Two Madera County men have been sentenced to five years in state prison for masterminding and running a massive counterfeit operation in the Fresno area that created and manufactured phony California Driver Licenses and other forged government documents that they sold to illegal immigrants in the area. The pair was arrested early last summer after a two-month undercover sting operation by California Department of Motor Vehicles investigators and other local law enforcement officers.

"The security of our customer's documents and identification is one of our most important goals," said DMV Director George Valverde. "We simply will not tolerate attempts to dilute the integrity of those documents and processes."

Pascual Cruz Luciano, 24, was sentenced Tuesday to five years in state prison and fined $10,000, following a two-day trial. He was found guilty of three counts of counterfeiting government documents to cover legal presence. Luciano's brother, Perfecto Cruz Luciano, 30, was sentenced to five years on Feb. 5, 2008, after agreeing to plead guilty to felony counts of counterfeiting documents as well as creating and distributing those documents.

The Lucianos were taken in to custody on June 21, 2007, at their small Madera studio apartment. At that time, Tom Wilson, the DMV Supervising Investigator in Fresno confirmed it was one of the largest document mills ever seen in the Central Valley area, and said that officers confiscated numerous forged California License and Identification cards, computers, printers, laminators, fraudulent California State Seals, more than 10,000 pieces of card stock, 5000 laminate sleeves and more than another 100 pre-printed laminate sheets that could have been used to create over a thousand copies of the federally-issued "resident Alien" cards.

Does every major city in the United States have to follow the communist central planner's proclamation that we all must live in a high-density area and take mass transit?

Besides the fact that it is an extremely stupid and ineffective idea to strength travelers into these 19th-century modes of travel such as rail, most people prefer the independence that the automobile brings. This independence is, of course, exactly what the central planners cannot allow because it removes the traveler from their control. (Mass transit is an especially improvident idea in a low-density metropolitan area like Phoenix.)

Why not preserve at least one major city in America that is friendly to the automobile? Let's build sufficient freeways and city streets and parking and tell the world that we are proud of our independence and that we want to be known the world over as a city that believes in individual liberty. Let's broadcast the message that if you like to drive your car, Phoenix will welcome you.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its proposed regulations for Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards increases through 2015. The proposed rulemaking raises required average highway mileage to 35.7 mpg for passenger cars and 28.6 mpg for light trucks. The improved fuel economy would also address climate change by reducing tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide, which represent 97 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. The proposed regulations also increase the applicable life of fleet credits from three to five years and allows trading them between vehicle classes as well as among manufacturers.

This document is being issued pursuant to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), which Congress passed in December 2007. EISA mandates the setting of separate maximum feasible standards for passenger cars and for light trucks at levels sufficient to ensure that the average fuel economy of the combined fleet of all passenger cars and light trucks sold by all manufacturers in the U.S. in model year (MY) 2020 equals or exceeds 35 miles per gallon. That is a 40 percent increase above the average of approximately 25 miles per gallon for the current combined fleet.

Congress enables NHTSA to require these substantial increases in fuel economy by requiring that passenger car standards be reformed through basing them on one or more vehicle attributes. The attribute-based approach was originally recommended by the National Academy of Sciences in 2002 and adopted by NHTSA for light trucks in 2006. The new approach is a substantial improvement over the old approach of specifying the same numerical standard for each manufacturer by avoiding undue risks of adverse safety and employment impacts on vehicle manufacturers.

Department of Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman announced the competitive selection of three projects in which DOE plans to invest up to $86 million over four years (FY08-FY11) to support the development of small-scale cellulosic biorefineries. The companies selected include RSE Pulp & Chemical of Old Town, Maine; Mascoma Corp.'s proposed plant in Vonore, Tennessee; and Ecofin, LLC of Nicholasville in Washington County, Kentucky. This funding will further President Bush's goal of making cellulosic ethanol cost-competitive by 2012, and reduce America's gasoline use by expanding the availability of alternative and renewable transportation fuels.

The three small-scale biorefinery projects will use a wide variety of feedstocks and will test conversion technologies to provide data necessary to commercialize full-scale biorefinery technologies. On average, commercial-scale biorefineries input 700 tons of non-food based feedstock per day, with an output of approximately 20-30 million gallons a year (MMGY). These small-scale facilities will input approximately 70 tons of feedstock per day, with an estimated 2.5 MMGY.

Expected to be operational within four years, the selected small-scale biorefineries projects will produce liquid transportation fuels such as cellulosic ethanol, as well as bio-based chemicals and bio-based products used in industrial applications. The selected biorefinery projects represent the second round of selections for DOE's competitive small-scale biorefinery solicitation. Earlier this year, DOE selected four projects in St. Joseph, Missouri; Commerce City, Colorado; Boardman, Oregon; and Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.

Utah natural gas outlets are allowing drivers to "fill 'er up" for 63.8 cents per gallon equivalent for compressed natural gas (CNG). That's an average of $2.85 per gallon less than the average price for a gallon of gasoline which today hovers around $3.50 per gallon. The estimated 5,000 natural gas vehicles operating in Utah, up from practically zero just a few years ago, fill up at the 20 public CNG fueling stations which are located in the Salt Lake City metro area.

"Utah has the cheapest prices by a big margin," says Richard Kolodziej, president of the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition. The low price of natural gas for fuel is also driving the vehicle supply market. Honda Motors manufactures the Honda Civic GX, the only OEM passenger car that runs on either natural gas or gasoline, but sales to individuals are limited to California and New York. That has made Utah a hot market for used converted CNG vehicles. Buyers of new and some used and converted vehicles may be able to claim federal and state tax credits up to $7,000 -- nearly the extra cost of a CNG-fueled vehicle.

Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat on Thursday said it will supply auto parts from India worth 250 million euro (about Rs 1,595 crore) by 2010, which will be more than eight times the present 30 million euro.

"We will source auto parts worth a minimum of 250 million euro from India by 2010," Fiat Group Purchasing s.r.l. CEO Gianni Coda told reporters here today.

The sourcing would be carried out for the company's auto manufacturing plants at Europe, Brazil and North America, he said.

Auto parts in India would be about 10-15 per cent cheaper. The decision would also help the company broadbase its global market for sourcing.

"We are talking to vendors in India who will need to supply in their facilities to meet our demands," he said.

The auto maker has deployed a team of 40 people for the purpose.

Fiat buys about 8 billion euro worth of auto parts from markets like Eastern Europe, Northern Africa, South America, India and China.

It plans to increase its purchases to 9.5 billion euro by 2010 from these markets.

A part of your car is fast becoming a big goal for thieves. It's not your stereo system, or your GPS unit. It's actually found underside your car, your catalytic converter.

6 people were indicted in Louisa on Monday for stealing and advertising these used car parts.

Together the group has racked up over 20 different charges ranging from felony grand larceny to misconduct for devastation of property.

Many people are selling their own personal items to make a few extra bucks these days, but a group of people decided to take it one step farther by selling stolen catalytic converters.

"One of my investigators was sitting there watching them the whole process they were removing them from the cars," said Ashland Fortune, Sheriff, Louisa County.

Why would anyone want to steal a catalytic converter?

The sheriff says the material it's made out of could be used for a big profit.

"It's a big demand for it. Whatever they're made of they can be recycled and sold for a profit," said Fortune.

Toyota has announced a $5 million contribution in support of five National Parks and the National Park Foundation to enhance environmental leadership and educational programs at parks around the country. The company also will donate 23 vehicles to the National Parks.

The one-time $5 million grant will support environmental education programs through national park friends groups and fundraising partners, including:

* Everglades National Park (Florida) through the South Florida National Parks Trust;
* Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee) through the Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park;
* Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho) through the Yellowstone Park Foundation;
* Yosemite National Park (California) through the Yosemite Fund;
* Grand Canyon (Arizona) through the Grand Canyon National Park Foundation;
* Multiple national parks through the National Park Foundation;

Some of the funds may be used by the local fundraising partners such as Everglades National Parks for matching Federal funds as part of the National Park Centennial Challenge program highlighting the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016. Many of the parks also will receive Toyota vehicles to support the programs.

"For more than a century, the National Parks have been a treasure across the United States," said Dian Ogilvie, senior vice president of Toyota Motor North America. "We are proud to support these excellent programs for young people at the National Parks that are helping to develop the environmental leaders of tomorrow."

The parks were chosen for their environmental educational programs and dedication to developing environmental stewards. These programs serve children and teachers by enhancing environmental science education and include day-use and camp scholarships for inner-city and Native American communities; bilingual Junior Ranger programs; and the University of California intern program designed to cultivate new leadership for the National Park Service.

"Toyota's philanthropic support of National Parks is an excellent match for the goals we're working to accomplish," said Paul A. Zambernardi, Executive Director of the Yellowstone Park Foundation. "These grants will allow Yellowstone and the other parks to do so much more for education in the National Parks." The contributions build on Toyota's longstanding support of volunteerism, environmental leadership and national public lands and parks through the Green Energy Parks Transportation program. Toyota has also been a supporter of "Take Pride in America," a national partnership program of the US Department of the Interior aimed at increasing volunteer service on America's public lands.

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan wants lawyers, insurers and other critics to agree on fair and affordable changes to Ontario automobile insurance.

But the process is getting off to a rocky start, with lawyers and insurers taking pot shots at each other, and with little contribution from premium-paying motorists.

The government is required by law to conduct a review this year of the highly synchronized and notorious product, which costs more here than in any other prefecture.

But Duncan declined yesterday to say when that review will start and what, if any, changes he thinks might be attractive, necessary or politically palatable.

"It would be ideal if some of the participants could reach some conclusions on their own," he said during a brief interview.

Auto insurance has cooled as a political issue after several years of declining prices, stiff war to attract policyholders and, until recently, record industry profits.

So, plaintiff lawyers have seized the incident to press for allowing more innocent victims to sue to recover damages for pain and suffering.

Lawyer Richard Halpern, president of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, said yesterday that working groups at a Drive to Better Auto Insurance Summit agreed behind doors to a few main changes.

He said they propose to get rid of a instruction that limits the right to sue to cases of death or severe and permanent physical or psychological injuries.

They suggest lawsuits over minor injuries could be restricted, even by deducting a smaller amount from awards than today. Now, $30,000 is deducted from awards of less than $100,000 for those injured and $15,000 for awards of less than $50,000 for family members.

The summit heard a speech from Adrienne Seggie, whose son Matthew Power was slain by a speeding motorist in Hamilton in 2006.

Halpern said the working group agreed there should be no deductions from court awards made to family members who experience a death in their family.

Participants propose to pay the extra cost of court awards and lawyers' fees from savings on executive costs and accident benefits provided to injury victims, regardless of any fault in a vehicle collision.

The working groups included lawyers who represent insurance companies at trials, but not executives of insurers. George Cooke, president of Dominion of Canada General Insurance Co., presented a list of 10 proposals in a speech to the summit, but refused to contribute in the working groups. Mark Yakabuski, president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, said in an interview that insurers expect profits from Ontario auto insurance to be minimal or non-existent this year.

So a major increase in pain-and-suffering claims would require either a substantial decrease in accident benefits, or an increase in premiums.

About $2 billion of the near $7 billion of auto premiums collected in Ontario already goes to settle and defend lawsuits in court, compared with nearly $2 billion for administration and payment of no-fault accident benefits and $3 billion for vehicle repairs, he said.

He expressed hope Ontario's review of auto insurance will find ways to save money and restore success. If not, he said, there is a risk there will be a shortage of capital and competitive choices for motorists.