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News You Can Use

December 14, 2007

Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program Deadline Quickly Approaching

Time is running out for residents to apply for rebates of up to $650 from the expanded Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.  The program provides Property Tax/Rent Rebates to claimants or spouses 65 years of age or older, widows or widowers 50 years of age or older, and the permanently disabled age 18 years or older.   

Eligible residents choosing to mail the application will need to call 1-888-222-9190 to request the form by Friday, December 21, 2007.  Online and mailed applications must be postmarked by Monday, December 31, 2007.   

For an overview of the Rebate Program, administered by the PA Department of Revenue and funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery, click here.  For questions about program eligibility and to access an application click here.   

During 2007, $224.8 million in rebates have been sent to 516,432 homeowners and renters through the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program---that's 202,525 more households and $104 million more than was distributed last year.   

Credit Card Refund Offer is Real 

If you received a mailing from the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia recently indicating you are entitled to a $25 refund and thought it was too good to be true, take another look.  According to the Pennsylvania Credit Card Union Association (PCUA), you most likely were among as many as 30 million consumers nationwide having conducted an international transaction from 1996 through 2006 using a credit card.   

A class action lawsuit settlement of $336 million requires Visa, MasterCard, and Diners Club, among others, to reimburse affected consumers at least $25 for a hidden currency conversion fee.  The lawsuit aimed to recover the non-disclosed 3 percent currency conversion fee charged to cardholders for purchases outside of the U.S. between 1996 and 2006.   

If you discarded your notice and claim form or did not receive notification, access the Foreign Currency Antitrust Litigation Settlement Administrator for answers to frequently asked questions and a claim form.  For a copy of the letter from the U.S. District Court Settlement Administrator to cardholders and refund forms click here.

You can access the WHTM news story.  Additional questions regarding the Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust litigation can be directed to 1-800-945-9890.   

2008 Pennsylvania Farm Show Photo Contest Announced 

Don't forget your camera when attending the 2008 Pennsylvania Farm Show scheduled for January 5–12, 2008.  Capture a great moment – animals, people, food, and entertainment offer great opportunities for Mom or Dad or the budding amateur photographer in your family to snap a prize-winning photo. 

The Annual Farm Show Photo Contest will award the first place winner $100 and a VIP parking space for the 2009 show.  The second place winner will receive $75 and the third place winner will take home $50.  All three top entries will be featured in the 2009 Souvenir Book.   

Contest guidelines are: 

• The photograph must be taken at the 2008 Farm Show; 
• The photograph must be in color; 
• The photograph must be 4 x 6 inches in size; 
• If a digital camera is used, the resolution must be at least 300 dpi; 
• Entries are limited to one per person and must be submitted by March 31; 
• Contact information (name, address, phone number, email address) and caption must be included with entry; 
• All photo entries become the property of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; 
• The judging will be done by the Department of Agriculture; 
• Employees of the Department of Agriculture are not eligible; and 
• The contest is open only to non-professional entries. 

Digital photos and the entry form information should be emailed to snestler@state.pa.us.  Print photos should be mailed with the entry form to Shelby Nestler at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 2301 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg, PA 17110.   

Plan your trip to the 2008 PA Farm Show.  Consult the schedule for a daily list of events, exhibits, and times.

Consumer Safety Website Appears Just in Time for Holiday Shopping 

If toy recalls and game ratings are complicating your holiday shopping this year, consider a little help from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.  Web space is set aside for a quick and easy guide to product recalls, game ratings, and related matters.   

The webpage goes beyond potentially hazardous toys to include links for other recalled products, including hazardous foods, vehicle recalls, and safety issues with appliances and a variety of other consumer items.  You will also find links to organizations like the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and other national agencies involved in product recalls.  

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 33.1 million people are injured by consumer products in the home.  The top 5 hidden home hazards:  

1. Magnets -- Since 2005, 1 Death, 86 Injuries; 8 million magnetic toys recalled.
2. Recalled Products -- Each year there about 400 recalls.
3. Tip-overs -- Average of 22 deaths per year; 31 in 2006 and an estimated 3,000 injuries.
4. Windows & Coverings -- Average of 12 deaths annually from window cords; average of 9 deaths and an estimated 3,700 injuries to children annually from window falls.
5. Pool & Spa Drains -- 15 injuries, 2 fatalities from 2002-2004.

Products previously recognized as hazardous, as well as new products and technologies contribute to the injuries.  Keep dangerous products out of your home.  Sign up for free e-mail notifications of recalled products.

Ice & Snow Winter Driving Guide 

If you must be on the road during winter weather, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation offers a few tips and reminders for navigating ice and snow.   

When the weather requires running your vehicle's wiper blades, flick on the headlights, as well.  And don't forget to remove any ice and snow that's collected on the hood and roof.  Both are more than recommendations.   

PA state law requires the use of headlights when wipers are necessary.  Motorists who do not comply with the law could face a fine of $25, but with fees and other associated costs, the penalty would approach $100.  If snow or ice from your vehicle strikes another vehicle or person causing injury or death, you can be ticketed.  The operator of the vehicle from which the snow or ice came is subject to a fine of $200 to $1,000 for each offense.   

The online version of the winter driving guide will be available all winter on the PennDOT Traveler Information page, but a limited number of printed copies are available through local PennDOT District offices: 

• District 1: 814-678-7095 (Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties) 
• District 2: 814-765-0423 (Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin and Potter counties) 
• District 3: 570-368-4202 (Bradford, Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Lycoming, Northumberland, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga and Union counties) 
• District 4: 570-963-4044 (Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Wayne, Wyoming and Susquehanna counties) 
• District 5: 610-871-4555 (Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill counties) 
• District 6: 610-205-6800 (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties)
• District 8: 717-787-1446 (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties)
• District 9: 814-696-7101 (Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties)
• District 10: 724-357-2829 (Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana and Jefferson counties)
• District 11: 412-429-5010 (Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties)
• District 12: 724-439-7375 (Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties) 

PennDOT & District Offices Recommend Preparing for Winter Driving. Download a copy of "Ice & Snow – Take it Slow".

Is It a Cold or Influenza? 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, telling the difference between a cold and the flu may be difficult.  Similar symptoms may arise from different viruses causing respiratory illness.   

A runny or stuffy nose usually signals a cold.  When fever, body aches, extreme tiredness and a dry intense cough set in, flu is more likely the culprit.  The CDC indicates distinguishing between the two can be difficult if not impossible absent specific testing in the first few days of an illness.  However, colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.   

If you become infected, you should know you can infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to 5 days after becoming sick.  Six steps to prevent the spread of seasonal flu:   

1. Avoid close contact.
2. Stay home when you are sick.
3. Cover your mouth and nose.
4. Clean your hands.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
6. Practice other good health habits.

For more on Good Health Habits for Prevention, Cold Versus Flu, Key Facts About Seasonal Influenza, PA Department of Health Focuses on the Flu.

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