Recently the Morgan Auto Group family hosted their First Annual Casino Night for the Helping Hand Fund. A $15 donation instantly turned into $200 in gaming chips to use at tables named for Las Vegas’ most notable casinos. Attendees were treated to drinks and hors d’oeuvres while browsing the silent auction items available.

As with any special event, many special people contributed a tremendous amount of time and energy to ensure this event was a success. A special Thank You goes out to the following individuals and their families who dedicated time, money and hard work for this event: Shannon Bento, Shelly Burnett, Rosemary Shell, Misty Fairchild, Teressa Duke, Jason Hillman, Geraldine Towson, Jessi Beckwith, Wanda Chandler, Alicia Bailey, Dianne Finnegan, Dee Brack, Nate Cook, Tim Connelly, Harvey Mondragon, Wolf Muisener, Brian Clark, Nick Gallagher, Mitchell Messer, Ariel Negron, Mark Limerick, Ed Wine, Richard Desousa and Alex Laverde.

Over 150 employees attended the event which raised over $10,000 for the fund. The Helping Hand Fund was created by Larry Morgan, Brett Morgan and Lauren Ellerman to offer support to employees and their families in times of hardship. Funds are donated by employees through events like Casino Night and voluntary payroll deductions which are matched by the Morgan Auto Group. Employee’s requests for assistance from the Helping Hand Fund are kept strictly confidential.

The temperature is rising, the kids are officially out of school and it’s time once again for summer vacation. Before you head out on your next adventure, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is ready to take on whatever the road throws your way.

Tires – Be sure to check both the tire pressure and tread on all 5 of your tires (don’t forget about the spare). If you are unsure what your tire pressure should be, look for the manufacturer sticker when you open the passenger side door. To check your tread life, take a penny and place it in between the tread with Lincoln’s head pointed down. If you can see the top of the former President’s head, it is recommended that you replace your tires before embarking on your trip. Many regions have patterns of afternoon rain storms that could be dangerous on tires without adequate tread. Also, be sure to check the valve stem for cracks.

Fluids – Heat will wreak havoc on an engine. Make sure your vehicle has plenty of vital fluids to keep your engine cool and vacation on track.

Be sure to change your oil before hitting the road and consider using thicker weight oil than you might normally use as the summer heat will thin the oil. Check and replace or refill each of the fluids under your vehicles hood, including: transmission fluid, differential fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid and coolant.

Motor Engine Components

Battery and cables – Inspect the terminals on your battery. If they are corroded, clean the terminals with a mixture of baking soda and water. Also be on the lookout for any cracks or dirt. Hot weather drains the life from your battery quickly. Be sure to have it tested before setting out on your road trip to ensure your battery will make the trip with you and your family.

Radiator and hoses – Overheating is the leading cause of mechanical breakdowns on our nation’s highways. Check fluid levels in your radiator and for any cracks in the hoses connecting your radiator.

Other Components

Air Conditioning – The summer months bring the hottest temperatures in even the mildest climates. Checking to make sure your air conditioning is functioning properly before leaving will keep everyone smiling on your vacation. Turn the air conditioning on and cover a vent with your hand to check the fan speed and temperature of the air that is being produced. Be sure to listen for any unusual noises while it is running and then shut it off and listen for any noises.

Lights – Checking all interior and exterior lights on your vehicle will help keep you and your family safe on your journey. Have someone help you to check your headlights, high beams, turn signals, hazard lights, license plate light, brake lights, and interior lights.

Indicator lights – It’s never a good idea to drive with a check engine or other malfunctioning indicator light illuminated on your dash, especially on a long trip. Engine problems should be diagnosed and fixed prior to departure to keep your vehicle running smoothly throughout your trip.

Safety Kit – You never know what the road might bring, so be sure to prepare for common breakdowns with a small safety kit. Here is a list of items to include: basic tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers), a flashlight with fresh batteries, first aid kit, jumper cables, tire iron, jack, cell phone charger and drinking water in case you have to wait in hot temperatures for an extended period of time.

At Toyota of Tampa Bay we want to make sure you are safe on the road this summer. Feel free to bring your vehicle to Toyota of Tampa Bay for a road trip inspection before you embark on your journey if you are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with any of the safety checks described here.

You’ll be seeing and hearing a lot of safety messages from Toyota on television and radio, in magazines, on billboards and elsewhere as the company rolls out its new national advertising campaign. The ads, which use the tag line “Everyone deserves to be safe,” seek to draw consumers’ attention away from the company’s problems of the past six months with safety-related recalls. They call attention to the Star Safety System, which combines five safety technologies as standard equipment on all new Toyota models. The five features are: vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist. While the technology isn’t new, having it all on every vehicle in the lineup is unusual. The ads, which include Toyota owners and engineers talking about safety and quality, reflect a trend in the auto industry toward projecting a warmer, more personal image.

Source: [The Wall Street Journal]

Toyota Motor Corp is resuming construction of a plant in Mississippi that was put on hold during the economic downturn, and plans to make its top-selling Corolla sedan there starting in autumn 2011.

Toyota will hire 2,000 workers for the Blue Springs, Mississippi, facility, the company said on Thursday. Work on the plant had been suspended since December 2008 as the U.S. economy was plunging into recession.

The announcement reverses earlier plans to make Highlander sport-utility vehicles and Prius hybrid vehicles at the plant, and comes as U.S. auto sales are recovering from their worst downturn since the early 1980s.

“We first needed to fully utilize our existing facilities as the economy slowed. Now it’s time to fulfill Toyota’s promise in Mississippi,” said Yoshimi Inaba, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor North America.

Toyota, which undertook a massive recall of vehicles globally earlier this year, has forecast U.S. industry auto sales would rise to about 11.5 million vehicles in 2010 from 10.4 million last year.

Toyota’s U.S. sales rose 10.5 percent in the first five months of the year from last year, supported by hefty discounts to win back consumers in the wake of damaging safety recalls. Overall U.S. industry sales were up 17 percent.

The Japanese automaker said nearly all Corolla production for North America will be built at the Mississippi plant.

In April, Toyota closed a plant in Fremont, California, where it previously built the Corolla, after former partner General Motors Co pulled out of the joint venture as part of its post-bankruptcy restructuring. Since then, some Corollas for North America have been built in Japan, with the rest coming from a plant in Canada.

“Toyota remains committed to making vehicles where we sell them and to maintaining a substantial manufacturing presence in North America,” Inaba said.

The automaker will continue to import the popular Prius hybrids, which are built at plants in Japan and China. However, officials said Toyota still plans to build the car in North America, although a decision on timing has not been made.

Toyota officials said it was not economically feasible to operate the Fremont plant without a partner and it had made a commitment to get the Mississippi plant operating, and the fastest way to do that was by adding Corolla there.

Toyota said work on the Mississippi plant is essentially complete, with most of the remaining work involving equipment installation. Sixty people are already working in the administrative offices, and hiring for the rest of the jobs will begin in August or September.

Source: [Reuters]

Just like the gym or the workplace, a dog park is a social place with its own set of proper etiquette guidelines. But what that means in a dog park isn’t always obvious. With the help of Charlotte Reed (author of The Miss Fido Manners Complete Book of Dog Etiquette) and Cheryl Smith (a certified dog behavior consultant and author of Visiting the Dog Park: Having Fun, Staying Safe), we set the record straight on some important aspects of dog park decorum.

Q: I’m very protective of my small dog. I want her to have fun at the park, but I don’t want her to get hurt. Can I keep her on the leash so that I’m always close and can pull her out of rough situations?

A: Sorry, but no. A dog park is specifically for off-leash play. “A leash can create different reactions in the leashed dog, who feels constrained and unable to react as he or she may wish,” says Smith. “Leashes can create barrier frustration,” she says. This is a common dog behavior issue, where dogs may lash out because they don’t feel in control. If you’re still concerned about your pet, you might consider trying to establish an event for small dogs only at your local dog park.

Q: My dog gets really thirsty after running around in the park. Should I bring his water bowl for drink breaks?

A: Only if you bring him outside the park for the break. It’s too hard to keep the other dogs away from your bowl, and both Reed and Smith point out that a communal water bowl is also a communal germ pool. Nasty bugs like giardia can spread through water.

Q: What about treats? Since I dole those out by hand, they’re something I can control.

A: It’s not a good idea to give your dog food in front of other dogs. Not only might you get mobbed and knocked over by jealous, hungry dogs, but other owners could also become agitated. This tip additionally applies to food you might bring for yourself. “The smell and sight of it will rile up the dogs,” says Reed.

Q: Aside from being a great place to exercise my dog, isn’t the dog park also a perfect place to find love?

A: Perhaps, but keep the former purpose at the forefront. Reed once witnessed a flirty woman become so enamored with a male dog owner that she didn’t notice her terrier escape the dog park and run away. The dog was smart enough to run home, but as Reed points out, “You should love the ones you’re with and not lose them by looking for love at the dog park.”

Q: My dog is always well behaved and can fend for herself. Is it OK for me to leave her in the park for 20 minutes while I run to the store?

A: Absolutely not. You are responsible for your dog’s actions, so you need to be there. “Believe it or not, people do this,” says Smith. “But the park is not to baby-sit your unattended dog while you go off and run some errands.”

Q: I appreciate that my dog gets to play, but I also like to use the dog park as a way to relax. It’s not as if my dog is a 2-year-old child, so is it OK to bring a book to read?

A: No! Your dog is like a 2-year-old child, and you need to pay attention. Do this for the sake of his or her safety, and for the sake of the other dogs. And speaking of 2-year-olds, you might notice that dogs poop whenever and wherever they want, and it’s your responsibility to pick it up. “Piles of poop are the prime reason dog parks are shut down or never open in the first place,” says Smith. Most people are happy to clean up after their dogs, so a poop-filled dog park is likely the result of people who don’t pay attention.

Source: [My Fox Tampa Bay]