Bringing you News that Counts
Bringing you News that Counts
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July 13, 2009 IN THIS ISSUE
For more information about Palm Beach County’s programs and services, visit us online at www.pbcgov.com. During hurricanes or other activation events, Public Affairs will email releases to Count-e-News subscribers. If you have any questions or to provide feedback, you can email us at countenews@pbcgov.com or call (561) 355-2754. To unsubscribe from Count-e-News, click here. |
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County Awarded National Park Service Grant
The National Park Service has awarded a grant of $40,790 to Palm Beach County through the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP). The funds will be used to create a final report to delineate the Second Seminole War battlefields at the Loxahatchee River in the county’s Riverbend Park. The report will combine past research with new findings to help formulate a method of protecting the battlefield and providing educational programs. Florida’s three Seminole Wars, spanning 1817-1858, were the longest and most expensive conflict undertaken by the federal government in its day. The battle that occurred at the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter on January 24, 1838 was the last major battle of this tragic conflict. The ABPP grants assist in the preservation and protection of historic battle sites from all wars fought on American soil. For more information about the Second Seminole War Battlefield on the Loxahatchee please contact (561) 966-6686.
Human Services to Start Free Summer Food Program for Children
All children who are 18 years old and younger are eligible for meals at no charge. The programs are approved for geographical areas of need where 50 percent or more of the children qualify for free and reduced-price meals during the school year. Summer Food Service Program sites can provide meals to all children in the immediate vicinity in addition to those enrolled in summer school or summer camps. To view a list of summer food site locations or to access a user-friendly meal site locator, visit the Human Services Web site,www.pbcgov.com/communityservices/programs/humanservices. Residents can also call 2-1-1 to find the nearest site.
Infectious Viral Animal Diseases Strike Palm Beach County
Parvovirus is a highly contagious viral disease that can be passed from dog to dog. Clinical signs may include vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy, depression and lack of appetite. It is critical to prevent transmission of the disease through proper care and cleaning as well as proper vaccinations. Panleukopenia is a highly infectious viral disease in cats. Clinical signs include
diarrhea, vomiting, standing over a water dish, lethargy and fever, all of
which can quickly lead to death. Inevitably, parvovirus and panleukopenia have been introduced into the shelter from infected animals being brought to the facility. It is important to keep your pets up-to-date on all necessary vaccinations to protect them against these devastating diseases. Please contact your local veterinarian immediately to have your cat or dog vaccinated against these fatal and highly contagious viruses. For more information, please visit Animal Care and Control’s Web site atwww.pbcgov.com/pubsafety/animal or call (561) 233-1200.
Consumer Traps & Tips - This Hospital Bill is Four Years Old!
Joyce of Palm Springs was upset to receive a call from a collection agency saying she owed money for a hospital stay four years ago. She did not recall receiving any bills from the hospital at that time and thought insurance had paid for the stay. How can they attempt to collect from her after all this time? Tips How old is too old? Debts that are so old they are beyond the point at which a creditor or debt collector may sue you to collect are called “time-barred debts.” In Florida, civil court actions are not permitted unless they are within the time limits prescribed by law (Chapter 95). For most debts not involving real property, the time limit is four or five years. In some situations the time limit can be reset when any kind of payment was made on the principal or interest owed. Even if you can’t be sued, the creditor or a debt collector may continue contacting you to pursue payment of the debt as long as the company does not violate the Federal Fair Debt Collection Act. Steps to take: · Send a letter requesting an original itemized bill. Is this your debt? Older debts are often sold to collection agencies without proper documentation to show who is responsible. · Compare the itemized bill with your own records to determine if you already paid the bill. Compare it with your insurance “Explanation of Benefits” (EOB) to see if the bill was submitted to your insurance company and what was paid. · Contact the original creditor and ask them to review their records to verify that payments were correctly credited to your account. For more information: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov) or call 1-877-FTC-HELP; or Consumer Affairs (http://www.pbcgov.com/consumer) or call 561-712-6600 (Boca/Delray 1-888-852-7362).
Palm Beach County Budget 2010 Information Available Online
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