SOUTH TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The used auto parts business has sped up since the pandemic began.
More people are looking for parts to keep their cars running, with COVID-related supply chain issues sending new and used car prices soaring.
Sometimes, salvage yards are the only place where people can find what they need.
Shawn Sherman at Jeff’s Auto Parts in South Tucson noticed the demand rev up in 2020, which ended up saving the business.
“It was touch and go, things were getting pretty tough out there. We were hurting pretty bad,” he said.
That’s no longer the case for one of the area’s smallest salvage yards.
“Before, we just didn’t get that many calls,” Sherman explained. “Now we’ve got calls a lot more. And people seem a lot more ready to buy than they were before… It’s enough for us to be able to stay in business. As small as we are, and as bad as things looked, we’re gonna be ok it looks like. Especially if it continues like this.”
But that doesn’t mean these yards are on cruise control.
There are more customers but also more competition, from other yards in town and online sellers.
“We have to make it a point to sometimes price match, which is difficult,” said Patrick McGoldrick, who also works in sales at Jeff’s. “The profit margins really are just bare, razor thin. So you really have to watch everything you’re doing. And that’s the toughest thing.”
It’s also becoming more expensive to source used parts, many of which come from cars sold at auctions after they have been wrecked.
Sherman says it’s become even more important to be resourceful. He ordered a 2011 Jeep Patriot transmitter from Kentucky, which he says carried the best price in the country and saves customers at his yard about $700.
“I’m able to save ‘em money and make a little bit of money and still, it kinda works out,” Sherman said. “So we’re very thankful.”
Accused Cudahy auto parts seller scores wins at trial
A used auto parts seller in Cudahy accused of deceiving consumers emerges from trial largely victorious.
CUDAHY, Wis. - A used auto parts seller in Cudahy accused of deceiving consumers emerges from trial largely victorious.
The company says the verdict proves they did little wrong. The president of the Better Business Bureau of WI (BBB) says there’s a difference between illegal and unethical.
Bradley Watts is an auto mechanic in Alabama. So, why is he interested in the outcome of a lawsuit in Milwaukee County? He bought a used car engine from the defendant.
"It looked awful. It looked like it was in a forest fire," said Watts.
Bradley Watts
Watts says he bought the engine online from Quality Used Engines, one of at least ten auto parts websites that can be traced to a warehouse in Cudahy.
"It wasn’t even steam cleaned," said Watts. "Zero compression. It was bad."
Watts says he was sent three replacement engines, but "every one of them were bad."
Contact 6 first reported on the company behind the website, Midwest Auto Recycling, in 2017. That’s when the State of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit accusing the company of misleading consumers.
"Saying an engine has 40,000 miles on it, when it has 160,000 miles on it," former Attorney General Brad Schimel told Contact 6 at the time.
The state’s lawsuit claimed Midwest Auto Recycling used misleading advertisements regarding its testing, mileage, sales quotes, location and more. Some of their websites listed addresses in other states, but the Department of Justice (DOJ) said all of the company’s business went through Cudahy.
The company’s manager, Alfred Talyansky, testified at trial that the out-of-state addresses were just virtual offices, and a tactic to draw more customers nationwide, as were the multiple websites.
"The more space you take up in Google, the more traffic you get," said Talyansky.
In court, Talyansky’s lawyer called the state’s allegations "petty."
"Why are we here?" attorney Douglas Rose asked the jury. "There was a representation, "largest used nationwide inventory." So what?"
A jury seemed to agree, clearing the company of most of the claims against it.
"This is a good Wisconsin business that didn’t deserve to be put through this," Rose told Contact 6 after the verdict.
Douglas Rose
The jury found the company did mislead consumers about its out-of-state addresses, which have been removed from their websites.
"Those changes were made a long time ago. I found it to be a real picayune complaint in the first place," said Rose. "Other than that, this jury found absolutely everything else in our favor."
The State of Wisconsin’s case only included one Wisconsin consumer. Head to the BBB’s website and you’ll find hundreds of complaints primarily from outside the state.
"Misrepresentation of parts, receiving wrong parts," said Jim Temmer, president of BBB Wisconsin. "For well over ten years we’ve been receiving thousands of complaints about this company."
Jim Temmer
Temmer says the BBB won’t change the company’s ‘F’ rating.
"There’s a difference between what’s legal and what’s ethical and what’s trustworthy," said Temmer.
However, the company’s attorney says the jury’s verdict proves they’ve done little wrong.
"This has been a long, long fight and we think that it’s been an unfair one," said Rose to Contact 6. "This business is operating really well."
Rose says any complaints about Midwest Auto Recycling only represent a small fraction of the company’s overall sales.
Hayat Pharmacy announced that because of the surge in positive COVID-19 case and the high demand for COVID testing, they will be open 24 hours on Saturday, Jan. 1 and Sunday, Jan. 2 at its testing center at 807 W. Layton Avenue in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee French bulldog theft, 2 wanted
Milwaukee police are looking for two people who forced their way into a home near 60th and Green Tree and stole property, including several French bulldogs.
Tom Krumland, second from left, owner and founder of Krumland Auto Group, talks about his company's requests for zoning changes Tuesday evening at a meeting of the city Planning and Zoning Commission. The company is preparing to build new Ford and Hyundai dealerships and further develop its Nissan dealership. Residents in the neighborhood, including Charles Currier, center, and Hessel Yntema, right, filed written protests against the plans. At left is Community Development Director Kevin Maevers. (Juno Ogle Photo)
With a tentative agreement between Krumland Auto Group and nearby residents, the Roswell Planning and Zoning Commission gave its unanimous approval Tuesday to preliminary plats and a zoning change request by the auto dealer so it can proceed with planned construction projects estimated at $25 million.
However, the commission voted unanimously to hold off on voting on two other requests for zoning changes by the company until next month when it expects to consider the final plats. The delay could affect the amount of financing the company is able to receive, KAG owner and founder Tom Krumland said.
KAG requested approval on a preliminary plat to consolidate lots and adjust lot lines and change R-2 residential districts to C-2 community commercial districts in the 1900 and 2000 blocks of West Second Street. KAG plans to develop and finance a new Ford dealership in the 1900 block, which is the current location of its Hyundai dealership. A second zone change from residential to commercial is also requested for a construction project for the current Nissan dealership at 2111 W. Second St.
Another preliminary plat and zoning change request for the 2300 block of West Second would allow for the development and financing of a new Hyundai dealership.
Several residents across an alley to the north of the dealerships filed written protests with the city and spoke at Tuesday’s meeting. Neither of those who spoke said they are against the development itself.
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“We’re in favor of economic development,” Charles Currier said. “I have no objection to people making money. I want them to make a lot of money.
“In regards to this proposal, it affects us directly. What we’re talking about is a change in the property,” he said.
Community Development Director Kevin Maevers said correspondence received by the city from Currier and other residents is more about potential problems in the future if the property should be sold and fall under a different use.
Some of the lots are zoned as residential with special use permits for parking lots that were intended to act as a buffer between the commercial zones and the residential zones to the north, Maevers said.
“We took commercial land use and wedged it into a residentially zoned property using a special use permit, effectively negating the R-2 development requirements,” he said.
When that was done in 2003, it was considered good zoning, but Maevers said he believes that special use permit was an error.
What the city did at that time is what is now referred to as a transition zone, Maevers said. Transition zones allow for the change of one type of land use to another but still provide for development opportunities. What is needed instead is a buffer, or physical barriers between the different types of land uses, he said.
“A buffer is made up of physical components that go on the land. It is not a zone,” he said.
Those components include fencing, berms and landscaping that can help block sound and create an esthetically appealing appearance, along with building setback requirements.
“We need to provide mitigation measures that will create the buffer that will mitigate any negative impacts,” he said.
Maevers said he sketched out a proposal and discussed it with Krumland and Currier on Tuesday. The proposal contains five requirements for the developer to create that buffer. If the requirements are not met, the city will not issue a certificate of occupancy for the new construction, Maevers said.
According to the proposal, the developer will expand an existing 8-foot perimeter wall around the properties in the areas to be rezoned, plant trees in the rear of the property and provide additional flood protection with water retention areas.
The final part of the proposal is to include limited development rights in a 125-foot wide swath of land to allow further separation of the commercial property from the residential property. No primary structures would be allowed in that swath, although ancillary structures could be built. If the existing Nissan dealership is ever expanded, it will be required to have a similar swath of land.
The limited development rights requirement would transfer with any sale of the property, as well, Maevers said.
Currier said he and his wife were “preliminarily” withdrawing their protest based on the proposal.
“If the final plat carries forward with all those things, then I would say our preliminary withdrawal of our protest is a permanent withdrawal of our protest,” he said.
However, one of his neighbors, Hessel Yntema, questioned the commission’s authority to approve the zoning requests for the proposed Ford and current Nissan dealerships because at least 20% of property owners had protested. Under state statute, that 20% rule means the city council has to make the decision, Yntema said.
Yntema said he had practiced land-use law in Albuquerque and now teaches constitutional law at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia.
He also had concerns about the agreement proposed by Maevers.
“Something so complicated should not have been drafted in one day. I think it would behoove us all to approve the preliminary plat and then move this with a more settled mitigation measures agreement where we could then withdraw our protests formally next month,” he said.
Doing so would ensure the commission has the authority to approve the zoning requests because with the protests withdrawn, the 20% rule would not apply, he said. He urged the commission to not vote on the zoning requests concerning the planned Ford and current Nissan dealerships until January.
The commission voted 7-0 to postpone consideration of those two zoning changes until January. The third zoning change request for the Hyundai dealership was approved. Krumland said after the meeting he was a bit disappointed but the project will proceed.
“We already have people from Ford and Hyundai coming out to do an appraisal. Making that zoning change affects the appraisal price of what we’re going to do with that land. Without that we won’t obtain the amount of financing we need,” he said.
Krumland did say he was appreciative of the process his company has been through with the city and the residential neighbors.
“Everybody was very civil tonight and talked and had their points met. I appreciate that. We want to be good neighbors. We have always wanted to be good neighbors,” he said.
The construction is expected to take two years, he said.
Maevers and Mike Espiritu, president of the Roswell-Chaves County Economic Development Corp., pointed out the economic benefits to the community from KAG’s project.
The automotive industry is expected in 2022 to recover to pre-COVID levels of revenue, Maevers said, which in Roswell was $251 million.
The construction is projected to cost $25 million and will bring in $1.8 million in gross receipts taxes, he said.
Maevers said the automotive industry as a whole is a net economic benefit to Roswell. Almost 50% of auto sales at Roswell dealers are sold to people who live outside of town, he said. He said other business sectors see a “bleed out” of revenue, with people from Roswell spending money outside of town.
Espiritu said in addition to the construction jobs the project will bring, when it’s completed KAG is expected to hire an additional 100 employees, adding $4 million to its annual payroll.
City/RISD reporter Juno Ogle can be reached at 575-622-7710, ext. 205, or reporter04@rdrnews.com.
The St. Louis Auto Show takes place Jan. 14-17 at the America's Center and The Dome.
Event Promotional Image
The annual St. Louis Auto Show returns to the America's Center and The Dome in January with plenty to see from the automotive industry.
More than 500 cars, trucks, and SUVs will be on display from 25 different manufacturers. Visitors can see the latest models, newest technology, and even some of the most expensive cars on the market today.
“I couldn’t talk for a minute,” said Thomas Brown on receiving a 2007 Jeep. Courtesy The Auto & Tire Doctor
Thomas Brown, 66, was awarded a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee by The Auto & Tire Doctor. Courtesy The Auto & Tire Doctor
Thomas Brown, his grandsons, and members of The Auto & Tire Doctor pose with Santa Claus after Brown received a 2007 Jeep. Courtesy The Auto & Tire Doctor
Thomas Brown has a big heart and a wicked sense of humor.
The 66-year-old spends his days living in Tahoma, caring for his two older sons that are dependent upon him and a pair of grandchildren he and his wife adopted — a process he says is like herding cats, but harder.
A few months ago, however, a series of tragic events left the family devastated and in need of help. In September, Brown was in a car accident.
That would pale in comparison to what would happen during the next two weeks.
After receiving insurance money for the totaled vehicle, Brown said he and his wife, Rhonda, were planning a trip to Sacramento to pick out a new car, but she began feeling ill. She would later be admitted to Tahoe Forest Hospital.
“Two days later, she died,” said Brown, adding that his wife of more than 40 years had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and caught COVID-19.
As the family searched for answers during the following weeks, friends and neighbors stepped in to help Brown, who also uses a walker as he awaits knee surgery. A longtime friend made sure one of the grand kids, who is a special needs student at Truckee Elementary School, always was picked up for class, while others helped with running errands and anything else the family of five might need.
CAR GIVEAWAY
A pair of Brown’s friends also wrote up nominations for The Auto & Tire Doctor’s annual car giveaway, and when his story hit the judge’s eyes, it was obvious who a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee should be awarded to.
“His circumstances were so extreme,” said Jodi DeRuise, The Auto & Tire Doctor manager and organizer of the company’s annual car giveaway. “His story really touched our heart.”
DeRuise said The Auto & Tire Doctor put in roughly $3,000 to fix up and originally had planned on selling it, but owner John (Lamoruex), said “You know, why don’t we use this one for the giveaway car this year?”
On Dec. 22, The Auto & Tire Doctor showed up at Brown’s home with the new Jeep.
“The surprise went off without a hitch,” said DeRuise. “Amidst all the recent hardship his family has been experiencing, he had a charm about him that made our hearts smile. We hope this beautiful 2007 Jeep helps his family get through what could be a very difficult holiday, just a little bit easier.”
Tanya Adams, childhood best friend of Brown’s daughter, was one of those who wrote in a nomination. After more than 30 years of taunting, Brown joked that Adams’ nomination came as a form of payback.
“I couldn’t talk for a minute,” said Brown on receiving the Jeep. “Tanya (Adams) has been best friends with my daughter since they were both 10. Since I’d amuse myself by taunting her, this was her getting even. It took me completely by surprise.”
Though the family is still digging out from the recent storms and a trip to the DMV remains on the to-do list, Brown said receiving the vehicle provided a ray of light in what has been a dark, confusing past two months.
“You know how when you’re in a crisis, and if you could just catch a break, you could start dealing with everything else? That was it,” he said.
If you've tried to buy a car this year, you probably don't need us to tell you that auto lots are empty and prices are high. It's just been that kind of a wild year.
The nearly two-year-long coronavirus pandemic is far from over in South Korea, but it appears that Kia’s auto sales have picked up considerable steam when compared to during the tough economic environment of 2020.
Kia, which is the East Asian nation’s second-largest automobile manufacturer after Hyundai Motor Company, registered total global sales of 222,232 units in November, a 13.3 percent decrease year-on-year, according to the company’s release. The lackluster numbers over the past month, however, could largely be attributed to the global semiconductor supply shortage that negatively affected sales.
Jacob Kirkegaard, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, recently told The Korea Herald that the global supply bottleneck in the semiconductor sector will likely be resolved over the next few months.
“I am optimistic that the global supply chain problems in the semiconductor sector will be solved in the coming months, meaning that spillovers into chip shortages in the global auto and consumer electronics sectors will ease and quite likely in 2023 may turn into a glut of chips and hence a repeat of the boom-bust cycles in the semiconductor industry,” he said.
Despite the production hiccups in November, Kia is still recording a 7.6 percent increase in global sales year-over-year, which is reflecting the popularity of the company’s strong product line-up in 2021.
For comparison, during the full calendar year 2020, Kia reported global sales of 2.61 million units, which was down 5.9 percent from 2019. Much of those struggles were due to the ongoing pandemic and the difficult circumstances seen across global markets.
Record U.S. Sales
Kia’s auto sales are gaining even more traction in the United States. Kia America has announced November sales of 45,318 units, which will guarantee that the company will set an all-time annual record before New Year’s.
“Breaking the all-time annual sales record with one month left in the sales cycle is concrete proof that demand for Kia vehicles is on the rise and has been throughout the year,” Eric Watson, vice president of sales operations at Kia America said in a statement.
“With the all-new Kia EV6 arriving soon and the Sportage, including hybrid and plug-in hybrid models arriving throughout the first half of 2022, we are confident that the interest in Kia will not wane anytime soon,” he continued.
South Korea on Recovery Track
It also appears that Kia’s solid performance this year is mirroring South Korea’s steady economic recovery from the ongoing pandemic. In fact, the Bank of Korea has forecast growth of roughly 4 percent for this year due to robust export figures.
“While Korea’s recovery lost some momentum last quarter as the virus weighed on growth, the economy should pick up pace again this quarter as high vaccination levels allow the rolling back of containment measures,” Alex Holmes, Asia economist at Capital Economics, told the Financial Times.
Meanwhile, per KBS World, South Korea’s economy is still projected to continue to rank the tenth largest worldwide for a third consecutive year in 2022 in terms of nominal gross domestic product (GDP), according to data from the International Monetary Fund. The financial institution is predicting that South Korea’s economy will grow 4.3 percent this year and 3.3 percent in 2022.
Ethen Kim Lieser is a Washington state-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him onLinkedIn.
As if we don’t already have enough to worry about, the quality of the air we breathe is rapidly slipping well beyond agreed health standards.
Timothy E. Wirth
From Colorado Springs to Fort Collins, low-level ozone is causing stinging eyes and throats, chest pains, coughing, and breathing difficulty. We notice this in particular when winds from wildfires blow in fine particulate matter, which combines with the higher level of ozone to create days when it is just not comfortable and is even unsafe to be outside.
Last summer, we had a record number of these unpleasant and unhealthy days, and future projections are pretty grim.
Colorado’s public health authorities are accustomed to working with the clean-air challenge. Three decades ago the region was challenged by the “Brown Cloud” – the noxious haze that regularly settled over the Denver area. The greatest part of that problem came from carbon monoxide-laden auto emissions, and this was largely solved by requiring ethanol to be blended into every gallon of gasoline.
A 10% ethanol blend became standard for most fuels sold in the area. The transition to this fuel blend was smooth and uncontroversial, gasoline burned more cleanly because of the oxygen atoms added by the ethanol, and our air cleared.
We should learn from this success as we address our newest clean-air challenge, which comes from three main sources – wildfires, industrial processes and fracking, and the increased volume of autos on our roads. How should we deal with this nasty soup? We should tackle each of the major components:
Wildfires are a product of climate change and the drying out of forest cover. The changing climate demands local, state, and national action, and Colorado is doing its share.
Fracking and much industrial processing produces methane (natural gas), which historically has been simply burned off (creating carbon dioxide) or worse yet, directly vented into the atmosphere.
We know how to capture these gases – which actually have their own commercial value – and now it is a matter of tightening the standards for methane release (especially from gas leaks), enforcing the regulations, and cleaning up the continuing emissions from hundreds of abandoned wells. The gas industry is slowly but surely making progress on cleaning up this part of our clean air challenge.
We also know how to attack the third component of our worsening air: dirty auto emissions. The worst of these comes from a brew of toxic chemicals called aromatic hydrocarbons.
Aromatics make up 20% of every gallon of gasoline we buy at the pump, and their emissions make the ozone problem worse and create a variety of other harms to public health. Aromatics are responsible for 30-40% of ozone production in urban areas, and are the most important source of secondary organic aerosols, which are the largest contributor to cancer risks nationwide. More than 95% of the particulate emissions from gasoline are caused by aromatics in the fuel.
We should learn from our Brown Cloud experience and back out these aromatics with a clean-burning oxygenated fuel, and again ethanol can come to the rescue.
A renewable fuel made from various plant materials such as agricultural waste and corn, a 10% blend of ethanol is now the standard fuel sold in the United States. The health and climate benefits are clear, and so is the benefit to the modern auto industry. While we must switch over to electric vehicles over the next 30 years, during the transition period we will continue to be dependent on more- and more-efficient fossil-fuel vehicles.
TODAY’S UNDERWRITER
The auto industry has made it clear that it would welcome a mandate for cleaner high-octane fuels, which would allow the introduction of more efficient engines and enable a substantial cut in aromatics – with no impact on auto performance or consumer cost.
It is up to our General Assembly and clean-air authorities to facilitate this transition. By encouraging the sale of higher blends of ethanol, they would reduce dangerous particulate emissions because auto engines would run more efficiently, and the impact on our low-level ozone would be significant.
Of course, the oil industry will oppose this strategy: they produce the aromatics, while farmers produce the ethanol. But the health of our citizens and our climate must take precedence.
We can make real progress along the Front Range; we need to get to work on all three components of the clean-air challenge. Our children, elderly, health-compromised, and all outdoor enthusiasts will applaud aggressive action.
Timothy E. Wirth, of Boulder and Washington, D.C., represented Colorado in the U.S. House and Senate from 1975 to 1993.
We believe vital information needs to be seen by the people impacted, whether it’s a public health crisis, investigative reporting or keeping lawmakers accountable. This reporting depends on support from readers like you.
Warren Scott FAMILY AFFAIR — Jimmy Sesto, left, and his father, Jim, have opened Lighting Lizard Auto Sales, a new dealership at 253 Main St., Wintersville. The two said they strive to provide quality vehicles that will keep customers coming back.
WINTERSVILLE — The owners of Lightning Lizard Auto Sales don’t want to be seen as just another flash in the pan.
As owners of the new business at 253 Main St., they said they want to build a reputation as dealers of quality, used vehicles who help their customers to attain financing they can afford.
“We don’t want to sell them one car. We want to sell them cars for the rest of their lives,” said Jim Sesto, who operates the dealership with his son, Jimmy.
“We’re meticulous in what we buy. We research each vehicle to make sure it’s a good buy,” said Jimmy, who has worked in auto sales since 1997.
He said to prepare their vehicles for sale, they draw on the skills of local, independent, reliable mechanics and their own part-time detailer, Sonny Brown, who has many years of experience in the auto industry.
“We inspect and do a complete detail of all vehicles that we sell that are 15 years old or newer and have under 150,000 miles. These same vehicles also come with a free 90-day or 4,500 mile powertrain warranty good at any mechanic shop of the customers choosing,” he said.
“We care about our customers and our reputation, which is why we give the qualifying vehicles the Proguard Warranty.”
The Sestos said they sell a variety of vehicles of assorted makes and models for prices generally ranging from $1,000 to $18,000.
Jimmy added they can work with one of several financial institutions to help buyers attain financing, regardless of their credit record, through an online application process.
He said obtaining a loan through a reputable lender can help individuals rebuild their credit history while committing themselves to a lower down payment than often required by dealers who offer their own financing.
Jimmy said in light of current economic conditions, he’s quite pleased with the dealership’s volume of sales since it opened this summer.
He noted it’s a challenging time for all auto dealers as even used vehicles sold at auction are being offered at nearly the retail value of new ones.
As a result, the Sestos welcome anyone interested in selling their own vehicles, with those in reasonably good condition highly sought.
Jimmy, a 1992 graduate of Wintersville High School, said he has enjoyed working in auto sales over the years and looks forward to this new endeavor with his father.
“I just love cars in general, getting to see different vehicles and the different options. Being able to build a career around that makes me happy,” he said.
A Wintersville native like his son, Jim said better employment opportunities took him to the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. area, where he worked for many years in highway and bridge maintenance.
But he said after retiring from that field, he was happy to return to his hometown and the lower cost of living if offers.
Jim said the name for the dealership was suggested by a friend and he found, when seeking the opinions of others, it always drew a chuckle.
“I thought if nothing else, we’ll put a smile on people’s faces,” he said.
But the Sestos said they are quite serious about their new business.
They encourage everyone to visit their dealership or their website at https://ift.tt/3FodttY, where they will find photos and details of their assorted vehicles and other information.
Lightning Lizard Auto Sales is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)
GREAT FALLS — The Great Falls Rescue Mission has been busy the entire month getting ready for Christmas. They’re also getting one last donation just before the holiday to help spread joy and cheer to the kids staying at the Mission.
The holiday season is always busy and hectic for the Rescue Mission, but director Jim McCormick says that’s how they like it. They are preparing a big ham dinner for more than 200 people but have also been busy wrapping presents for kids and their families.
“We have many different types of toys and what not and gifts for kids and teenagers. This past week we’ve had volunteers in the basement all week wrapping the gifts for each of the families and the governor was also here doing 12 days of volunteering and stopped and spent some time with us. We’ve been blessed with all sorts of stuff,” McCormick said. “We couldn’t do it without the love and support of Great Falls and Central Montana residents and organizations, and we just thank each one of you for all the support you give all year long.
There are many gifts waiting to be opened at the mission and Lithia Chrysler wanted to make sure the kids have one more they’ll be able use for a long time - new shoes. More than 60 pairs of shoes were donated, and Lithia was able to buy them with no trouble at all. They put aside money from every purchased vehicle this year and used the money for Christmas to get gifts for the kids.
General manager Brian Belderrain said this is a good opportunity to give to the community and to also make them aware of the current situation.
“We hope it brings awareness to the need in this community. This year has doubled for our shoe donation, the youth alliance need has doubled, so that need continues to grow. It’s difficult for them to meet their needs,” Belderrain said. “Giving is the best reward. It really is. Especially for the kids because I think it’s awesome that we can pass on a little blessing to them and maybe we can get the community to come in and give some more.”
Even after Christmas, the Rescue Mission will be accepting donations. You can visit their website for more info.
Kalamazoo, Michigan-based Zeigler Auto Group acquired four auto dealerships in Racine and Kenosha counties this year for $61.1 million, according to state records. In late July, Zeigler Auto Group announced that it had acquired four…
New penalties against five registered companies for violating federal safety requirements for importing vehicles into the United States were announced on Monday by the U.S Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Three of the five importers are in Washington State.
The actions were the result of investigations conducted by the federal agency that found that the companies violated federal provisions by importing vehicles that do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
“Registered importers are responsible for ensuring that the vehicles they bring into the United States are safe and meet all federal standards and requirements,” Steven Cliff, NHTSA’s deputy administrator, said in a statement.
The federal agency said it authorizes registered importers to import noncompliant vehicles, but they are required to: bring the vehicles into compliance, repair all open recalls, certify them as compliant, and hold them for a mandatory waiting period before releasing them for sale to the public.
The five importers and the federal penalties are:
Automotive Services Company, Spokane, Washington – suspension of the company’s registration for 180 days for violations related to vehicle certifications submitted to the federal agency and the mandatory waiting period. The offenses include: submitting certification of conformance signed by unauthorized persons; breaches of the mandatory waiting period; and failing to report a new location and new facilities used for operations.
Diversified Vehicle Services, Inc., Indianapolis – a consent order with the company was issued in which it agrees to a civil penalty of $500,000, a 125-day suspension, and the revocation of its importer registration. In the consent order, according to the federal agency, Diversified Vehicle Services admitted to violations of the requirements relating to the import, modification and certification of non compliant vehicles and the mandatory waiting period. “If Diversified Vehicle Services commits no additional violations during the two years of the consent order, a portion of the civil penalty and the registration will be returned to the company,” NHTSA stated.
Newport International, Inc. in Arlington, Texas – in a consent order with the company, it agreed to a civil penalty of $30,000 and a 180-day suspension. Newport International admitted to violations related to certification labels and the mandatory waiting period in the one year consent order, which specifies: 150 days of suspension and $20,000 of the civil penalty that will be waived if it has no additional breaches occur during the the consent order period.
Northern Imports, LLC., Airway Heights, Washington – suspension of the company’s registration for 75 days for violations of the mandatory waiting period; and
VIP Traders, Inc., Airway Heights, Washington – suspension of its registration for 340 days for violations related to certification labels placed on vehicles, vehicle certifications submitted to NHTSA, and the mandatory waiting period.
“These enforcement actions should make clear to all registered importers the responsibility they have to ensure these vehicles are safe and legal to drive,” Cliff added.
For more information about the new violations and other federal safety news, click here.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a probe into some Tesla models over a feature that lets drivers play video games on the front-center touch screen while the car is in motion, it said in a filing on Tuesday.
What they're saying: "This functionality, referred to as 'Passenger Play,' may distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash," the auto regulator wrote.
Details: The probe will look into Tesla Model 3, S, X and Y cars from 2017 through 2022 that are equipped with the function — an estimated 580,000 vehicles, per NHTSA.
The feature has been available since December 2020 in certain vehicles, but it was previously only enabled when a car was parked, per the filing.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
BENGALURU, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Indian shares closed higher on Wednesday for a second straight session, with auto and metal stocks leading gains, as investors used dips to buy after a broad-based selloff early in the week.
The NSE Nifty 50 index (.NSEI) and the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex (.BSESN) ended up 1.1% each at 16,955.45 and 56,930.56, respectively. The gains follow a near 1% rise in the indexes on Tuesday after tumbling as much as 3% on Monday.
Still, the benchmarks are down more than 9% from their life-time highs hit in October.
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"Despite a sharp correction in the last week, retail net long open interest in stock futures has come off by only 2%, pointing to continued confidence in staying invested," said S Hariharan, Head- Sales Trading, Emkay Global Financial Services.
"A consolidatory phase going into results season is expected, as volumes would remain muted for the rest of December since there are expected to be few triggers in terms of newsflow."
The Nifty Auto Index (.NIFTYAUTO) was up 1.6%, while the metals index (.NIFTYMET) gained 1.8%. Both had dropped 2.6% and 3.8% in Monday's selloff.
Hindalco Industries (HALC.NS) was the top Nifty 50 gainer, rising 4%, while Power Grid Corp (PGRD.NS) was the top drag, falling 1%.
"The recent market correction provides investment opportunities in quality large-cap and mid-cap stocks," Kotak Securities said in a note.
"Though valuations look rich in isolation, the strong earnings growth in many stocks and sectors provide investment opportunity."
Footwear retailer Metro Brands made its debut in Mumbai market at a discount of 13% compared with its initial public offering price of 500 rupees ($6.62).
Meanwhile, India told state governments on Tuesday to be proactive and on the lookout for surges of the Omicron coronavirus variant after cases nearly doubled within a week across a dozen states. read more
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Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V
Brokers trade at their computer terminals inside a stock brokerage firm in Mumbai, India, March 9, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
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BENGALURU, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Indian shares extended gains on Wednesday with auto and metal companies leading the recovery as investors bought recent market dips, though a global surge in Omicron COVID-19 cases kept investor sentiment in check.
The NSE Nifty 50 index (.NSEI) rose 0.4% to 16,833 by 0456 GMT and the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex (.BSESN) gained 0.3% to 56,485.04. Both the indexes were down more than 9% from a lifetime high hit in October.
Wednesday's gains follow a near 1% rise in India's benchmark indexes in the previous session after tumbling as much as 3% on Monday.
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"Most of the fears and reaction to negative vibes look to be slightly overdone. Which is why we have seen a recovery rally in the past two sessions," said Anand James, chief market strategist at Geojit Financial Services.
"Markets have been pricing in most of the actions like U.S. Federal Reserve rate action apart from Omicron. Even though the COVID scare is still there, we are much better prepared and not in a blind spot anymore," James said.
The Nifty auto index (.NIFTYAUTO) was up 1.5%, while the metals index (.NIFTYMET) gained 1.3%. Both the indexes had fallen 2.6% and 3.8% in Monday's broader sell-off.
Tata Motors (TAMO.NS) was the top Nifty 50 gainer, rising 2.8%, while Power Grid Corp (PGRD.NS) was the top drag, falling 2.3%.
Footwear retailer Metro Brands made its debut in Mumbai market at a discount of 13% compared with its initial public offering price of 500 rupees.
Meanwhile, India told state governments on Tuesday to be proactive and on the lookout for surges of the Omicron coronavirus variant after cases nearly doubled within a week across a dozen states. read more
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi
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