Coming Events courtesy of the Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce

**June 23 – Edgefield County Senior Citizens Council – Pancake Supper Fundraiser.  Please join us for a Pancake Supper 4:30 until 7:00 PM.  Tickets are $5.00 and will include 2 sausage links, 3 pancakes and syrup.  No tickets will be sold at the door.  The cut off date is Friday, June 19th.  This fundraiser is to provide outside furniture for our Alzheimer’s Unit.

**June 24th, 2009
I am please to announce that we have received a grant to expand Community Voice Mail service into Edgefield County. We hope to make extensive progress in the next month and be well along by the end of the year.  At this point we are trying to identify agencies and individuals who have a passionate or vested interest in providing 24/7 personal, confidential, local voice mail boxes, in either English or Spanish, to people who are  going through either a crisis or a transition period. Typically these people are unemployed, homeless, in need of medical care, in need of any number of social services or perhaps are involved in a bad domestic situation or maybe just simply have a need to stay in touch with friends and family but lack the financial resources to do so. It is important for people in these situations to have a reliable way of receiving messages and also for any case workers or other direct service providers to be able to reach their clients.

We are also seeking people willing to serve on a Local Advisory Council and also those who would consider being either a Partnering Agency or a Referring Agency. Attendance at the session will not obligate anyone in any way, but it will allow you to learn what Community Voice Mail is all about. Our goal is not only to expand CVM service but also to put the necessary tools in place to make it sustainable.

To help us determine who might have an interest in helping to bring this much needed service to Edgefield County and for us to share what we can with you about CVM, we have scheduled a Community Voice Mail information sharing event for 8:00 A.M.- 9:00 A.M.  with sign-in and light breakfast food/drinks beginning at 7:30 A.M. on Wednesday, June 24th in the Community Room at the Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce offices in Johnston.   And you’re invited!  My most sincere appreciation to Donna Livingston and the Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce for providing such a wonderful location for this information sharing event.

Never heard of Community Voice Mail? Then go to www.cvm.org and check us out.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and also to RSVP. You’re RSVP by 5:00 P.M. on Monday, June 21st would be appreciated. With your help and support., Community Voice Mail will soon be a reality in Edgefield County.

If you prefer not to receive notices regarding Community Voice Mail please reply and ask to be deleted. Also, if you know of people that we should be in touch with that are not on our mailing list, please provide me with their contact information so I can add them to our contact list.

Richard Garcia
Community Voice Mail Site Manager
Hosted by Aiken County HELP LINE-2-1-1
an agency of United Way of Aiken County
Office 803.641.4143
Mobile 803.215.8404
Fax 803.641.4169
cvmmanager@gmail.com

"Turning phone lines into life lines"

**Chef Bob’s Southern Suppers – Friday Night Seafood Buffet
            $18.95 from 6:00 until 9:00 PM
·    Friday June 19th Buffet Menu: Salad & Homemade Soup Bar (She-Crab Soup Tossed Salad & Cole Slaw)
Steamed Alaskan Crab Legs, Low Country Shrimp Boil, Oysters “prepared the way you want’um” –
Rockefeller – Steamed – Raw – Fried –served ½ dozen at a time
Popcorn Shrimp, Catfish filet, Onion Rings, Buttermilk Hushpuppies, Shrimp & Creamy Grits; Chef Bob’s homemade potato chips – served at your table.  Homemade Desserts

·    Sunday Father’s Day Buffet – June 21st
    $10.95 from 11:00 until 2:30 PM
Chef Bob’s Southern Fried Chicken Tenders, Carving station with: Prime Rib of Beef & Roast Pork Tenderloin, Carved by Chef Bob; Soup & Salad bar; Steamed Rice, Mashed Potatoes & Country Gravy, Green Beans, Mac. & Cheese, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Creamed Sweet Corn, Turnip Greens, Bob’s Yeast Rolls, Buttermilk Biscuits, Cornbread, & a table full of Chef Bob’s Homemade Desserts

**June 27 – Summer Art & Floral Flair – 4:00 until 7:00 PM, Freshwater Coast Discover Center, 405 Main Street, Edgefield.  Original paintings by South Carolina artist Anne Darby Parker artist will be on hand to discuss her works).  Summer produce, refreshment bar and floral arrangements from local vendors will be for sale.  Door prizes from summer destinations throughout South Carolina.  Free and open to the public.  RSVP appreciated.

**June 28 – Patriotic Service, Johnston Pentecostal Holiness Church, 96 Edisto Street.  Presented by children and youth to celebrate America’s birthday.  Public invited.  11:00 AM

**July 25 – Women in Unity Youth Rally and Family Fun Day, 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM at the Edgefield Soccer Field.  All interested please call 803-336-8287 or 637-2010 if you would like to set up a booth.

**August 8 – Fox Creek High School Grand Festivities and registration at its new home on Shortcut Road.  10:00 AM until 3:00 PM activities planned for all ages, delicious food, and music.

**Don’t forget your Chamber of Commerce gift certificates. You can get them for any amount and they are good at any Chamber of Commerce membership.

EDGEFIELD COUNTY 211 HELP LINE – BEGINNING OCT. 1ST, 2008

**Edgefield Regional Arts seeks donations to bring theater to Edgefield.
All donations are welcome, of any size. Contributions are fully tax-deductible. Makes checks out to Edgefield Regional Arts Theatre Project and mail to 204 Augusta Road, Edgefield, SC 29824.

Edgefield County Events:

The Downtown Edgefield Farmer’s Market –
When: every Saturday in June, July & August.
Time: 9:30 AM to NOON.
Where:  Edgefield’s Downtown Square

Brought to you by the ECDA and the Town of Edgefield

For more information, call Jerry at 803-480-3121 or check out our website at www.visitedgefield.com

SC Artist Debuts Show at Discovery Center

Edgefield-The Fresh Water Coast Discovery Center is offering a bit of Summer Art and Floral Flair on Saturday, June 27th from 4p.m. until 7p.m.  The drop-in reception features original paintings by South Carolina native Anne Darby Parker, a summer produce refreshment and beverage bar, floral arrangements and hanging baskets from local vendors, and valuable door prizes from summer destinations throughout SC all day.  

Anne Darby Parker is originally from Charleston, SC and currently resides on Sullivan’s Island.  Anne’s earliest artistic expression was with a camera, through which she endeavored to capture and uniquely express the human spirit.  She transitioned to painting in the late 1990’s, most often with oils.  

Parker’s work has exhibited in national and international shows alike, some of which include venues such as the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, the Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery in Nevada, and the Walter Greer Gallery of the Arts in Hilton Head.  Parker also participated in The South Carolina National Heritage Corridor traveling exhibit, The Connection, which ventured to the island of Barbados.

Anne Darby Parker will be on hand to discuss her works with visitors.  This event is free and open to the public.  RSVP is appreciated but not required.  For more information on this event and the center, please call (803) 637-0877 or email edgefielddc@scprt.com.    For more information on Anne Darby Parker, please visit www.annedarbyparker.blogspot.com.

Through interactive exhibits and a gift shop of local artists, the Freshwater Coast Discovery Center of the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor shares the history of Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick, and Saluda Counties.  The center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10a.m. until 5p.m. and is located at 405 Main Street in Edgefield.  For more information on the SC National Heritage Corridor please visit www.sc-heritagecorridor.org.   

Greenwood Events:

Blooms and Beauties on Display at The Museum

June is here and that means it’s time for the South Carolina Festival of Flowers. In celebration of this year’s festival, The Museum is hosting the exhibit “Blooms and Beauties” through July 4. 

The exhibit contains original SC Festival of Flowers programs that highlight the Pageant Queens, as well as many originals and reprints of Festival Artwork.  According to The Museum’s Executive Director, Matt Edwards, “this is a great way to look back on some of the traditions that have made the festival community favorite or over forty years.” 

The pageant was a staple of the festival of flowers through its first twenty years, but was discontinued in 1989.  The original artwork competition, on the other hand, was launched in 1984 and continues to be a popular festival tradition. 

Edwards adds, “we see this as a launching point for future exhibits about the festival.  We were only able to locate about a dozen of the art pieces, and we’d like to eventually be able to display all of the originals during the festival.”

The Museum is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM through 5:00 PM.  For more information call 864-29-7093 or visit the website at www.greenwoodmuseum.org

Matthew J. Edwards
Executive Director
The Museum, Greenwood SC

If you would like to master the art of true southern gourmet barbeque… this class is for you!

With spring here and summer approaching, this is the time to learn how to season and smoke like a professional during the Art of Barbeque cooking class presented by Carolina Pride.
Pitmaster Fretwell, will show you how to master the art of great southern barbeque. This cooking class is not about your average barbeque, where you might throw the steak on a fired-up grill with a store-bought sauce. This is a barbecue class with “southern style” and imagination, so the barbecue you serve is not just good, it’s “art”! 
Charles Fretwell has been competing on the bbq circuit since 1996.  As chief cook of the award-winning BBQ team BS Pitmeister, he has won over 200 top ten awards including 22 grand championships, 15 reserve grand champion placements and 4 top five awards at the Jack Daniels Invitational.

The class will be held at the Arts Center at the Federal Building on July 3, 2009 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Cost is $50 per person which includes a full meal after the class.  For more information, contact Uptown Greenwood Development Corporation at (864) 942-8448.

Live After 5 Series

 
2009 Live After Five Schedule
Thurs, June 18 - Natalie Stovall
SC Festival of Flowers Event!
Columbia, Tenn's 'Peace, Love & Fiddle!'

Live After 5 Concert
Thursday, June 18th in Uptown Greenwood

Bring your lawn chairs and dancin’ shoes and enjoy a fun-filled evening in Uptown Greenwood during the June edition of Live After Five.  This month’s concert will feature country music sensation Natalie Stovall.  

Natalie Stovall has appeared on Oprah and Nashville Now, performed at the Grand Ole Opry, and sang for President and First Lady Bush.  She may be young, but Natalie’s refreshing balance of traditional country and soulful rock music is sure to keep you entertained.   The concert will be held June 18th from 5:30—8 PM at the Countybank Plaza and is sponsored by Mathis Plumbing.

Food vendors will be on hand and Uptown Restaurants will be open ready to meet all of the public’s needs.  

For additional information on “Live After Five” or other Uptown Greenwood events, visit www.uptowngreenwood.com or call (864) 942-8448.

 
Thurs, July 9 - Greenwood Blues Cruise
9th Annual Blues Cruise kick-off
 
Thurs, July 16 - The Fantastic Shakers
Playing the best in variety party music
 
Thurs, August 20 - Michael Stacey
 "Life Is Good" - mix of country and classic rock!
 
Thurs, September 17 - Swingin' Medallions
Greenwood's own party band of the south!
 
Sat, September 26 - Royal Scotsmen Band
Join the Rock N' Roll Cruisers for the Sat Cruise-In!
 
Thurs, October 15 - The Original Drifters
Don't miss the legendary sound of the 1950s.

Folks attending the concerts should bring their lawn chairs and dancin’ shoes and enjoy a fun-filled evening in Uptown Greenwood.  Food vendors will be on hand and Uptown Restaurants will be open ready to meet all of the public’s needs.  

For additional information, contact Uptown Greenwood at (864) 942-8448 or email uptown@cityofgreenwoodsc.com.  

BBQ Teams, Judges, Blues Lovers, Friends, & Family –

We’re officially 90 days away from one of the largest BBQ and Blues street festivals in the south….the 9th Annual South Carolina Festival of Discovery/Greenwood Blues Cruise July 9-11, 2009 (http://www.festivalofdiscovery.com) presented by Greenwood’s own Carolina Pride!   Angie, Billy, and I look forward to planning/working hard over the coming months to have everything in place for your arrival!  

The accolades of our event keep coming as we’ve been nominated as a ‘TOP 20’ summer event by the Southeast Tourism Society (http://southeasttourism.org/top20/top20_julsep09.html).

We are pleased to announce that the Blues lineup for 09 is set – visit www.greenwoodbluescruise.com.  Another stellar lineup put together this year by our friend Gary Erwin AKA “Shrimp City Slim.”  12 Blues artists at 9 different venues in Uptown Greenwood!  Yes..it’s ALL FREE! NO COVER! What an economic stimulus relief for the summer!

We’ll see many of you next weekend in Kings Mountain!  Have a great Easter Weekend!  Safe travels!

Become a FAN of the Festival of Discovery on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Carolina-Festival-of-Discovery/58841...

Charlie Barrineau
City of Greenwood
(864) 942-8411 office
(864) 992-4623 cell
charlie.barrineau@cityofgreenwoodsc.com

Regional Friends -

Greetings again from Greenwood….make sure this event is on all of your calendar….this will be unlike anything we’ve done before…going to be FUN!

click646
A Photographic Collective
Greenwood, SC
October 16-17, 2009
http://www.click646.com

Small town, big ideas
Greenwood launches photography event that showcases the world

GREENWOOD, S.C. -----They’ve photographed familiar places and far-away lands, celebrities and indigenous people. Their works have appeared in international exhibits, major magazines and books. Four world-class photographers will share their images and ideas as Greenwood launches a new celebration this fall. Click646 is a photographic collective that will take place Oct. 16 and 17, 2009 at venues throughout Uptown Greenwood.

The brainchild of South Carolina native photographer jon holloway, click646 gets its name from 29646, one of Greenwood’s zip codes. Holloway envisions the event as both a celebration of the photograph and a recognition of the power of the photograph to inspire thought, conversation and action relating to world issues.

The inaugural event will spotlight photographers Christina Mittermeier, Joyce Tenneson, Keith Cardwell and jon holloway, as well as a student exhibition and photography contest.

The Arts Council at the Federal Building will host the International League of Conservation Photographers’ “Borderlands” exhibit with renowned photographer and ILCP founding executive director Cristina Mittermeier presenting work. Mittermeier’s photography focuses on the relationship between nature and humans and “the idea that people and nature are not isolated from each other, but inexorably connected.” She is well-known for her photographs of indigenous people and of the environment. Her work has taken her to 54 countries, including some of the most remote and beautiful areas of the planet.

The Museum will host the photography of Keith Cardwell, an UK photographer best known for his Cuban works which have been included in a major exhibition and a recent book. Works from a regional photography contest will also be on display at The Museum. 

Greenwood Community Theatre will host guest speakers for visual presentations, including photographer Joyce Tenneson, who has been described as "one of America's most interesting portrayers of the human character" as well as one of the ten most influential women photographers in history. Tenneson's photographs have appeared on countless covers for magazines such as: Time, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek, Premiere, Esquire and The New York Times Magazine. She is also a much sought-after portrait photographer and has photographed celebrities including: Jodi Foster, Salma Hayek and Eve Ensler, Norah Jones, the King and Queen of Jordan, Carole King, Sir Ben Kingsley, Demi Moore, Rosie Perez, Shiva Rose, Isabella Rossellini, James Taylor and Marisa Tomei.

Meridian on Maxwell Avenue will host the annual Lander University Juried Student Exhibition and Sundance Gallery will be the site of a new exhibit celebrating the release of the book, South Carolina: Beautiful Places, featuring jon holloway’s photography of South Carolina State Parks.  jon travels extensively to photograph and document the natural history and heritage of the lands he visits. He has worked throughout the United States, Canada, Central America, India and Cuba.
Oregon Street will be closed to traffic with images being projected onto buildings, music being played in small venues throughout the area.

It will be a weekend of inspiration, imagination, and discovery.

McCormick Events:
                                                                                                 
 
 
OVER
 
US 378
 
 
                              

McCormick County Chamber of Commerce                   Lincolnton-Lincoln County
PO Box 938                                                                     Chamber of Commerce
McCormick, SC 29835                                                     PO Box 810
864.852.2835                                                                    Lincolnton, GA 30817-0810
www.mccormickschamber.org                                         706.359.7970
mccchamber@wctel.net                                                    lincolncham@nu-z.net

With summer fast approaching, are you ready for some fun in the sun and an evening filled with excitement?  If so, make plans now for this year’s Thunder Over Thurmond!  The 2009 event will be held on July 11th at the Hwy 378 bridge between Lincoln and McCormick Counties.  The sky will light up with wondrous color and sparkles around 9pm.

Drive your boat, bring a lawn chair and spend a day on beautiful Lake Thurmond.  Then hang around for the best part of the day, as hundreds of fireworks displays light up the night sky over Lake Thurmond. As usual, thousands of people are expected so make plans now!!  Come out and celebrate our Nations Birthday with us!

This event is brought to you by the Lincolnton – Lincoln County and McCormick County Chambers of Commerce.  If you would like to contribute to this year’s event, please contact the Lincoln County Chamber at 706-359-7970 or the McCormick Chamber at 864-852-2835.  Thanks for helping make this the best Thunder Over Thurmond yet!!!

McCormick County Chamber of Commerce
Chamberlink May 28, 2009

Deadline to submit articles for current week’s Chamberlink is Thursday 10:00 a.m.
E-mail to: mccchamber@wctel.net
 

8.      Good News.  Thunder Over Thurmond is on for July 11th (Saturday after the 4th for reference).
After further consideration both the McCormick and Lincoln County Councils have decided to appropriate monies for the Thunder Over Thurmond fireworks.  The committee has met and is proceeding with plans for
Another great event to light up McCormick and Lincoln counties. We are taking donations as started by some concerned citizens and businesses. These donations will let us know who wants to continue Thunder Over
Thurmond and help ‘beef up’ the fireworks.  Your checks can be sent to the McCormick County Chamber of Commerce but please see that they are designated for Thunder Over Thurmond. No donation is too small or too large.  The Chamber address is PO Box  938, McCormick, SC 29835.  Thank you for your support in celebrating the lake. ~Rita Smith-McCormick County Chamber Chair

9.       Willington Academy Celebration to feature Governor Patrick Noble.  On July 25th, 2009, Willington on the Way will sponsor the third in its biannual lecture series featuring graduates of the Willington Academy.  This year Phil Noble, Jr. Will speak on his ancestor, Patrick Noble, who was governor of South Carolina from 1838-1848. Noble was an early law partner of John C. Calhoun and was Speaker of the SC House of Representatives from 1818-1824 and from 1833-38. He also served as Commissioner for the railroad from Charleston to Cincinnati and was a Trustee of South Carolina College (University of South Carolina).  
    In the afternoon, talented actor, Richard Smith of Columbia, SC, will once again produce his one man           dramatization of Dr. Moses Waddel.
    The tentative schedule is: 10am registration at Willington History Center. 11 am Lecture on Governor           Patrick Noble at the Willington Presbyterian Church.  2:30 PM Drama: ‘Log Cabin Learning’, 3:30 Guided     Tour to Academy site and Noble Cemetery. Tickets for the day’s program are $15.

10.  Festival of flowers is June 26 through June 28. www.scfestivalofflowers.org  This event was included on the Southeastern Tourism Society’s “Top Twenty Events”.  This is when Park Seed Company opens their doors to the public of tours and you get to see the gardens.

Ridge Spring Events:

 
 
BEGINNER'S PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS
 
 Misty Morris, Instructor
 
Saturday, July 25, 2009, 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
 Sunday, July 26, 2009 - 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
 
 
$30
 
Students should bring their own cameras
 
 
This class is scheduled over two days to allow for classroom instruction and field time to shoot.  Topics to be covered include
        Camera types and usage
        Aperture and shutter speed control
        Use of the 18% neutral test gray card and/or white balance settings
        Changing the ISO number and characteristics
        Lenses and accessories for digital single lens reflex owners
        Composition and exposure
        Electronic flash
 
 
Call Barbara Yon, 803-685-5386 for more information or to register for the class.

**All Gods Creatures Pet Rescue accepts and is in need of monetary donations.  Tax deductible contributions may be sent to PO Box 23, Johnston. Also remember the need for donated pet food at the Bi-Lo food bin!!

**Also All God’s Creatures display tables are becoming antiques.  If anyone would like to donate (need 3) please contact Beth Byrd @ 803-637-5912.

**United Daughters of the Confederacy meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month, @ Oakley Park, 7:00 PM, all visitors are welcome.  637-4027 or 637-6861

**1st Thursday of each month, Sons of Confederate Veterans, @ Oakley Park, 7:00 PM.

**1st Thursday of each month, Edgefield Regional Arts (ERA).  All artists and interested persons are invited to attend. Meetings start at 7:00 PM.  Refreshments are served. Call Pamela 637-6763 or Carrie 637-6200 for locations and information.

**Edgefield County Water & Sewer Authority Board of Directors meets the 4th Monday of each month @ 5:30 PM at 100 Waterworks Road, Edgefield.

Regularly Scheduled Local Gov’t Meetings
·    Edgefield Town Council – 1st Monday of each month 5:30 PM
·    Edgefield County Council – 1st Tuesday of each month 6:00 PM
·    Johnston Town Council – 2nd Monday of each month 6:00 PM
·    Trenton Town Council – 2nd Wednesday of each month 6:00 PM
·    Edgefield County Planning Commission 2nd Thursday of each month 6:30 PM
·    Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce 3rd Tuesday of each month 5:30 PM
·    Edgefield County Alliance 1st Monday of each month 7:30 AM Piedmont Technical College-Edgefield Campus  $3.00 donation
·    Edgefield County Hospital Board – last Monday of each month 6:30 PM
·    Edgefield County Water & Sewer Authority Board of Directors meets the 4th Monday of each month @ 5:30 PM at 100 Waterworks Road, Edgefield.
·    American Legion Post 30 meets 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Legion Hut on Penn Street.

Business Basics & Financial Survival Techniques

Presenter: Reka F. Mosteller, IMBA, MA, EDFP, Area Manager

Valuable workshop with many practical tips and facts to assist businesses to operate successfully, especially during trying economic times.  Participants will receive many useful handouts.

DISCOVER …
·    financial pitfalls and how to avoid them.
·    40+ specific tips you can implement to increase profit & reduce costs & improve cash flow.
·    the elements of an effective business.
·    SBA financial assistance programs.
·    information you need to know to make informed decisions.
·    Internet and library resources available to business owners.

LEARN how to …
·    identify break-even point.
·    adjust prices and costs to deal with insufficient cash flow issues.
·    avoid layoffs with creative management techniques.
·    set up and maintain your own business.

HANDOUTS include …
·    QuickBooks SimpleStart CD (Financial, Customer Manager and Business Planner software)
·    Small Business Planning and Resource Guide
·    Spreadsheets to calculate Sources and Uses of Funds, Cash Flow Analysis, Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet 

 
Thursday, July 9, 2009
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
University of South Carolina- Aiken Campus
Room 236- Business & Education Building
Cost:  $30 — Registration required
E-mail SBDC@usca.edu, call 803-641-3646, or visit our website: www.usca.edu/sbdc
 

Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office. Thank you.

Juanita Samborski- Administrative Specialist
Small Business Development Center
University of South Carolina at Aiken
Winner of 2008 SBA Small Business Development Center Service Excellence and Innovation Center Award
471 University Parkway, Box 9
Aiken, SC 29801
' (803) 641-3646
sbdc@usca.edu

Founded in 1711 and located on the banks of the Beaufort River, Beaufort, South Carolina is a National Historic Landmark. Located midway between Charleston and Savannah, it harbors a rich repository of 18th, 19th and 20th century houses and churches with remarkable architectural variety. During the Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens, visitors are invited to explore Beaufort from a rare vantage point: a selection of private homes, churches, gardens and plantations normally not open to the public welcomes visitors inside. Historic Beaufort Foundation is a non-profit organization charged with the mission to preserve, protect and present sites and artifacts of historic, architectural and cultural significance in Beaufort County.

South Carolina
Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens
Beaufort, SC
October 23, 24 & 25, 2009
National Historic Landmark
www.historicbeaufort.org
843-379-3331

Joy Kircher
Events Coordinator
Historic Beaufort Foundation
843-379-3331

It May Concern:

The South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs is interested in forming the Minority Business Partnership Consortium comprised of small and minority business development assistance providers and resources.  The attached memorandum is to invite you to attend an interest meeting scheduled for June 23, 2009, 9:00 am at the SC Department of Archives & History, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, South Carolina.  Please see the attached memorandum for details.

An agenda and registration form are provided for you.  The registration form can be completed and submitted via email by clicking the “Submit by Email” button at the top of the registration form.

NEWS FROM SCDCA
 South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs

 
Brandolyn Thomas Pinkston, Administrator
                                                

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS ISSUES WARNING ABOUT DEBT COLLECTION SCAM

Columbia, SC…..The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs is warning consumers to be on guard for a new telephone scam snaking its way through the state. The scam plays on consumer fears by threatening incarceration for past debt, but don’t be fooled. It’s simply the latest scam con artists have invented to rip you off.
The scam unfolds with an unsolicited telephone call informing you that you owe a large, unsettled debt and must pay it or face prosecution or imprisonment. The caller, however, is willing to make a deal. If you pay within the next 48 hours via Western Union or MoneyGram, you will only have to pay a fraction of the total bill.
This is a fraud! You do not owe any money. There is no debtor’s prison, and you will not be taken to jail for owing money.
Consumers are reminded:
·    Don’t be fooled by the caller using the name of a real business.
·    If you don’t remember the debt, don’t pay it! Check your credit report, personal records, or call the company directly before agreeing to pay any debt you don’t recall.
·    You cannot be jailed for private debts, and it is illegal for any debt collector to threaten such action.
·    Never wire money to someone you do not know.
If you receive one of these telephone calls, hang up and report it to the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs. If you have already fallen prey to this scheme, please contact the Department immediately.
For more information about the Debt Collection Scam, including ways to spot such a scam, please see our video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z346B15uNtc. To view the Department’s other consumer related videos, visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/scdcatv.
 You may contact the Public Information Division at 803.734.4190, toll free in SC at 1.800.922.1594, or online at www.scconsumer.gov.

NEWS FROM SCDCA
 South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
 
Brandolyn Thomas Pinkston, Administrator
                                                
June 15, 2009
Release #09-061
SCDCA Media Contact: Alice Brooks, 803.734.4190
1.800.922.1594 (toll free in SC)
Email: scdca@scconsumer.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Department of Consumer Affairs Says Don’t Get Jury Rigged!

Columbia, SC – Jury scams have been around for at least five years, but forwarded emails indicate that they may be making a return appearance. This scam is a simple variation of identity theft ploys.

Scammers call claiming to be an officer of the court. He or she tells you that you have failed to report for jury duty and that a bench warrant has been issued for your arrest. The FBI, warning as early as 2005, calls this “social engineering.” The scam’s bold simplicity may be what makes it so effective, according to the FBI warning.
 
“Victims are often caught off-guard when frightened by something as unexpected as the threat of arrest,” said Brandolyn Thomas Pinkston, Administrator of the SC Department of Consumer Affairs. “They may unwittingly give up sensitive information under these circumstances.”

FBI officials report that even when victims protest that they have not received a jury summons, the scammer attempts to verify the victim’s social security number and/or birthdate in order to “clear up the matter.”

Another twist on the scam happens when the con artist offers a “solution” to the missed jury date: a fine, payable by credit or debit card, right over the phone. It’s a very simple scam that puts people on the defensive, then reels them in with the promised of a clean slate.

Protecting yourself is simple: Never give out personal or identifying information to a telephone caller in a conversation that you did not initiate.
·    Local or even federal court workers will not telephone to ask for personal information.
·    Don’t give out bank account, social security, or credit or debit card numbers whether it be to someone trying to sell you something or someone claiming to be from a bank or government agency.
·    Examine your bank and credit card statements carefully every month. Challenge any unauthorized charges.
·    Get your free credit report annually (www.annualcreditrepoprt.com) and clean up any errors.

South Carolina consumers have the best protection of all: freeze your credit with each of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). This can be accomplished for free, thanks to South Carolina’s Financial Identity Fraud and Identity Theft Protection Act. Once you have been sent your Personal Identification Number (PIN), your credit may be thawed in as little as 15 minutes. Freezing and thawing can be done as much as the consumer desires, and always at no charge.

For more information on this scam or on freezing your credit, contact the Public Information Division at 803.734.4190, toll free in SC at 1.800.922.1594, or online at www.scconsumer.gov. The Department also has posted a YouTube video on the subject of freezing your credit: http://bit.ly/KPzga.