| Road Test: 2007 Toyota Matrix
NOTE: Since I found the automatic transmission to be rather lethargic I also took the opportunity to test drive the manual version. The manual version is the base model, while the automatic version is the XR edition, and throughout the review I will note where each differ.
First Impressions
When I first spotted the Matrix XR in the parking lot, I was struck by the color. It's eye-popping in the sunlight - absolutely gorgeous. It's called Speedway Blue by Toyota, but Electric Blue would be a better description. The manual version was Radiant Red – a very appropriate name.
Climbing behind the thick 3-spoke steering wheel, it felt upright and was not what I'd expected. It's more in line with the feel of the PT Cruiser or even a mini van than I would have guessed.
NR staffer wins regional photography honor
Bronson's published photos beat out those of photographers from The Oregonian, The Seattle Times, The Anchorage Daily News, The Register-Guard, The Olympian and numerous others.
Bronson, who started with The News-Review in March 1999, had compiled enough points to be in the region's Top 10 three times before, but he never had made it this close to the top.
"It's nice to know people know you can do good work," he said.
Bronson learned of his top finish in an e-mail while on vacation in Cambodia. A fellow photojournalist from The Seattle Times alerted him to the news. He was visiting former N-R photographer Jerry Redfern and his wife, Karen Coates.
Bronson said the Graffiti photo and a photo of 4-H kids playing cards on the back of a cow lying in hay had received a lot of positive feedback from colleagues.
Homage to history
Developers of a new mixed-use project in Fairhope have named it Founders Square in honor of the city's founding fathers -- including their great-grandfather, Lawrence Bernhardt. Bernhardt settled in Fairhope in 1897 and was one of the original founders, according to Mike Bernhardt, who bought property at 76 Section St. 18 months ago, along with his cousin, Tim Jackson of Pensacola. The mixed-use development will have two main buildings with four commercial units and four condominium units fronting Section Street, then 10 condo units at the rear of the property on Founders Lane. The property has 120 front feet on Section Street and is 256 feet deep. So far, seven of the 14 residential units and three of the commercial spaces have sold, he said.
Council wants to shed light
One compact fluorescent lamp will be provided for each household in Irvine, paid for by Southern California Edison. The bulbs – compared to regular, incandescent bulbs – last six to 10 times longer, use 75 percent less energy and reduce carbon emissions by 285 kg per bulb per year. The city began giving out compact fluorescent lamps in 1999 and since then has distributed 8,500 bulbs. The new effort will distribute a total of 60,000 bulbs in classrooms and at events such as UC Irvine Earth Day and the Woodbridge Street Fair. The city's ramped-up effort was inspired by a letter received by Councilman Sukhee Kang from www.18seconds.org/ – a project by Yahoo and AC Nielson to encourage Americans to use CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps).
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