Everyone is happy with Nevada’s Senator Richard Bryan. He has cut a deal with Michigan Senators that will allow for a study of whether fuel efficiency standards should be toughened, thus allowing both the environmentalists and the auto industry to declare victory.

Bryan, who has long been an advocate for higher Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) levels, says this agreement calls for both the National Academy of Sciences and the Transportation Department to evaluate whether automakers can get larger fuel savings out of new cars and sports utility vehicles. The agreement has been placed onto a transportation spending bill. This bill will go next to a conference committee where it will be reconciled with a House version that bans studies into CAFE.

"No tank you," say the Las Vegas Convention Authority officials. While they expect local summer tourism to remain fairly strong, they are concerned the higher gasoline prices will lower the number of out-of-towners who would normally drive to Las Vegas.

The NPMA has elected Bryan Reed, Reed Inc., Ely, as a new officer. He is an immediate past president. The directors are Myneer Walker, Petroleum Distributors Inc., Reno; Richard Crawford, Green Valley Grocers, Las Vegas; Keith Stewart, Stewart Environmental, Las Vegas, Steve Johnson, Berry-Hinkley Industries, Reno; Peggy Smitten, Smitten Oil & Tire, Fallon; Lyle Norcross, Norcross Service Stations, East Ely, and Mark Smith, Morton’s Flying J Travel Plaza, North Las Vegas. The state executive is Peter Krueger, Reno.

Clark County, under a federal mandate to reduce carbon monoxide, has had a ruling in effect since 1997 to force oil companies not only to sell cleaner gasoline than required by federal law during winter months, but also to supply only ethanol-treated fuel to Clark County. Recently, Chevron Corp. and Exxon Mobil Corp. have lost a court challenge of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruling that allows individual states to set clean fuel standards tougher than the federal government’s. It is good news for Clark County.

The Las Vegas racing brothers, Tim, Ed, and Troy, sons of Jerry Herbst, the owner of Terrible Herbst Oil Company, are busy gearing up for the Baja 2000 in November. Regarded as Mexico’s Super Bowl since the first race held 32 years ago, it’s considered to be the largest nonstop motorsports event ever, covering 2,000 miles. As usual, the Herbst helicopter will be hovering over the action. Their Dad, Jerry Herbst (who underwent quadruple bypass surgery earlier this year), will be watching from the sidelines. He says he gets just as big a thrill from watching his sons as he did when he was racing during the ’60’s and ’70’s.

Mark your calendars for the POC 2000 conference scheduled for Sept. 19-21 in Reno, Nevada. POC has arranged for package stays in Reno to include the Reno Air Races the weekend before the POC and/or the Street Vibrations Harley Celebration the following weekend at the POC room rate.

It’s not a moment too soon to mark your calendar for the Western Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Expo to be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, Feb. 20-22, 2001.

The WPMA post-convention Irish/Scottish Interlude May 20-31 was an unqualified success! Not even a little rain dampened the spirits of the 40 happy travelers. The first stop was Dromoland Castle, County Claire, Ireland. That evening we attended a medieval banquet in nearby Knappoque Castle which, by the way, was standing when Columbus made his famous voyage. We enjoyed five-star hotel accommodations, an excellent guide, a chance to renew old friendships with our fellow travelers and a superbly planned itinerary. There was something for everyone, historic sites galore, castles everywhere, excellent golf courses, and a never-to-be-forgotten tour of Trinity College and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Originally published in the August 2000 issue of the O&A Marketing News.
Copyright 2000 by KAL Publications Inc.