Computer scams resulting in some local close calls

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 22 January 2013 14:23

Computer scams are nothing new, but according to local law enforcement officials, residents continue to report close calls when it comes to their financial security.

Hillsboro Police Chief Dan Kinning, said some of the more common computer crimes involve older people being asked to send money to someone they love.

“Basically what (the scammer) will do is look on Facebook pages and get information about a person’s grandchildren or other relatives,” he said. “It’s easy to do—everybody has Facebook accounts.”

The scammer will then call a relative pretending to be a grandchild or other close family member asking for money, Kinning said.

“Usually the person says they are in another country and have either been in a bad...

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Postmaster reminds residents to clear a path

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 15 January 2013 14:35

Hillsboro Postmaster Becky Larsen is reminding postal customers to clear and maintain a safe, accessible path to mailboxes as soon as possible after it snows.

“Winter storms make mail delivery very challenging for our letter carriers,” she said. “Clearing a path will go a long way toward keeping postal employees safe and ensuring mail delivery each day.”

Postal customers who receive door mail delivery should ensure their sidewalks, steps and access ways are kept clear of ice and snow, she said.

“Customers receiving street-side mailbox or centralized cluster neighborhood mailbox delivery should also pay special attention to a safe and clear pathway,” Larsen said.

Hillsboro letter carriers, who each make an average of about...

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Only minor injuries reported in three weekend accidents

Written by Patty Decker Monday, 31 December 2012 11:51

In about a 24-hour period, the Marion County Sheriff’s office responded to three separate vehicle accidents, all with only minor injuries.

Two of the three were one-vehicle crashes and the third collision, involving a semi and SUV, could have been fatal if not for the quick thinking of the semi driver, according to an official in the sheriff’s office.

The first incident happened at about 10:30 a.m. when a 2000 Pontiac, driven by Jenae Koontz, 20, of Hillsboro, traveling west on 190th at about Old Mill Road, hit a ditch and overturned.

According to the report, the reason why Koontz left the roadway is unknown, but she and infant passenger Bentley Schafer, also of Hillsboro, suffered minor injuries. Both were taken by ambulance to...

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Trash ‘sneaker’ prompts city challenge for neighborliness

Written by Don Ratzlaff Monday, 31 December 2012 11:47

Hillsboro residents may notice an usual notation at the bottom of the city’s January utility bill, right below the annual reminder about dog-tag renewal:

There have been complaints

of some folks putting trash in their neighbor’s bin. Certainly

we can be better neighbors.

The notation was City Admin­­i­strator Larry Paine’s way of alerting residents that sneaking trash into someone else’s bin has no practical benefit for the sneaker—unless, of course, irritating that person is the objective.

The practice isn’t illegal, Paine said, but if trash-sneakers see it as a way to avoid paying city trash-collection fees, well, forget about it.

“Everybody in town is charged a collection fee regardless,” he said. “We...

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