Posts in Uncategorized

• November 20, 2009

  Operation Santa!

  Show Producers  | 

  Attention parents -- you don't have to tell your children that they can't write to Santa Claus this year!

  Children can still send their letters to Santa to be answered, as USPS Agency spokesperson Pam Moody says the Postal Service will continue to run their Operation Santa Program. What has changed, is that generally addressed letters to “Santa Claus, North Pole” will no longer be forwarded to volunteers in the Alaskan town of North Pole. However, Mayor Isaacson has stated that letters addressed to "Santa House, North Pole, Alaska" or "Santa's Mailbag, North Pole, Alaska"  will get a reply.

  Of course, for some the concern remains that names, addresses and other private information about small children could get into the wrong hands. However, United States Postal Service policy now prohibits volunteers in such programs to have access to children's last names and addresses.

  Now, where’s my pen?

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• April 3, 2009

  Check out Dr. Debt's Tips

  Show Producers  | 

  **New tips are on the way**

  TOP FIVE WAYS TO AVOID FALLING INTO DEBT:

  1. Create a budget and stick to it!

  Keep your credit card and credit line balances low. Determine your limit on each account and try to keep your balance below 50 percent of the limit. This will prevent your credit score from being docked and will help you avoid over-limit fees.

  2. Watch how much you spend.

  How much is too much? Your credit obligations should be limited to no more than 20 percent of your monthly income. Compare your total debt payments (auto loan, credit cards, student loans, and all other consumer debts but not rent or mortgage) to your take-home pay for the month. Do not take on more debt if it means exceeding 20 percent of your income.

  3. Learn to save money.

  Try to put aside some extra money during each pay period, no matter how little that amount might be. Even $5 or $10 each month can add up surprisingly fast. And most importantly, you'll establish a good habit that will help you with your finances while creating an emergency fund.

  4. Use debit cards.

  They're a great way to monitor your spending. Debit cards still offer the convenience of credit cards, but unlike a credit card, debit cards only allow you to spend money that is already in your account.

  5. Get educated through credit counseling.

  Nonprofit organizations like the National Foundation for Credit Counseling web site serve as knowledgeable, personal resources for consumers looking for credit and debt advice.

  TOP FIVE WAYS TO GET OUT OF DEBT:

  1. Make a personal assessment.

  The first step to getting out of debt is to honestly assess your situation. Gather all your bills. Write down the due dates, balances and interest rates for all credit cards so that you can see which debts are costing you the most.

  2. Learn from past mistakes.

  Once you have worked through your current situation, it's extremely important to learn from any past mistakes to avoid repeating them in the future. Yes, sometimes debt is unavoidable, due to a job loss or illness. But there are many simple ways for you to become more financially solvent in the future.

  3. Make a plan to get out of debt.

  First, create a budget and watch what you spend. Track household spending and plan ahead for expenses. Relying too heavily on credit cards each month can lead to dangerous over-consumption. Try paying cash or using debit cards for everyday expenses. It will help you realize the actual cost of simple things like gas and groceries, and non-essential items such as coffee shop lattes and dining out. Careful budgeting and monitoring can help you live within your means

  4. Cut back on the credit cards.

  It is also important to reduce the number of credit cards you use. Avoid using the credit cards that have high interest rates. Always try to pay off the entire balance every month. And if that isn't possible, pay off more than the minimum required by the credit card company. Remember that the only way to become truly debt-free is to pay off the entire balance.

  5. Don't hide.

  Instead of avoiding phone calls or letters from your creditors or or collection agencies acting on their behalf, be open and up front about your financial situation and all your different obligations. If you communicate with them, they can help you figure out a realistic option, such as negotiating the amount of debt owed, creating a payment plan, etc.

   

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• February 17, 2009

  Replay: Pay-Per-Mile Plan in MA

  Show Producers  | 

  'Happening Now' Talks About Pay-Per-Mile Plan

  Some drivers may be looking at a new fee soon.  Pay-per-mile might be coming to Massachusetts.  GPS systems will be installed in each car to track mileage.  Then, drivers will pay depending on how many miles they've driven.  The reason:  fuel efficient cars.  As cars use less and less fuel, the state gets less and less money from gas taxes.  Now lawmakers say they need to make it up somehow.   This isn't the first time the idea has been brought up.  In fact, if you're from Oregon, you may already be doing it.  But not everyone thinks it's a good idea.  Check out what both sides had to say on our show today.

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• February 16, 2009

  After the Morning Meeting

  Show Producers  | 

  Good Morning! We hope you had a relaxing weekend-- and for some of you it may still be the weekend.

  We're at working finding the hot stories that are happening now. The first thing we are looking at is President Obama's announcement that there will not be a 'car czar.'

  

  Senator Roland Burris, D-Ill. speaks during a press conference in Chicago, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009. Burris fielded questions about a major omission from the testimony he made in January to a state House committee investigating former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's impeachment. (AP Photo/David Banks)

  Senator Burris and former Illinios Governor Blagojevich are making headlines once again. We want to know more.

   

  And Secretary of State Clinton landed in Japan today beginning her tour of Asia.

  

  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, is welcomed by protocol officers upon her arrival at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Feb. 16, 2009. Clinton arrived in Tokyo on her first trip abroad as President Barack Obama's chief diplomat with a warning to North Korea that it needs to live up to its commitments to dismantle its nuclear programs. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

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• February 11, 2009

  BND: FAMILY SPEAKS ON MISSING FLORIDA 5 Y.O.

  Harris Faulkner | 

  Grandma Marie Griffis says she wants her granddaughter, Haleigh Cummings back... and that the littler girl is her whole world.

  Haleigh Ann Marie Cummings vanished from her Hermit's Cove home in Putnam Co., Florida sometime in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.  She lives with her dad and his girlfriend.  That girlfriend called police at 3:30 a.m. to report 5 year old Haleigh was not in her bed.

  Putnam Co. Sheriff's Dept has told me they have questioned the dad (Ronald Cummings) and his girlfriend... plus pulled surveillance camera tapes and timesheets from the dad's job to make sure Cummings was at work as he has said.

  They're also contacting some 26 Registered Sex Offenders in the area... as well as, searching for Haleigh near the St. John's River and wooded area near her mobile home park.

  H-out, for now

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• February 11, 2009

  Question of the Day

  Show Producers  | 

  We know that you need to spend money to stimulate the economy, but the current environment may have some people afraid to spend or embarrassed to look like they spend.

  So how has the economic downturn changed your shopping habits?

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• February 10, 2009

  What Would You Ask?

  Show Producers  | 

  We're watching President Obama at a town hall event in Ft. Myers, FL. The audience has the opportunity to ask ANY question they want to ask. If you were there what would you ask? Remember you're talking to the President!

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• February 10, 2009

  After the Morning Meeting

  Show Producers  | 

  Three big events on the agenda today

  1. U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will present his rescue plan to Congress. The numbers continue to grow, but where is the money going?

  2. The U.S. Senate will vote on the stimulus bill during Happening Now. Reports indicate that the bill will pass, but who knows? There has been a ton of back and forth in regards to the bill. We'll watch what happens.

  3. FINALLY, President Obama continues to reach out to the public in order to garner support for the stimulus plan. Today Mr. Obama visits Ft. Myers, FL, an area where the housing market has been devastated by the economic collapse.

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• February 9, 2009

  Question of the Day

  Show Producers  | 

  President Obama will hold a town hall meeting today in order to "sell" his stimulus plan to the American public. And later tonight Mr. Obama will hold a prime-time news conference. We want to know:

   

  Should President Obama be out selling the stimulus plan to the American people? Or should he be spending his time selling it to Capitol Hill?

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• February 9, 2009

  Just Out of the Morning Meeting

  Show Producers  | 

  Good Morning!

  We hope you had a great weekend. The show producers are just out of the morning meeting where we decided on some of the top stories for the day. Here's what we have planned so far:

  ID Theft is on the rise, but the thieves aren't taking as much money. So what's the deal?

  There's also a new health study out concerning breast cancer and pregnancy. Is there a relationship?

  

  (AP)

  We'll also be seeing President Obama at a town hall meeting in Indiana. He's making his push for the stimulus package. Bret Baier will help us sort this one out.

  Are there any stories from your neighborhood you'd like us to keep an eye on?

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