• What to do with all those big gleaming spaces that once housed (now-closed) car dealerships? Many are being repurposed as restaurants, schools, day care centers, and even yoga studios. (AP)

• Meanwhile, are the complexities of modern car models stumping independent mechanics, and even pushing them to the point of obsolescence? (AP)

• Over in Russia, many analysts believe that the recession has ended (yeah, they say the same thing over here). What’s up for the country in 2010? Infrastructure spending, on areas like electricity and transportation (which the Russians apparently call an “embarrassment industry” — we’ll refrain from judgment). (Moscow Times)

• The California water crisis is about to go from “minor crisis” to “major crisis,” with recent droughts leaving water levels at half of what they need to be to sustain the state’s usage. (60 Minutes)

• U.S. News & World Reports lists “Civil Engineer” as one of the 50 best careers of 2010, with the following plug: “With a vast array of jobs, your duties might entail traffic concerns on residential streets, wetlands management, or huge construction projects like skyscrapers or stadiums. Jobs tend to be stable, since infrastructure isn’t optional…” We heartily agree.  (USN)

• And finally, for Maryland residents, here are your top 10 transportation stories of the decade. (Baltimore Sun)