| July 2010 | Past Issues/Subscribe | Printer-Friendly | Advertise |
UPCOMING EVENTS
We will be staying at the Thousand Trails - Yosemite Lakes campground, located just 5 miles from the west gate of Yosemite National Park. This 400-acre preserve is a wonderland of activity during the summer. The south fork of the Tuolumne River running through the preserve is ideal for swimming, fishing and panning for gold... Sign up Now!
Learn More... VENDOR NEWS
 Rich Goldsbury, president of Bobcat Americas and Oceania, issued a statement concerning the loss of Mr. Keller: "We were saddened to learn about the passing of Louis Keller, one of the inventors of the compact, three-wheeled machine that led to the first Bobcat-branded skid-steer loader. Louis was among those honored in 2004 as Bobcat received the ASAE 'Historic Landmark' award – a recognition reserved only for the most important agricultural innovations in American history."
Learn More...  Vertikal.net reported that Frank Scarborough, previously of Grove, Snorkel and UpRight, passed away on July 7. He would have been 63 on July 20th. Scarborough spent much of his life in the crane and access industry, starting out in the management training program of Grove Manufacturing in Shady Grove at the end of the 1970s. He progressed though a number of positions, including head of marketing services. However, his favored job was sales. When anyone asked what his job was he would always say "I am just a peddler." He moved to Snorkel in the 1980s where he played a major role in that companies success.
Learn More...  Caterpillar Inc. and Wacker Neuson SE, Munich, Germany, announced today that the relevant executive bodies for both companies have signed an alliance agreement. The agreement between the parties is for the design, manufacture, sale and support of Caterpillar mini hydraulic excavators in the under three-ton category.
Learn More...  Deere & Company announced on June 9 that it will invest approximately $100 million to modernize the John Deere Foundry in Waterloo, IA with a continued focus on meeting customer requirements and improving business performance. Deere said the modernization work will take place over the next four to five years and will allow the company to leverage more advanced casting designs and manufacturing technologies when completed.
Learn More...  Genie, an industry leading brand manufactured by Terex Aerial Work Platforms (AWP), is entering the world of social media with its Facebook, Twitter and YouTube sites. Through these sites, Genie is aiming to better connect with an online community of customers, end users and team members, while also building brand awareness and customer loyalty.
Learn More...  Warren Faler, Product Manager of, Multiquip, provides rental owners with a reminder of mixer usage and operation guidelines, because, as he states: "The economic slump has been disastrous for the construction industry. Projects have been placed on hold and in many cases, cancelled. The result is equipment that was once the 'bread and butter' of equipment rental businesses has sat idle for so long that rental sales personnel might be rusty on application questions and guidelines for customers. ... Mixers are staples for most rental fleets and despite their simple designs, are often misunderstood. As business picks up, it's important to understand the options available for customers." Click on "Learn More" for his guidelines on the usage of mixers.
Learn More...  According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Heavy-Duty Truck Customer Satisfaction Study released July 1, Navistar, Inc's. International® brand commercial trucks ranked highest in customer satisfaction among Class 8 truck owners in the Vocational Truck and Dealer Service segments, the only two categories recognizing the Class 8 truck industry this year. "We are proud to be recognized by J.D. Power and Associates with awards that signify Navistar's commitment to providing the best possible experience for International truck customers," said Jack Allen, president of Navistar's North American truck group.
Learn More... BUSINESS NEWS
A California Chamber of Commerce-opposed "job killer" bill that would have increased fines and penalties on businesses failed to pass a key Senate committee early this month. The bill, AB 846 (Torrico; D-Fremont), significantly increases the cost of doing business in California by automatically adjusting maximum and minimum penalties upward according to inflation and raising penalties even higher according to an arbitrary rounding scheme. The CalChamber and coalition of business and industry organizations opposing AB 846 pointed out that California is already among the most costly states in which to do business in a complex regulatory environment.
Learn More... The California Chamber of Commerce-supported measure to stop hidden taxes will appear on the November ballot as Proposition 26, the Secretary of State recently announced. The campaign co-chaired by the CalChamber and California Taxpayers’ Association submitted more than 1.1 million voter signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot. The initiative seeks to stop legislators and local officials from imposing hidden taxes mislabeled as fees on California taxpayers.
Learn More... Dan Logue of foxandhoundsdaily recently commented on the high taxes Californians pay and some of the measures Sacramento Democrats have proposed which will increase those taxes even more. According to Logue, Californians spend more money a year on taxes than most spend on food, clothing, and shelter combined, and Californians also pay some of the highest taxes in the nation, including the highest sales and income taxes. However, in spite of this, and a $12.5 billion tax increase imposed just last year, Democratic legislators are again planning to raise billions of dollars in new taxes.
Learn More... On July 12, the Bloomberg Business website reported on a Washington, Fed-hosted conference to discuss reversing a drop in lending to small businesses. The conference capped more than 40 meetings the Fed has held around the U.S. since February. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke reported that small businesses are having a difficult time getting the loans they need to expand or stay in business, and thus help keep the U.S. economic recovery going.
Learn More... A July 14th online LA Times article reported on some extraordinarily high salaries paid to top city officials in the southern California city of Bell. The article reported that Bell, although a relatively poor city, might have the highest paid city manager in the nation. Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo earns $787,637 a year, according to documents reviewed by The Times.
Learn More... According to a July 15 article in the Wall Street Journal, more engineering graduates from the class of 2010 from Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, and other local schools are opting for graduate school instead of immediately entering the work force.
Learn More... CalChamber reported on June 25 that the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld an employer’s ability to search text messages on a city-owned pager issued to a police officer. The June 17 decision in the case of City of Ontario, Calif., et al. v. Quon et al. involved the issue of privacy and text messages sent from employer-provided devices.
Learn More... CARB
ARB has posted dates, times, and locations below for public training seminars to discuss the specific requirements for the Truck and Bus Regulation and for the Heavy Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Regulation. If you have general questions about training seminars, please call 1-866-6DIESEL (1-866-634-3735). The trainings listed focus on providing the tools necessary to meet the regulatory requirements of the Truck and Bus Regulation and the Heavy Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Regulation.
Learn More... A July 12 article on the sacbee website reported on lobbying efforts taking place concerning the final rules and regulations of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32). Signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006, AB 32 aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide to 1990 levels by the end of the decade. After reviewing the lobbying disclosure statements filed with the California secretary of state's office, the Sacramento Bee reported that during the past year, oil companies, manufacturers and trade groups have made a big push to shape the rules and regulations behind California's landmark greenhouse gas reduction law.
Learn More... The California Air Resources Board distributed more than $40,000 to community colleges and a state clean-air fund in May as a result of settlements with companies that violated clean air laws. These settlements, totaling $43,425 will be distributed to the California Air Pollution Control Fund and the Peralta Community College District. The fund will receive $32,568.75 for projects and research to improve California's air quality. The remaining $10,856.25 will go to the college district to fund emissions education classes conducted by participating California community colleges around the state.
Learn More... The Air Resources Board settled several enforcement actions with Pep Boys Auto for $170,000 last month for selling non-compliant vehicles and generators. In California, all new on-road and off-road vehicles and engines sold or offered for sale must be certified to meet strict emissions standards. The Philadelphia, PA based Pep Boys offered for sale and sold several motorized scooters, generators, and one all-terrain vehicle that did not carry the correct certification.
Learn More... CARB's Off-Road Mobile Sources website pertains to off-road large spark-ignition (LSI) equipment greater than 25 horsepower, including farm, construction and industrial equipment, powered by gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and other alternate fuels. To see the LSI page, click "Learn More."
Learn More... The ARB's Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection Program and Periodic Smoke Inspection Program were adopted into law in 1988 (Senate Bill 1997) and 1990 (Senate Bill 2330), to control excessive smoke emissions and tampering from heavy-duty diesel trucks and buses. The regulations – CCR Title 13, Sections 2180-2189 for HDVIP; and CCR Title 13, Sections 2190-2194 for PSIP – governing these programs, were last amended in 2007.
Learn More...  Driving Toward a Cleaner California (DTCC) is a coalition of owners-operators, farmers, construction contractors and other business and community leaders committed to working with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to craft a sensible truck and bus replacement rule that both cleans the air and keeps California's economy moving forward.
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