The Liberty Coach Prevost H3-45 Triple Slide-out now features new, environmentally friendly battery technology with a lithium iron phosphate battery system.

This system uses a nontoxic disposable battery that has a much longer life cycle than the older battery system. And fewer batteries are required to power the on-board electronics and other systems in a triple-slide coach, resulting in a weight savings.

The new system has a higher price tag than the previous battery system, but it has an increased life expectancy.

This system is being installed on all Triple Slide H3-45 models. By mid-summer, the company anticipates installing it in the double-slide models as well.

Nissan also said that the construction of its lithium-ion battery plant in Sunderland will kick start next month and will initiate its operation in 2012 where it will produce batteries for both Nissan and Renault.

Both projects in the UK demands more than 420 million GBP of capital injection which will be supported by by a 20.7 million GBP Grant for Business Investment (GBI) from the UK Government and a proposed finance package from the European Investment Bank of up to 197.3 million GBP. About 50,000 LEAFs will be rolled out each year while the battery plant will be able to output about 60,000 units per annum.

Nissan claims that the LEAF is the “world’s first affordable, mass produced zero emission car”. Its a five-seater C-segment hatchback with a range of about 160 kilometers over a full charge. It has a top speed of 140 km/h and can be recharged up to 80% in under 30 minutes using a rapid charging system.

The factory - Saft’s 16th wholly owned facility worldwide and 6th within the U.S. - will begin production during the second half of 2011. Saft has contracted the Haskell Company to provide the design-build services for the project.

“There’s something radically wrong. It’s either with the school or the personnel running the school,” said Hopkins grandparent Michael Gregory.

Disorderly conduct, battery, and assault are among the list of offenses. It’s unsatisfactory for many parents.

“Don’t come here to fight. Don’t come here to rabble rouse. Don’t come to draw a lot of attention to yourself,” said parent Beatrice Lee. “This is a school of learning.”

District administrators take some blame for the recent escalation of trouble at Hopkins.

Superintendent Julie Janssen says monthly disciplinary reports never made it to her desk due to a retirement.

“There was someone in our system who should’ve said that or should’ve called to get those reports,” said Janssen. “So we had a couple of processes that broke down.”

At a meeting Tuesday, the head of schools and the Police Chief talked about the oversight and the problems at Hopkins. They agree that arresting kids in many cases is not the solution.

“I’m not for criminalizing mischief behvaior and holding that against a kid for the rest of his life,” said Chief Chuck Harmon.

Pinellas Schools and police may partner with community organizations. The district recently lost funding for one of its intervention programs.

“We’ve got to determine something that we do in place of that,” said Janssen.

In the middle of al this is also a fight over words. School Board Chair Janet Clark called the troubled students “hoodlums”. The remark sparked a firestorm and allegations of racism. Clark stands by what she said.

“I’m not going to step down and I don’t even think I’m going to apologize for the word I used,” said Clark.

Parents have varying opinions about Clark’s terminology.

“You shouldn’t call the students hoodlums, being an administrator,” Chico Cromartia told FOX 13.
“They’re hoodlums because their parents don’t teach them right. All children need to know respect,” said Rebecca Thieme.

Tuesday, Janssen met the new supervisor of the district’s school resource officer, Major Hope Crews. Harmon says Crews will play a major role in improving the situation at Hopinks and across the district.

Crews used to be a district commander in the neighborhood where Hopkins is located. Harmon says many of the school conflicts begin in the neighborhood, then spill onto campus.

Bry (16-5, 1.34 ERA in 2009) and OPRF senior catcher Lauren Flannery have spent many summers as batterymates with the Oak Park Windmills.

The Huskies (27-8, 11-1 last year) had an abundance of catchers on the roster last season. OPRF coach Mel Kolbusz was determined to find a spot for Flannery in the lineup, and did so by moving her to left field.

Flannery (.356, 30 RBIs in ‘09) will play next season for Winona State (Minn.).

“They had all summer to become familiar with each other,” Kolbusz said. “I think they’ve been playing together since they were 12 years old.”

Flannery and Bry both earned all-West Suburban Conference Silver Division honors last year.

“Lauren is a tremendous leader who has the ability to make everyone around her better,” said Winona State coach Greg Jones after Flannery signed last November. “She is a very accomplished defensive catcher and hitter who has played at the highest level with both her high school and summer programs.”

Bry, who signed with Butler University, pitched 130 1/3 innings a year ago, striking out 171 and walking only 11.

Those two will be the veterans this season, as the Huskies graduated 10 players from last year’s squad.

“We’re a little young, a little inexperienced,” Kolbusz said. “Leah will have to carry us for a while.”

Kolbusz said it may take a few games before he starts writing out a starting lineup in ink.

“I’ll have a lineup for the first game, but I’m not sure it will be the right lineup,” Kolbusz said. “It’s one thing to look good in the gym and another to look good in a game. I’ll play the best nine batters and the nine best fielders. Nothing will be etched in stone right away.”

The Huskies’ other NCAA Division I recruit is senior Marisa Belpedio, who signed with Western Michigan.

Belpedio (.295, 11 RBIs in ‘09), who was the DH most of last season, could fill a vacancy at first base. She had an excellent summer season with the Illinois Bandits, hitting .327 with a .561 slugging percentage. She had two home runs, five doubles, six triples and 17 RBIs.

Seniors Hannah Press (.244, 8 RBIs), Kristin Wirtz (.294) and Micheline Figel (.375) saw limited playing time last spring.

Wirtz will play field hockey next season at Northwestern University.

The Huskies have a talented nucleus of juniors in Ann Ryan (infield), Alana Weitzenfeld (infield), Emily Bacalao (outfield), Erin Flanagan (infield), Becky Barron (catcher), Anna Munz (first base), Kelly O’Meara (catcher/outfield), Jasmine Davis (outfield), Julie Paoli (first base) and Kylee Nilsson (pitcher). The entire roster hit well during the preseason.

Kolbusz, however, wants to see the hits in games before declaring the Huskies an offensive machine.

“They hit very well in the batting cage when the ball is right down the middle,” Kolbusz said. “Let’s see how they look against an opponent.”

Kolbusz said expectations for the Huskies — outside of the program — are not high going into the season. Preseason rankings by the Illinois Coaches Association left the Huskies out of the top 25.

“It’s fine to be under the radar,” Kolbusz said. “I won’t lose any sleep over it.”

The Huskies have won the WSC Silver Division title every year since 2005. Glenbard West will likely be the major obstacle in the path of another title this spring.

Accordingly, on March 11, at 10.20 a.m. local time, a gas explosion occurred during scheduled steam-cleaning operations carried out on a pipeline used for recycling coke gas at Mechel-Coke’s coke shop No. 2. The gas pipeline in question was destroyed, while one worker was killed and another taken to hospital. Damage was caused to structures close to the pipeline.

“Repair works are planned to take about two weeks. A new production program is being prepared to minimize the negative effects of the accident to Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant’s and Mechel-Coke’s operations. Demand for coke from Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant’s blast furnace production shop will be fully satisfied,” reads the company’s statement.

A special commission has been set up to investigate the causes and after-effects of the accident.

As clocks move ahead this weekend, Tennessee State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Leslie A. Newman would like to remind Tennesseans to change their homes’ smoke alarm batteries, as well.

“‘Change your clock, change your battery‘ is an easy phrase to remember and practice, when you update your clocks this weekend,” says Newman. “Smoke alarms, even those that are hard-wired, should have their batteries replaced regularly and be tested monthly to ensure you have the protection you need,” Newman says. “Use this time to protect your home and family.”

A working smoke alarm will double your survival chances during a home fire by giving you the critical time needed to escape. Most home fires occur at night when people are sleeping. The smoke and toxic gases from a fire can cause you to sleep more deeply, diminishing the chances of survival.

More than 90 percent of all American homes have smoke alarms, but as many as one-third of them don’t work — because of old or missing batteries. It is critical to replace batteries regularly — even if they appear to be working fine. Twice a year is recommended. This helps prevent the warning, low-battery “chirp” emitted by alarms. All too often, alarm batteries are removed but not replaced, putting home occupants at risk. There is no way to predict when a fire will occur, and just one night in a home without a working smoke alarm can prove dangerous. Replacing batteries for daylight-saving time is just one fire safety step. Here are a few more:

* Smoke alarms should be put inside and outside every room where residents sleep, and on each home level. All residents should know how the alarm sounds and what it means.

* Smoke alarms need to be cleaned and maintained according to their instructions.

* Have a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room; teach it to everyone in the home, especially children.

* When the smoke alarm sounds, get out of the home immediately and go to a pre-planned meeting place.

The semiannual time changes are great reminders to change the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors,” Cole said.

At 2 a.m. Sunday, daylight saving time goes into effect, and most of the U.S. “springs ahead” one hour.

It is reported that zinc - air batteries with energy density, long storage time, long life, stable performance, non-toxic harmless, low production costs, etc., is a very good energy storage material. Late last year, Yanqing County, a signed four billion yuan of new energy projects, including photovoltaic power generation, wind power generation, this zinc - air battery project introduction Yanqing expanded the field of development of new energy industries, as well as the city stretched the Yanqing The new energy industrial chain.

It is understood that the Air Force has a long city authorities signed an electric buses and electric cars sanitation project cooperation letter of intent, plans to produce 100 electric buses next year, the battery and 300 electric vehicle batteries sanitation by 2013 to achieve zinc — Air Battery large-scale production, reaching an annual output of 1000 and 1000 electric buses battery electric vehicle batteries the size of sanitation.

The company on Tuesday said it lost $22.3 million, or 22 cents per share, in the three months that ended Dec. 31, compared with a net loss of $28.5 million, or $3.08, a year earlier. The company’s revenue rose to $24.5 million from $23.6 million in the same period a year earlier.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters on average expected the company to lose 22 cents per share.

A123 went public in September, and it’s signed a series of deals since.

In January, the company agreed to supply Fisker Automotive, a high-tech startup company, with batteries for its Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid vehicle, which is to launch late this year.

A123 also will supply General Motors Co. partner SAIC Motor Corp. with batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles.

CEO David Vieau said in a statement that the company’s “momentum is strong entering 2010.”

For all of 2009, A123 lost $85.8 million, or $2.55 a share, compared with a loss of $80.5 million, or $9.04, in 2008. Full-year revenue rose 33 percent to $91 million.

A123’s shares edged up 29 cents to $17.04 after hours Tuesday. They closed the regular session unchanged at $16.75.