Christmas shoppers are being especially tardy this year.

According to a National Retail Federation survey, the average consumer had completed a little under half, or 46.7 percent, of their shopping by this time this year, compared to last.

That’s the lowest percentage since 2004, when people had completed 46.3 percent of their shopping.

Now, this could be good news to consumers, the NRF says.

“Retailers know the final lap counts the most and are planning to emphasize promotions and discounts to bring in last-minute shoppers,” said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin.

If you look at the chart below, you’ll see that almost 20 percent are leaving their shopping until the very last minute — they haven’t even started yet. Only 8.6 percent have finished.

Discount stores and department stores will see the most of that last minute traffic, the NRF survey reveals. Both came in at 42 percent each.

The NRF 2009 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to the winter holidays. The survey polled 9,929 consumers and was conducted for NRF by BIGresearch from Dec. 1 to 9. The margin of error is plus or minus 1 percent.

If you live in the Kemptown area, you may see a couple of balloons hovering over the area today.

The PATH-Allegheny Transmission Co. is on the site of a proposed substation, the planned terminus for a 300-mile power line that will cross West Virgina and Maryland.

According to a press release for the company:

"The test entails sending two balloons into the air and photographing them from various locations in the surrounding area. The photographs will be used to produce visual simulations that show how the proposed substation will appear, and demonstrate how plantings and earthworks may be used to screen the substation."

Free coffee. Is there anything better?

Probably, but coffee is pretty high up on my list. Ask any journalist, and they’ll tell you two liquids drive this industry: ink and coffee.

If you happen to be in the Ballenger Creek Pike area Wednesday, drop by the Wawa, which’ll be holding its 10th anniversary celebration. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. The store will be all gussied up, including a gigantic coffee cup cake made out of Wawa coffee cups (wouldn’t they be better used for coffee?). Wally and the Honkers, Wawa’s all-kazoo band, will provide the mood music.

There will be free coffee all day.

Let me repeat that. Free coffee. All day.

“Holding this anniversary celebration is our way of thanking our associates and customers for making our store feel like family, and of acknowledging this important moment in our company's history,” Howard Stoeckel, Wawa's President and CEO, said.

The Wawa is at 5833 Ballenger Creek Pike, a mere 10-minute walk, or two-minute car ride from The Frederick News-Post building.

Hmm. They may want to factor in some extra coffee supplies.

I love Twitter. It fits in so well with my attention span. The FNP loves Twitter too (we’re at www.twitter.com/frednewspost).

Somebody else who loves the microblogging service is a the growing ranks of scamsters looking to make a quick buck in these sour economic times by offering to help you make a quick buck, especially if you’re unemployed.

"Twitter is the newest bright shiny object online and a perfect hook for yet another work-at-home scheme," said Angie Barnett, President and CEO, BBB Greater Maryland. "The pitch used to be about making money by sending e-mails or by placing ads on Google but now cash-strapped job hunters need to be wary of shelling out money for a dubious scheme that revolves around Twitter."

One example, according to BBB, is EasyTweetProfits.com, based out of Surrey, England, which is sending out e-mails.

The company claims you can make $250 to $873 a day working at home with Twitter. But when you pay $1.95 to ship its seven-day free trial instructional CD-ROM, you could lose so much more than you bargained for.

The lengthy terms and conditions say the trial begins on the day the CD is ordered, not when it is received. If you don’t cancel within seven days of signing up, you’ll be gouged $47 a month.

And beware if you see a blog supporting the service — it’s likely fake, cooked up as part of the scheme.

"These Web sites have not been up for very long so, if experience has taught us anything, we know that it's only a matter of time before the complaints start coming in," Barnett said. "Work-at-home schemes are like a game of wack-a-mole and new Web sites crop up practically every day."
 
• Want to follow Cliff on Twitter? www.twitter.com/cgcumber

When pondering the near collapse of the country’s car industry and the wisdom of its management, it’s probably a good idea for those companies to err on the side of caution when dealing with a tetchy public. You know, like don’t do something that reeks of a really bad corporate decision.

That’s why it’s staggering the PR faux pas Chrysler just made.

Not content with gouging millions and millions out of the average taxpayer via the government, the car company took out advertising in The Wall Street Journal and USA Today for a letter from Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli thanking the American people for the money.

Needless to say, the immediate public reaction was far from positive. Making it worse, Chrysler censored the comments.

You can read about it here, on Consumerist.

Meanwhile, we’ll award Chrysler a golf clap.

An effort to save that downtown Frederick icon of ice cream, the Freez King, has taken to social media.

A couple of concerned customers (Freezites? Kingsters?) have started a group on Facebook: Freez King Don’t Go!

So far the group has 211 members. You can read our story on this East Street landmark here.

Sharpen your pencils and get your receipts in order — tax day is just a few short months away.

People are usually keen on maximizing their tax returns, but with the economy in the doldrums, interest in squeezing as many pennies as possible into their tax returns will probably be higher than normal.

For those wandering into previously unexplored reaches of the tax code in search of new deductions, one place to get help could be Intuit, makers of the TurboTax tax software package.

For the rest of the month, Intuit is offering taxpayers a free answer to any question about U.S. federal tax laws for individual Form 1040 and business returns Forms 1065, 1120 and 1120S.

People with questions can submit them through the company’s web site, and they’ll get a call back within 24 hours. Intuit is limiting the service to one free question and call from a tax expert lasting 20 minutes or less.

First noted at the Consumer Reports Money and Shopping Blog via Lifehacker.

(ED's NOTE: Don't forget you can pick up a free weekly tax tip every Thursday on the business page of The News-Post, or ask a question of our Money Panel, which publishes each Sunday.)

	File photo Dave Ziedelis, the Keys' general manager

At the Rotary Club of Carroll Creek meeting this morning Keys General Manager David Ziedelis said ticket prices to the local club won’t be increased in 2009.

That will be the ninth straight year of level ticket costs, Ziedelis said.

The Keys’ GM, who plays Captain America at super hero evenings and can be found throwing out flying discs to the crowd, said the challenges facing the Keys are much like those facing every business.

“We’re always trying to advance, move forward, improve things,” he said.

Attendance at the minor league games have increased for four consecutive years, mirroring a rise nationally over the past five years. Even a dire economy doesn’t stop fans turning to the national sport for solace, it seems.

(I heard from one Rotarian that Ziedelis told him only 40 percent of attendees at Keys’ games come from Frederick. The rest come in from out of county.)

Now, why was I at the morning Rotary, you may ask.

Well, good question. I was there as a guest of The News-Post’s CFO Ted Gregory, a co-organizer of the Frederick County Business Ethics Award. The News-Post is co-sponsoring the award with the morning Rotary.

	Photo from the BBC Definitely NOT the foreign brides you're looking for.

You’ve got to give it up to Consumer Reports. They’re miles ahead when it comes to finding interesting stories for their readers.

One of the ones that caught my eye this week is about the disappointment that is waiting for those lonely dudes looking for love outside American borders:

“Many Americans who marry foreign wives do end up getting scammed, cheated or abandoned once her visa comes through but they’ve usually invited trouble on themselves,” the article states.

The story has numerous break outs on the dos and don’ts of online dating.

And as an aside, I was not, as my wife claims in moments of dissatisfaction with me, bought out of the discount section of English Hubby Magazine classifieds.

	Map from 2006

You’ll see it in tomorrow’s edition, and in a web update that went up this afternoon, but Wegman’s and Lowes have apparently delivered commitments to Faison, the North Carolina headquartered company developing a shopping center at Md. 26 and Wormans mill Road.

See the map to the right.

Should the area be annexed into the city — and it’s in the first wave — Faison will be able to go ahead with site plans, maybe even have the stores up and running by mid-2009, a company official said.

	Matthew Lesko, the free money man

Free money?

Well, sort of. You may have seen those late night infomercials with the crazy guy in the question-mark suit running around, promising to show you where to find free government money.

That man is Matthew Lesko, and he's been to Maryland’s state capital, Annapolis, to film a series of webcasts that are running free on his website, www.unclesamlive.com.

According to a recent press release, the online face-to-face with state officials will provide Maryland residents with a crash course in locating and applying for state money, services and special set-asides.

“Don’t trust late night TV hucksters, spam email or telephone solicitors when it comes to government money programs, especially if you live in Maryland,” Lesko says.

Here’s a list of Lesko’s free videos:

• Money And Help to Train For Or Get a Better Job
• Health Care Services
• Credit Counseling, Mortgage & Home buying Help
• Money and Help To Train Your Employees
• Free Help Finding Money For Your Non-Profit or City or Local Government
• Free Research At Your Local Library

We’ve been getting e-mails all morning from readers wanting to know if the Frederick Boscov’s, located along the Golden Mile, could close.

This follows several reports that the company, which expanded operations just before the credit crunch and housing crisis whacked the economy, is either on the brink of closing or struggling.

No word yet on any of its 49 stores closing, although Boscov’s Chief Executive Kenneth Lakin did say the company is considering it.

From an Associated Press story: “The 49-store chain has closed its store in Nanuet, N.Y., and Lakin said it may have to consider closing others. He would not say which stores the company may have to consider closing.”

 

As soon as we know more, we’ll let you know.

(I just checked the archive and ironically, I wrote about the store’s grand opening back in 2003, something I’d totally forgotten about.)

Flying Dog Brewery, which is Denver, Colo.-based, but has it’s production facility here in Frederick, has been tapped (excuse the pun) as one of the World’s Best Brewery Tours by Forbes Magazine.

It’s only a brief mention, and a shot on the slideshow, but the praise is warm.

We wrote about the CEO stepping aside last week, and the redoubtable Ed Waters Jr. will have a story in tomorrow’s paper about the new head honcho, Jim Caruso (who has some interesting new brews in the works).

Check out the business page on B-6 tomorrow for that.

SUMMER SCHEDULE for Comptroller's Office Lost and Found Washington Metro Region      Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, Aug. 8-16 Prince George's County Fair, Sept. 4-7 Calvert County Fair, Sept 24-28 Baltimore Region Maryland State Fair, Aug. 21- Sept. 1 Anne Arundel County Fair, Sept. 10-14 Western Maryland Allegany County Fair and Agricultural Expo, July 21-26 The Great Frederick Fair, Sept. 12-20 Eastern Shore SunFest (Ocean City), Sept 18-21 Talbot County Waterfowl Festival, Nov. 14-16 Can't make it? Surf the files from the comfort of your home: www.marylandtaxes.com www.missingmoney.com

The state's Comptroller's Office will be back around the state with booths at summer events to reunite people with their lost property.

At the booths people will be able to check the comptroller’s files of unclaimed property.

This outreach effort will stretch until mid-November, and will include stops at eight county fairs and at the Maryland State Fair.

For a list of where, see the box to the right.

"Our number one job at the Comptroller's Office is to serve the people," said Comptroller Peter Franchot. "Part of that responsibility is to connect people with unclaimed funds so they get what they are owed. I urge Marylanders who are attending any of these events to stop by our booth. Stay tuned as we come to a community near you this summer and help reunite people with their lost treasures."

According to a press release from the comptroller, last year at the Maryland State Fair more than 500 people claimed property totaling almost $243,000, with the highest single claim netting $48,718.

The agency has records on its books for about 775,000 accounts worth more than $370 million.

Can't make it? Surf the files from the comfort of your home:

• www.marylandtaxes.com
• www.missingmoney.com

The rate of bankruptcy among those 65 and older has doubled since 1991, an AARP commissioned survey releases yesterday shows.

The majority of filings were by people in their 30s and 40s, but the rate jumped among U.S. residents 55 and up, from 8.2 percent in 1991 to 22.3 percent in 2007.

Rates decline the most for those 34 and younger, from half to roughly a quarter of bankruptcies (45.5 percent to 26.1 percent):

According to the study:

Research found that by 2007, the median age for bankruptcy filers had increased to 43 years old in 2007 from 36.5 years old in 1991. A declining economy, increasing healthcare costs, and a general lack of retirement preparedness puts older Americans and their families at greater risk for bankruptcy and continued financial stress.

“This study is cause for concern,” said Susan Reinhard, senior vice president of AARP’s Public Policy Institute. “It indicates that financial security is progressively eroding for many older Americans. We are exploring why this is happening and what can be done to prevent it.”

Something are just way to promotional for print, but hey, here on the Internets we have a different set of standards, right?

Aherm.

Anyhow, in the interests of being a real consumer friendly publication here in the business section, and knowing the bite high food prices are taking out of family budgets, Giant Eagle will on Thursday cut prices on 2,500 national brands at it’s two Frederick stores.

Now, before you say, “Oh yeah, Cliff, they’re probably doing that all over and they just hooked you in,” I should note it’s a Frederick-only event. The reductions will average 10 percent, Giant Eagle says. (I was just writing a story for tomorrow's edition that notes that food prices are increasing annually by 6 percent, or double the amount of inflation.)

Senior Vice President of Marketing Brett Merrell said the company is responding to customers’ needs, “especially during challenging economic times.”

According to a Giant eaglestatement, that means $750,000 savings for customers annually.

It's live, so please come by and check it out: The Economy & Me. See the post below for more details, and don't forget, we want you to be involved. Drop me a line at ccumber@newspost.com, or business@newspost.com with any ideas and suggestions.

Keep an eye out today. Sometime this afternoon, we'll be launching a new section of our website: The Economy & Me.

This exclusively online section of fredericknewspost.com is going to collect in one place all the stories that come our way on the economy, as well as tips consumers can use to stretch their dollar that bit further.

We're still making a couple of tweaks this morning, so I'll post the link later today when we're ready to go. Until then, let me give you a teaser on what to expect:

• Top Story: the leading financial story of the day
• Headlines: whether from the wire or from FNP reporters, we'll collect the most up-to-date information we have.
• Consumer news to use: here we'll house links for the best money-saving tips and consumer info we can find. If you have any ideas for links, drop me a line at ccumber@newspost.com. We're all in this together.
• Blogs: playing at the top is Hood College financial academic Steve Pilloff's The Insider ; you'll also see the Biz Blog, and Beth McClane's Savvy Shopper.
• Money Panel: our four financial experts' advice and answers to your questions will also be listed here.

Our friends at The Greater Maryland Better Business Bureau are alerting the state's small businesses who may, in these turbulent economic times, be tempted to turn to the Internet for loans and grants.

"While the nation is focused on the credit crunch and its affect on behemoths like Bear Stearns, the impact is also being felt by small businesses that are trying to stay afloat in hard times and are very susceptible to fraudulent loan offers," said Angie Barnett, president & CEO of BBB | Greater Maryland.

Three offenders were singled out by the BBB recently for the number of complaints they generated:

Mediations, LLC
The BBB serving Connecticut has received complaints from businesses across the U.S. stating that Mediations, LLC (also doing business as Innovations Northeast, LLC) is charging substantial up-front fees for construction loans, but not delivering on the promised funds. Business owners paid fees ranging from $1,500 to as high as $26,000, and were required to pay by wire transfer or cashiers check only. Thus far, complaints to the BBB reveal losses totaling more than $110,000.
 
BBB Advises: Business owners should never have to pay large sums of money upfront to receive loans, nor should owners wire payment for services because they  will have no way to get their money back if the creditor is not legitimate.
 
National Small Business Alliance
The BBB serving Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties has received more than 1,100 complaints from 49 states and the District of Columbia about the National Small Business Alliance (www.natlsba.com). Complainants state they were initially contacted by phone or e-mail and told they were preapproved for a credit line of $8,000 for a one-time membership fee of $99 to $149. Despite what complainants were led to believe by representatives of the company, the "credit line" is not a small business loan, but rather, is collectively comprised of coupons, discounts, and offers made by participating vendors to purchase goods and services such as computers or travel arrangements using credit terms. Complainants say the company continues to deduct money from their bank account without their permission and does not refund money as promised. 
 
The National Small Business Alliance currently has an "F" rating from BBB for its continued failure to resolve the pattern of deceptive marketing, misrepresentation, false advertising, and unauthorized debits.
 
BBB Advises: Small business owners should be extremely cautious when providing bank account numbers and insist on reviewing all details of any offer before making a buying decision and signing a contract. Prior to entering into an agreement, small owners can always check out a potential creditor, partner or vendor's reliability report with BBB. BBB Reliability ReportsTM are free and available online at www.bbb.org.
 
Capital Funding Programs, and many others.
In 2007, and so far in 2008, BBBs across the U.S. have received hundreds of complaints from small business owners who were burned by online offers to receive government grant money. Using spam e-mails to drive traffic to professional looking Web sites, fraudulent companies have promised to help small business owners rake in thousands of dollars in government grants to start or expand their businesses. As part of the scheme, small business owners have been required to pay several hundred dollars via wire or money order, but then never heard from the phony companies again. 
 
Capital Funding Programs, purportedly of Champlain, NY, is one such company. Since September of 2007, thirty-four victims from 23 states have filed complaints with BBB serving Upstate New York after losing more than $400 each.

 
Barnett doesn't take kindly to scammers, as you can see in her exclusive column for The Frederick News-Post. 

	BY THE NUMBERS Complaints against tax preparers 32.5 % — error or mistake in tax return 19.5 % — unresponsive 19 % — billing disputes 7 % — rudeness 6.3 % — tax forms not filed 6 % — didn’t receive refund

Tax season is nearly upon us, and our friends at the Maryland Better Business Bureau have broken down by percentage the number of complaints they received against tax preparation companies.

Nearly a third were for errors and mistakes made in the return that meant the consumer had to pay fines or additional fees to correct the problem.

More than half the 120 million Americans who file taxes each year enlist professional help, said Angie Barnett, president and CEO of BBB Greater Maryland.

"However, many consumers end up being held responsible when their tax preparer makes mistakes or errors on their return, and this can mean fees and fines adding up to thousands of dollars that they owe to Uncle Sam," Barnett said.

From a recent release:

"BBB wants consumers to know and understand that when the IRS detects a false return, the taxpayer - not the tax preparer - must pay any additional taxes, as well as any other associated interest, fees and penalties. In the end, the taxpayer is responsible for all information submitted to the IRS."

See the By The Number to the right for more details on complaints to the BBB. For more information, visit the BBB here.

———

Don't forget to check out Angie's monthly ScamAlert, exclusive to The FNP. 

	Photo by File Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler

We're in National Consumer Week, and to highlight how important it is to keep an eye on your finances, Attorney General Doug Gansler has released a list of the top five things Maryland consumers complain about.

According to the AG, Consumers are faced every day with financial questions that  range from managing  budgets to understanding credit reports. If you're not financially aware, you could make a mistake that ends in serious consequences, such as foreclosure or identity theft.

• Landlord/Property Manager — 629 complaints (3.8 percent ) were filed on landlords and property managers with varying tenant issues such as failing to return security deposits to not providing a habitable place to live with lack of maintenance or excessive damages deducted from deposits. Consumers can download the pamphlet, “Landlord and Tenants: Tips on Avoiding Disputes” at http://www.oag.state.md.us/consumer/landlords.htm or order one through the Consumer Protection Division at 410-576-6500.

• Auto Repair — 628 complaints (3.8 percent ) concerned consumer experiences on auto repair. The most common complaints were unsatisfactory workmanship, misdiagnosis of services needed and cars held for servicing damaged or not returned. Other top issues in auto repair were failure to honor express warranty and billed for goods/services not requested or received.

• General Merchandise — 572 complaints (3.5 percent ) from Marylanders were on general merchandise issues.  Failure to deliver any goods or provide any services was the top complaint in this category.  Billed for goods/services not requested or received came in second and other complaints varied from failure to honor refund requests to price gouging.

• Used Auto Dealer — 516 consumers (3.1 percent ) filed complaints on their experiences while buying a used car. Defective/damaged goods, failure to honor implied warranty of merchantability, misrepresentation of material fact and omission of material facts were all big issues. Before purchasing, consumers can request the pamphlet “Buying a Used Car” by calling the Consumer Protection Division at 410-576-6500.  If consumers think their used car is a lemon, they can download a lemon law complaint form at http://www.oag.state.md.us/Forms/lemon.pdf and obtain recent information on Maryland lemon legislation at http://www.oag.state.md.us/consumer/lemon.htm.

• Collection Agency — 474 Marylanders (2.9 percent ) complained about collection agency practices. Consumers often complained of collection agencies attempting to collect debt not owed and inaccurate information reported to credit reporting agencies. Consumers who have trouble with a collection agency can order the Consumer’s Edge issue #117 or online at http://www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer/edge117.htm.

“National Consumer Protection Week is a great time for Maryland consumers to renew their efforts at becoming financially savvy,” Gansler said. “Armed with the right information, Marylanders will make smarter decisions to build a solid financial foundation.”

The Consumer Protection Division was able to acquire more than $4 million for consumer reimbursements and received 15,661 complaints in 2007, according to the statement.

Apparently sales of new homes fell 26.4 percent nationally, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. In Frederick County, combined new and existing home sales fell 28.5 percent last year. Sales were down 23.2 percent in Maryland.

Here's the top five highest average home prices throughout Maryland:

Average Price 2007 2006 %Chg 1 Talbot $648914 $560306 15.8% 2 Montgomery $542416 $523599 3.6% 3 Queen Anne's $468315 $457215 2.4% 4 Howard $450774 $449873 0.2% 5 Anne Arundel $416389 $416109 0.1%

And here's the top five when sorted by drop in price (either bad places to have bought, or good places to consider buying). If you bought in Dorchester last year, man, you got hosed:

Average Price 2007 2006 %Chg 1 Dorchester $213004 $251189 -15.2% 2 Caroline $229603 $251069 -8.5% 3 Washington $242955 $260078 -6.6% 4 Kent $362973 $384961 -5.7% 5 Somerset $184352 $195249 -5.6%

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I got a call from Delegate Paul Stull this afternoon who was driving back from the Maryland Public Service Commission hearing to Annapolis. He was the only member of the Frederick County delegation to attend. But there was a crowd there, he said.

"My God, there was people from all over there — Garrett, Washington and Frederick — so we were well covered," Stull said.

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Here's the gist. As part of a statewide program to boost the use of energy efficient lightbulbs and promote conservation, the Maryland Public Service Commission authorized Allegheny Power to create a compact fluorescent lighting program, or CFL Program and a residential awareness campaign.

Allegheny mailed out 220,000 compact fluorescent bulbs — the energy-efficient kind — to residential customers. (Read The News-Post story here.)

Well, what people later found out was that far from being free, Allegheny is billing 96 cents a month for 12 months to pay for the unsolicited bulbs.

Start the outcry …

Now the PSC has ordered the power company before them at a hearing Wednesday. The letter from the PSC is here, but let's review the highlights:

"The commission has received a high volume of complaints from AP customers regarding the CFL Program. The timing of these calls – which began on Monday, January 7, 2008 – and the nature of the complaints the commission is receiving, suggest that AP did not implement the programs in accordance with the representations made to the Commission prior to the Commission’s action on the programs and the cost recovery surcharge."

"Well to be honest, that's why we're bringing them in here on Wednesday, and so once we listen to them and figure out what happened we'll be able to give a better assessment," she said.

One example she gave was that Allegheny was supposed to put in an information insert into October and November bills, but left off details on the surcharge.

Allegheny has been "gracious" in responding to the PSC, Edwards said.

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And, if you're as cynical as me, you probably turned it over in your hands, scanned some of the boilerplate and said, "Huh, yeah, right," before dropping it in the recycling.

Well, dig it out: it's apparently genuine.

Naturally though, there are some things about it that scream hoax: for one thing it asks for bank and credit card information, something we've been warned time and time again not to give out.

In this case, however, it seems handing over that info could net you $25.

Check out snopes.com for more info.

(Naturally, be cautious and take advantage of this at your own risk.)

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	WHERE TO PARK Free, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays, from now until New Year's Day: Church Street Parking Deck – 17 E. Church St. Court Street Parking Deck – 2 S. Court St. Carroll Creek Parking Deck – 44 E. Patrick St. West Patrick Street Deck – 138 W. Patrick St.

The city and business organizations are picking up the tab as a celebration of the 2007 holiday season.

Free parking is from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a $1 charge after 6.

As a reminder, downtown parking meters are free on Saturdays, and deck and meter parking is free every Sunday until 6 p.m.

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	ON THE WEB The Electronic Retailing Association's SavvyShopper program

But firing up that browser and heading out onto the world wide web can bring risks as sharp as the elbows of fellow shoppers fighting over that last Nintendo Wii.

So, here's 10 tips from ERA, the Electronic Retailing Association, to help avoid any unpleasantness as you scour shopping sites:

1) Make sure all transactions are Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) enabled and encrypted. SSL has become the universally accepted method for providing secure communications on the Internet. Before entering personal information, be sure the padlock at the top or bottom of your browser is closed and locked.

2) Also make sure “https:” begins the webpage address. This signifies a secure connection has been established.

3) Look for third party verification devices, such as the Better Business Bureau logo or the buySAFE seal. When you click on the logo/seal, you should receive more information about that company's status.

4) Check for contact information and be cautious of sites that don't offer a phone number. If you find a telephone number, call to ask about the company's security procedures.

5) Ensure the website accepts more than one type of credit card and gives an alternative to credit card payment.

6) Provide your card number each time you make a purchase. The merchant may ask if you want to keep your credit card number on file for future orders, but this may be unsafe.

7) Designate one credit card for online shopping. This will allow for easy review of purchases.

8) Be extremely careful in responding to e-mails from anyone who asks for your password(s), Social Security number, birth date, credit card number or other personal information.

9) When shopping for a particular product, make sure to compare prices and availability on numerous and varying sites.

10) As with all transactions, take the time to read the fine print and know your rights as a consumer.

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So the Maryland Attorney General has launched a one-click stop to find that contaminated beef, those lead-tainted toys and fire-hazard toasters.

The new link can be found at www.oag.state.md.us; it leads directly to the Product Recall Clearinghouse website.

“Maryland consumers and their families should not be in the dark on items that have the potential to cause great harm, whether it be lipstick or baby food,” said Attorney General Doug Gansler. “I am pleased to announce this new website feature that will make it easier for consumers to protect themselves from faulty products.”

According to the agency, the product recall website will be updated weekly or as needed depending on the number of recalls issued.

Consumers with questions or concerns about recalled products can call the Office of the Attorney General's Consumer Hotline at 410-528-8662, or toll free at 1-888-743-0023, or visit the Consumer Protection Division's website

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Drop by for an open house from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday.

From the press release:

Book Crossing opened Sept. 18, 2004. In three short years,we had outgrown our original store front space. The books, giftware and Children's areas were bursting at the seams. We waited anxiously for the next-door occupant to move so that we could have first dibs at the space. As soon as the space became available, we got to work.

Now we are extremely excited to show off our new Children's Room and our Cozy Book Nook area. A nice place to relax with a book or for a small meeting with friends.

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	AT A GLANCE What: Frederick Dream Dinners franchise to open When: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Sept. 27 Where: Urbana Turning Point Plaza, 8927 A Fingerboard Rd.

According to the company:

Dream Dinners is an innovative concept in meal assembly that eliminates the stress of daily menu planning, grocery shopping, prep-work and clean-up by moving the process out of home kitchens into specially equipped retail outlets.

Dream Dinners has 257 stores in 33 states. Tracey Muragaki and Jamie Grabner will be the new Urbana franchise's owners.

“I think it’s safe to say we all have good intentions when it comes to providing healthy dinners for our families,” Grabner said. “But with the fast-paced lives we all lead, it’s getting harder and harder to find the time and creativity to make it happen so dinner plans get shoved to the back burner."

The first 100 families attending the grand opening will receive a free herb-crusted flank Steak and one lucky guest will win three, six-serving dinners a month for one year.

More from the company's statement about how creating a stress-free dinner menu all works:

Consumers benefit from Dream Dinners through a quick and easy process. They preview a monthly menu online at www.dreamdinners.com and select items from a diverse menu featuring 14 choices. Then they register to attend a meal assembly session at a local Dream Dinners retail location.

At the store, consumers rotate among refrigerated recipe stations, scooping cut and prepped uncooked ingredients into the provided baking pans or zip-top freezer bags. They take their uncooked dinners home and place them in the freezer to be enjoyed in the weeks ahead.

The whole process takes two hours and averages $240 for 12, six-serving dinners, or around $3.40 per serving (nationally, depending on location). The result: healthy, homemade dinners that anyone can quickly remove from the freezer, thaw, and pop into the oven.

	IF YOU GO Shop Safe and Smart info session WHERE: Dancing Bear Toys and Gifts, 44 N. Market St., Frederick WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Sept. 19 CONTACT: 301-631-9300 or e-mail tom@dbeartoys.com

Tom and Marlene England, the owners of 12 N. Market St.'s Dancing Bear Toys and Gifts, plan to hold a Shop Safe and Smart information session at their store.

The session will start at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 19, with a question and answer period to follow the following topics:

A discussion of recent toy recalls

An explanation of U.S. and European safety standards

The production standards and practices of leading specialty toy manufacturers

Guidelines for buying safe, age-appropriate toys this holiday season

The session is free and open to the public.

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	Frederick had 60 foreclosures on the books, as of July 2007.

This month has had the highest rate on record since January 2005, with 2,214 foreclosures. In less than a year, the state has jumped from 40th to 16th nationally in the number of foreclosures.

“Nationally, Maryland has been on a steady slide in the wrong direction," said DLLR Secretary Tom Perez.

From the first quarter of 2007 to the second quarter of the same year, Maryland saw a 146 percent increase in foreclosures, according to RealtyTrac, which provides property foreclosure statistics.

Prince George's County has the highest foreclosure rate in the state, with 676, compared to 327 in Montgomery and Baltimore City, with 248.

DLLR has hired four new investigators to increase efforts in investigating mortgage fraud, the agency announced. Ninety-five cases are underway so far this year.

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	ON THE WEB: www.chick-fil-a.com LOCATION: Chick-fil-A at Riverview Plaza, 5501 Urbana Pike, Frederick, on Md. 355, in front of Home Depot and Target

In honor of Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A ''s 40th anniversary, entries are being accepted in the Riverview Plaza store in Frederick to win 52 Chick-fil-A Hand-Spun Milkshake coupons.

Also on the prize list, a Chick-fil-A themed gift-basket and a signed keepsake certificate, will be awarded to the winner during a store-wide evening celebration from 5 to 8 p.m., Sept. 12.

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	CHAMBER EVENTS, Aug & Sept: To register, call 301-662-4164 or visit www.frederickchamber.org . For more information, contact Jessica Hibbard, Program & Event Coordinator, at 301-662-0745 or jhibbard@frederickchamber.org.

FREDERICK COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – AUGUST & SEPTEMBER EVENTS

For all events: Seating is limited. Unless otherwise noted, registration and prepayment are required. To register, call 301-662-4164 or visit www.frederickchamber.org. For more information, contact Jessica Hibbard, Program & Event Coordinator, at 301-662-0745 or jhibbard@frederickchamber.org.

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August 21
Annual Trustees Picnic
Picnic served 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Baseball game starts 7 p.m.
Frederick Keys Stadium, 21 Stadium Drive, Frederick

FREE (Chamber members & immediate family ONLY) Registration deadline: Friday, August 10th To register, please call 301-662-4164

Our Annual Trustees Picnic is held each year in place of the August Business Card Exchange. This year, we''ll enjoy picnic fare (hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, watermelon, soft drinks, and lemonade) and a Frederick Keys baseball game! Everyone''s favorite mascot, Keyote, plans to stop by, and a lucky Chamber member will get to throw the pre-game first pitch!

This event is free, and open to Chamber members and their immediate family (children and spouses) ONLY. Registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and registration is capped at 250 participants. The registration deadline is firm, and every participant MUST be pre-registered on or before Friday, August 10th. Call 301.662.4164 to register yourself and your family members. Email & online registration are not available for this event.

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September 6
Lunch Exchange
11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Brewer’s Alley Restaurant & Brewery
124 N. Market St., Frederick
$20 Chamber members, $30 non-members
Registration deadline: Thursday, August 30th
To register, please call 301.662.4164 or visit www.frederickchamber.org

This popular monthly event provides an opportunity for business professionals to gather at a Chamber member location to enjoy great food, atmosphere, and "speed networking." Join us for a fabulous lunch, door prizes, and business connections at one of downtown Frederick''s finest establishments!

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September 11
EXPO 2007
8 a.m.–3 p.m.
Holiday Inn Holidome & Conference Center (near the FSK Mall), Frederick

Exhibits are free and open to the public To order tickets for the breakfast seminar, or reserve a booth for your company, please call 301-662-0745 or visit www.frederickchamber.org. Join us for the ULTIMATE CONNECTION!

This year''s Business Expo is all new -- It''s our biggest networking event of 2007. The Expo is a fantastic opportunity to see new faces, make new connections, and learn things about Frederick County businesses that you never knew before!

Need to find a local supplier? Need to introduce yourself to new clients? Need to find a job closer to home? The Business Expo is THE place to get it all done.

7 a.m. -- Exhibitors Set-up
8 a.m. -- Continental Breakfast & Keynote Speakers
9:30 a.m. -- Ribbon Cutting & Exhibits Open
10 a.m. -- Morning Makeovers (until noon)
1 p.m. -- Taste of the Expo (until 3 p.m.)
3 p.m. -- Exhibits Close

This year''s Business Expo features "Expo Bingo" (play for prizes!), outdoor exhibits, and plenty of great business connections. Don''t miss out on THE event of the year!

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September 19
Business Card Exchange
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Ston’Art Galleria
7140 English Muffin Way, Frederick
FREE

Registration deadline: Friday, September 14th To register, please call 301-662-4164 or visit www.frederickchamber.org

Bring lots of business cards to this after-hours networking event. Each month, 125-175 area professional gather to make business connections. As you might imagine, the door prizes for this month''s business card exchange are fabulous: Ston''Art Galleria plans to give away granite countertops for vanities and hand-carved marble decorative items. Don''t miss out -- Join us for one of our most popular monthly events!

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September 28
Business Outlook Seminar
8-9 a.m.
Holiday Inn Ft. Detrick, 999 W. Patrick St., Frederick
FREE

Registration deadline: Tuesday, September 25th To register, please call 301-662-4164 or visit www.frederickchamber.org

The Chamber is honored to have Secretary Thomas Perez, of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, speak to us at our September Business Outlook Seminar. Following Secretary Perez''s presentation, there will be a brief question and answer period and time for networking. A continental breakfast will be provided by the Holiday Inn.

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	Finding unclaimed property online: www.marylandtaxes.com www.missingmoney.com Anyone who finds their name should contact the Comptroller''s Office at 410-767-1700 or toll free at 1-800-782-7383 to make a claim. The agency has 714,000 accounts worth more than $580 million on its books.

Anyhow, Comptroller''s Office employees will be manning booths throughout summer at various state fairs to allow people to check the agencies files of unclaimed property.

"Our No. 1 job at the Comptroller''s Office is to serve the people," Comptroller Peter Franchot said in a statement. "Part of that responsibility is to connect people with unclaimed funds so they get what they are owed. I urge Marylanders who are attending any of these events to stop by our booth."

Apparently, the service will only extend to five county fairs and the state fair in the Baltimore-Washington metro region.

The schedule:

Government

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	KAPLAN COLLEGE: 5301 Buckeystown Pike, Suite 150

The college was renamed to reflect ownership of Kaplan Higher Education, which has, a letter from President Chris Motz says, "70 schools in 22 states throughout the United States."

Kaplan Higher Education is owned by Kaplan Inc, which is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Co.

According to the press release, Kaplan Higher Education decided to change the names of some of its schools to reflect the Kaplan brand and take full advantage of Kaplan''s national reputation for educational excellence.

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	Photo by Doug Koontz Jennifer Dougherty celebrates her mayoral victory in 2001 at her restaurant and bar on West Patrick Street.

Not true, Dougherty said in a telephone interview today. She has an eight-year lease on the property and will continue business as usual.

"I''ll be there every day just like I have been," she said. "I have no idea why anyone would say such a thing. I think they''re pulling your leg."

Someone must be yanking really hard on that blue, sucker-lined appendage.

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Government

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The office moved to a larger more modern space in April about a block away from the old location. Why didn''t they call the FNP sooner? They didn''t know we''d be interested in writing about it. A neighbor tipped them off.

The new location is more convenient for patients because it’s on the first floor. Patients had to climb a flight of stairs to reach the old office.

For details, call 301-668-0888.

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New Business

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Lorraine Stoltz, number 12 in line, won''t bother using iTunes or the phone because she''s deaf. She just wants wireless Internet access and a visual interface.

Matt Gardiner, number seven, works in Alexandria, but came to Frederick because he thought the atmosphere would be more relaxed. The iPhone and other wireless devices will probably change the way he designs Web sites.

William Harris, second in line, is buying the iPhone for his mom''s birthday next month. She''s a huge Mac fan and has been waiting for a device that combines music, Internet and voice for about a decade.

Now that''s a good son.

Read their stories in tomorrow''s FNP.

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Technology

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For all events: Seating is limited. Unless otherwise noted, registration and prepayment are required. To register, call 301-662-4164 or visit www.frederickchamber.org.

For more information, contact Jessica Hibbard, Program & Event Coordinator, at 301-662-0745 or e-mailjhibbard@frederickchamber.org .

July 12

Electric Cooperative Information Meeting

3-5 p.m.

Business & Employment Center

5340 Spectrum Drive, Suite A, Frederick

FREE

To register, call Wendy Errera at 301-662-4553. Free information meeting open to members and non-members interested in learning more about the chamber''s energy co-op.

July 18

Business Card Exchange

4:30-6:30 p.m.

My Bank! First United Bank & Trust

Riverside Center, 1990 Monocacy Blvd., Frederick

FREE

Registration deadline: Friday, July 13th To register, please call 301-662-4164 or visit www.frederickchamber.org

Each month, 125-175 area professionals gather to connect.

July 24

General Membership Luncheon

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Morningside Inn, 7477 McKaig Rd., Frederick

$35 (Chamber members ONLY) Registration deadline: Tuesday, July 17th

To register, please call 301-662-4164 or visit www.frederickchamber.org

A semi-annual event. Wear your most colorful business attire -- bonus points for floral and tropical prints. Chamber members will vote on revised bylaws during the business portion of the meeting.

July 25

Electric Cooperative Information Meeting

8-10 a.m.

Business & Employment Center

5340 Spectrum Drive, Suite A, Frederick

FREE

To register, call Wendy Errera at 301-662-4553.

Free information meeting is open to members and non-members interested in learning more about the chamber''s energy co-op.

July 27

Business Outlook Seminar

8-9 a.m.

Holiday Inn Ft. Detrick, 999 W. Patrick St., Frederick

FREE

Registration deadline: Tuesday, July 24th

To register, please call 301-662-4164 or visit www.frederickchamber.org

Shuan Butcher, executive director of the Frederick Arts Council, will be at the July Business Outlook Seminar with a panel of representatives from area arts organizations. They will share information about the impact of arts on the local economy and the relationship between arts organizations and the business community.

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Chamber

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