Locate an Auto Repair Shop in Kirkwood, Delaware

I like the Studey arbor even though there's very little reason for it to be preserved. Why fund a project with the goal of preserving the wrong way to plant trees? “These pine trees are not the longest living when planted in our area, and because they were planted so close together, they’re now stressed and don’t have the root systems they should,” Kirkwood said. “Any time we get a windstorm or a heavy, wet snow, we do get trees that topple, and because they’re so close together, we get a domino effect going.” Sounds like the car biz, no? It was planted by a depression era public work relief program called the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938. But is that a good reason why it should be saved? I don't believe it's visible from (outer) space no matter what the story says, and I don't believe that would necessarily be a good thing even if that were true! Just seems like the Studebaker arbor was/is an interesting distraction from the beginning. But the world outgrew Studebaker cars and nature is slowly reclaiming the tree signage. Preservation will always cost more and more money so it needs to be "worth it." Acceptance is less expensive and an opportunity to do things better next time. I accept that the last survivors of the hippie gen will continue to cry out for a Beatles reunion until the last surviving ex-Beatle DNA has slipped away. Fan clamor is like that. But where do the rest of us draw the line with fanatics? On the decline of the Studey arbor I say, Let It Be.

>Not hardly, many mornings I have 2 inches of frozen ice on my windows, air temperature of 5 to 7 degrees above zero, wind chill factor 18 to twenty degrees BELOW zero. How many mornings in the last year have you had two inches of ICE in Cleveland? If there are two inches of ICE, the whole area will be shut down and you won't be going to work unless you're police, fire, or EMS personnel. Indeed if there is an ice storm, the temperature will not e 5-7 Deg. F. It willb e in the thirties or twenties. Grad school roomate and friend lives in Kirkwood. I'll ask him how many 2 inch ice storms have gone through that area. Remote start should not be on cars unless they have an auto shutoff after 5 minutes. Al Gore would have a fit at the wastefullness of that--unless it's on his private jet, then anything is okay.

contd. from: http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2008-03-05/news/red-alert-st-louis-officials-real- ly-don-t-want-you-to-know-too-much-about-those-pesky-traffic-light-cameras/2 As it stands now, the city will not issue a bench warrant against car owners who do not respond to tickets generated from the traffic cameras, nor will it turn their names over to a collection agency. So what will the city do? "Nothing," states the laconic Rhode. Surprised? So were we. But then, as we've discovered, there are many things the city doesn't want the public to know about its red-light cameras. City officials insist the cameras that are installed at 21 city intersections are used solely to improve public safety, not to generate revenue. So they'd prefer the $1.9 million the program has collected in just its first ten months of operation not be emphasized. City hall is also hesitant to advertise the additional $900,000 that's gone to Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions (ATS), the private company that installs and monitors the cameras, and then splits the fines with the city. Other issues the city would rather not highlight include the fact that the cameras have inconclusive safety results, they're not used exclusively at the city's "most dangerous" intersections and their very use stands on shaky legal ground. "These tickets are offensive to anyone who cares about the Constitution," voices Steve Ryals, a Saint Louis University law professor and former general counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri. "The judge brings them up there and says, 'OK, why aren't you guilty?' But what the poor citizen doesn't understand is that the videotape is not sufficient evidence in which they can be found guilty of anything. There's not an image of you driving the car, and the city has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that you committed the offense." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Of the hundreds of people who've disputed their red-light citations at the St. Louis Municipal Court, just two have filed an appeal. Later this month, St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Barbara Peebles will hear the case of a man who's acquired three citations for running stoplights on Hampton Avenue. The other appeal, involving a driver who failed to come to a full stop before turning right on red, was to be heard last month. Kirkwood resident Ronald Edelman argued in his petition to the circuit court that the red-light citations violated his Fifth Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution by compelling him to testify against himself. Edelman dismissed his appeal days before his scheduled hearing, but several civil-rights attorneys say he might have had a case. "I think anyone who wants to fight this is going to win," says Clayton civil-rights attorney Bevis Schock. "All you have to do is evoke your Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. The judge can't prove you did it." The problem, adds Schock, is that few people have the time or willingness to challenge the citations before a judge. "This just isn't the right hill to die on, which is why it's such a great way to raise revenue for the city," says Schock. "I get calls from clients about this all the time, and I tell them, 'Look, it's a hundred bucks. Just pay it.' Now, if they start locking people up over these, I think you're going to have civil-rights attorneys who are just going to have a field day." Alderman Bosley admits that the bill he's sponsoring isn't perfect, but he insists that measures are needed to penalize the guilty. "There is always going to be the question: 'How can you fine Joe Blow for running a red light when it was Suzie Q. who was actually driving the car?'" says Bosley. "But by giving the law teeth, hopefully we can create an atmosphere where we can get down to prosecuting the true guilty party." Since Arnold became the first Missouri city to pass an ordinance approving the use of red-light cameras in 2005, the state's appellate courts and supreme court have yet to weigh in on the issue. But last week St. Louis County residents James and Kara Hoekstra filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Arnold and American Traffic Solutions. ATS also monitors the cameras in that Jefferson County municipality. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in St. Louis argues that the city's red-light ordinance is unconstitutional and violates state law by guaranteeing that no points will be assessed to a moving violation if the required fine is paid. Criminal defense attorney Chet Pleban, who represents the Hoekstras, also alleges that Arnold officials violated federal racketeering laws by using the mail and Internet "as part of their broader scheme to defraud plaintiffs" and "by collecting fines when they could never prove a violation." Pleban says he's considering a similar suit against St. Louis City. "I have a client in the city who just missed his court date," says Pleban. "I'm waiting to see what they do to him. I dare them to lock him up." Attorney Steve Ryals suggests the way the city prosecutes cases in the municipal court also presents a conflict of interest. Unlike the city's circuit court, in which judges are appointed by the governor and subject to retention votes, judges in the municipal court are appointed by Mayor Slay — whose staff lobbied hard to bring the red-light cameras to St. Louis. (See Chad Garrison's "Red Light, Green Light," February 1, 2006.) City Counselor Patty Hageman, whose office prosecutes the red-light citations, also serves at the pleasure of the mayor. (The mayor's office did not make Hageman available for comment for this story.)

Hi! I may be crazy, but I am thinking about trading my 2007 G35S Infiniti for a Mini Cooper S. I LOVE the look of the car and I am in the process of selling my house in Kirkwood and want to take a condo in Midtown. This would be a great car to run errands and for my infrequent trips out of town. Let me know if you have any "real world" experience with Global Imports Mini or any other dealers here in Atlanta. Thanks!

2008 EX averaged 21 mpg on ski trip to Kirkwood (8,000 ft elevation in the Sierras) and back to the Bay Area, loaded down with kids and ski gear. OK, I guess. In town though, this car is a real PIG! Averages 14 to 16 mpg with the wife carting the kids around - very short distances, lots of stop and go driving. $75 a week on gas now with prices at $4/gal. Would like to trade in next year - maybe for a Mazda 5? Don't know. Thought about CUVs, but they are no better (actually worse for many) in the mpg dept. The horsepower race is going to kill off a lot of these thirsty vehicles. Our 2000 Caravan (SWB model), also a V-6 but lighter & with less horsepower, had much better mpg - approx 30 - 40% better than the Ody.