By: Karen Lee

Over the past few weeks, animal control workers in the Conejo Valley have noticed a large increase in the population of baby rattlesnakes. Owner of a snake catching business and self proclaimed “Rattlesnake Wrangler”, Bo Slyapich stated that ninety percent of his company’s call in the past few weeks have been in regards to rattlesnakes. In one week, Slypich removed 25 rattlesnakes from homes throughout the area. He warns residents to be conscious of these snakes as the weather warms because they are drawn to heat.

There are several ways you can protect your family against rattlesnakes. Slypich advises homeowners to keep garage and house doors closed as well as insure that plants in your yard are trimmed down to 6 inches in order to spot snakes. Residents should also clear any clutter near their house that snakes could easily hide in. Lastly, keep your dogs inside to prevent rattlesnake attacks.

California’s abundant natural beauty can turn deadly when combined with warm, dry, windy weather. Now that Spring is here with Summer quickly approaching, it is important to take preemptive measures against wildfire.

As a homeowner, there are several actions you can take to protect your home from wildfires:

• Create a defensible zone around your home. Your local fire department can help.
• Using roofing resistant materials that are rated Class A. Common Class A roof covering includes asphalt fiberglass composition shingles, concrete or clay tiles, and steel or copper tiles. Screen all openings created by vents and roof materials. Keep roof and gutters free of debris.
• Landscape with fire-resistant plants.
• Make sure firefighters can see your address.
• Have an evacuation plan family members can follow, and don’t just talk about it, practice it.

If you’re ready to start the hunt in earnest, your next step is to get pre-approved for a loan. Most sellers, including all REO and short sale sellers, will not review an offer without a loan pre-approval, and many real estate brokerages require pre-approval in order to work with you. There are two ways to go—quick, or in-depth. You can get a quick pre-approval from your regular bank or credit union if you’re not sure which lender or mortgage plan you’ll be using. If you do know your specific lender and mortgage, go with the in-depth. With either process, you’ll need to fill out a loan application and submit it along with the following information: Work History, Credit Rating and History, Total Debt, Down Payment amount available, Investments and Other Assets and Residence History for Previous two Years. The amount of documentation will vary by Lender, this is just a general rule of thumb.

Let’s assume your application passes muster, and you’ve been pre-approved—congratulations! Don’t go too crazy celebrating though: If you make major changes to your credit, debt, or assets after pre-approval, but before you secure a loan, you could jeopardize your chances of getting any mortgage at all. Lenders commonly re-check your credit within five days of your home purchase closing, and any significant changes to your score may put the kibosh on your loan.

With more Homeowners leasing their homes, the Rent Rite Directory might be a useful tool. First launched in Dallas by real estate entrepreneurs in July of 2010, this growing database is now available nationwide. RRD provides comprehensive, detailed background checks on prospective tenants, including incident reporting, credit history, and criminal background checks.

The free incident-reporting system tracks a tenant’s previous dwelling history, including skips, evictions, on-property criminal activity and proxy-renters (those who sign leases on behalf of tenants otherwise unqualified to rent). The more comprehensive check runs $16 for a standard package and $36.50 for a premium package.

For more information visit www.therrd.com or call 855.733.2290.

Until recently, if you had a complaint, you had to take your chances appealing to the credit card company itself. Now the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has opened a one-stop complaint center for all credit card related issues.

To register your complaint, go to CFPB’s home page. There you’ll find a simple form that asks you to describe what happened and to categorize your complaint from a menu of about 30 items, such as “billing disputes” and “credit line increase/decrease.” You’ll also be asked how much money you lost (if any), when the incident occurred and what you have already done to resolve the problem.

Next, you’ll be asked to describe the outcome for your problem that you think would be fair, and for your contact information. Expect written confirmation from the CFPB, which will forward your complaint to the card issuer.

Once you have registered your complaint, you can check its status online. If the issuer does not respond in a timely manner and resolve the complaint satisfactorily, and the CFPB receives a number of similar complaints, it will likely launch an investigation. It’s too soon to tell how well this complaint process will work, but seems like a step in the right direction.

With the economy beginning to recover, it is essential that we understand small businesses are a vital part of the recovery. Having just returned from the British Isles where we saw store after store that we have here in Westfield Topanga Plaza, I yearned to go into a store that was unique. Small and unique businesses were difficult to find in the British Isles because of the impact of the economic downturn. Now, more than ever, it is important to emphasize supporting small businesses. Of course it is difficult to support a local business on one’s own, so lately people have become creative in the way they are aiding small businesses. One of these ideas has formed into a phenomen called, “Cash Mobs”.

The other morning, I caught a segment on one of the morning shows about Cash Mobs. I had never heard of them. What are they? Per Wikipedia, “A cash mob is a group of people who assemble at a local business and all buy items from that business. The purpose of these mobs is to support both the local businesses and the overall community. They may also serve a secondary purpose in providing social opportunities. They were inspired by flash mobs. The cash mob is related to the carrotmob, which supports companies for ethical, mainly pro-environmental actions.”

Cash mobs have spread across Southern California in the name of helping local economies. There are websites and groups on the Internet that organize cash mob events for citizens to join. Recently, there have been residents in the Malibu area coming together to create their own cash mob for the “Preserve Malibu” movement.

What a great idea! We should bring this to Calabasas, Hidden Hills and surrounding areas to promote our local economies.

Preventing Unwanted Text Messages

I hate scams and spams. Now we not only have to contend with internet scams and phishing (there is a whole new vocabulary out there), but also text scams. Receiving a text in the middle of the night was beyond annoying but when it turned out to be a text meant to swindle me, it was worse. I don’t recall how much the gift card was for but I know that I do not shop at that store. The biggest clue was the number. Now we are getting 5, 6 & 10 digit numbers. This scam is called “SMiShing“. If you receive one you can forward the text to the shortcode 7726 which spells SPAM. You should receive an automated message from your wireless carrier asking you to enter the phone number from which the spam text was sent. This allows wirelss carriers to investigate and block senders.

Don’t believe you won a $50 Starbucks card or will win a free IPad if you are one of the first 1000 responses. If something is too good to be true, it is too good to be true.

Verizon, my wireless carrier, even filed suit against another type of text fraud through which companies set up websites to rope in unwitting customers to fraudulent premium third-party SMS text messaging services, which can make lots of money off the unwitting.

These spam text messages are illegal under the 2003 “Can Spam” Act. The FCC recommends to reply STOP, but there’s a theory that replying could just indicate to the spammer that you have a working number that can be resold.

Customers Affected by Text Messaging Fraud Can Visit www.premiumsmsrefunds.com for Information on Filing Claim for Refund.

It is wonderful when you hear about heroes but little heroes are the best.  Mikah Kainine, age 7 of Hidden Hills was recently bit by a rattlesnake in his backyard when he tried to protect his 2 year old brother Joseph and his dog Luna.  When I read about how he stepped between the snake and his brother, it confirmed my belief in mankind’s good deeds and the wonderful parenting he is receiving.  When I think of seven year old boys, I don’t think of heroes.  Most would be busy playing and not be aware of nearby danger.

After being bitten, he had the maturity to call out to his mother so she could protect his brother and save his dog. He has been in the hospital four days and will have to undergo physical therapy after his release so he can walk again.

What a brave little hero.

Fire captain, Ed Loney, advised snake bit victims to call 911 even if you are going to the hospital as it can take up to 30 minutes to mix the anti-venom. With the weather warming, we should all be aware of rattlesnakes.  Be careful when you are working in the garden, walking on the trails or even walking on the street.

There are very few places in the US that capture the essence of good Italian food. It is that mouth watering sensation of feeling as though you could be sitting in a restaurant in Milan or wandering the streets of Venice. The sheer impossibility of this task can be daunting to some but Tonino’s restaurant does just that, conquers the impossible and transports you to another place. Recently voted, “The Best Crust in America” by Gourmet Magazine, Tonino’s Place in Woodland Hills is an Italian wonder. Reviews from Yelp boast “this is the real deal” and “still in love with this place”. Previous patrons also commend the restaurant for its amazing staff and customer service.

Tonino’s Place is run by two Toninos, Tonino “Toto” Morra and Tonino Boniovanni who both add their own special recipes to the menu. Morra is known for his homemade thin pizza crust, hand tossed Napolitana style. Boniovanni has not only added his “Roman-style” dishes but also brought his wife and son into the business. Son, Jonathon Lakatos created a low-carb section of the menu that includes items such as grilled chicken and Insalata di Pollo, a delectable salad full of veggies and chicken breast. Boniovanni’s wife, Linda is well known for her incredible customer service whether it be on the phone or in the restaurant.

The restaurant is located in El Camino Shopping Center, at 23351 Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills. Call (818) 591-0600 to make a reservation, order take-out or ask for delivery. Tonino’s delicious menu can be found online at their website: http://www.toninosplacepizzeria.com/

Next weekend, The Relay for Life Team from Calabasas will be holding a rummage sale to benefit the American Cancer Society. Donations for the sale are welcome and all members of the community are invited to join. The sale will be held from 7am to 1 pm on Saturday, April 28 behind the Calabasas Library and City Hall. There will be an array of goods for all visitors to look through so if you’re looking to put some extra fun in your shopping, stop by! Plus, there is no better feeling than having a good time and helping a better cause at once.

Cancer has affected nearly everyone in some shape or form so Calabasas beckons everyone in the community to come participate in Relay for Life. The event details state, “Your reasons for walking in the Relay For Life are as unique and special as the story that motivates you. This is your opportunity to not only honor cancer survivors and remember people we have lost, but also to raise funds and awareness to help save lives.” The Relay for Life Calabasas Event will be held at A.E. Wright Middle School from May 19-20, 2012 for a full 24-hours from 9:00 AM – 9:00 AM.

Top fundraisers in the Calabasas Relay for Life include one of our own, Steve Tip who ranks as number one in individual donations for the American Cancer society in Calabasas. Vice President and General Counsel of Ewing and Associates, Ernie Wish is also partaking in Relay for Life by speaking during the opening ceremony at 10am the day of the event. For more information about the rummage sale or the Relay for Life event, please contact me, Kenny Melcombe at kenny@kennymelcombe.com.