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2015 Chevy Tahoe gets Police Patrol Vehicle treatment

That was fast. Mere days after showing a Police Concept based on the 2015 Tahoe at the SEMA Show, Chevrolet has announced that it will build a PPV model based on the SUV to do battle with the Ford Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer) and Dodge Durango Special Service.
You'll recall that the Tahoe has been police staple for several years, predating both the Explorer and Durango police variants, so the fact that the new model would spawn a police variant is hardly surprising. Like the civilian model, the 2015 PPV benefits from a more efficient 5.3-liter, direct-injection V8 that pumps out 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. It also features more high-strength steel, offering better crash protection, on top of optional safety items like lane departure warning, forward collision alert and a Safety Alert Seat.
The press release is rather light on police-specific items, aside from the auxiliary battery, which keeps the myriad of electronics in a modern police car running even when the engine isn't. Lightbars, 17-inch steel wheels on Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires and a push bar round out the mods for the Tahoe PPV. The cabin features a revised center console and room for laptop and other equipment mounts.

Body shop manager stole over $500,000 worth of government trucks and parts

The US Department of Justice announced yesterday that the manager of a collision and restoration business in Virginia admitted he helped misappropriate and sell vehicles and parts from the State Department. Specifically, he sold 12 Chevrolet Suburbans, a Hummer, and $7,500 worth of tires and wheels. He pled guilty to charges to commit theft of government property and wire fraud. He will likely see 18 to 20 months in prison, a fine of $4,000 to $40,000, and has already agreed to pay restitution of $416,020 and asset forfeiture of the same amount. According to the Department of Justice, the body shop manager, James Ratcliffe, worked with the owner of the business and a State Department official, both unnamed, to obtain the property. It started with the wheels and tires, which were delivered and sold on two occasions, one in 2011 and another in 2012. The trucks came later, and were sold throughout 2011 and 2013. Ratcliffe and the shop owner kept most of the profits, and shared some of the leftovers with the government official. In addition to the vehicles that were sold, the government official also gave Ratcliffe a pair of Suburbans for his own personal use. The Department of Justice estimated the total value of the SUVs at $96,400. In total, the group misappropriated $512,420 worth of property. Related Video:

UAW to vote on strike at Kentucky Corvette plant

The current wait time for a new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is well, not short. With word of a strike at the Bowling Green, KY factory responsible for seventh-generation sports car, though, that wait time could end up growing substantially.
Now, a strike is still a ways off. UAW Local 2164, which represents the 800 workers responsible for screwing the Corvette together, is set to vote on authorizing a strike today, but even if the employees give the action a go, it's far from a sure thing. According to The Tennessean, both regional and national union officials would need to put their stamp of approval on strike action.
"The membership has to vote to strike, but it's just a step in the process," said Gary Casteel, the UAW's Region 8 director and one of the people that would need to authorize a strike action. Casteel told The Tennessean, "It's purely a local situation, though. They are having some issues with the local management."