| Open Burning Law in Lake County |
| September 27, 2006
Outside Burning
With the official start of the fall season it is important to inform residents of the Lake County Open Burning Ordinance. This ordinance pertains to unincorporated Lake County. Cities and towns may have their own ordinance so check with your local fire department.
Open burning is defined as “The burning of any materials or contaminants resulting from combustion that are emitted directly into the air, without passing through a stack or chimney from an enclosed chamber.”
No open burning is allowed except what is covered under exemptions.
Exemptions – The following types of fires are permitted:
Recreational Burning or Ceremonial Fires – Fires for pep rallies, scouting activities, camping and cooking.
Farm Burning – Wood products derived from maintenance operations such as burning fence rows or fields or materials derived therefrom. Clearing operations are not exempt. Burning natural growth derived from a drainage ditch. Burning limbs and prunings only if diseased or infected so as to present a contamination problem.
All exemptions are subject to the following:
1. Wood products are natural growth material. No processed painted or treated wood shall be burned. Tree leaves are NOT wood products.
2. Fires shall be attended at all times.
3. If fires create an air pollution, nuisance problem, or a fire hazard, they shall be extinguished.
4. All burning shall occur during daylight hours.
5. Burning must be done during safe weather conditions, not during high winds or pollution alert days.
Penalty:
A. Any person violating this Ordinance shall be fined no less then $10.00 dollars and no more than $500.00 for each violation.
B. Anyone served with a citation for violating the provisions of this Ordinance may appear before the Clerk of the Lake County Superior Court, County Division, admit the violation and pay a civil penalty of $50.00. If a person does not appear within 14 days of the issuance of the citation it will be filed with the Lake County Superior Court, County Division, for processing in a court case.
Any other burning must apply for and receive a permit from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). They maintain an office in Merrillville.
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| Craigslist Scam |
| Users of the popular Craigslist Classified Website need to be aware of an interstate fraud being perpetrated on this site.
This scam involves the sale of newer vehicles posted on the website at below half of their actual value. The vehicle is usually listed on the site for a brief period, twenty (20) to thirty (30) minutes, and then removed so it can’t be traced by law enforcement. Interested parties who respond to the ad are later contacted by email.
The alleged seller says the low price is due to divorce of some type of financial hardship. The buyer is directed to send the payment to another state, promising to deliver the vehicle upon receipt of payment.
The seller claims to be affiliated with EBay however no such advertisements exist on the EBay site.
The most current ads have been for a 2006 PT Cruiser, a 2005 Subaru Legacy and a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado.
Buyers should avoid any purchase on Craigslist involving mail or electronic transfer.
There have been no reports of anyone in our jurisdiction who have been victimized at this time. If anyone has been victimized they are encouraged to call Detective Eddie Jenkins at the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, 755-3346.
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| Buying Safely on eBay |
| April 3, 2007
Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez issued a warning to the public regarding purchases on e-Bay. “We have had several complaints from people who made purchases from this venue and they have been deceived”, Dominguez said. “We hope that by issuing this alert, those making purchases can protect themselves against fraud.”
The purchases in question involve sending money via Western Union to the seller. They never received their items, a race car, a skid-steer loader and a ’68 Camero.
Sheriff Dominguez recommends those intending to make a purchase on eBay read the security tutorial provided on their Website. It is located at the very bottom of the page, “Security Center”. The Security Resolution Center screen will come up. In the “Learning” box there is “Buying Safely on eBay”. That will take you through a ten step tutorial regarding safe payment methods and seller’s feedback information. Utilizing their recommended method of payment protects the purchaser from fraud. Do not use instant cash transfer services like Western Union or MoneyGram.
“We should enjoy the capabilities that this age of technology presents to us but we must continue to protect ourselves”, Sheriff Dominguez said. “And always remember, if it seems too good to be true - it probably is”.
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| Prescription Assistance Program |
| Sheriff Roy Dominguez has added a link for those needing help paying for Prescription medication. Go to the Links section on the WEB Site and click on Partnership for Prescription Assistance or call, Toll Free, 1-888-477-2669. |
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| Free Gun Locks |
| Sheriff Roy Dominguez, in cooperation with all the police agencies in Lake County, wants to remind our citizens, with hunting season upon us, and, as activity increases with firearms, so can firearm related accidents.
Every police department in Lake County has free gunlocks available. Project ChildSafe provides these locks, a program developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Sheriff Dominguez reminds us, “Leaving an unattended, loaded firearm in a home with children is neither safe nor smart. Protect yourself and your family from a tragic accident by securely storing your firearms. It can save your life and the ones you love.”
Contact your local police department during normal business hours to receive your free gun lock.
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| "Phishing" Scam |
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Sheriff Roy Dominguez is warning the public about an E-mail attached to the sheriff’s web site allegedly coming from the IRS offering an annual tax refund.
“This e-mail is a phishing scam attempting to get the individual to supply their personal information for a cash rebate. It has nothing to do with the sheriff’s department. Those conducting this scam are attempting to add legitimacy to their request for your information. There is no cash rebate”, Dominguez said.
From: Internal Revenue Service [mailto:do-not-reply@irs.gov]
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 3:24 PM
Subject: Get Your Annual Tax Refund Now !
Importance: High
After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $215.14. Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 6-9 days in order to process it.
A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons. For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.
To access the form for your tax refund, please click here
Regards,
Internal Revenue Service
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