Web page offers connection to foods grown in Kentucky

Kentucky has a rich tradition of hospitality and good food.

A new web page on the College of Agri-culture Web site will help people make food connections. The site can be found at www.ca.uky.edu/foods.

It will help people find Kentucky-grown foods in their county or surrounding area and give them more access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

The page provides links to all the UK College of Agriculture’s programs and initiatives related to local foods, as well as state and national resources. As part of the page, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service agents will have the opportunity to develop county Web pages that list their local producers and products. Franklin and Woodford counties will have the first county-specific Web pages developed.

Utility bill payment scam

Attorney General Jack Conway warns Kentucky consumers not to fall victim to a new identity theft scam involving the payment of utility bills.

In this latest scam released Thursday, July 12,  fraudsters claim that President Obama will pay consumers’ utility bills for one month through a new federal program.

“Although there are government programs that provide home energy assistance, this is not one of them,” Conway said. “This is a scam designed to gain access to a consumer’s personal and financial information and to steal their identity.

Never provide your Social Security number or sensitive personal information to someone you do not know.”

Scam artists are using in-person solicitation, flyers, social media, phone calls and text messages as part of this multi-state scheme.

Consumers are told that President Obama has approved special funding through the Federal Reserve Bank for utility bill assistance.

The scam artists then solicit personal information such as a Social Security number from the victim and provide them with a fraudulent bank routing number to use when paying their utility bills online.

Customers who use this number are led to believe that their utility bills are paid and even receive payment confirmation notices. Payments are later rescinded as a result of the fake account numbers.

General Conway’s Office of Consumer Protection has received no complaints from consumers about this scam and is not aware of any victims in Kentucky. Victims have been reported in California, Illinois, Tennessee and Texas.

Residents who are in need of home emergency assistance may be eligible for financial help through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which is administered in Kentucky through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Community Action  Agencies across the state.

For additional information on the Kentucky LIHEAP program visit http://chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/dfs/liheap.htm or call 1-800-456-3452.

Dates of interest

Tuesday, July 24: “Tasty Travels across America” noon and again at 6 p.m., Boone County Extension Office. Registration is required. Contact Carroll County Extension office for information.

Thursdays, Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28 and Sept. 4 and 11: Beginning Dulcimer  6:30-7:30 p.m. Class fee. Registration required. Contact the Extension office for information.

Grace Angotti is Carroll Co. Extension agent for family and consumer sciences. Call her at (502) 732-7030 or send e-mail to gangotti@uky.edu.