Pleasant Hill project ready to resume

Amazon Gift Cards 

By Frances Hayes

Work on the Pleasant Hill water project should be resumed soon since contractors will be receiving payment for their work, say Ronda town officials.

Work had stopped late this spring because contractors had not been paid, said Mayor Victor Varela.

The town had not received monies from an AARA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Loan) since April, said Varela. A portion of that, money is used to pay contractors.

This week the town did receive the last installment of the $1,493,484 grant used for the extension of water lines to eastern Wilkes. Announcement of the grant to Ronda was in July 2009.

Town officials received the last installment of $41,610 on Wednesday, said Lahoma O’Lague, town administrator. The money came from N.C. DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources.)

Work on the pump station for the Pleasant Hill area should begin soon, said town officials. Also uncompleted are meter installations in the area, said Mrs. O’Lague.

The project is extending lines from the water tower in Ronda town limits, across to Little Elkin Church Road on to Austin-Traphill Road. From there lines have been extended to C.B. Eller School Road, C.B. Eller School and then on to the Pleasant Hill community and back up to Austin-Traphill Road.

The money was loaned to the town with a 20-year, 0 percent interest rate. Half of the principal amount will be forgiven, according to town officials. A letter notifying the town of its approval came from T. Vance Holloman with the Local Government Commission, based in Raleigh.

Park equipment

During Ronda’s Tuesday night meeting, commissioners heard updates on several projects.

Commissioners expect to hear in September about grant approval for work at Memorial Park, the town’s park on the Yadkin River.

Earlier this year, the town applied for the $50,000 grant to help fund permanent bathrooms costing $30,000 and playground equipment costing $20,000 at the park.

Currently the park includes a half-mile walking trail, picnic table and shelter, swings and monkey bars. It also has a boat dock onto the Yadkin River, the last designated one in Wilkes.

A committee for improvements to the park have looked at playground equipment. The town could pay for the equipment if it does not receive the grant. Plans include new swings, seesaws, climbing equipment, horseshoes and a basketball court.

Ordinances

Commissioners were given copies of a proposed nuisance ordinance written by Benchmark of Kannapolis. A nuisance ordinance would restrict junk cars in the yard and other upkeep issues. Benchmark is a firm that writes and enforces town ordinances.

Varela asked that commissioners make any needed changes for the nuisance ordinance, which will be discussed during the August meeting and hopefully approved in the September meeting.

Commissioners were also given copies of the Wilkes County noise ordinance to consider for the August meeting.

The noise ordinance will tentatively be approved in August. It is being considered because of frequent complaints about “rowdy houses” in town limits, said Varela.

Adoption of the ordinance would make it easier for the Wilkes Sheriff’s Department to answer complaints, said Varela.

Open forum

An open forum session preceded the meeting. Speaking were Manuel Wood and Kevin Reece.

Wood asked the town to put a turn-around or cul-de-sac at the end of Gwyn Street. Commissioners agreed to have Lahoma O’Lague get in touch with a contractor to see how much it would cost.

Wood said the turn-around was necessary because of buses and other traffic on the road. He said it could be placed on land owned by the town.

Reece asked for reimbursement for a 50 lb. bag of grass seed he had used after construction work for the town. Town commissioners agreed to look into it.

Reece thanked commissioners for hiring Tim Blackburn for maintenance work in the town.

The meeting concluded with an executive session to discuss personnel issues.

NEWS SOURCE

Legality of town's used-car dealer law questioned

Salisbury limits number of dealers

By Angeljean Chiaramida

SALISBURY — The dust hadn't settled on the bankruptcy auction two weeks ago that liquidated the assets of Fraser Automotive's used-car dealership and service center, when another businessman petitioned selectmen to revoke Chris Fraser's license to sell used cars and transfer it to him.

The reason for such swift action is that used-car, or Class II, business licenses are in high demand in Salisbury, since the town limits the number it issues. The history of restricting used-car dealerships in Salisbury goes back to 1996 when a bylaw was passed at the October Town Meeting limiting the number to 15, Town Clerk Wilma McDonald said.

But questions are arising over whether the town's policy is legal. Some argue that state law doesn't allow towns to arbitrarily limit the number of licenses.

In Salisbury, holders of those licenses rarely give them up, even though they may appear to be used-car dealers in name only, selling few if any cars a year. But demands for licenses has been heavy, with business owners trying to get around the limit in creative ways, without much luck.

In October 2010, Town Manager Neil Harrington petitioned Town Meeting to raise the number from 15 to 17, which was done. But no sooner had the additional two licenses been approved, then demand was back again.

Selectmen tabled the request to revoke Fraser's license, questioning the legality of such an action. Instead, they decided they would discuss the request and the overall issue of the Class II and III licenses at their workshop planned for Monday. The hope is that selectmen will be able to clarify the concerns involved and move forward.

Chuck Takesian, a former Salisbury selectman and current chairman of the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce, said there was little opposition against limiting used-car dealerships in 1996. Although the state restricts the number of liquor licenses in all communities, Salisbury doesn't put a cap on any other type of business in town.

"I wasn't on the Board of Selectmen at the time," Takesian said. "I believe the reason to limit (used-car dealerships) was because people just didn't want any more used-car dealerships in town. Unsightliness was one of the reasons, but some said they didn't want Salisbury to become a town of used-car dealers.

"If I had been on the Board of Selectmen at the time, I would have opposed it. I've always been one to say that the free market should decide. If the Registry of Motor Vehicles approves the dealer plates, I don't think there should be a limit on the number of licenses."

Takesian's comments are not without foundation, based on the nation's free market system, which advocates that competition, consumers, and supply and demand regulate the economy. In 1890, Congress passed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to prevent the limitation of competition and ensure that consumers would benefit from its effect on prices, quality and the economy.

Paul Harris, an automotive and business attorney with Boston law firm Burns and Levinson, said that Salisbury is not alone in its attempt to keep car dealers — new or used — out of their communities. A number of municipalities attempt to do the same, but the trend bucks the law, he said.

"A lot of towns say they just don't want any more car dealers in town, and they refuse them," Harris said. "But, legally, they can't. It's just bullying."

Without violating attorney/client privilege by using names, Harris said that he once took a community to court about 20 years ago after it refused to allow a new-car dealer to locate within its borders. The business had met all the requirements under state laws that regulate new, used and salvage car dealers, called Class I, II and III licenses, but the town wouldn't let it in, Harris said.

"When we got before the judge, he looked at everything, saw all the qualifications were met, and said, 'What's the problem? Issue the license,'" Harris said.

State law demands that those who want to sell new cars have franchises from legitimate car manufacturers and proper facilities to perform repairs, among other requirements, Harris said. For Class II used-car requirements, the law states that businesses must prove financial responsibility, usually with a $25,000 bond, and demonstrate the business has "access to repair facilities" to satisfy the used-car "lemon law," he said. Also, the sale of the used cars should be the primary business conducted at the site, he said.

The state does allow communities to limit the number of Class III, or salvage car dealers, licenses, probably because of the nature and appearance of the "junk yard" businesses, Harris said.

Communities can use zoning to restrict the types of businesses in certain areas, by declaring them residential, commercial or industrials zones, Harris said. And planning boards often have site-plan regulations that require businesses to honor setbacks, density, drainage, landscaping and other aesthetic regulations. But if land is available in the appropriate zone, and a business owner satisfies all the community's site plan requirements and the state criteria, Harris said he believes selectmen can't refuse to issue a license.

"Business licenses are not zoning," Harris said. "Cities and towns that have regulations that restrict new- and used-car dealerships usually back down when pushed. They may enter into negotiations with the dealer and come to some compromise. They may ask for something like a traffic light or money for a stoplight or for a piece of equipment.

"Dealers usually comply, because it's less expensive than going to court," Harris said.

NEWS SOURCE

Washington County hit by rash of junk car thefts

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - The Washington County Sheriff's Office has been investigating a recent rash of scrap metal thefts occurring in rural parts of the county.

“This stealing of junk cars has become a real issue,” he told 2News Wednesday morning, saying the price of scrap metal is high and because of this “junkers” are making money.

Stolen from properties in rural areas around the county and in adjoining counties have been a number of broken down junk cars. Scrappers have been trespassing unto property, loading up cars, then heading off to the scrapyard where they will leave the cars for cash.

Johnson said the sheriff's office took a report Tuesday of two such vehicles stolen off a piece of land just off of U.S. Highway 75 off 3600 Road in the southern part of the county.

Last Friday, such a vehicle was taken from a property in rural Vera.

A deputy driving in that section of the county, seeing an abandoned car on the side of the road without wheels and finding the scene suspicious upon closer inspection found the car had been dragged from a nearby burned out house. He called a wrecker to pick the car up, but by the time the wrecker showed up, the car had already been taken.

Contacting the owner of the house, the deputy learned permission had not been given to anybody to take the car.

Investigators later were able to track the car to a scrapyard where they watched video surveillance and they identified a possible suspect.

“We have a person of interest in mind and the matter is under investigation,” said Johnson. He believes the three recent thefts may all be linked to the same person, he said.

NEWS SOURCE

Planning and Zoning approves junk car rules

Strong words and strong opinions dominated a discussion of new rules over the number of unlicensed vehicles a rural landowner is allowed, as the Natrona County Planning and Zoning Board approved some long-debated changes to a revised ordinance last week.

The issue has been contentious for more than a year, since the county stepped up its enforcement of the current law, which allows no unlicensed vehicles in the county unless they’re part of an agricultural operation. The commissioners’ regulatory action took most property owners by surprise, as there had been virtually no enforcement in the past 30 years. The resulting outcry led to a committee being formed to review the law and the development of the new regulations that passed the board last week. The Board of County Commissioners, however, must still approve the measure before the regulations can take effect.

The proposed new ordinance allows landowners to apply for a conditional use permit, with the number of vehicles permitted dependent on lot size and zoning district. A number of people spoke for and against the regulations at the meeting.

Keith Goodenough, a Casper City Council member and former state legislator, noted the long-standing lack of enforcement or compliance. Goodenough suggested giving latitude on bringing everyone into compliance.

“I realize you’re in a bad position because I believe what happened is the state statutes have been ignored for as many years as they’ve been in place, and now all of sudden there’s a push to bring people into compliance who have for 60 or 70 years been ignoring state law. So I don’t envy you your task,” Goodenough said.

He further questioned the $300 fee, saying, “ ... that seems like an excessive amount to me.”

His recommendations were taken up by the board, which voted to lower the fee to $100 and waive it for the first year after the law goes into effect.

Meanwhile, not everyone was as willing to compromise on the new regulations.

Former Natrona County Commissioner Barb Peryam excoriated the commissioners for their enforcement action (which began while she was still on the commission), and said the whole process should start over.

“It’s been repeatedly pointed out by several of you that this has been a process that has included a committee that has been from both sides of the isle, so to speak,” Peryam told the board. “I would like to categorically state that that, in my opinion, isn’t true, that isn’t what happened.”

Peryam said there was little give and take, and most of the recommendations made by the “car collectors” weren’t included in the final ordinance. She further called it a “power grab” by the commissioners and questioned whether it exceeded their constitutional authority.

“In this proposal we have several, several takings of power by our board of commissioners,” Peryam said. “I think you’re setting a hugely dangerous precedent when you start messing around with a specific group of people [car collectors] and you’ve made this very, very specific.”

Others also objected to the ordinance, with several saying it threatened their livelihoods and violated property rights.

“If you destroy those cars, or take ‘em off my property, that would be the same as stealing my land, or my property, or my house, or my shop ...” said Rick Thurston, who owns Rick’s Rod Shop in Casper.

Another resident, John Stevenson, said some would be unable to comply with the law due to old age or ill health.

“You’re creating laws to make people lawbreakers,” Stevenson commented.

Meanwhile, there were also those who supported the measure. Former Natrona County Sen. Dick Sadler, who was also on the review committee, thanked the board for its work.

“I think you’ve done a good job, with the time you have, serving on this committee,” Sadler said. “There are some things that were incorporated that I didn’t particularly care for as a taxpayer that lives in Dempsey acres, but I think ... what you’ve come up with is a pretty good project.”

Sadler has been a strong supporter for enforcement of the regulations, claiming a neighbor hasn’t been in compliance for years.

“I wish my problem in Dempsey acres was solved,” Sadler said. “I wrote to the commissioners a couple of years ago and asked for review about these violations in my area, and they said it’s hard to enforce it ... and so 18 months ago, 20 months ago, I filed a complaint, and things are still sittin’ there.”

Part of the concern is over lowering the land values of surrounding property owners.

“Trash is trash, and junk is junk, and that’s where I draw the line, because it affects my property values,” said Don Wolcott, who owns property on 8 Mile Road.

Another rural resident, Steve Shoemaker, also noted the need for a distinction between “junk cars" and valuable cars.

“There’s a huge difference between junk cars and collector cars, and if you don’t know that, you shouldn’t be in the business,” Shoemaker said.

He further commented the dispute over the issue hasn’t always been civil.

“I think that a peaceful resolution should be able to come to, peacefulness hasn’t always been brought to these meetings,” Shoemaker said

This was born out immediately after the meeting, when some of the participants exchanged loud accusations and heated words just outside the City Building, causing a call for the two sheriff’s deputies who were assigned to the session. The deputies arrived, however, shortly after the parties had left.

In their vote, the board unanimously approved the proposal, but not without some reservations.

Board member Harold Wright expressed concerns over wording that might conflict with the exemption of farming and ranching operations.

“I know most of the people in the county, that they’ve been told they’re exempt, and there won’t be any question they’re exempt,” Wright said. “And this [wording] goes against what they’ve been told, that’s the reason I bring this up.”

Wright was assured, however, that agricultural-related vehicles would remain exempt, and changing that status wasn’t the intent of the regulations.

Meanwhile, other board members said it was a beginning.

“I don’t see this as the basis of a process of taking,” said newly appointed board member George Tillman, while noting even his property was out of compliance. “If we as neighbors had taken care of our piles of pallets, pile of tires, the vehicles with no doors, no windows, and cats living in them, we wouldn’t be here doing this right now.”

“Whether this is right or wrong, it’s a start, and I believe it’s in the right direction, and that’s from my heart, and that’s the way I’ll vote,” said Gino Cerullo.

The Natrona County Commissioners have put the item on their agenda for Aug. 2.

NEWS SOURCE

E. Hanover at odds with junkyard owner

By CHRIS BROWN For The Daily News

ONO - East Hanover Township is taking a junk car yard owner to court - again.

Township Solicitor Sam Weiss told the Board of Supervisors Monday night a hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, concerning junkyard owner Rodney Weaver's failure to comply with a previous court order.

In 2006, the court ordered Weaver's junkyard located on Homestead Road confined to 7 ½ acres. The court order also required that Weaver build a fence blocking the view of the junk and allow inspectors on the property periodically to ensure the junkyard does not expand.

Township Supervisor Tom Donmoyer said Monday Weaver refused the inspector access to the junkyard in spring.

The township contends Weaver's action violated the court order. Aerial photographs of the junkyard were taken in spring, which show that it has grown, officials said.

Weiss said the township should provide the aerial photographs to the judge to show that the junkyard has expanded beyond the court-ordered 7 ½ acres. Weiss also told the supervisors to submit all associated legal bills and expenses to the judge.

NEWS SOURCE

3 On Your Side investigates back yard junk yard in northeast Jackson neighborhood

By Julie Straw

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) -

Piles of trash, abandoned junk vehicles and overgrown grass in the back yard of a home in the 5800 Canton Park Drive property was causing problems for this disgruntled neighbor.

"No matter what we do the mosquitoes are there. We have rats. We have other rodents. We have coons that come in. I don't know where they're coming in other than there," said Donna Smith who lives next door.

Last month Smith called us out to see hills of wood, tree limbs and pieces of furniture in her neighbors front yard. Friday the most of the debris and litter was removed, but Smith believes it didn't go far.

"They'll straighten things up in the front, but what they do is move things from the front yard to the back yard," said Smith.

Tevis and Cindy Shultz own the home. Their daughter Kristen spoke to the WLBT crew in June.

"There has been some problems in the past, but my dad has worked very hard all week to move and clean up," said Kristen Shultz.

This time the door shut when our camera came close to the house and a dog guarded the front door. Smith brought her concerns to the city of Jackson. As promised, a city employee paid a visit Friday afternoon.

Smith pointed out the leaning trees that are pushing over the fence, the growing number of bugs and rodents and the blue tarps she says have not moved since Hurricane Katrina.

"There is no sense in people living like that. There's no sense. Their house ought to be condemned," said Smith to the City of Jackson employee.

City spokesperson Chris Mims said there is an active case on the property and the city has warned the homeowners. He said the homeowners will have until August 15th to clean up the property before Jackson takes further action.

NEWS SOURCE

Tow truck tug of war

BY MICHAEL PANTELIDIS

American Auto Body and Recovery, an auto shop that has been accused by Maspeth residents of abandoning junk cars on neighborhood streets, has been reinstated in the Directed Accident Response Program (DARP). The program permits certain companies to tow cars from the scenes of accidents.

American Auto was suspended from the program on June 30 after failing to make their DARP book available to inspectors, and was allowed back after paying a $1,500 fine. In addition, if the auto shop violates city rules twice within the next three years, their license will be revoked.

The suspension was rejoiced by residents of Maspeth, who had grown tired of seeing damaged and unmarked vehicles littering their streets.



“For the last three years, the community has been trying to work with them,” said Anthony Nunziato, a Maspeth civic activist and business owner. “There are too many broken and destroyed cars outside. You pay high taxes for a house and all of a sudden you have derelict cars on the street, and you are breathing in gas and oil. That’s also near the entrance of Maspeth. It’s not a very welcoming site.”

Gloria La Rocca, who lives directly next to American Auto, says that over 10 damaged cars could be on the street at any one time.

“There were a lot of cars that didn’t have license plates on them and had been badly damaged in accidents,” said La Rocca. “Nobody likes it when you live here, because it doesn’t give a nice look to your home having all these junk cars on the street. I think it decreases the value of your home also.”

La Rocca, who has lived in Maspeth for roughly 70 years, noticed a drastic improvement in the weeks that the body shop was suspended from DARP, and appreciated the effect it had on the beautification of the neighborhood.

Despite constant complaints, American Auto believes their practices are no different than those of any other body shop.

“There will be times when cars will be outside, but we put them right back inside,” said Patrick Forrestal, a supervisor at American Auto. “I don’t understand what the complaints are. If this is a problem in the neighborhood, why are you coming only to my shop? Why don’t you go to the other 40 shops that do this?”

Forrestal, who believes residents’ complaints are excessive, claims that any cars on the street have been released to the owner and have not been retrieved yet.

“Once we put it out on the street for the customer, I can’t physically touch the car,” he said.

NEWS SOURCE

Fire-Breathing, Car-Eating, Monster Returns to New Jersey

By Ellsworth Boyce, NJ.com blogger

Residents of Central New Jersey may want to pay particular attention to where they park their car this week. They needn't worry about parking tickets, or being towed, but, rather, the return of a fire-breathing, car-eating monster known as "Robosaurus". The 42 foot tall, 30 ton, half-dinosaur, half-robot, makes a return visit, this Wednesday, to Raceway Park in Old Bridge, New Jersey, for the 41st Annual PC Richard & Son Summer Motorsports Spectacular.

This Wednesday, at Raceway Park, can truly be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both kids, and adults alike. The "Robosaurus" is an amazing, technological marvel, that can only be actually appreciated in person. The seemingly ordinary looking trailer, while traveling on the road, unfolds into a dinosaur-looking robot that not only breathes fire, but eats full-size cars. "Robosaurus" will simply amaze with it's ability to pick up a car in it's "hands", bring it to it's "mouth", set it on fire with flames from it's "nostrils", and then bite it in half. While there are numerous videos of this machine in action on YouTube, it is only in person where you can feel the heat, and hear the noises associated with it's performance.

As if, a car-eating dinosaur isn't enough action for you on a Wednesday night, the PC Richard & Son event also brings you Monster Trucks, Jet Cars, and more. There will also be nitro-powered Harley Davidson motorcycles, Funny Cars, and even child-favorite characters.

The Monster Trucks scheduled to appear are,Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Stallion, and Viper. They will be joined by a Monster Truck School Bus, with working lights, and the most well-known Monster Truck of all-time, Grave Digger. The trucks will race on a course filled with junk cars, which they will have to jump over as they make their way down and back the course. They will also participate in a freestyle stunt show, where fans determine the winner by applause.

Raceway Park will also present four jet cars, all capable of exceeding 280mph on the quarter-mile track. These cars, with their flames and smoke, are a visual experience as much as their sheer speed is shocking. They will be joined by nitro-powered Harleys, and many other types of racecars, in fact, you may see anything from a station wagon to a snowmobile going down the drag strip.

So if you really want to see something that can truly only be appreciated in person, head out to Raceway Park, this Wednesday night. Just be careful where you park your car!

Spectator gates open at 5pm, with the featured show scheduled to begin at 8pm. Admission is $30 for adults, $10 for children(6-11), and kids under 6 are free. Parking is free, although you can get VIP parking for $20. Every ticket entitles spectators to access the pit area, and see all the vechicles up close, making for great photo opportunities.

NEWS SOURCE

Planning and Zoning approves junk car rules

Planning and Zoning approves junk car rules

Strong words and strong opinions dominated a discussion of new rules over the number of unlicensed vehicles a rural landowner is allowed, as the Natrona County Planning and Zoning Board approved some long-debated changes to a revised ordinance last week.

The issue has been contentious for more than a year, since the county stepped up its enforcement of the current law, which allows no unlicensed vehicles in the county unless they’re part of an agricultural operation. The commissioners’ regulatory action took most property owners by surprise, as there had been virtually no enforcement in the past 30 years. The resulting outcry led to a committee being formed to review the law and the development of the new regulations that passed the board last week. The Board of County Commissioners, however, must still approve the measure before the regulations can take effect.

The proposed new ordinance allows landowners to apply for a conditional use permit, with the number of vehicles permitted dependent on lot size and zoning district. A number of people spoke for and against the regulations at the meeting.

Keith Goodenough, a Casper City Council member and former state legislator, noted the long-standing lack of enforcement or compliance. Goodenough suggested giving latitude on bringing everyone into compliance.

“I realize you’re in a bad position because I believe what happened is the state statutes have been ignored for as many years as they’ve been in place, and now all of sudden there’s a push to bring people into compliance who have for 60 or 70 years been ignoring state law. So I don’t envy you your task,” Goodenough said.

He further questioned the $300 fee, saying, “ ... that seems like an excessive amount to me.”

His recommendations were taken up by the board, which voted to lower the fee to $100 and waive it for the first year after the law goes into effect.

Meanwhile, not everyone was as willing to compromise on the new regulations.

Former Natrona County Commissioner Barb Peryam excoriated the commissioners for their enforcement action (which began while she was still on the commission), and said the whole process should start over.

“It’s been repeatedly pointed out by several of you that this has been a process that has included a committee that has been from both sides of the isle, so to speak,” Peryam told the board. “I would like to categorically state that that, in my opinion, isn’t true, that isn’t what happened.”

Peryam said there was little give and take, and most of the recommendations made by the “car collectors” weren’t included in the final ordinance. She further called it a “power grab” by the commissioners and questioned whether it exceeded their constitutional authority.

“In this proposal we have several, several takings of power by our board of commissioners,” Peryam said. “I think you’re setting a hugely dangerous precedent when you start messing around with a specific group of people [car collectors] and you’ve made this very, very specific.”

Others also objected to the ordinance, with several saying it threatened their livelihoods and violated property rights.

“If you destroy those cars, or take ‘em off my property, that would be the same as stealing my land, or my property, or my house, or my shop ...” said Rick Thurston, who owns Rick’s Rod Shop in Casper.

Another resident, John Stevenson, said some would be unable to comply with the law due to old age or ill health.

“You’re creating laws to make people lawbreakers,” Stevenson commented.

Meanwhile, there were also those who supported the measure. Former Natrona County Sen. Dick Sadler, who was also on the review committee, thanked the board for its work.

“I think you’ve done a good job, with the time you have, serving on this committee,” Sadler said. “There are some things that were incorporated that I didn’t particularly care for as a taxpayer that lives in Dempsey acres, but I think ... what you’ve come up with is a pretty good project.”

Sadler has been a strong supporter for enforcement of the regulations, claiming a neighbor hasn’t been in compliance for years.

“I wish my problem in Dempsey acres was solved,” Sadler said. “I wrote to the commissioners a couple of years ago and asked for review about these violations in my area, and they said it’s hard to enforce it ... and so 18 months ago, 20 months ago, I filed a complaint, and things are still sittin’ there.”

Part of the concern is over lowering the land values of surrounding property owners.

“Trash is trash, and junk is junk, and that’s where I draw the line, because it affects my property values,” said Don Wolcott, who owns property on 8 Mile Road.

Another rural resident, Steve Shoemaker, also noted the need for a distinction between “junk” and valuable cars.

“There’s a huge difference between junk and collector cars, and if you don’t know that, you shouldn’t be in the business,” Shoemaker said.

He further commented the dispute over the issue hasn’t always been civil.

“I think that a peaceful resolution should be able to come to, peacefulness hasn’t always been brought to these meetings,” Shoemaker said

This was born out immediately after the meeting, when some of the participants exchanged loud accusations and heated words just outside the City Building, causing a call for the two sheriff’s deputies who were assigned to the session. The deputies arrived, however, shortly after the parties had left.

In their vote, the board unanimously approved the proposal, but not without some reservations.

Board member Harold Wright expressed concerns over wording that might conflict with the exemption of farming and ranching operations.

“I know most of the people in the county, that they’ve been told they’re exempt, and there won’t be any question they’re exempt,” Wright said. “And this [wording] goes against what they’ve been told, that’s the reason I bring this up.”

Wright was assured, however, that agricultural-related vehicles would remain exempt, and changing that status wasn’t the intent of the regulations.

Meanwhile, other board members said it was a beginning.

“I don’t see this as the basis of a process of taking,” said newly appointed board member George Tillman, while noting even his property was out of compliance. “If we as neighbors had taken care of our piles of pallets, pile of tires, the vehicles with no doors, no windows, and cats living in them, we wouldn’t be here doing this right now.”

“Whether this is right or wrong, it’s a start, and I believe it’s in the right direction, and that’s from my heart, and that’s the way I’ll vote,” said Gino Cerullo.

The Natrona County Commissioners have put the item on their agenda for Aug. 2

NEWS SOURCE

A dozen crushed cars and flipped 18-wheeler in horrific expressway pile-up... So how did no one get hurt?

At first glance, it looks like the most horrific tragedy, with a truck and a dozen cars crushed and mangled in a huge expressway pile-up.

So emergency responders who rushed to the scene on Indiana's Sam Jones Expressway were understandably stunned to find what appeared to be a miracle - not one person had been hurt in the crash.

In fact, the explanation was quite simple. The cars had not become entwined after a horrific road accident - the junk vehicles were already crushed and were being transported along the highway on the 18-wheeler when it braked a bit too hard and ejected them onto the street.

Carnage: A dozen crushed cars and a huge truck splayed across the expressway

Mess: The cars landed in a giant heap across the street, piled up on top of each other

The accident happened when a car U-turned in front of the truck on the expressway in Wayne Township, causing it to break suddenly.

The momentum caused the truck to tip over, spilling the cars onto the street in a giant heap.

Authorities could not believe no one had been hurt, after arriving at the scene expecting mass casualties and deaths.

Miracle? Emergency responders could not at first believe no one had been hurt in the crash

Smashed: One of the cars, which had anyway been crushed before the accident

Wayne Township Division Chief Michael Pruitt told Jalopnik.com 'When our dispatch originally received the call we heard multiple cars with possible entrapment, so when our first units arrived on the scene they saw [the scene] and it did look like multiple cars had been crashed.'

After calling in a heavy rescue truck and cautiously approaching the flipped vehicles, the mystified first responders began to realise the scene was not quite as they had expected.

Incredibly, none of the junk cars which smashed onto the street landed on any other cars passing by on the road, so the truck was the only vehicle which was damaged.

Relief: Emergency crews arrived on the scene expecting mass casualties and deaths

'It was a big sigh of relief when they realized they were junk cars,' Pruitt said.

After establishing that no one was hurt, the crews managed to clear the major thoroughfare and reopen the road in just two hours.

'I've been in the fire service for 25 years and this was the first time I've seen that big of a mess,' Pruitt added.

NEWS SOURCE

Locals show off cars at car show in Dedham

By Sara Feijo
Wicked Local Dedham

Wearing a straw hat and T-shirt adorned with a picture of his 1931 Chevy Deluxe, Vincent Disessa, 86, walked proudly around the Bay State Antique Auto Club’s annual car show.

But, Disessa admits he wasn’t always proud of his three-gear Chevy. When he bought the car in 1968, it didn’t run.

“If I knew then what I know now, I would have never bought (the car). It was a piece of junk car,” Disessa said at the show held at the Endicott Estate on Sunday, July 10.

With the help of friends, he took the two-tone — yellow and brown — Chevy home in a trailer.

Disessa got the car running in 1970 and began to restore it in 1976. He finished restoring the most expensive 1931 Chevy model in 1983, he said.

Now, Disessa drives his antique car everywhere year-round and wouldn’t trade his 40,000-mile Chevy Deluxe for a modern car, he said.

“I love the car. It’s the only one I have,” he said. “I’m having a great time with it.”

He has won over 400 first- and second-place awards in various car shows, he said.

The 40th annual antique car show was held on Sunday, July 10, at the Dedham Endicott Estate. The East Street estate was filled with thousands of spectators and about 1,200 cars, from 1898 to 1984, said Steve Karlgren, event coordinator.

“We seem to be having more different people come and different age groups come. Years ago we had the Model T’s, the ’30s and ’40s cars that were very popular,” Karlgren said. “Now, we seem to be in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s for popularity.”

The Bay State Antique Auto Club was founded in 1968 and it hosts one of the largest car shows in the Northeast, according to its website.

Cars are judged based on different categories. There are about 33 classes, each with first, second and third place awards, Karlgren said.

There are also President’s Choice, Best of Show, Best Pre-War and Best Post-War awards, he said.

“We had a car here, several years ago that came from Ohio,” Karlgren said. “(The owner) won the award for driving the furthest distance. We try to pick out cars like that.”

Winners receive a plaque that indicates the type of award.

“I got first place the last two years,” said Phil Simonetti, who spent six years restoring his 1949 Handle Delivery Chevrolet. “It’s a lot of fun.”

All proceeds from the show are donated to different organizations after all expenses are paid, according to Karlgren and Robert Hamm, head of concessions.

In past years, the club has made donations to the Children’s Hospital Boston, Smile Train, Endicott Estate and other organizations.

As people walked around looking at the various cars or enjoying a meal from the food court, “old school” music was playing in the background.

“I like it. I try to get here if not every year, every couple of years,” said Walter Loth, who has been coming to the show since the 1980s.

Friends of the Endicott Estate provided tours of the house.

There were tents where spectators could purchase automotive parts as well as T-shirts and other collectibles. Antique cars were sold at the car corral in the Southeast corner of the estate.

Karlgren said the strangest car he has seen at the show was a 1931 Model A.

“It’s got writing all over. It’s a very famous car,” he said. “It’s an original, but the guy kept painting these little one-word or two-word sayings all over the car. That car is very unique.”

NEWS SOURCE

Planning commission OKs car collector rules

By TOM MORTON Star-Tribune staff writer |

The Natrona County Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday passed the proposal for those who store collector cars to obtain conditional use permits depending on how their property is zoned.

The commission has targeted junk cars and nuisance vehicles, Chairman Tom Richardson said during the public hearing. "We're trying to clean up the county."

However, former Natrona County commissioner Barb Peryam voiced the concerns of opponents when she said the conditional use permit process will set a dangerous precedent by allowing county government to illegally take individual property.

"I'm not aware of any other group in Natrona County that has to do this," Peryam said.

On Aug. 2, the Natrona County Commission probably will conduct a public hearing and then vote on the text amendment.

NEWS SOURCE

Everybody needs a hero

Written by

Dr. Joe Campbell

Sometimes I get comments from folks who say they are "disappointed" with my particular views on some subject like hunting and riding four-wheelers while drunk.

This to me seems equivalent to being "disappointed" by the plot twist in a Steven Seagal movie.

Just what did you expect?

My literary inspiration to "disappoint" is from one of England's greatest writers. He inspires me to tell it like it is, only he does it so much better than me. Is it Chaucer? Shakespeare? J.K. Rowling?

No, it's an overweight, middle-aged, bombastic bloke named Jeremy Clarkson. I think I like Clarkson so much because he once got in a fistfight with Piers Morgan - and won. But the other reason I like him is that he has no "political correctness" filter.

Clarkson is a presenter on my favorite show, BBC's "Top Gear," and an automobile reviewer for the London Times. He has managed to offend at one time or another almost every group in Britain and every nation on Earth.

He called British Prime Minister Gordon Brown "a one-eyed Scottish idiot" (he later apologized for the comments about Brown's personal appearance), he described a car built in Malaysia as "the worst car in the world, built by people who wear leaves for shoes," and he once said the designer of a Hyundai had probably "eaten a spaniel for lunch."

He thinks the Japanese and Germans build cars that are technically good but lack soul, and the basis for this is that they as a group lack passion, a sense of humor and any romantic abilities whatsoever.

The Italians he says are "passion filled" (if you know what I mean) but are incapable of building anything that won't break after two trips around a track.

The U.S.? Well with the exception of the Corvette ZR-1, the Cadillac CTS-V and the Ford GT, he pretty much thinks our cars are junk as we are too busy worrying about eating to care.

He pulls no punches when discussing Britain and its car companies.

He wrote once that the Brits haven't really achieved anything since the height of British Navy power in the 1830s, and that the now-defunct British Leyland built the worst cars ever made (He described their cars as "never in the field of human endeavor has so much been done, so badly, by so many").

He is, though, a great admirer of human achievement, be it NASA's space shuttle, the F-16 Jet Fighter or a 260 mph Bugatti Veyron. Adventurers like astronaut Neil Armstrong and test pilot Chuck Yeager are his heroes. In homage to his heroes, Clarkson was the first to drive a specially modified pickup truck to the North Pole. He drove old junk cars across the spine of Africa and through the Amazon Jungle. He has even driven a tractor-trailer truck through a brick wall.

So, as I soldier on in my comments about the highs and lows of human endeavors, don't expect too much. I am not Jeremy Clarkson, and I am certainly not as interesting as a Steven Seagal movie.

Dr. Joe Campbell is chairman of anesthesiology and a chief medical officer at Forrest General Hospital. Email: joehand1@ bellsouth.net.

NEWS SOURCE

'Just a car?' There's still a grieving process

By Rhonda Wheeler, Calgary Herald

FULL THROTTLE

It doesn't matter how many cars you buy and sell in your lifetime, parking each one for the last time is not easy. You've undoubtedly spent years together . it's an old friend.

Maybe letting go is easier when you're using your car as a trade-in, or selling it to another driver. At least then you know it will be given another chance; it will live to drive another day.

But when you have to sell your car for scrap because it's too old and broken down to be of any use to anyone, it's not a pretty sight. It's like watching that good old friend fade before your eyes: you know what's coming, but you still go through the five stages of grief.

First stage: Denial

You hear a strange sound, but you're convinced it's coming from another car.

Tick, tick, tick. You turn down the radio to hear it better.

"Poor guy," you think to yourself, looking at the fellow in the beater next to you. "His car is going to pack it in any day now."

A few days later, you hear the sound again, but, you think it can't possibly be your car making that loud, rattling noise: RAP, RAP, RAP . . . You turn up the radio to fool yourself into believing that it's still another car.

"Man, I would hate to be THAT guy!" you laugh to yourself. You turn the radio up louder to drown out the annoying noise.

Second stage: Anger or resentment At this point, there's no denying the ticking noise -better known as a death rattle -is coming from your car. And now, it's accompanied by a burning smell, kind of like the first time you tried pancakes on the barbecue.

You swear and curse the day you ever laid eyes on the vehicle.

"Piece of junk! You're always breaking down! I never should have bought you in the first place. If one more thing goes wrong, I'll have you crushed."

You don't want to invest another dime, because it has already cost you more than its share in headaches. You continue to ignore the signs.

Third stage: Bargaining

The sound is louder; so much so that you can hear it over the stereo. The pine-tree shaped air freshener dangling from your rear-view mirror is useless against that burnt-pancakes smell. And strange puddles of auto-bodily fluids form under your car.

You know you should have taken better care of the ol' girl; you should have brought her into the shop with the first faint tick from under the hood, since vehicles don't have the ability to heal themselves like people do. And you promise you will call your mechanic as soon as you get home -as long as you can make it home.

"Please, pleeease, just get me home," you say as you gently rub the dash. "I promise I will be good to you. Just get me home!"

Fourth stage: Depression

You have lived up to your end of the bargain. You made it to the garage and your mechanic gives you the bad news: she's a goner.

Only now does it hit you that you're going to have to say goodbye . after already saying goodbye to plenty of money keeping it going this last while.

It turns out that all those threats about taking the car to the scrap yard were self-fulfilling prophecies you wish you could take back. But it's too late.

And the fifth stage: Acceptance

There's nothing that can be done to save your car. Dropping one more penny on the clunker is futile, as the math will just never add up.

You realize that it's time to move on, literally. You need a new set of wheels. You promise you will take better care of it so it will last you a little longer, and you can buy more time before you have to go through it all over again.

- - -

Rhonda Wheeler is a journalist with Wheelbase Media, a worldwide supplier of automotive news, features and reviews. You can e-mail her by logging on to wheelbasemedia.com and clicking the contact link.

NEWS SOURCE

Fire at Clearfield Recycling center extinguished

Web Staff fox13now.com 5:34 p.m. MDT, July 12, 2011

CLEARFIELD, Utah—

Fire crews extinguished a trash fire at a recycling center in Clearfield Tuesday afternoon.

The fire originated just before 2:00 p.m. at Clearfield Recycling, 96 West 1700 South. A junk car brought to the facility was said to have sparked the blaze, which spread to a large pile of trash.

Employees say they were moving a car body past the pile of trash when something from the car sparked the fire.

Four area fire agencies responded and came at the blaze with aerial ladder trucks spraying down 1000 gallons of water a minute from above.

North Davis Fire Chief Roger Bodily says the the difficulty was getting at the heat source, so they had to use a backhoe to pull crumpled metal and parts off the pile.

Although no one was hurt, fire fighters were concerned about the heat intensified by heavy gear they wear and the radiating effect of the metal trash.

"The gear that we wear in and of itself can overheat a firefighter rather quickly and then you put the physical exertion, plus the temperature, even though we got a little breeze going, it can get pretty hot really fast with the type of equipment we use," Bodily says.

No businesses were threatened by the blaze.

Clearfield Recycling processes about 700 tons of metal each month.

NEWS SOURCE

Detectives Want Stricter Laws To Curb Auto Theft Of Older Cars

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Last year, more than 1,800 vehicles were stolen in Metro Nashville, and detectives said that number could be significantly lower if it weren't for what they call a loophole in the law.

Right now Metro Detectives are doing what they can to catch car thieves with bait cars that help police catch auto thieves in action.

"It's like fishing you just have to sit there and wait," said Detective Tony Constant.

Detectives use GPS device hidden in those cars to track the crooks all in an effort to make an arrest before they trade the car for cash at the nearest scrap yard.

For 28-year-old William Webb and his 1992 Oldsmobile, it was too late.

"There is nothing wrong with the car anyway and they sold it to a salvage place for metal. It is worth way more than they got for it," said Webb.

Webb is one of 800 people this year who have had their vehicle stolen in Nashville. Like Webb, many of those missing cars are older models made before 2001 because in Tennessee they are easier to sell and harder for detectives to track.

"I could go on this lot and pick any car I want that's more than 10 years old or older and hook it up to a wrecker and take it over there and sell it today, and all I need is an ID," said Constant.

The problem is that the current law protects the salvage yards, not the car's owner. All you have to have to sell a car that is more than 10 years old is an ID. It could be a friend's ID or even a stranger's ID, making it hard to trace the sale to who actually stole the car. Detective Constant believes proof of ownership should be required to sell any car to scrap yards, no matter the year. But so far, it's been a losing battle with the lawmakers.

"We have tried to get the law changed but lobbyists for these salvage companies are powerful. They have spent a lot of money lobbying the legislature to get these laws just like they want," said Constant.

It leaves Webb wondering if a stricter law could have prevented his car from ending up in one of the scrap yard's massive metal heap.

"If that was in place I think I would still have my vehicle," said Webb.

Just last week, two men, Marlow Ezekiel and Anthony Franklin, were caught stealing a Metro bait car.

They were arrested at the Pull-A-Part shop where police say they were trying to sell the car.

Detectives said there is almost always a bait car somewhere in Nashville.

NEWS SOURCE

Action 9: Woman Says Junk Car Buyer Didn’t Pay Her

A woman who sold her truck to a junk car buyer claims she never got paid.Mae Reed was driving when she spotted a sign saying, “We buy junk cars.” She said it got her attention because she had just wrecked her 2005 Dodge truck.“It was totaled in a car accident,” Reed said.She called the number on the sign and said a man from Tom and Jerry Salvage came to her house. Reed said the man gave her a handwritten note saying he'd pay her $1,800 for the truck after he sold the parts.Then, Reed said, he talked her into signing over the title, saying he needed it to be able to legally tow her truck from Monroe.“So if he were stopped by the police, he would need to have the title to my truck, so I gave it to him,” Reed said.Action 9’s Don Griffin said that was her big mistake because after giving up her truck, she was left with a worthless piece of paper.“He didn't give me anything,” Reed said.Reed said when she called the number again, no one answered.Action 9 went looking for the owner of Tom and Jerry Salvage at the Eastway Drive address he listed. The house was up for rent, but the landlord showed up and said in the year she's owned it, no one buying junk cars has lived there.Later, Griffin reached the owner of Tom and Jerry Salvage on the phone. A man who identified himself as Joey Miller said he was away in Florida for a month. He claimed he paid Reed $1,000 for her truck, but wouldn't give any proof.It's led the Better Business Bureau to issue the following warning about junk car buyers.“You have to make sure though that you don't turn that title over until you have certified funds,” said BBB President Tom Bartholomy.

NEWS SOURCE

Semi involved in rollover crash on city's west side

An accident involving a semi carrying junk cars was reported on the city's west side a little before the evening commute Tuesday.

By Ann Keil Fox59

3:14 p.m. EDT, July 5, 2011
Indianapolis—
An accident involving a semi carrying junk cars was reported on the city's west side a little before the evening commute Tuesday.

The semi, that had been traveling eastbound, hit a curb then rolled over at Sam Jones Expressway and Holt Road around 3:00 p.m.

Topics
Transportation
Road Transportation
Injuries and Wounds

The Expressway was closed from I-70 east to Bradbury.

"It was sent out as an entrapment response. When our personnel arrived on scene they saw the multiple cars involved," said Wayne Township Fire Department Division Chief Michael Pruitt.

Pruitt said they were relieved to see the wrecked cars were cargo. Eleven vehicles were dumped onto the Expressway from the trailer.

The driver of the tractor trailer, Alvin Pilotte, told Pruitt he tried to avoid a car trying to make a u-turn at a railroad crossing, but he could not stop soon enough.

The truck was en-route to Omni Source when the accident happened.

The driver of the truck sustained minor injuries. No other injuries were reported.

"It was really scary. I thought something major happened. Thank God nobody was hurt," said Kim Holtsclaw, who lives nearby.

She continued."Illegal u-turns, speeding, people throwing stuff out of their windows are causing wrecks. They need to have cops sitting down there all the time because they would catch them all the time."

Zore's, Inc. was called in to clean up the debris.

"The cars are already crushed, and Billy, he knows how to do anything," said Denny Littleton with Zore's inc.

The expressway was reopened around 5:45 p.m.

NEWS SOURCE

Car towing company suspended from city program after turning Maspeth streets into junkyard

Irving Dejohn
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Thursday, July 7th 2011, 4:00 AM

A company that chronically parked junk cars on Maspeth streets has been suspended from a city program that authorized it to tow cars from accident scenes - much to the delight of frustrated residents.

The city Department of Consumer Affairs has removed American Auto Body & Recovery from the program, pending a hearing Thursday.

"DCA inspectors have issued violations to American Auto Body & Recovery, and as of last Thursday they will be suspended from the DARP program," said agency spokeswoman Abigail Lootens.

The company was part of the Directed Accident Response Program (DARP) and Rotation Tow Program (ROTOW), which allow towing from accidents and removing abandoned or stolen vehicles, respectively. The DCA regulates both programs.

DCA officials said that during two separate inspections, the company failed to present its DARP service call records.

Many locals and civic leaders questioned American Auto's inclusion in the program after the NYPD issued 86 summonses to the company in the first three months of this year.

The Daily News first reported in May about the company littering the area near its Flushing Ave. location with mangled and unmarked vehicles. Locals said their residential neighborhood had become a junkyard. DCA officials vowed to investigate.

American Auto owner Polina Loumakos declined comment on the upcoming hearing but defended the way her company operates.

"They just caught us on a bad day. Everything is done correctly at my shop," she said, adding that the cars on the street during the day were waiting to be transported. "I feel like all the media is trying to attack me. When you guys come here it's always during business hours," she said.

Residents who live near the shop were elated the city was taking action.

"If they take the program away from these guys they won't have any junked cars and everyone is going be happy," said Edison Bonifaz, 43, who lives on the same block as the body shop.

"We need people who can follow the law. We want to live in a nice neighborhood," he added.

Civic leaders said they were pleased with the agency's move.

"They were obviously in violation of the program and the guidelines, and I'm glad to see Consumer Affairs taking action," said Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "It's about time."

NEWS SOURCE

TX junkyard only accepts classic cars

Written by NBC Universal

DENTON, Texas - What started as a hobby has turned into a career for David Williamson and his brother Allen. The Williamsons make their living while restoring bits of history.

They own CTC Auto Ranch, which isn't an average junk yard. The salvage yard in Denton, Texas has gained world-wide attention for the types of cars it collects.

"If these cars could talk, I bet some of them could really tell a tale," Allen Williamson, who remembers his father buying and selling old cars growing up, said.

The rusted cars and their parts are all classics, and according to Williamson were made in the 30s, 40s and 70s.

"It's kind of like walking into an antique store. To some people, it's going to be junk. To us, it's something to put something back on the road with. Make someone's dream come true with," David's brother Allen said.

The vintage salvage yard attracts classic car fans from all over the world like Nick Vandanhemel and his father who are from the Netherlands.

"It is quite a different world," Vandanhemel said. "I was looking for some parts for my Mustang that is 69."

"The most common phrase I hear here is, 'I've died and gone to Heaven,'" David said about his salvage yard.

Crash Dumps Junk Cars, Confuses First Responders

Semi Tips, Spills 10 Crushed Cars

INDIANAPOLIS -- Nearly a dozen junk cars were dumped onto Sam Jones Expressway on southwest Indianapolis side Tuesday in a crash between a tractor-trailer and a car, officials said.The driver of the truck said he was eastbound just after 2 p.m. when the car tried to make a U-turn in front of him. The semi driver said he tried to swerve, but struck the car and his tractor-trailer overturned. At least 10 junk cars were strewn across the roadway, causing confusion for first responders."(The) first report was multiple cars crushed," said Mike Pruitt with Wayne Township fire. "(We) haven't seen a mess like this in a while."The truck driver suffered minor injuries.The junk cars and the truck leaked a small amount of fuel onto the roadway, Pruitt said.Sam Jones Expressway was closed from Interstate 70 to Bradbury Road and is expected to remain shut down for some time for clean-up.The truck, from Wampler Services out of Frankfort, was headed to OmniSource in Indianapolis.

by TheIndyChannel.com

NEWS SOURCE

Your Scrap Car Still Has V alue, and Someone Wants to Buy It!

Selling damaged and junk cars in New Jersey has never been so easy! Don’t let the baggage of that old car in your driveway drag you down. Former junk car removal had always been a hassle and a headache to deal with; calling a towing service, paying them to take it to the scrap yard, and seeing what junkers can give you for it there. What they offer hardly adds up or reimburses what you paid for the towing! Jersey drivers have now been put at ease with junk car removal services like oldjunkcar stepping up to the plate.

First thing’s first, let’s make sure your car is REALLY junk:

Buyers aren’t interested in taking the junk car off your hands.
It's a lemon that you don't want to pass off on to someone else, anyway.
You’ve had an accident and the cost to fix the car is too expensive.
The car is totaled and has been written off.
There’s little to no trade in value.
You want to clear your yard of rubbish!
The cost to have it re-registered is more than the cost of the car.
It costs more to fix than it's worth.
You haven’t started the car in months.
It's been sitting so long that it doesn't work anymore.

That sounds pretty bad! Not to worry, with one simple call to718 709 7293, you will receive your cash for junk cars quote immediately, based on the scrap metal value of your vehicle. If you like what you hear, you could have your car removed and cash in your pocket the same day you call! Better yet in three hours or less, we’ll be there with your cash on hand, ready to tow your vehicle to the scrap yard for free! It doesn’t stop there, benefit from knowing that we recycle each and every junk vehicle and dispose of all chemicals and waste properly and legally.

Once again, the fine points of scrapping your car for cash with www.oldjunkcar.com:

We buy cars running or not.
When you call www.oldjunkcar.com you will receive your free cash for scrap cars appraisal.
If you like what you hear, go ahead and set an appointment! We offer same-day service.
Not only can we junk your car today, but in 2 hours or less from your call you can have cash in your pocket and your vehicle removed!
FREE TOWING for all junk vehicles.
We Pay CASH for scrap cars statewide in New Jersey.
All junk vehicles are recycled; the waste and chemicals along with them are disposed of properly by licensed auto wrecking professionals, making NJ a more beautiful place!

For more information on recycling your car for cash visit http://www.oldjunkcar.com

Turning clunkers into cash

Red Ballard pull parts from a Salvaged car outside his shop on Evelyn Street. (KAREN WINK / AMERICAN PRESS)

By Rachel Warren / AMERICAN PRESS

Nearly every time Red Ballard’s phone rings, it’s a chance for him to make money.

He’s not a telemarketer, nor does he work for tech support — Ballard buys and sells junk vehicles.

Ballard is not alone. Classified sections are filled with ads placed by people who buy vehicles that no longer run. In a time of economic uncertainty, many say the business is profitable.

Joe Henry, owner of Buy-U-Junk, said he’s been buying junk cars for about a year.

Henry said he pays owners for their broken-down vehicles based on the cars’ weight and then sells them to a recycler.

Henry gets five to 15 phone calls each day in response to his ads and buys 30-40 vehicles each month, he said.

Henry stumbled on the junk-car industry when he had trouble finding a job in the area.

“I had some friends who were doing it, so I went out and got my license,” he said. “It’s been very prosperous.”

John Landry said he began hauling scrap cars as a side job years ago, but that it eventually became the main source of his income.

Unfortunately, the industry hasn’t been as lucrative for Landry in recent years. He said he sometimes goes days without receiving a call.

Ballard, owner of White Trash Productions, has been a mechanic, welder and pipefitter, so he’s spent nearly a lifetime preparing for his current occupation.

Unlike Henry, Ballard doesn’t sell his vehicles directly to a recycler.

First he retrieves motor oils, tires, batteries and whatever else he can.

He then sells the shells of the vehicles to Southern Scrap, where junkyard employees crush them and transport them to a facility in Texas.

The shells are ground into square-inch chunks and sorted based on what material each is made of.

Ballard said the amount of money he pays for a car depends on several factors, including model year and size.

Ballard receives one to five phone calls each day, and said people would be surprised to know how many residents own a junk car.

“A lot of people have these in their yard or under their carport,” he said. “They just walk by it every day and eventually it becomes a piece of furniture.”

NEWS SOURCE