Major Motors

Joseph Tacchetti has seen everything during his 44 years in the car business.The 76-year-old Columbia resident started selling Studebakers. And then Plymouths. He now sells Nissans at Major Motors, the profitable Ellicott City dealership he has operated since 1969.Now, instead of striving to sell cars, Mr. Tacchetti is fighting to keep his dealership.He says Nissan Motor Corp. is trying to shut him down. Company officials have told him that they are unhappy with his dealership's performance and that he is too old to run the business, he says.

Joseph Tacchetti was in a whirlwind of legal troubles.Nissan Motor Corp. was attempting to revoke the franchise for his Major Motors dealership in Ellicott City. His marriage of 58 years was on the skids. And his estranged wife was undertaking a "hostile takeover" of the dealership in Howard Circuit Court."It had all the potential of being devastating," said Richard Kinlein, an Ellicott City attorney who represents Mr. Tacchetti. "But it's one of those cases where everybody ends up happy."

An Ellicott City car dealership will expand part of its operation by next May to the site of the Sir Walter Raleigh Inn, which closed last month.Nissan West will move from 8594 Baltimore National Pike to the former restaurant site at 8569 Baltimore National Pike, next to Nissan West's parent company, Acura West.Nissan West and Acura West are owned by Gerald Maizlish, who has been looking to expand the Nissan West operation since he bought it from Major Motors in June, said Mark Kahler, operations manager for Acura West and Nissan West.

Although economists say the recession has ended, Maryland motorists are still holding on to their money.Consumers across the nation celebrated the election of Bill Clinton with a spending spree that boosted sales of new cars 17 percent last month, compared with November 1991. But this wave of consumer confidence seemed to bypass Maryland, according to figures released yesterday by the state Motor Vehicle Administration.Maryland dealers sold 284 fewer cars last month than they did in November 1991, which wasn't a particularly good month.

5 at concert charged with drug violationsFive concert-goers were arrested for alleged drug violations and two others were the victims of an attempted robbery at a Saturday rock concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion, police said.Police said four adults and a juvenile were arrested and charged with either possession of marijuana or possession of drug paraphernalia. Police said most of the arrests were done before or during the first hour of the Jimmy Buffett concert.Arrested were: Michael J. Scott, 18, and Andrew J. Scott, 22, both of Berlin; Jason K. Root, 18, and Jason Fipps, 18, both of Columbia; and a Columbia juvenile.

William D. BrownBuilding inspectorWilliam D. Brown, a retired Baltimore County building inspector and former owner of a popular Reisterstown Road tavern, died Thursday of complications from a stroke at his Reisterstown home. He was 96.He bought the Fifteen Mile House near Owings Mills in 1927 after briefly working with his brother as a partner in the John Brown Grocery Store at the intersection of Falls and Shawan roads.He took over the business when it was a country grocery store and filling station and, after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, added a bar room.

Two are mugged in Columbia incidentsCounty police reported two robberies in Columbia Wednesday.Just after midnight, a 33-year-old man was attacked and robbed by five men near a footbridge leading to the Mall in Columbia.The man was walking toward the bridge over U.S. 29 when the men threw him to the ground and kicked him.Police said the victim, who did not get a good look at his attackers, was robbed of $13 and a watch. He suffered bruises to his arms and face.At 4:30 p.m., a 16-year-old Columbia boy was robbed of his necklace and ring by several youths on the 6900 block of Cradlerock Way.Three youths, whom the victim knew, have been charged as juveniles in the robbery and released to their parents.

Laurel man charged with drug distributionA 23-year-old Laurel man, who escaped from police during a drug raid two weeks ago, was arrested at his home Thursday and charged with drug distribution and fleeing officers.During the drug raid, an officer whom police refused to identify accidentally shot himself in the right thigh, police said.Joseph Henry Daniels, of the 9700 block of Covered Wagon Drive, was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia, police said.

William D. BrownBuilding inspectorWilliam D. Brown, a retired Baltimore County building inspector and former owner of a popular Reisterstown Road tavern, died Thursday of complications from a stroke at his Reisterstown home. He was 96.He bought the Fifteen Mile House near Owings Mills in 1927 after briefly working with his brother as a partner in the John Brown Grocery Store at the intersection of Falls and Shawan roads.He took over the business when it was a country grocery store and filling station and, after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, added a bar room.

An Ellicott City car dealership will expand part of its operation by next May to the site of the Sir Walter Raleigh Inn, which closed last month.Nissan West will move from 8594 Baltimore National Pike to the former restaurant site at 8569 Baltimore National Pike, next to Nissan West's parent company, Acura West.Nissan West and Acura West are owned by Gerald Maizlish, who has been looking to expand the Nissan West operation since he bought it from Major Motors in June, said Mark Kahler, operations manager for Acura West and Nissan West.

Joseph Tacchetti was in a whirlwind of legal troubles.Nissan Motor Corp. was attempting to revoke the franchise for his Major Motors dealership in Ellicott City. His marriage of 58 years was on the skids. And his estranged wife was undertaking a "hostile takeover" of the dealership in Howard Circuit Court."It had all the potential of being devastating," said Richard Kinlein, an Ellicott City attorney who represents Mr. Tacchetti. "But it's one of those cases where everybody ends up happy."

Although economists say the recession has ended, Maryland motorists are still holding on to their money.Consumers across the nation celebrated the election of Bill Clinton with a spending spree that boosted sales of new cars 17 percent last month, compared with November 1991. But this wave of consumer confidence seemed to bypass Maryland, according to figures released yesterday by the state Motor Vehicle Administration.Maryland dealers sold 284 fewer cars last month than they did in November 1991, which wasn't a particularly good month.

Joseph Tacchetti has seen everything during his 44 years in the car business.The 76-year-old Columbia resident started selling Studebakers. And then Plymouths. He now sells Nissans at Major Motors, the profitable Ellicott City dealership he has operated since 1969.Now, instead of striving to sell cars, Mr. Tacchetti is fighting to keep his dealership.He says Nissan Motor Corp. is trying to shut him down. Company officials have told him that they are unhappy with his dealership's performance and that he is too old to run the business, he says.

Laurel man charged with drug distributionA 23-year-old Laurel man, who escaped from police during a drug raid two weeks ago, was arrested at his home Thursday and charged with drug distribution and fleeing officers.During the drug raid, an officer whom police refused to identify accidentally shot himself in the right thigh, police said.Joseph Henry Daniels, of the 9700 block of Covered Wagon Drive, was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia, police said.

Two are mugged in Columbia incidentsCounty police reported two robberies in Columbia Wednesday.Just after midnight, a 33-year-old man was attacked and robbed by five men near a footbridge leading to the Mall in Columbia.The man was walking toward the bridge over U.S. 29 when the men threw him to the ground and kicked him.Police said the victim, who did not get a good look at his attackers, was robbed of $13 and a watch. He suffered bruises to his arms and face.At 4:30 p.m., a 16-year-old Columbia boy was robbed of his necklace and ring by several youths on the 6900 block of Cradlerock Way.Three youths, whom the victim knew, have been charged as juveniles in the robbery and released to their parents.

5 at concert charged with drug violationsFive concert-goers were arrested for alleged drug violations and two others were the victims of an attempted robbery at a Saturday rock concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion, police said.Police said four adults and a juvenile were arrested and charged with either possession of marijuana or possession of drug paraphernalia. Police said most of the arrests were done before or during the first hour of the Jimmy Buffett concert.Arrested were: Michael J. Scott, 18, and Andrew J. Scott, 22, both of Berlin; Jason K. Root, 18, and Jason Fipps, 18, both of Columbia; and a Columbia juvenile.