Today's General Membership meeting was led by Ron Largent, and with refreshments provided by the Shasta Association of Realtors. Ron pointed out that we are rapidly becoming an up-and-coming wine producing area, with 12 operating wineries in Shasta and Tehama County. Ron also reminds us of the Christmas in July food and clothing drive at the Mt Shasta Mall to boost donations to local food banks. While we are often motivated at Christmastime to donate to our several excellent service providers like Redding Loaves and Fishes and the Good News Rescue Mission, sometimes that need is left behind in the middle of Summer. See links for more info.

Esther Auerbach of Mission Hills Mortgage brought us our mortgage minute, reminding us of the crucial role played by credit scores in mortgage rates. As she pointed out, the difference in rates can cost quite a bit over the life of a mortgage, so counsel your clients to be very careful about their credit scores. Mission Hills has a brand new website, with online loan application, so check it out HERE. Looks good.

Steve Crosetti of Fidelity Title had some good news about the recent restoration of their title insurance company's ability to provide information services to agents.  Important new restrictions on what no-cost items and services all insurance companies can provide that may have implied obligation had been over-applied to information services that are essential to our business. That longstanding practice also provides consumers with much needed information tools like property profiles. Anyway, that extremely restrictive interpretation has been corrected pending further review, so contact Steve for more info.

Also from Fidelity, our featured law enforcement  guests spoke about the rampant and growing problem of identity theft. In fact, Chief Hansen related at the meeting that he himself had been the victim of identity theft on 3 occasions. Because the exchange of identity information at the close of transaction creates the possibility of unsecured personal data, Fidelity is now providing a year free of credit watch monitoring from Experian with all their policies, so that's very timely information. See more info HERE.

Our featured guests were Redding Police Chief Peter Hansen and Shasta County Sherriff Tom Bosenko. In their 40 minute presentation they touched on a wide range of many important subjects including: Phishing scams and identity theft. Recent tough budget issues and their effects on local law enforcement, along with efforts of both departments to mitigate those effects on direct law enforcement capabilities. Castle laws and individual rights of self protection, along with gun laws and pepper spray effectiveness. Drug enforcement problems including marijuana eradication and the effects of prohibition on organized crime and forest environmental damage. Knowing the confusing differences between a medical marijuana collective and a dispensary and their implications for commercial real estate leasing. And also some advice on real estate agent self-protection, and crime awareness. It was an information-packed presentation by our two local top law enforcement professionals, and was very well received. We've made arrangements to have their important talk available to you on our Podcast Page, so take the time to listen in with your computer, or hand-held device, to keep abreast of this excellent and timely information. There is now a link to the Podcast Page in the right sidebar to make it easier to access. Perfect listening while you are multitasking. It was another great meeting with essential information for private and public safety. Skip Murphy