PREPAID CALLING CARD SETTLEMENT WILL PROVIDE $75,000 FOR HISPANIC INSTITUTE
TALLAHASSEE, FL — Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office has reached a resolution with a prepaid long distance phone card company over marketing practices related to its calling cards. Business Telecommunications Services, Inc., also known as ADMA Telecom, Inc. must now fully deliver the total amount of long distance telephone minutes as advertised and disclose all applicable fees and charges. The settlement also provides for a total of $75,000 to be donated to The Hispanic Institute, which assisted the Attorney General’s Office with its investigation into the prepaid calling card industry.
“I am pleased the higher standards in place within the calling card industry will benefit many of our residents who were using these cards to communicate with family and loved ones,” said Attorney General McCollum.
ADMA is the 12th company to reach a settlement with the Attorney General over issues related to the prepaid calling card industry. The agreement requires the company to cease any potentially deceptive advertisements, provide 100 percent of the minutes advertised, and submit to three years of auditing by the Attorney General’s Office to ensure that it is following the terms of the agreement. Further, as part of the settlement agreement, the company will provide funding of $25,000 per year for three years to The Hispanic Institute to support its investigative and monitoring efforts in this industry.
“Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is the national leader in combating calling card fraud,” said Gus West, president of the Hispanic Institute. “His work on this issue, and many other issues, continues to provide consumer protection to Hispanics.”
The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division reached this agreement as a result of a continued investigation of the prepaid calling card industry. Prior to the investigation, consumers complained that companies within the industry often utilized hidden or inadequately disclosed fees and charges such as “hang-up fees,” periodic maintenance fees and destination surcharges.
The Economic Crimes Division is still investigating other companies that have been allegedly engaging in similar deceptive and unfair trade practices. Consumers affected by these or other practices may file a complaint by visiting the Attorney General’s website at http://www.myfloridalegal.com or by calling the fraud hotline at 1-866-966-7226.
Líderes de la comunidad hispana hablan de la economía local
El periodista especializado en asuntos de negocios y editor de la sección de negocios del periódico The News Sentinel, Bill Brewer se reunió en mesa redonda con 4 líderes hispanos de Knoxville con la finalidad de vislumbrar a través de los puntos de vista de ellos de que modo la comunidad hispana local ha sido impactada – si ese es el caso, con los cambios en la economía.
Juan Aranda, dueño de la cadena de restaurantes El Charro, Roberto Hernández y Elizabeth Bonilla de la Cámara Hispana de Comercio del Este de Tennessee y Carlos Nicho, presidente de Mundo Hispano-Hispanic World, Inc. propietario de Mundo Hispano Bilingual, el único periódico hispano en el Este de Tennessee conversaron informalmente acerca de varios asuntos de la comunidad.
Encuentre el reportaje sobre esta reunión el día 30 de noviembre en la sección ‘Business’ del periódico The News Sentinel.
ENGLISH VERSION
Juan Aranda, owner of the restaurant chain El Charro, Roberto Hernandez and Elizabeth Bonilla of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of East Tennessee and Carlos Nicho, president of Mundo Hispano-Hispanic World, Inc. proprietor of Mundo Hispano Bilingual, the only Hispanic newspaper in East Tennessee chatted informally about a number of community issues.
Find the report about this meeting on Nov. 30 in the ‘Business’ section of The News Sentinel.
‘Nashville English only” comes back in Jan. 2009
Community Dialogue on “English Only” Special Election
**Pot luck** (bring something to share)
Friday, 21 November 2008
6:00-9:00pm
Progreso Community Center
478 Allied Drive, Suite 107 – Nashville
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Juan Canedo
Director, Progreso Community Center
615-332-8704 or 615-569-3752
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Progreso Community Center / Centro Comunitario Progreso
478 Allied Drive, Suite 107
Nashville, TN 37211
www.hispanictn.org
info@hispanictn.org
Phone: 615-332-8704
Mobile:615-569-3752
Toll Free: 1-866-519-6294
Fax: 615-332-8704
Get Away or Come Together with the Blues at Art Museum
KNOXVILLE, TN—The Knoxville Museum of Art’s Alive After Five concert series presents the swingin’ blues music of Slow Blind Hill on Friday November 28, 2008, from 5:30-8:00 pm.
Alive After Five offers a wonderful option for those looking for a place to take their family and friends who are visiting for the Thanksgiving Day holidays and also for those who are looking for a place to get away from visiting family and friends. Those who are in need of some exercise to trim off some extra Turkey Day pounds can boogie to the beat and dance to the blues of Slow Blind Hill.
Slow Blind Hill has been playing its unique combination of blues and jazz around Knoxville, Tennessee since 1994 and been a favorite at Knoxville nightclubs, the Museum of Art’s “Alive After Five” concert series, and at late night swing dances at the Laurel Theater and other venues. They have four CDs on their own independent label, Straightnose Records.
Guitarist and lead vocalist Jaimie Cameron adds his signature compositions to their playlist of classic blues and R & B. Rounding out the group are Eddy Roberts on bass and keyboards, Graham Butler on drums, and harmonica player Henry Perry, who took early instruction from the Deford Bailey, the only African American member of the early Grand Ole Opry.
For more information about Slow Blind Hill, visit www.slowblindhill.com.
Admission to this performance of Alive After Five is $8 for non-members, and $4 for museum members and students. Alive After Five is sponsored by ORNL Federal Credit Union, Cherokee Distributing Company, Knoxville News Sentinel, WDVX-89.9FM, and WVLT-TV8. For more information about the Alive After Five series, please contact Michael Gill at (865) 934-2039/mgill@kmaonline.org.
Knoxville, Tenn., area employers to participate in Veterans’ Job Fair Nov. 25
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In continuing observance of Veterans Day, the U.S. Department of Labor encourages employers and veterans to attend a job fair on Nov. 25 from 9 a.m. until noon EST at the Tennessee Career Center, 1610 University Ave., Knoxville.
Employers looking for excellent job candidates either for immediate or future hire should attend. They can call Mike Daniel at 615-253-6356 to learn more.
“America’s military service men and women are well known for their discipline, strong work ethic, leadership and technical skills,” said William Bolls Jr., regional administrator for the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). “With these job fairs, we can help America’s veterans transition back to civilian life when their tours of duty end, and help employers connect with great workers.”
This job fair is one of more than 120 nationwide to be held as part of VETS’ HireVetsFirst campaign. For more information on all of the veterans’ employment programs offered by VETS, visit www.dol.gov/vets.
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