To report a crime or suspicious activity in your neighborhood, call the Naples Police and Fire Department at 213-4844, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at 774-4434, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office 239-477-1000 or the Marco Island Police Department at 389-5050.

? Marco Island woman accused of jumping front of car, child neglect

? Taxi driver charged with DUI, striking three cars in CVS parking lot

? Naples Police ask for help identifying Coastland Mall theft suspect

? Thieves strike South Fort Myers man who resells bullet shell casings

? Pot plants growing in Bonita Springs yard; woman blames daughter’s ex-boyfriend

? 1 suspect caught, 1 sought in Lee County home invasion

Drug arrests

? Catherine Mary Branz, 21, of the 11000 block of Villa Grande, Fort Myers, was arrested Tuesday by Lee deputies at home. She was charged with destroying evidence and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. She is accused of flushing some marijuana down the toilet as deputies arrived to serve two warrants for the arrest of her boyfriend.

? John Andrew Katzias,42, of the 8100 block of Cypress Drive South, Fort Myers, was arrested Tuesday by Lee deputies on Iris Road in Fort Myers. He was charged with possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

Grand theft

? A golf cart valued at $3,300 was reported stolen Tuesday from the 19000 block of Breckenridge Drive in Fort Myers.

? A Yamaha boat motor valued at $2,200 was reported stolen Tuesday from the 25000 block of Hickory Boulevard in Bonita Springs.

? A cellular telephone, sunglasses and compact disks with a total value of $300 were reported stolen Tuesday from an unlocked car in the 18000 block of Geranium Road in Fort Myers.

? Clothing and handbag items with a total value of $446 were reported stolen Tuesday from T.J. Maxx, 8014 Mediterranean Drive in Estero.

? Click here to view the Collier County Sheriff’s Office’s Cold Case Facebook page

Police Beat is compiled and written by the Naples Daily News staff/ contributors from oral and written reports by Naples police, Collier Sheriff‘s Office, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Marco police and other agencies. Arrests indicate suspicion of crime, not guilt.

? 2010 Naples Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Police Beat: June 23, 2010

29. September 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Cars · Tags: , ,

Hybrid Owners: No Carpool Lanes For You

“What we’re saying is that the hybrid isn’t good enough anymore”

Updated 10:34 AM PDT, Tue, Sep 29, 2000

They bought hybrids with the promise of driving solo in the Carpool lanes. Now, 85,000 hybrid owners in California may have to switch lanes and drive with the rest of us. As of Jan. 1, 2011, those yellow HOV stickers are set to expire.

According to the LA Times, there are several proposals to extend the deadline, but they would exclude most of the vehicles that originally qualified for the program. Cars like the Toyota Prius, the Honda Insight and Civic hybrid would be out. Instead, lawmakers like Assemblyman Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) want to offer new stickers to vehicles powered by electricity, natural gas, alternative fuels, or cars that reach at least 65 mpg.

“What we’re saying is that the hybrid isn’t good enough anymore,” Adam Keigwin, chief of staff for Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), told the Times.

In 2004, lawmakers wanted to encourage drivers to purchase vehicles that delivered better fuel economy and produced lower emissions. As an incentive, they created the carpool lane exemption. Hybrids which achieved a combined city-highway mileage of 45 miles per gallon or better were eligible. In February 2007, the last of the 85,000 stickers were given out.

California risks losing federal highway funding as its carpool lanes become increasingly jammed. Putting thousands of driver-only hybrids back into the regular freeway lanes could relieve some of the congestion.

Some hybrid owners say the law has achieved the authors’ intent.

Will Kepper, a 2001 Prius owner, told the Times, “I live in Santa Monica and you can’t swing a dead cat here without hitting a Prius, so the bill served its purpose.”