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| Ries cautions CofC about bad checks |
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| Thursday, 19 October 2006 06:34 | |||
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Pondera County Attorney Mary Ann Ries was the featured speaker at the Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, speaking about individuals who write bad checks. She provided information to the business people, noting there have been some new changes in policy that will hopefully reduce the number of bad checks and forgeries in the county. “Writing a bad check is a crime,” she said, going on to note, “Because a person who writes a bad check can be prosecuted, it is necessary for our office to have all the facts about the check writer, the person who took the check and the information about the check.” She stressed that the above information was vital. Without it the County Attorney cannot obtain an arrest warrant or prove the crime. For the prevention of taking in a bad check and your protection, the following information was given: Make sure the full name, address and phone number are on the check. “And remember” she said, “No one lives in a post office box.” Make sure a driver’s license number and date of birth are on the check, and ask to see an ID, such as a valid driver’s license, a military ID or a State ID card. Then witness the signing of the check and write your initials on the check. She cautioned people not to accept postdated checks, out-of-state checks, two-party checks, counter checks, checks having no or low digit numbers, checks in excess of amount of purchase unless your business sets limits, checks to be held until later and checks given as restitution for (previous) bad checks. There are also certain steps to be taken and forms to fill out for prosecution of a bad check writer and possibly most important is that without an identification of the check writer by the person who took the check, Ries’s office cannot proceed with prosecution. If you have questions or want more information, contact Ries in her office at the courthouse, 271-4050. Superintendent of Schools Lynn Utterback was on hand and introduced the two new teachers at the high school; Anna Dalman who teaches Spanish, and Joylynn Kaufman who teaches AgEducation, including a welding class. Shari Richter, manager of the CofC, cautioned folks that the CofC is not selling refrigerator magnets nor are they or the schools selling “cooler cans.” Be careful if you get calls on this. The mayor, in his report, said that loose ends were being taken care of at the pump station at the lake. There is a water leak near Conrad Tire. A company that locates such leaks is working in Vaughn and will be coming up here and can locate the leak within a foot. This will save digging a large section of the newly paved street to look for the leak. He negotiated a lower cost with the landfill because the city is taking items from the alley clean up directly to the landfill and not the roll-off site. Cheryl Curry, the new manager of the Port Authority, said they have a small revolving loan fund and she is in her office at 702 S. Main (Stockman Bank drive-up bldg.) three days a week, M-W-F. The Port Authority phone number is 271-7237. Harold Olson noted that the EDC, Economic Development Corporation, has a vacant seat for a director. They had left it open in remembrance of Bob MacGilvra. Contact Olson for more information if you are interested in this. Rep. Llew Jones said he and Sen. Jerry Black were focused on energy programs, most notably the new transmission lines and wind power. The next regular meeting of the CofC will be on Nov. 8 at the Lobby at noon.
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