Police nab men they say broke into cars near Hitchcock Lake

WOLCOTT -- Police arrested two Bristol men who they say broke into seven cars near Hitchcock Lake Wednesday morning.Now police are investigating whether the same men are also responsible for other recent car break-ins in the same neighborhood last week.Jesse Gagnon, 21, and Kevin Gagnon, 24, both of 87 Union St., Bristol, were arrested minutes after a woman on Maple Avenue saw one of them sitting inside her car, police spokesman Capt. Domenic Angiolillo said. The woman saw the man get out of the car and run away on foot. .


Read More

Request for cars raises questions

EWING -- Weeks after facing public criticism for buying two 42-inch flat-screen computer monitors while the township struggles financially, Ewing's construction office is again under fire for its spending -- this time for trying to buy four new cars to supplement its fleet of nine cars.

Construction Official Bill Erney wants to buy the cars -- hybrid SUV's at $26,500 each -- with money from his office's $580,000 cash reserve.

The request, scheduled to be discussed by the township council this week, has some residents wondering why Erney's department is enjoying a cash flow while the rest of the township government is pinching pennies and residents are facing an 18-cent hike in the local tax rate.

"We shouldn't have that kind of money sitting in some account," said resident Kate Tuttle.


Read More

Cars confiscated after street race

THE cars of two street racers were confiscated after they were caught travelling more than 100km/h over the speed limit in Sydney's south-east.

Police observed a Honda CRX coupe and a Mazda RX7 speeding along General Holmes Drive in Mascot about 10.25pm (AEDT) yesterday.

Officers alleged the men entered the airport tunnel section of the road and then engaged in a street race.

They reached speeds of up to 170km/h in the 70km/h zone before police stopped the vehicles.

The men, aged 22 and 28, were issued with court notices for the offences of street racing, dangerous driving and exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h.

Their licences were suspended on the spot and their vehicles were confiscated.

Both are due to appear in Waverley Local Court on March 18.

Read More

People keeping cars longer because of shaky economy

DETROIT — People are keeping their cars and trucks longer as quality improves and the uncertain economy makes new purchases less appealing, according to a study released this week by automotive consulting firm R.L. Polk & Co.Polk said the median age of cars on U.S. roads was 9.2 years in 2007. That ties the previous year's record high. In 2007, 41.3 percent of all cars were 11 years or older, compared with 40.9 percent the year before.The median age for trucks and sport utility vehicles rose 4 percent to 7.1 years. Dave Goebel, a consultant for Polk's aftermarket team, said those numbers are starting to reflect a surge in truck and SUV purchases in the mid- to late 1990s.Goebel said he expects the average age of trucks and SUVs will rise and eventually be on par with cars once the segment stops its tremendous growth and settles into a more stable pattern.Purchases of new cars fell 3 percent in the U.S.


Read More

2.5 percent WHT on local cars sale deferred for two months

ISLAMABAD (February 24 2008): The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has deferred payment of 2.5 percent withholding tax on the local purchase of cars for a period of two months. The board has amended Second Schedule of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 through SRO 153(I)/2008 issued on Saturday.

According to the notification, no tax will be collected under section 231B of the Ordinance 2001 during the period from February 21 to April 20, 2008 and will apply to booking of a motor car or delivered during the said period.

When contacted, Shafiq Ahmad Shaikh, head of public relations and official spokesperson of Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited, Karachi, said that the FBR has provided relief to the general public by withdrawing the levy. During this two-month exemption, the board would analyse whether the withdrawal of withholding tax increases the sale of locally manufactured cars.


Read More

Car-sharing cameras to be tested

A new generation of road camera which can deduce how many people are in a car is to be tested for the first time.

It will initially be used to monitor car-sharing lanes in Leeds, but councils across Britain are said to be interested in using the technology.

Four out of five cars driving into cities at rush hour have only one person in them.

The government believes encouraging people to share journeys will help combat congestion.

It wants councils to look at building more "high-occupancy vehicle" lanes.

.


Read More

Instant Analysis: Homestead

It looks like the track will go green on Lap 257, which will leave 11 green-flag laps.

Lap 254: The race has been red flagged for Montoya's crash. Here's the order: Yeley, Biffle, Kahne, Hamlin, Kenseth, Johnson, Truex, Stremme, Edwards, Bowyer, Sorenson, Harvick, Burton, Riggs and Martin. Then it's Stewart, Mears, Nemechek, Earnhardt, Wimmer and Raines, the last car on the lead lap.

Lap 252: Green flag. 16 laps to go and Yeley is in front for now.

Caution 10 Lap 248: Caution No. 10. Montoya has a hard crash in Turn 1 and he becomes the second Ganassi driver in two nights to have a fiery, scary looking crash. But he emerges unhurt.

Lap 252: Green flag. 16 laps to go and Yeley is in front for now.

Lap 248: The 21 lead-lap cars all pit for the last time.


Read More