| Green spaces? : Switching to hybrids could get a little more enticing
Driving a fuel-efficient vehicle could save a few dollars at the gas pump as well as the parking meter. The Off-Street Parking Improvement District No. 1 gave its approval Tuesday to an ordinance that would allow vehicles that can travel 40 or more miles per gallon of gasoline to park free in some areas of downtown Fayetteville. Sharon Crosson, parking manager for the city, said she wanted to get the district's blessing on the ordinance before going to the City Council. The city contracts with the district to lease three downtown parking lots: one behind the E. J. Ball Plaza, one catty-cornered to that lot and one at Spring Street and East Avenue. Some of the revenue collected by the district would be lost if it allowed free parking in those lots.
Davis' family comes home
Yet, the Home Builders Association Serving Portage and Summit Counties and others were committed to doing all within their powers to let in a little sunshine. For 60 days, volunteers from the local building industry labored hard and long to make over a house in Coventry Township for the family of the late Jessie Marie Davis, the 26-year-old pregnant Lake Township woman who was killed last summer. Charged in that horrific crime is Canton police officer Bobby Cutts Jr., the father of Blake, who is also believed to be the father of Davis' unborn daughter. Davis was within days of delivering her daughter Chloe. On Monday evening, Patty Porter — Davis' mother — her soon-to-be 3-year-old grandson Blake Davis and other family members — some blindfolded — were led to their new home, complete with a security system.
For Carmakers, High Performance Equals High Profit
In March, Lexus is launching a high-performance division. Called the F—for "Flagship"—the first model will be the sporty, $56,765 Lexus IS F. Several more F models are in the pipeline, including a luxury sedan and an SUV-wagon crossover. This represents a radical departure for Lexus, which has enjoyed enormous success as Toyota's (TM) luxury brand, despite being often faulted by driving enthusiasts for making cars that are unexciting, albeit attractive, well-built, and competitively priced. Now obviously Toyota's top brass wants to change this impression—and that is something that should concern executives at the high-performance divisions of its luxury rivals, specifically Mercedes-Benz (DAI), BMW (BMWG), and, increasingly, Audi (NSUG). Mercedes offers an AMG version of nearly every model it sells, including light trucks.
Excessively duty-conscious
A new TV set or a washing machine may not burn a big a hole in your pocket now compared with, say, five years ago, but consumer durable manufacturers continue to cry foul over the Centres lack of attention towards this sector. Their grouse? Continued high taxation and the free trade agreements with countries such as Thailand that make manufacturing of consumer electronic goods in India uncompetitive. Sample this: While a 29-inch flat television costs about $300 in India, it costs only $200 in Thailand and $150 in China! The differential is blamed on the inflated tax structure here and this, in turn, means the local industry has been unable to either lower prices or significantly improve domestic penetration levels, even after 5-6 years. Also, due to decreasing competitiveness of manufacturing in India, companies such as Sony have already abandoned domestic production in favour of cheaper imports from Thailand.
ImprovBoston supersizes space, with some regrets
Clutching a stack of blueprints, Elyse Schuerman enters the former Japanese grocery store in Central Square and gestures at the outlines of a future showplace for local comedy. Drills whine and steel beams clatter as workers transform the space into two theaters that will be the new home of ImprovBoston. The comedy club, which was formed as an itinerant group for improvisational theater in 1982 and has since established itself as a breeding ground for such comedic talents as Jane Curtin and Steven Wright, plans to move from Inman next month. The new lobby will boast a bar serving alcoholic beverages; the entrance and bathrooms will be accessible to wheelchairs; and the main cabaret stage, which will line the long wall of the rectangular theater, will comfortably seat 100 people.
Graham couple gunned down without warning
TACOMA, Wash. -- Pierce County prosecutors on Tuesday filed aggravated murder charges against the man accused of killing a young couple in their Graham home. Daniel Thomas Tavares Jr. pleaded not guilty to the charges, which carry the possibility of the death penalty. He's being held without bail. Prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty. According to a statement of probable cause filed in court, Tavares admitted to detectives that he shot Brian and Beverly Mauck last weekend in their home and tried to cover up the crime. The court documents state that Tavares said he went to collect a $50 debt from Brian Mauck on Saturday morning and became upset when Mauck insulted him.Tavares, 41, said he wasn't going to put up with being called a name "after spending 20 years in prison" and shot Brian in the face with a .22-caliber handgun, according to the documents.
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