| Disaster assistance hotline provides legal help for flood victims
As a result of recent severe weather in the Central and North Central Texas areas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has designated 17 Texas counties as eligible to receive disaster assistance. Coryell, Denton, Grayson, Lampasas and Tarrant Counties were declared FEMA emergency areas in June, and on July 10th, the following counties were added to that list: Archer, Bell, Burnet, Eastland, Hood, Parker, Starr, Victoria, Webb, Wichita and Williamson.Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC) offers free legal assistance to those who have been displaced or otherwise affected by the recent flooding. The Disaster Assistance Hotline provides expert help with the myriad legal issues that emerge after a disaster, including:* Insurance claims* FEMA benefits* Repair and renovation contracts* Family law * Homeownership & credit issues* Employment lawThe TLSC Disaster Assistance Hotline is available 24 hours a day, toll free:1-800-622-2520.
METRO BRIEFS
The morning team at WIOG-FM, 102.5 -- Demas, DJ and Katie -- will help the Child Abuse and Neglect Council of Saginaw County and the Nathan Weidner Children's Advocacy Center of Bay City as they raise awareness of child abuse in mid-Michigan. At 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, the disc jockeys will climb on top of the Wilder Road McDonald's in Bay City and stay there until they raise $20,000 for prevention efforts in Saginaw and Bay counties. McDonald's in mid-Michigan, along with National City Bank, Consumers Energy, Family First Credit Union, Firstbank, Garber Management Group, Glastender and AT&T, will sell Helping Hands and distribute Child Abuse and Neglect Council house banks to raise money. M-30 bridge done Thursday MIDLAND -- State Department of Transportation repair work on the M-30 bridge over U.S.
Community Events
San Bernardino Career Resource Center, 8120 Palm Lane, offers free services for job seekers and employers. Career counseling, workshops and mock interviews are available, as are employer services and benefits. More information: (909) 386-6219. Interested businesses can call (909) 386-6208. CLASSES Time for Change Foundation and Washington Mutual are starting a new series of free financial-literacy and credit-repair classes from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Aug. 8 at St. John's Episcopal Church, 1407 N. Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino. The lessons cover banking and finance basics, credit-score repair, homeownership, saving and investing. Free food and child care will be offered to all who attend. More information: (909) 886-2994. People's Choice Inc., 1505 W.
Credit Repair Secrets
At least, that's how many hits I got when I Googled the phrase "credit repair secrets." Most of these, as far as I could tell, offered e-books or services promising quick solutions to bad credit problems. Many hinted at "secrets" that the credit bureaus "don't want you to know." As if Experian and Equifax (NYSE: EFX - News) actually delight in lousy credit ratings! (They don't care either way, as far as I know -- they just try to be accurate.) Many of the services seemed like the kind that Fool Dayana Yochim wrote about a couple of years back -- high-fee, aggressively sold "debt consolidation" services that might or might not end up helping your credit rating. One in particular stood out, though. This outfit (I'm not going to name it) offered guaranteed increases in your FICO score for an up-front fee -- 50 points for $499, 100 points for $999 -- with an ongoing maintenance fee of $10 a month.
Online Performance Marketing Leader PartnerWeekly Reaches Offer Diversification Milestone
PartnerWeekly, a SellingSource.com company specializing in performance-based marketing, announced today that it has achieved a milestone in its strategy to diversify the base of sub-prime, consumer-targeted financial services offers available to publishers in the Company's worldwide online affiliate network. The Company has launched multiple offers in several new verticals, including auto finance, credit and prepaid cards, mortgage, student loan, and debt and credit repair. .
Construction, Insurance Costs Eating Into Rental Repair Aid in La.
Rental housing programs for storm-damaged south Louisiana won't rebuild as many rental units as state officials had hoped because of skyrocketing construction and insurance costs, a Louisiana Recovery Authority official said July 30. Andy Kopplin, LRA executive director, said initial estimates were that federally funded, state-run rental repair programs and a package of federally enacted, low interest tax credits would rebuild as many as 45,000 rental units. But he said the increased costs after hurricanes Katrina and Rita likely will shrink that number to around 30,000 rental units. The state's Road Home program includes more than $1.5 billion for rental repair and aid, funded with federal dollars, Kopplin said. Also, a package of federal tax credits is available for rental housing construction in hurricane damaged areas, he said.
El Paso Times - Agenda
GECU and El Paso Affordable Housing will present a workshop on how to prepare for home ownership, manage your finances, repair your credit, stretch your dollars, finance a home and prepare financially for emergencies from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the GECU Viscount Branch lobby, 7227 Viscount. With completion of the workshop, attendees will receive a certificate providing access to mortgage loans at favorable interest rates. Information and reservations: 838-9608. The American Society of Professional Estimators will meet at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the El Paso Club in the Chase Bank Building, 201 E. Main. Cost: $15 for buffet lunch. The public is invited. Information: Adolf Martinez, 920-8730. The El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will conduct its member sales and services committee meeting from 11 a.m.
Home in on identity theft insurance
The key to recovering from identity theft may be your home. As identity theft insurance becomes more common, carriers are including protection plans in their policies for homes and, in some cases, even cars. "It's something people should consider because the threat of having your identity stolen is, unfortunately, very real," said Jeanne Salvatore, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute. "If it's included in your homeowner's policy, you're going to be very glad you have it." But these tack-on policies may cover far less than buyers realize. They won't pay for actual losses; that money can usually be recouped from your credit card issuer. The policies do pay for costs incurred in the recovery and restoration process. For example, if your Social Security number is stolen and used to obtain a credit card or loan, it will take time and money to fix the problem and repair damage to your credit score.
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