A2   Wednesday, February 5, 2020
The Dalles Chronicle
TheDallesChronicle.com
SENIOR NEWS
Be cautious, watch for scams during the 2020 census
Ah, the days when snake oil
salesmen only traveled from
city to city selling their dubious
medical cures. With today’s
technology, scam artists are
found everywhere: at your
door, on the phone, by email
and now even text messages.
Using all these means, what
better time for scam artists
to ply their trade than during
the 2020 Census when the
Census does ask detailed
questions about things like
income, assets, job status, and
household amenities—which
in most every other case is
no one’s busy. (I heard of one
person who has already been
visited by someone claiming
to be a Census Taker—and the
Census doesn’t start till April
1st!)
Even though we are just en-
tering the month of February
and only dreaming about
April, it’s not too early to know
the warning signs to look for
during this decade’s census.
When a census taker
comes to your door, check
for their valid ID badge with
their photograph, a U.S.
Department of Commerce
watermark, and an expiration
date. Also, they will never ask
you for money or financial
data, such as the amount in
your bank account, Social
Security number, or moth-
er’s maiden name. And they
will never threaten you with
arrest—although you can be
fined for not participating.
Online if you receive an
email from the Census Bureau
be suspicious. The agency
almost always makes contact
by mail. They don’t send
unsolicited emails. If you do
receive such an email, don’t
reply, click links or open
attachments—and forward
the message to ois.fraud.re-
porting@census.gov. And for
any website that claims to be
a Census website, check the
web address. Make sure it has
Senior
Living
Scott
McKay
a census.gov domain and is
encrypted: look for https:// or
a lock symbol in the browser
window.
If you receive anything by
mail, check to see if the re-
turn address includes the U.S.
Department of Commerce
or U.S. Census Bureau and
Jeffersonville, Ind.—the site
of the National Processing
Center. You may also receive
a reminder letter from one of
the Census Bureau’s regional
offices or headquarters in the
Washington, D.C. area.
If you receive a phone call,
don’t trust caller ID—scam-
mers can use “spoofing” tools
to make it appear they’re call-
ing from a real Census Bureau
number. Call the National
Processing Center at 800-523-
3205 or 800-642-0469 to verify
the phone survey is legitimate.
There are valid reasons why
you may be called, such as if
they don’t find you at home
or when a personal visit is not
convenient.
The goal of the 2020
Census is a complete and
accurate count—but wor-
rying that you might be a
sucker for some scam makes
reaching that goal even more
difficult. If you do encounter
anything suspicious, call the
regional office for Oregon
818-267-1700 or 1-800-992-
3530; or call 800-923-8282 to
speak with a Census Bureau
representative. Also the U.S.
Census has an excellent and
comprehensive secure web-
site at https://www.2020cen-
sus.gov/ where you can learn
more about the Census and
even find out how to apply to
NEWS IN BRIEF
Historical Commission to consider changes
The City of The Dalles Historic Landmarks Commission
will conduct a public hearing 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12,
in the City Hall Council Chambers, 313 Court Street, The
Dalles, to consider a request to install hardy plank siding to
best replicate a ship-lap siding in use on a nearby structure,
and replace metal windows with vinyl windows to match
the back windows on Building A of the same address, 412
Washington Street. The applicant is Scott Austin, property
owner is Austin Family Investments. Property is located in
the National Commercial Historic District and zoned central
business commercial.
The commission will also conduct two public hearings
Feb. 12 on requests from Elizabeth Wallis, president of the
Fort Dalles Museum Commission for approval to replace the
corrugated metal siding on the eastern wall of the Vehicle
Display Building with wooden siding, and replacement
of failing gutters on the Anderson Granary with wooden
gutters which replicate the originals. The property is located
at 500 W 15th Street, The Dalles, and is zoned parks/open
space. Owner is Ft. Dalles Museum-Wasco County.
Applications received for lot division
An application for administrative action has been re-
ceived by The Dalles Community Development Department
to divide on 6.92 acre parcel into 72 lots of varying size with
a proposed community park. Property is located at 2845
E. 12 St. and is bordered by 10th and Richmond streets.
It is zoned high density residential. Applicant is Legacy
Development Group.
An application for administrative action has also been
received to partition one 24,629 square foot parcel into
three parcels of 8,135, 4,494 and 8,494 square feet each. The
property is located at 2920 W. Seventh St., and is zoned me-
dium density residential. Applicant is Alan Easling, owner is
Labrador Properties, LLC.
served at 12:00 at the Center
“A friend is someone who
become a Census taker.
picks you up when no one
•••
else realized you have fallen.”
The program for the
MENU
Mar Razalan
2020 Original Courthouse
•••
Regional History Forum on
Thursday (6): Salisbury
Meals-on-Wheels dinner
Saturday Feb. 8th is “The
Steak (Music - Tom Graff)
Women of Sorosis: Social
‘Influencers’ of Their Day.”
Denise Dietrich Bokum will
share the far-reaching contri-
butions of women leaders in
The Dalles who gave Sorosis
Park its name. Program be-
Shilo Inn
gins at 1:30 pm.
3233 Bret Clodfelter Way
•••
The Dalles
The title of the epic his-
torical film about an English
Valid in 35-States,
officer who successfully
including Washington
united and led the diverse
Arab tribes during World
War I in order to fight the
Turks was “Lawrence of
Shaun Curtain
Arabia.” I received correct
answers from Carol Earl,
360-921-2071
Jess Birge, Lana Tepfer, Dave
or email: ShaunCurtain@gmail.
Lutgens, Sam Bilyeu, Deloris
Schrader, Rhonda Austin,
com | www.ShaunCurtain.com
Oregon Only $
Ruth Radcliffe, Jim Ayers, Bill
Marick, Sandy Haechrel and
Michael Murat, this week’s
winner of a quilt raffle ticket.
On the first Wednesday of
the next several months I’m
going to ask a local history
question about businesses
that were once located at a
different location. For this
week it’s a two-part question,
what business use to be where
St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store
is now? And what business
used to be where Sawyers Ace
Hardware and Rental is now?
Email your answer to
mcseniorcenter@gmail.
com, leave a message at 541-
296-4788, or drop off your an-
swers on the back of a crisp
hundred dollar bill.
•••
Well, it’s been anoth-
er week, trying to take
care of business. Until we
meet again, I’ve found
the answer to most every
important question is, “It’s
complicated!”
•••
CONCEALED CARRY
PERMIT CLASS
Friday (7): Cheeseburger
Monday (10): Stew
Tuesday (11): Oven Baked
Chicken
Wednesday (12): Hot Ham
and Cheese
Tuesday February 18th
6 PM
CLASS
$
80
45 Multi-State
Oregon Included No Fee
Come home
TO
C HERRY H EIGHTS L IVING
Don’t miss
our
Happy
Hour!
5:00 p.m.
to
6:00 p.m.
Stonehedge
Gardens
Gardens
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COUNTRY AVENUE
HOOD
RIVER
HOOD RIVER
541-386-3940
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Chronicle
At Cherry Heights, we offer affordable independent
living pricing with no long-term commitments. Our easy
month-to-month all inclusive rental agreements allow
flexibility for residents, should your health situation
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AMENITIES INCLUDE:
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THE DALLES CHRONICLE (ISSN 0747-3443)
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TRASH TALK
Q. Can I recycle my plastic shopping
QA
bags in the blue bin? Dan, Parkdale
A. Dan, Great question. Please don’t put plastic
bags in your recycling. Bags cause major problems with
machinery at the recycling facility in Portland. Good news
though- Return plastic bags and film packaging (if clean
and dry) to your supermarket. That includes bags that cover
produce, bread, paper towels, drycleaning, and case wraps.
questions to:
(541)-506-2636 www.tricountyrecycle.com