain.

Silverado and Sierra models with the Duramax 6600 and a standard ZF S6-650 six-speed manual transmission receive the same emissions improvements as those with the Allison 1000, with carryover power ratings.

"Over 90 percent of our three-quarter and one-ton customers order their Duramax 6600 with the Allison 1000 five-speed automatic transmission - prompting us to focus on power, torque and emissions improvements, where they provide greatest benefits for the largest number of customers," Freese said.

Both the new version of the Duramax 6600 turbo diesel with the Allison automatic transmission and the version with the standard ZF six-speed manual feature improved hardware. The new version also has additional software calibration changes to help provide its higher power output.

Primary hardware changes include a variable nozzle turbocharger, new electronic control module, next-generation fuel injectors, electronically controlled cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), 50 state catalytic converter usage, improved charge air-cooling and a closed crankcase ventilation system:

The common rail fuel system also uses smaller, more precisely machined and positioned next-generation fuel injectors to inject its fuel pulses into the cylinders. The injectors are now fully accessible, allowing service technicians to access them without having to take the cylinder head cover off. Servicing is typically required only every 100,000 miles or more.

The new variable nozzle turbocharger features vanes that are now hydraulically controlled to precisely adjust the level of boost generated by the turbocharger.

A more powerful, 32-bit, next-generation engine control module provides the capabilities for integrated control of the additional engine hardware. The new engine controller provides faster microprocessor speeds, increased throughput and more memory than the previous generation controller.

The EGR system in conjunction with catalytic converter usage reduces NOx emissions in all 50 states to approximately 2 grams per brake horsepower hour from a previous 4 grams in 49 states and 3.5 grams in California.

Charge-air cooling is used to provide cool dense air to the cylinders to help generate the new engine's increased power, torque and improved emissions.

The closed-crankcase ventilation system, although not required to meet 2004 emissions regulations, anticipates upcoming 2006-model emissions requirements by incorporating a closed crankcase ventilation system in which harmful vapors are vented internally and burned as part of the combustion process, rather than being vented to the outside atmosphere.

"The engine's high torque across the power band helps Duramax 6600-equipped GM trucks excel in off-the-line performance, acceleration and heavy-duty trailering and hauling," Freese said.

New versions of the Duramax 6600 will be produced at GM's Moraine, Ohio facility. The engine was developed through a GM and Isuzu Motors joint ventures (DMAX Ltd. and GMIDEL).

GM Powertrain is a global producer of engines, transmissions, castings and components for GM vehicles and other automotive, marine, and industrial OEMs. Headquartered in Pontiac, GM Powertrain has operating and coordinating responsibility for General Motors powertrain manufacturing plants and engineering centers in North America, South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.

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CALIFORNIA -- It might have taken longer to complete than expected, but Aaron Vargas wanted to make sure the sleigh is as beautiful as possible.

"We're putting a lot of effort into it," he said. "We're trying to make it look real nice."

Vargas, owner of Action Towing in Tulare, will use the sleigh in a drive to collect toys for the Salvation Army, which is aiming to help out 1,200 families this holiday season.

The way to contribute is easy: The sleigh will be at several local businesses during the next few days. All people have to do is place new, unwrapped toys in the sleigh.

"We plan on getting a whole lot of toys," he said. Vargas said he came up with the idea through an almost Sir Isaac Newton-like inspiration. "I just wanted to do something for the people in Tulare," he said.

The sleigh, riding on a big truck, was in the Tulare Christmas Parade on Monday. Starting today, it will be at Papa Joe's Mexican Restaurant, 424 North N St., and then at Aero Dogs, 240 North L St.

All the toys collected will go to the Salvation Army. "They are getting every toy we're getting," Vargas said.

To help in the drive, Vargas' business will make a good-size donation and is looking for other donors. (Luis Hernandez - Advance-Register)

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WASHINGTON -- Bill's Towing & Recovery of Yelm is gearing up to offer free Tipsy Tow service on New Years Eve as a safe alternative to drinking and driving on Yelm area roads.

Bill's Towing & Recovery has solely financed and operated the free service for 3 years now, and it's their way of giving back to the community that has supported them for so many years.

Drinking drivers frequently fail to seek and obtain alternative ways to get home because they are concerned about retrieving their vehicle, the expense of taxis and the inconvenience of alternative transportation. Tipsy Tow is intended to give motorists a safer option for getting themselves and their vehicles home, instead of driving while intoxicated.

The service will be available in the greater Yelm, Rainier, and McKenna area from 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31st to 3:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 1st.

Motorists, bartenders, restaurant managers, party hosts or passengers of a drinking driver can call 360-458-5963 between the hours above and request a free tow home of up to ten miles. Callers simply tell the dispatcher, "I need a tipsy tow," to receive the free tow and ride home.

Callers need to keep in mind that the service excluded rides for passengers, is restricted to a one-way, one-time ride for the driver, and the destination is limited to the driver's residence. Reservations are not accepted, and tows over ten miles are subject to normal rates.

Bill's Towing & Recovery, the oldest towing company in south Thurston County, was established in 1970. Since then, has been providing fast, professional towing service, emergency road service, and locksmith service to Yelm and surrounding areas. For more information visit www.billstowing.net.

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TENNESSEE -- All bids for new towing contracts were turned in to the city of Knoxville Wednesday morning.

The city claims only one company under city contract charged people the correct contract rates. Knoxville cut ties with the other companies in two and a half weeks.

The city says Floyd's Wrecker Service is the only towing firm under city contract that didn't overcharge people.

Tuesday night, a police officer told the City Council Audit Committee operators occasionally compromised criminal investigations.

Multiple wrecker services turned in bids for 7 of the cities 8 towing zones, and they don't all like what they hear at this bid announcement.

Some bids are low as 25 dollars. Some say these low prices could hurt you.

Rick Carnes with Clinton Highway Wrecker has 33 years experience in the industry. Carnes says you just can't do it for those prices.

Carnes said, "You've got to make it up somehow. Either you're gonna go out of business or it's gonna turn honest people into dishonest people."

Terry Floyd with Floyd's Wrecker Service said, "If they can't stick to that price they're either gonna have to turn their contract in or they're gonna have to- unauthorized charges and that's gonna hurt the public."

Both Floyd's and Clinton Highway Wrecker think the outgoing companies underestimated the cost of doing business when they agreed to their city contracts.

Terry Floyd says that cost of doing business has gone up significantly. Less than 3 years ago, he agreed to his city contract rate. It says if he tows cars from wrecks and brings them back to his lot he can charge $75. Now, he's put in bids for other zones in the city. The asking price is now $125.

The city will research the bidders before making recommendations to the mayor and city council.

The city must act quickly, because the contract for the seven outgoing towing companies ends on December 27th. (Jim Ragonese - WBIR.com)

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SOUTH CAROLINA -- Ridgeland has towed away its plans to move from a rotation calling system for wrecker services to a sole-provider contract.

The town had contemplated - and publicly requested for proposals - awarding a contract to one company to handle all police-dispatched vehicle wrecker services. Town Council, staff and police officials said that the rotation system had not been working, that it placed undue strain on the town, mostly through complaints.

But, numerous tow companies cried foul, saying that awarding a contract for all services would hurt their livelihoods.

Police Chief Richard Woods said the town dispatched wrecker services 276 times between November 2002 and November 2003. If an average tow charge is $100, that's nearly an annual $28,000 industry.

Police and 911 dispatchers call for wrecker services after a crash or collision results in a disabled vehicle.

On Dec. 3, the town ran a classified ad requesting proposals for "exclusive provider of wrecker/tow truck services for the town." The town received six, and during a special Town Council meeting Thursday afternoon, Administrator Jason Taylor announced that the proposals wouldn't be opened after all.

"Now, I recommend we modify (the current rotation system) slightly," Taylor said.

Several wrecker service owners attended the meeting and supported Taylor's suggestion to stick with the rotation system.

Catherine Badgett, an attorney representing several wrecker service owners, said she asked the town not to open the proposals for the sole towing contract.

"We never saw where the council publicly discussed doing away with the rotation system," Badgett said.

She argued that before the Town Council considers dumping the rotation system there should have been more public discourse.

Council members retorted that they indeed had discussed the move, but Badgett said the subject had never been placed on a council meeting agenda, and therefore the public had not been notified of the plan.

At any rate, most towing services and the Jasper County Chamber of Commerce said they supported the rotation system.

"The rotation system is the only way to be fair" to all business people, said Keefe Blatchley, a wrecker service owner. "It helps everyone's income."

Mike Tuten, president of the Jasper Chamber, said his members depend on providing towing services.

"Doing away with the rotation system would place a financial hardship on our members," he said. "All we're asking for is an equitable business environment."

Council members agreed that if wrecker service companies promise to work together to make sure the rotation system will succeed without being troublesome to town emergency staff, they would stick with the plan.

"The rotation system has caused a lot of problems," Councilman Troy Hodges said. "We are trying to do what's best for the town."

Woods said he supports the rotation system if wrecker services promise to adhere to the rules and regulations.

"I want to get out of the wrecker business," he said. "The proposed rotation system now has some teeth in it, and it should work. Let them (wrecker companies) sign on, and let's move on." (Mark Kreuzwieser - Carolina Morning News)

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MASSACHUSETTS -- A Framingham man pleaded not guilty in court yesterday after police said he became upset his car was towed on Monday, jumped into a plow truck, rammed the tow truck and then chased the driver down Universal Street.

Antonio Pirchiner, 47, of 2 Universal St. was released on personal recognizance after entering his plea in Framingham District Court.

Pirchiner was arrested after the incident on Monday, and was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (a plow truck), threatening to commit a crime, malicious destruction of property worth more than $250 and using a motor vehicle without authority.

In an affidavit filed in court, Officer James Finn said he was sent to 15 Universal St. at 3:12 p.m. on a report of a man out of control.

He said that when he got there, he met up with three employees of Henry's Towing -- Niels Schadochnico and Osmail and Vagner Oliveira -- and a fourth man who they said had assaulted them.

The men said they had been hired to plow the lots on Universal Street and to tow any vehicles in the way. The Oliveira brothers plowed while Schadochnico towed.

After working for a while, the men told Finn they pulled over in the parking lot at 2 Universal St. to eat lunch.

Osmail Oliveira, who was driving the plow, got out of his vehicle. At that time, a man later identified as Pirchiner accosted the three men, police said.

"He was very upset over having his car towed," Finn said in the affidavit. "Pirchiner made a threat to go back into his apartment and get a weapon and come back and use the weapon on the three men."

When the men ignored Pirchiner, he became enraged, Finn said. That's when he jumped into the driver's seat of the plow truck, while Vagner Oliveira was in the passenger seat, and began to drive from the lot.

"When Schadochnico saw this, he tried to stop him by blocking the plow truck," said Finn. "Pirchiner used the pickup as a ram, backing up into the tow truck and then pulling forward, hitting a BFI Dumpster."

After the truck was hit, Schadochnico told Finn he backed the vehicle out of the way and the suspect drove erratically in the parking lot. Pirchiner ran over lawns and the curbs.

Vagner Oliveira, not wanting to be trapped in the vehicle with the angry man, jumped from the moving plow truck, Finn said.

The suspect began to pursue Schadochnico, Finn said.

"Schadochnico, seeing the man driving around the lot in a frenzy, started to drive away and called the police on his cell phone," said Finn. "He claims that Pirchiner followed him in the pickup driving across lawns and through lots chasing him."

Finn said he saw damage to lawns and curbs, and arrested Pirchiner.

The Department of Social Services was also called because Pirchiner left his 11-month-old daughter alone in the apartment while the incident occurred, Finn said.

Pirchiner is scheduled to return to Framingham District Court on Jan. 16 for a pretrial conference. (Norman Miller - Metro West Daily News)

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KENTUCKY -- Nearly a dozen area wrecker operators were on hand during Webster County Fiscal Court on Monday morning.

The men showed up in force to express their concern over dispatching of wreckers to accident sites in Webster County.

“We want to see about getting a fair and equal in-county rotation set up,” said Charles Messamore with Messamore Towing and Recovery Service in Clay.

During the court’s last meeting, Messamore had spoken to county officials asking who was in charge of determining the dispatch of wreckers to accident scenes.

Neither the magistrates nor Judge-Executive Jim Townsend were sure at that time. Messamore was asked to return to the court Monday, along with Webster County Sheriff Frankie Springfield and Webster County Jailer Dorris Crowley, in order to hear all points of view on the matter.

During Monday’s meeting Messamore and other wrecker operators suggested out-of-county wreckers were consistently being called to service accident sites in Webster County when operators within the county were readily available.

“Do some of you go to Hopkins County or Union County or Henderson County?” asked Magistrate William Winebarger.

Messamore stated unless an individual called from out-of-county, his business was limited to Webster County.

“I’ve got no problem with NOL (next on list),” interjected Crowley. “The controversy I got into about a year-and-a-half ago was, if we as dispatch are calling you for a wrecker then we are sub-hiring you. That made us responsible if you got out there and hurt somebody. That liability would come back and haunt me and my staff as dispatcher.”

According to Crowley, central dispatch compiled a list of wrecker services within Webster County and requested proof of insurance to release the county from liability.

“We were going NOL,” said Crowley. “The sheriff at that time didn’t like it because he was having a wreck in Sebree and the next one on the list was Clay. He didn’t want to wait, so he’d call.”

Crowley said after some discussion over the matter, former Sheriff Kenneth Storey chose to determine which wrecker service was called to accident scenes.

“That’s how it got back to where it’s at now,” said Crowley. “Dorris Crowley, Webster County Jail or dispatch hasn’t had anything to do with dispatching since that time. We call who they (WC Sheriff’s Department) say.”

Webster County Sheriff Frankie Springfield stated his department did indeed determine which wrecker service was called.

“When we come to a scene we ask the driver who was involved in the wreck who they want to pick their vehicle up,” said Springfield. “But if he’s in the middle of the road causing a traffic hazard... or public safety, we’re going to call the nearest wrecker and get him out of the middle of the road. That’s how we operate.”

“You call the closest wrecker?” asked Winebarger.

“That’s right,” said Springfield.

“You need to keep a closer tab on your deputies because they aren’t using the closest one,” interjected Keith DeHaven with DeHaven Towing Service in Dixon.

After considerable discussion, Townsend suggested Springfield set up a meeting with county wrecker operators.

“I think Frankie will work with you to get this straightened out,” said Townsend.

“I think we can get it all ironed out in a meeting,” agreed Springfield. (Gwen Bolin - journalenterprise.com)

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FLORIDA -- The Gainesville City Commission voted Monday to raise the roam towing fee from $73 to $76, but at the same time, voted to eliminate any extra charges for the first 24 hours resulting in a net loss for towing companies.

The fee which becomes effective January 1st is less than the $80 that local towing companies requested to help cover rising fuel costs and skyrocketing insurance rates.

In a market totally created by scofflaws and parking cheats the city has chosen to side with the scofflaws instead of the tax paying businesses. In fact, commissioner Warren Nielsen said the city's only weapon (against towing companies) is adjusting the fees.

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TENNESSEE -- The city has sued three Knoxville towing companies for allegedly overcharging customers and submitting false documents to conceal it.

The lawsuits accuse Cedar Bluff 24-Hour Towing, Chestnut Street Garage and Sutherland Avenue Wrecker Service of filing fraudulent invoices with the city for towing jobs done at the request of police.

The wrecking companies have contracts with the city to tow all vehicles in certain zones of the city. In exchange for the monopoly, they agree to charge lower rates.

But the city says the towing companies overcharged customers and submitted false invoices that indicate they charged the lower rate.

A fourth company, Fountain City Wrecker Service, also overcharged customers but wasn't sued because it didn't supply false documents, city officials said.

Mayor Victor Ashe hand-delivered the lawsuits Thursday in Chancery Court, the first time in his 16-year tenure that he has filed a lawsuit in person.

A lawyer for the towing companies denied the charges and dismissed the mayor's involvement as a publicity stunt. (WATE.com)

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ILLINOIS -- International Truck and Engine Corporation today confirmed plans to introduce a new family of Class 3-5 low-cab-forward commercial trucks, beginning with production of a Class 4-5 product in early 2005. Plans for the introduction of the low-cab-forward vehicle, which the company will market as the International® CF Series, were discussed with hundreds of International dealers at the company’s annual dealer meetings on October 16 and 17 in Chicago, Ill.

The International CF Series will be sourced through the company’s Blue Diamond joint venture with Ford Motor Company. The low-cab-forward vehicle from International will be built with several shared components, including an International diesel engine and Ford automatic transmission. Blue Diamond will produce the CF Series at its state-of-the-art assembly plant in Escobedo, Mexico.

“Our planned entry to the Class 3-5 market provides the chance to expand our commercial vehicle offering to meet a wider range of customer needs,” said Mark Stasell, International’s vice president and general manager, Blue Diamond joint venture. “In the International CF Series, we’ve achieved a level of quality and performance that will offer better Class 3-5 product alternatives for our customers and dealers.”

“Adding this brand new offering means our customers can look forward to working with their local International dealer as a single source for varying commercial fleet needs, including parts, service and financing,” added David Johanneson, group vice president and general manager, Medium Vehicle Center, International Truck and Engine Corporation.

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Navistar International Corp., the No. 3 U.S. truckmaker and maker of International trucks, posted a fiscal fourth-quarter profit today compared with a loss a year ago.

Because of an improvement in truck sales, net income in the quarter ended Oct. 31 was $77 million, or $1 a share, compared with a net loss of $460 million, or $7.58 a share, a year earlier.

Although the company's marked its second consecutive quarter of profitable operations, it was not enough to put the company in the black for its full fiscal year ended October 31, 2003. Daniel C. Ustian, Navistar president and chief executive officer, said the truck industry recovery is slower than originally forecast.

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TENNESSEE -- The city of Knoxville has made a request for bids on new towing service contracts in seven of the city's eight geographical areas, but the city says four companies are ineligible.

The city has accused the four companies of overcharging insurance companies and therefore are not eligible to bid on the contracts for five years.

Michael McGovern, attorney for the accused companies, says the incidents in question fall outside the scope of the contract which allowed the companies to charge the market rate. He maintains that the companies have done nothing wrong.

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VIRGINIA -- The Radford City Council voted Monday to amend its ordinance on towing untended vehicles, imposing higher fees on owners.

The ordinance must go through a second reading Dec. 8, but it was supported by all four of the council members present at Monday's session. Bill Yerrick was absent. It would be the first change in charges since 1992.

The maximum charge for towing between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. would be $50, or $60 at all other hours. Currently, anyone whose vehicle is towed simply pays towing costs.

One resident complained recently to the council that her car was towed while parked on the street in front of her home. City Manager Tony Cox said a procedure has been instituted to place a warning sticker on the windshield at least 48 hours before a vehicle is towed. (Paul Dellinger - Roanoke.com)

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