Local News
Related Photos
Toyota jobs said to be safe
More than 2 million Toyota vehicles were recalled in January due to defective accelerator pedals, shutting down one local assembly line. Despite this, a Morehead resident who is an employee at Toyota’s Georgetown plant said jobs there are secure.
According to a press release submitted by the Toyota Corporation Feb. 1, the accelerator pedals are sticking due to an excess amount of friction causing vehicles to accelerate in great amounts of speed. Toyota announced it was recalling 2.3 million select Toyota Division vehicles on Jan. 21. The following models identified as being involved in the recall are:
• Certain 2009-2010 RAV4
• Certain 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2009-2010 Matrix
• 2005 Avalon
• Certain 2007-2010 Camry
• Certain 2010 Highlander
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2008-2010 Sequoia
“We have two production lines,” said Assistant Manager of Media Relations Rick Hesterberg. “Line one is where the Camrys and Avalons are built. Line two Camry, Camry Hybrid and Venza. Line one is shut down and line two is not. There is a good reason for that. The pedal supplier for line one is different than the pedal supplier for line two. The pedals for line two are not in question and so production continues.”
There are 2,500 assemblers who work on line one. A fraction of the employees are from Rowan County.
“We have 15 team members that live in the Rowan County area,” Hesterberg said. “Fortunately, the recall has not had an impact on any of our team members. We have not had to send anyone home. We have kept everyone working.”
Hesterberg recalled an incident that occurred a year ago when the national economy first collapsed and the auto industry began to suffer.
“We kept our team members working,” he said. “We gave our employees options. They can stay home and take a vacation day and still get their eight hours. They can come in and clean, do maintenance work or they can take the day off without pay. Our doors are always open to our employees so they can still receive their pay.”
The Georgetown plant is the largest in Northern America, Hesterberg said.
“Our plant is on 1,300 acres of land and our facility is the size of 156 football fields,” he said. “We have the capacity to build 500,000 vehicles and engines a year.”
Toyota has great employees, Hesterberg said.
“Our team members have a lot of pride in what they do,” he said. “We have won more JD Power Quality Plant award and that is a tribute to our team members.”
Hesterberg said he did not have the actual number of recalled vehicles built by the Georgetown facility.
The process for notification and repairing vehicles is simple, according to Hesterberg.
“They (consumers) will receive letters from their dealerships and then they can start scheduling time for repairs,” he said. “Repairs can be done relatively quick. The estimated time for repair of each vehicle is 30 minutes. Some dealerships will have extended hours in attempt to service all of our customers.”
The Toyota Corporation plans to do everything it can to satisfy its customers, Hesterberg said.
“We are going to make absolutely sure that our customers can continue to be confident that we stand behind the safety and reliability of our vehicles,” he said.
- Local News
-
-
Hero comes home
A U.S. Navy honor guard carried the remains of SOC Collin T. Thomas from a chartered aircraft that landed Friday at the Clyde A. Thomas Regional Airport.
-
CHER dedication attracts overflow crowd
The new $30 million Center for Health, Education and Research at St. Claire Regional Medical Center was dedicated Friday in a joyful celebration that attracted more than 400 persons, including two governors.
-
Nineteen indicted by grand jury
A Morehead man was indicted by a Rowan County grand jury Aug. 20 for the alleged sodomy of a juvenile under age 12 more than two decades ago.
-
Pharmacy burglar pleads guilty
A Clearfield man pled guilty last month in Rowan Circuit Court to the 2007 break-in of Holbrook Drug store. Kenneth Eldridge, 20, of Clearfield was sentenced to six years in prison probated for five years.
-
Sex offender gets two years behind bars
A former Morehead Inspiration Center Program Director and Pathways employee was sentenced Friday to two years in prison for child pornography.
-
Fallen officer remembered by daughter
The daughter of one of Morehead’s law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty has fond memories of her father.
-
MSU basketball program on probation
Morehead State University’s men’s basketball program has been placed on probation for two years after the NCAA determined the program had committed violations in its recruiting related to a booster activity.
-
Motorist charged with murder
A Lewis County man was indicted by a Rowan County grand jury Friday on two counts of murder, accused of killing a Clearfield couple in a car accident.
-
'Bigger and better': Poppy Mountain back to tradition
The legend of the third weekend in September continues this year as, after a short time away, Marty Stevens returns as the owner and promoter of Poppy Mountain.
-
Former jailer pleads guilty to DUI
Former jailer Tim Bryant has pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a vehicle.
- More Local News Headlines
-
