OWNER VICTIMIZED IN CHECK-THEFT SCAM Thieves are increasingly stealing checks from the mail and then altering or counterfeiting them. Story by MIKE HUGHLETT Photo by RICHARD TSONG-TAATARII ​The Minnesota Star Tribune

The check wasn't in the mail — it had been stolen.

But by the time Jeremy Dohm learned his $5,752.87 check to a Michigan supplier had been purloined and counterfeited, his New Prague car wash equipment business was out $55,752.87, the amount printed on the sham check.

"It was a stunning moment," he said.

He thought his bank, Minnwest, would cover the loss. But the bank claimed it wasn't responsible. The bank that accepted the counterfeit check in Michigan, JPMorgan Chase, finally ponied up his $55,753, after three tense weeks.

Dohm learned the hard way that check theft via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has surged in recent years. While some thieves still simply plunder checks from residential mailboxes, the illicit trade has grown more sophisticated and uglier.

The robberies of mail carriers have increased, and thieves also have targeted master keys that can open up collection boxes. And criminals have improved their game, using better technology to alter, counterfeit and market stolen checks.

"We are talking about organized crime," said David Maimon, a Georgia State University professor who specializes in cybercrime and has documented the burgeoning market for stolen checks on the dark web.

When Maimon started his stolen-check research in 2020, he found about 400 checks on the dark web per month. Now, that number is around 7,000. The dark web is a marketplace for criminals, including peddlers of stolen identity and financial information.

A nationwide surge in check fraud targeting the U.S. mail started during the pandemic, according to the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Center (FinCEN), a division of the U.S. Treasury Department.

From March 2020 through February 2021, USPS saw a 161% increase in mail thefts, with criminals generally looking for checks, according to the division. And from 2020 through mid-2023, bank reports of check fraud soared, FinCEN reported last month.

"Check fraud is at a scale we have not seen in the past," and mail theft is the "number one" cause, said Paul Benda, executive vice president of risk, fraud and cybersecurity at the American Bankers Association, a trade group. "The amount of money that can be made is staggering."
Thieves more inventive

The rise in check theft comes paradoxically as checks have been increasingly supplanted by electronic payments. Still, many companies, including Dohm's, use both payment systems.
"Some vendors just prefer a check," Dohm said.

His business, Autowash Systems Inc. (ASI), builds, repairs and services car wash systems, ringing up just north of $20 million in sales annually and employing about 50. The company focuses on the Upper Midwest, but has suppliers across the country.

ASI's pilfered check was headed to ABC Wash Systems in Rochester Hills, Mich. It was one of 15 checks picked up by a postal worker at ASI's office on Aug. 20. The other 14 checks arrived at their intended destinations.

Dohm said he discovered the missing check after ASI's controller, Stephen Mueller, received a call on Sept. 5 from a PNC Bank branch in Texas. PNC had been presented with a $5,753 check from Dohm's company, made out to a woman in Manvel, a city 25 miles south of Houston.

PNC asked for verification of the payee's identity. Mueller had never heard of her, but the check carried the same number and dollar amount as the check ASI had written to ABC in Michigan. PNC did not honor the bogus check.

After the PNC call, Mueller rushed to scrutinize ASI's checking account.
He found that another bogus check with the same number as the ABC check had been honored on Aug. 30 — but for $55,753. It was made out to a man in Harper Woods, Mich., a Detroit suburb about 30 miles southeast of ABC's location.

Dohm called his bank, Redwood Falls-based Minnwest, to figure out what happened.

He said the bank, which has a branch in New Prague, told him the check was cashed by JPMorgan Chase in Michigan. Dohm said Minnwest also told him that the checks presented to Chase and PNC were counterfeit versions of the check originally made out to ABC.
Minnwest told Dohm it was not responsible, and he would have to recover his stolen money from Chase. On Sept. 5, Minnwest sent an indemnity request to Chase.

Dohm reported the incident to the New Prague Police Department, which is investigating. He also filed a report with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which has been plenty busy in recent years dealing with the huge increase in check thefts.

Robberies of U.S. postal workers and property increased sevenfold between fiscal years 2019 and 2023, according to a May report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Besides the surge in stealing "arrow keys" — the master keys that open collection boxes — postal inspection audits have also turned up lax security for arrow keys at post offices around the country, including in Minnesota. A Postal Service audit released earlier this year found that 17 arrow keys were missing at an Eagan branch.

Banks push prevention to customers
Dohm said he was dumbfounded that the $55,753 check was cashed in the first place, particularly since it was a fairly large amount originating from a business.

"We don't write checks often to individuals, if ever," he said.
The phony ASI check was deposited into a Chase account at an automated teller machine, the bank said, declining to disclose the ATM's location.

Suspicious the check could be fraudulent, Chase said it "restricted" the depositor's account the day after the deposit was made. That means the depositor couldn't access the funds, though the check was still debited from ASI's account at Minnwest.

Chase declined to comment further on the fraud's particulars.
On Sept. 20, Minnwest informed Dohm that Chase had recovered his $55,573 and the money had been credited to his account. The bank told Dohm he got his money back only because Chase still had access to the illicit funds on deposit.

Dohm said he wasn't too happy with Minnwest's response to the incident. "The attitude was, 'I'm sorry and it's too bad that it happened, but there's not much we can do,' " Dohm said.

The bank, in a statement, said that "in any attempted fraud situation, Minnwest Bank prides itself on making every effort to remediate the impact to our customers, and to help educate our customers on how to best protect their operations against future fraud attempts."

Minnwest told Dohm that ASI was liable for the loss. That's because after an attempted check fraud earlier in 2024, ASI had declined a $35-a-month service from the bank called "positive pay," which individually reconciles each cleared check against the original.

Dohm said Minnwest didn't make it clear that he would be liable for check fraud if he didn't sign up. ASI did upgrade to a higher security check paper. But the new check paper didn't stop the counterfeiters.
Now, he's signed up for Minnwest's positive pay.

Banks "would really love to get people off checks," said Denda of the banking trade group. "Checks are an inherently insecure form of payment."
​
[email protected]

Harv's Corner I Voted!

Early voting has begun. 
It's important before you cast your vote that you know what you are voting for.  Today I present Donald Trump with an outline of his platform and what you can expect if he is elected.  Please read carefully and then
VOTE!

Donald Trump, R
Seeking a return to the White House, with Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate this time, Trump wants to accomplish much of what he couldn't do during a term that was sidetracked by the global pandemic. The Republican wants the extension and expansion of his 2017 tax cuts, a huge increase in tariffs, more support for fossil fuels and a greater concentration of government power in the White House. Amid a bitterly divisive campaign, Trump survived an assassination attempt during a July rally in Pennsylvania and an apparent attempt on Sept. 15 while playing golf in Florida.

CLIMATE
Trump denies established climate science, disparages renewable energy and champions unlimited production of fossil fuels. His administration rolled back more than 100 environmental protection regulations, and he plans a similar agenda if elected again. He has called for unlimited oil and gas drilling, pledging to "end Biden's delays in federal drilling permits and leases" and to "remove all red tape that is leaving oil and natural gas projects stranded." He has also called for building more coal plants and eliminating a Biden regulation that would force many existing plants to close.

ECONOMY
Trump enacted a large package of tax cuts as president and pursued protectionist trade policies, including a trade war with China. He wants to cut taxes further and enact more sweeping tariffs. He says he would not cut Social Security or Medicare benefits but has not provided a plan to keep the programs solvent. Trump has also criticized high interest rates, the Federal Reserve's primary tool to control inflation. He argued in August that the president should have a say in the decisions of the Fed, which normally operates independently of the White House.

DEMOCRACY
Trump is the only U.S. president who has refused to accept his loss. He tried to overturn the 2020 election and has sought to delegitimize the electoral system. He has used dehumanizing terms like "vermin" to describe his political opponents. Trump has indicated that he would end the norm of Justice Department independence, vowing to use the levers of government to punish his political opponents and anyone whom he deems to have engaged in "unscrupulous behavior" in this year's election. He has floated the idea of pardoning himself, something no president has tried to do.

ABORTION
Trump's Supreme Court appointees enabled the overturning of Roe v. Wade, ending federal protections for abortion. He has boasted about that fact on a number of occasions, saying he accomplished what no Republican president before him could and calling himself "proudly the person responsible" for the overturning of Roe. He has repeatedly, and falsely, claimed that "all legal scholars" supported overturning it. He has said that he would not sign a federal abortion ban but that states should be allowed to enact any restrictions they choose.

ISRAEL, GAZA
Trump has sought to position himself as a champion of Israel, and as president, he took actions that favored the country. He supports Israel in its war in Gaza and has condemned pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the United States, but he has also urged Israel to "finish up" the war because it is losing support. He said recently that he doubted a two-state solution was possible. Trump has described criticism of Israel as antisemitism, and his administration took steps to designate campaigns to boycott Israel as such. He has also made antisemitic remarks.

IMMIGRATION
Trump enacted sweeping anti-immigration policies when he was president, including separating migrant children from their parents. If elected again, he wants to round up millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally and detain them in camps before deporting them en masse. He told Time magazine in April that he said he might deploy the military against migrants both along the border and in nonborder states, claiming that a law that forbids the use of the military for domestic law enforcement would not apply because people who are in the U.S. illegally "aren't civilians."

UKRAINE
Trump has repeatedly taken issue with U.S. aid to Ukraine and says he will continue to "fundamentally reevaluate" the mission and purpose of the NATO alliance if he returns to office. He has claimed, without explanation, that he will be able to end the war before his inauguration by bringing both sides to the negotiating table. (His approach seems to hinge on Ukraine giving up at least some of its Russian-occupied territory in exchange for a cease-fire.) On NATO, he has assailed member nations for years for failing to meet agreed-upon military spending targets.

EDUCATION
Trump has said he wants to "get rid" of the Education Department and "let local areas and, frankly, states handle education." In September 2023, Trump released a 10-point plan that included "restoring parental rights," proposals relating to students' gender identity, and allowing for the direct election of principals. He proposed incentivizing schools to eliminate teacher tenure, reinstating a commission focused on teaching U.S. history and allowing for "universal school choice." Trump lauded the Supreme Court decision ending the use of race in public and private university admissions.

GUN CONTROL
As president he banned bump stocks in response to the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, though the ban has since been overturned by the Supreme Court. His campaign stated, "The Court has spoken and their decision should be respected." He reversed Obama-era regulations that required those eligible for Social Security Administration mental disability payments to be blocked from buying guns, and made it easier for gun-safety devices to be more widely accessible. The former president is a gun owner and has stated in the past that he "always carries a gun."

LGBTQ RIGHTS
Trump has pledged to keep transgender women out of women's sports and says he will ask Congress to pass a bill establishing that "only two genders," as determined at birth, are recognized by the U.S. As part of his crackdown on gender-affirming care, he would declare that any health care provider that participates in the "chemical or physical mutilation of minor youth" no longer meets federal health and safety standards and bar them from receiving federal money. He would support a national prohibition of hormonal or surgical intervention for transgender minors.

THINK!   VOTE!
(HARV)

Harv's Corner I Voted!

Early voting has begun. 
It's important before you cast your vote that you know what you are voting for.  Today I present Kamala Harris with an outline of her platform and what you can expect if she is elected.  Next week I will present Trump's platform.  Please read carefully and then
VOTE!

Kamala Harris, D
The sitting vice president built a career as a local and state prosecutor in California before she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016. Four years later, as President Joe Biden's running mate, she became the highest-ranking female official in United States history. Harris appeared destined for another possible stint as vice president until July 21, when Biden stunningly dropped his bid for re-election and endorsed her for president. Since naming Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, Harris has pledged to chart a new way forward even as she has embraced many of Biden's ideas
.
CLIMATE
Harris supports the Biden administration's general approach to climate policies, including subsidies for renewable energy. She has promoted environmental justice programs, which focus on the impact of climate change on marginalized communities.
During her first presidential campaign in 2019, Harris endorsed a ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a process used to extract oil and natural gas from bedrock.
She also challenged federal approvals of offshore fracking when she was attorney general of California. However, she says she no longer supports a fracking ban.

ECONOMY
Harris wants to ban price gouging, create incentives to build housing, expand tax credits for middle- and low-income households, and offset the costs by increasing taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans. Her main proposal for reducing inflation is to ban corporate price gouging on groceries. Her campaign says she would authorize the Federal Trade Commission to impose "harsh penalties" on corporations that violated the ban and fund investigations of gouging in meat supply chains . She supports the Biden administration's spending on infrastructure and renewable energy.

DEMOCRACY
Harris' campaign has framed the election in part as a fight to preserve American democracy. She has condemned Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and she supports legislation to expand voting access and counter restrictions in Republican-led states. Those measures failed to pass because of Republican filibusters. In accepting the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August, she said she would "hold sacred America's fundamental principles, from the rule of law, to free and fair elections, to the peaceful transfer of power."

ABORTION
Harris supports a federal right to abortion and wants to prevent states from banning the procedure before fetal viability. She has regularly spoken out in favor of abortion rights, including making the first official visit to an abortion clinic by a president or a vice president. To achieve her goal of enshrining the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law now that the Supreme Court has overturned it, she would need not just Democratic majorities in Congress but also 50 senators willing to get rid of the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to pass most legislation.

ISRAEL, GAZA
Harris has said that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas and that the United States should continue to send it weapons, while calling for a cease-fire and putting somewhat greater emphasis than Biden has on the humanitarian crisis that Israel's bombardment and invasion have caused in Gaza. She supports a two-state solution. Her national security adviser said in August that she would not support an arms embargo to end the American weapons shipments on which Israel has relied. Harris has praised a national strategy for combating antisemitism.

IMMIGRATION
Harris denounced many of the Trump administration's immigration policies but has endorsed President Biden's decisions to restore some of them, such as restrictions on asylum-seekers, as illegal border crossings have reached record levels. She has tried to address root causes of migration by securing private funding for development projects in Latin America. She recently supported a bipartisan proposal that would have hired thousands of new border security agents and asylum officers and closed the border if crossings reached m ore than 5,000 migrants a day over a week.

UKRAINE
Harris has yet to specify how her positions on Russia's war with Ukraine might differ from Biden's, other than to praise the president's efforts to rebuild alliances unraveled by Trump, particularly NATO, a critical bulwark against Russian aggression. The Biden administration has pledged unceasing support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion. The government has sent tens of billions of dollars in military and other aid to Ukraine that is expected to last through the year. Harris has said it would be foolish to risk U.S. global alliances and decried Russian leader Vladimir Putin's "brutality."

EDUCATION
At the start of her 2019 campaign, Harris called education a "fundamental right" and pledged to "guarantee that right with universal pre-K and debt-free college." As vice president, she has called for increasing teacher pay and criticized Florida's Black history curriculum. During her tenure the White House made broad new investments in historically Black colleges and universities. Harris has supported the Biden administration's moves to provide more than $100 billion in student debt relief, and has specifically argued in favor of student debt relief for public servants.

GUN CONTROL
The vice president wants to implement gun safety laws to reduce gun violence, including red flag laws, universal background checks, and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. She disagreed with the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn the banning of bump stocks, used in the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting at a music festival. In a statement after the decision, she called on Congress to ban bump stocks immediately. As a presidential candidate in 2019, Harris said that she owned a gun for personal safety, but also called for "reasonable gun safety" laws.

​LGBTQ RIGHTS
During her rallies, Harris accuses Trump and his party of seeking to roll back a long list of freedoms, including the ability "to love who you love openly and with pride." She leads audiences in chants of "We're not going back." While her campaign has yet to produce specifics on its plans, she's been part of a Biden administration that regularly denounces discrimination and attacks against the LGBTQ community. Early in Biden's term, his administration reversed an executive order from Trump that had largely banned transgender people from military service.

THINK!   VOTE! 
​ (HARV)

Harv's Corner

​‘Gotta keep trying’ on COVID booster uptake
JILL BURCUM Columnist

Dr. Dimitri Drekonja is one of Minnesota's social media medical stars. First on X (formerly Twitter) and now on Threads, the infectious-disease specialist and University of Minnesota Medical School associate professor is an outspoken advocate for public health, a dedicated distance runner and proud sports dad who's frequently on the road for cross-country meets and mountain bike races.

It's not clear when there's a down moment in his schedule.
But when asked to weigh in on COVID booster shots and the need for them for this fall, Drekonja cleared out time with lightning speed.

"I feel like it's a very Sisyphean task these days to get people to get vaccines, but gotta keep trying," he said this week.
The nod to the Greek mythological figure is on point.

Sisyphus spends eternity pushing a large stone up a hill, just to have it roll back down as he closes in on the peak. His labors never end, and it's understandable why Drekonja feels the same about encouraging patients and the public to stay up-to-date on the COVID vaccine.

When the COVID shot first became available in December 2020, people were clamoring for it. Now vaccine statistics tell a different story. Enthusiasm has waned even as the COVID virus continues not only to circulate but to evolve, with updated boosters needed periodically to combat new viral strains.

Nationally, 22.5% of those age 18 and over are considered "up to date" on COVID vaccination, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Minnesota's vaccination rate eclipses most other states.
It's 36.1% for adults, putting us right behind perennial public health powerhouses Vermont (41.6%) and Massachusetts (36.3%). That's commendable, but clearly there's much to work to ensure that everyone has maximum protection on board as cooler weather arrives. Indoor conditions and holiday gatherings ease COVID's spread.

Drekonja said he understands that people are weary of getting boosters. But the recent Summer Olympics provided a stunning reminder that the virus is still around and can still make people, even the world's best athletes, very ill.

"We all watched Noah Lyles collapse on the track," Drekonja said, referring to the American sprinter who won gold in the 100-meter dash in Paris then competed in the 200-meter event after contracting COVID. He came away with a bronze medal in that race despite being favored for the gold.

A photo of Lyles taken from above after the longer race is sobering. It shows Lyles on his back, out of breath and energy.

"If COVID can knock Lyles to the ground ... imagine what it can do to those of us who aren't elite athletes," Drekonja said.

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has "approved and granted emergency authorization" for updated mRNA COVID boosters that are formulated to combat currently circulating strains of the virus. Reminder: Pfizer and Moderna manufacture the mRNA COVID shots.

"Given waning immunity of the population from previous exposure to the virus and from prior vaccination, we strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants," said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in an Aug. 22 statement.

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a 2024-25 COVID shot.

The agency advises particular urgency for those at high risk of COVID complications, such as the elderly (people 65 years of age or older). The updated shot should be widely available in September, according to federal health officials.

This year's updated flu shot is also available, and Drekonja is an advocate for getting this immunization as well.

Like other physicians, he welcomes conversations with patients about the COVID and flu vaccines. One question he fields in regard to the COVID shot: "How many are we gonna have to get?"

That answer is still unknown as the COVID virus continues to evolve and medical experts continue to perfect the shot. Eventually, a booster may not be needed. For now, however, it is.

Patients for years have been accustomed to getting an annual flu shot and nobody keeps a running tally of how many boosters they've had, Drekonja said. Getting an updated COVID shot is just another thing to cross off your health to-do list, one that reduces your risk of serious illness and hospitalization.

Drekonja likens the COVID immunization to body armor worn by members of the military.

Wearing this gear isn't a 100% guarantee of survival, but it's still something you want to have on when bullets fly.

A recent medical study added further incentive, showing that vaccination can significantly reduce your risk of long COVID.

"I try to tell patients that we know it's not a perfect vaccine, but it works pretty darn well," Drekonja said.

At-home tests are another tool in medicine's arsenal against COVID. The federal government has authorized another round of free tests for consumers in late September.
​
More details on how to get them and who's eligible are available at tinyurl.com/ FreeTestInfo. [email protected]

Harv's Corner

AUTO-IRA MAY BE JUST THE TICKET
Minnesota’s saving program should become available next year for those workers without an employer retirement plan.
By CHRIS FARRELL • For the Minnesota Star Tribune

RETIREMENT

The standard advice when saving for retirement is: "Start early and save regularly" to harness the power of compound interest.

Yet many Americans have saved little for retirement, and that's not because they're financially illiterate. Instead, about half of the private-sector workforce works for companies that don't offer a retirement savings plan. Few workers save without one, and that's a major reason why about 30% of retired households solely rely on Social Security for income. The lack of access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan is concentrated among lower-wage workers without college degrees.

Several administrations of both parties have proposed initiatives to expand coverage nationally, but the efforts have gone nowhere. Frustrated at the lack of progress, eight states stepped into the breach and created auto-IRAs, and at least eight more states are in the wings, including Minnesota. The Secure Choice Retirement Program — Minnesota's auto-IRA — should become effective next year.

The state auto-IRA plans share a similar model, although the details can differ. Employers without a retirement savings plan must auto-enroll employees in an IRA (often a Roth-IRA). Workers can opt out of it.

There is no company match. The default after-tax contribution rate is 5%. The first $1,000 goes into a moneymarket fund. Contributions above that threshold invest into an age-based target date fund.

Will these state-sponsored plans make a difference? Yes, at least according to a paper presented at a recent retirement conference in Washington, D.C., by two economists from Boston College. They took the basic auto-IRA blueprint, made some assumptions and peered into the future. One baseline number: Median household assets in 401(k)s and the like at ages 51-56 are zero on average among employees with high school or less education. (The study offers projections for workers by education. I'm focusing on less-educated employees.)

They assume about one-third of this group will optout. Participants who cycle in and out of the program and use the money for emergencies will accumulate a median balance at ages 51-56 of more than $25,000.

The same group would have almost $44,000 with no withdrawals. These modest sums are better than zero. Workers from this cohort who are continuously enrolled throughout their careers in the program accumulate sizable balances. Making sure all workers have access to a retirement savings plan at work matters, especially early in their career so they can take advantage of compound interest.

Chris Farrell is senior economics contributor, "Marketplace"; and a commentator for Minnesota Public Radio.

Harv's Corner

​​Be active in search for joy in your life OUTSWIMMING THE SHARKS HARVEY MACKAY

There once was a farmer who won the award for the best wheat in the county every year. One day a woman asked him the secret to his success.

He told her that the key is to share his best seeds with his neighbors so they could plant good wheat as well.

The woman asked, “How can you share your best wheat seed with your neighbors when they compete with you every year?”

“That’s simple,” the farmer replied. “The wind spreads the pollen from everyone’s wheat and carries it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior wheat, cross-pollination will degrade everyone’s wheat, including mine. If I’m to grow the best wheat, I must help my neighbors grow the best wheat as well.”

This is not only good advice for growing the best crops, but also excellent advice for how to live your life. If you want to live a meaningful and happy life, help others find happiness.

I love the saying, “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else.”

Happiness is incredibly important. It is not just a fleeting emotion or a byproduct of success. It is a state of mind that can significantly influence both your personal and professional lives. That’s why August is National Happiness Month.

I often say that happiness is not a spectator sport — you must actively participate in the pursuit of your own joy. It is a powerful force that can shape your outlook on life, your interactions with others and your overall well-being.

Happiness also has been linked to better health outcomes.
When you are happy, you are likely to experience less stress, which can contribute to a stronger immune system and a lower risk of chronic diseases.
​
What brings joy to one person may differ for another.
However, there are several universal strategies that can help you obtain happiness, including these.

Choose to be positive.
Cultivate a positive outlook and focus on the good in your life.

Develop an attitude of gratitude.
With a positive attitude, you are better equipped to bounce back from setbacks and maintain a hopeful perspective.
When you are happy, you are more engaged, creative and motivated to achieve your goals.

Incorporate humor into your life.
Look for humor in everyday situations and allow yourself to laugh. Use humor as a tool for hope, signaling that better times are ahead and that you can handle life’s challenges.

Be helpful and kind.
Engaging in acts of kindness and volunteering can boost your mood. Recognizing the value in others can enhance your relationships and bring joy to both you and them.

Choose joy.
​Every day, you have the choice to seek out and embrace joy. Make the conscious decision to pursue activities and thoughts that make you happy. At the same time, avoid self-pity, worry and complaining, which can sap your energy.

Follow your enthusiasm.
Be open to taking detours on your road map to happiness.
Your enthusiasm may lead you to unexpected and fulfilling places.

Mackay’s Moral:
Happiness is like a kiss — you must share it to enjoy it.





​

Harv's Corner 
______________________________________​

Who is Tim Walz

Tim Walz is Minnesota’s 41st Governor.
He was first elected Governor in 2018 and won re-election in 2022. Accomplishments from his time as Governor include providing universal free school meals for students, protecting reproductive freedom, strengthening voting rights, laying the groundwork to get Minnesota to 100% clean electricity by 2040, cutting taxes for the middle class, and expanding paid leave for Minnesota workers.

Throughout his time as Governor, Tim has prioritized making Minnesota the best state in the country to raise a family. Born in a small town in rural Nebraska, Tim’s parents instilled in him the values of public service, generosity toward your neighbors, and working for the common good that guide his commitment to Minnesota today.

After high school graduation, Tim enlisted in the Army National Guard. He attended Chadron State College and graduated with a social science degree in 1989. Tim spent a year teaching abroad before returning home to serve full time in the Army National Guard and eventually accepting a high school teaching and coaching position.

While teaching, Tim met his future wife, Gwen Whipple, who taught at the same school. They moved to Mankato in 1996, where they worked at Mankato West High School. In addition to teaching social studies, Tim helped coach the Mankato West football team that won the school’s first state championship. After 24 years in the Army National Guard, Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005.

Tim won his first election to the United States House of Representatives in 2006 and was re-elected for another five terms serving Minnesota’s First Congressional District in Southern Minnesota.
​
Governor Walz's Signature Accomplishments
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan took office in January 2019 on the promise of One Minnesota:
the vision that, while we are not all the same, we are at our best when we work across lines of difference to improve the lives of all Minnesotans. Facing unprecedented challenges, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan led with a focus on investing in the things that matter most: children and families, economic opportunity, health and safety, and strong local communities.

The Governor and Lieutenant Governor continue building on the accomplishments of their first term to improve the lives of Minnesotans across the state. 

Historic investments in education;
Governor Walz signed a $2.3 billion education budget into law – the single-largest investment in public education in state history. Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan also provided Minnesota students free breakfast and lunch at school, created thousands of new pre-k seats, expanded access to mental health resources for students, and made significant investments to improve child literacy.

Protecting Personal Freedoms; 
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan established ironclad reproductive freedom, protections for Trans individuals, and gender-affirming care as fundamental rights in Minnesota.

Governor Walz also banned the cruel, outdated practice of “conversion therapy” and ended book bans based on ideology. Improving Public Health and Safety Governor Walz banned the use of hand-held cell phones while driving and raised the age to purchase tobacco to 21.

The Governor provided $300 million for public safety needs across the state to combat crime and broke ground on a new, centralized Minnesota State Patrol headquarters.

Governor Walz took meaningful action to protect communities from gun violence, signing bills establishing a red flag law, expanding background checks, increasing criminal penalties for straw purchasing guns, and banning deadly binary trigger guns.

Expanding Workers’ Rights;
To make Minnesota the best state for workers, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan established paid leave, ensured paid sick days, banned non-compete agreements, and increased protections for workers in Amazon warehouses, construction sites, hospitals, nursing homes, and public schools.

Strong Communities and Infrastructure;
Governor Walz signed the largest infrastructure bill in Minnesota’s history into law to rebuild roads and bridges, repair fire stations and water treatment plants, and upgrade veterans’ homes, fish hatcheries, and flood mitigation systems – all while creating good-paying union jobs for Minnesotans.

Governor Walz also provided funding to remove and replace lead pipes across the state.

Tax Cuts for Working Families and the Middle Class;
Governor Walz has cut taxes with every one of his budgets.

Governor Walz has delivered a variety of rebate checks up to $1,300 to seniors, students, workers, and middle-class families. He also lowered taxes for small businesses and fully exempted state taxes on social security for more than three quarters of seniors.

Workforce Development;
Governor Walz has invested millions in workforce development to connect Minnesotans to high-growth, high-demand career fields like manufacturing, education, and public safety.

To lower costs and grow Minnesota’s workforce;
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan provided free college for students with a family income under $80,000. They also invested over $1 billion in child care and early learning opportunities. Expanding Voting Rights Governor Walz signed into law the largest expansion of voting rights in Minnesota in the last half century, restoring voting rights for over 55,000 formerly incarcerated people in Minnesota, establishing automatic voter registration, creating a permanent absentee voting status, and pre-registering 16- and 17-year-olds to vote.

Governor Walz also signed the Minnesota Voting Rights Act;
into law – prohibiting standards that would deny or limit any citizen’s right to vote based on their race, color, or language.

Lowering Prescription Drug Costs In 2023;
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan took new action to significantly lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors and middle-class families. They also enacted the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act to provide Minnesotans with emergency assistance and hold insulin manufacturers accountable.

Protecting Our Environment;
Governor Walz signed a bipartisan bill to lead Minnesota to 100% clean electricity by 2040 all while creating good-paying jobs for Minnesotans. In 2023 alone, he signed over 40 climate initiatives into law – including provisions banning PFAS “forever chemicals,” expanding Minnesota’s electric vehicle infrastructure, and providing a tax credit for electric vehicle purchases. And in 2024, he cut red tape for clean energy projects to put a downpayment on rapid clean energy job growth.

CUTTING CHILD POVERTY;
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan established a nation-leading child tax credit to cut child poverty in Minnesota by up to one-third.

INCREASING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING;
Governor Walz signed a historic $1 billion investment in housing into law – building a foundation for safety, stability, and economic growth across the state. Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan also took new action to protect tenants’ rights.

LEGALIZING ADULT-USE CANNABIS;
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan legalized adult-use cannabis and expunged nonviolent cannabis convictions in Minnesota.

PROTECTING MINNESOTA CONSUMERS;
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan helped more Minnesotans recover from medical debt – banning medical debt from impacting credit scores, preventing medical providers from withholding medically necessary care due to unpaid debt, and eliminating automatic transfers of medical debt to a patient's spouse. Governor Walz also signed a bill into law banning hidden junk fees and cracking down on fraudulent ticket sales.

PROTECTING SENIORS;
To protect Minnesota seniors, Governor Walz signed historic, bipartisan elder abuse legislation to regulate assisted-living centers for the first time. He also allocated $173 million in direct funding for 340 nursing homes across the state.

Office of Governor Tim Walz
130 State Capitol
75 Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155

Harv's Corner
This is the forth and final release on security measures series.
​

Secure Your Personal Information:

Safeguard Sensitive Documents: 
Keep your Social Security card, passport, birth certificate, and other sensitive documents in a secure location, like a locked safe or file cabinet.

Shred Sensitive Documents: 
Shred any documents containing personal or financial information before discarding them.

Limit What You Carry: 
Only carry your Social Security card or passport if necessary, and only carry the credit and debit cards you need.

Be Cautious Online: 
Avoid sharing personal information on social media and be wary of phishing scams.

Practice Strong Password Hygiene:

Use Strong, Unique Passwords: 
Create complex passwords for all your online accounts and avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.

Use a Password Manager: 
Consider using a password manager to securely store and generate strong passwords.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): 
Whenever possible, enable 2FA for an added layer of security.

Monitor Your Financial Accounts:

Regularly Review Statements: 
Check your bank, credit card, and investment statements for any unauthorized transactions.

Set Up Alerts: 
Many financial institutions offer alerts for unusual activity, such as large withdrawals or purchases.

Check Your Credit Reports: 
Review your credit reports from all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) at least once a year for any inaccuracies or signs of fraud.

Protect Your Devices:

Use Security Software: 
Install and regularly update antivirus and anti-malware software on all your devices.

Softwareware Updated: 
Keep your operating systems and applications up to date to patch any security vulnerabilities.

Be Cautious on Public Wi-Fi: 
Avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities like online banking or shopping.

Take Action if You Suspect Identity Theft:

Report Suspicious Activity: If you notice any unauthorized transactions or suspect identity theft, report it to your financial institutions and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Place a Fraud Alert or Credit Freeze: Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit reports to prevent new accounts from being opened in your name.

Monitor Your Credit Reports Closely: 
Continue monitoring your credit reports for any further signs of fraud.

​By following these steps, you can significantly reduce your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft and protect your financial well-being. Remember, vigilance and proactive measures are key to safeguarding your personal information in today's digital age.

The Hottest days ever recorded raise fears that the Earth is near tipping point ​ Extreme weather worldwide was deadly. ​

Palestinian families flocked to the beach to cool off from the rising temperatures in the city of Gaza

As global temperatures spiked to their highest levels in recorded history on Monday, ambulances were screaming through the streets of Tokyo, carrying scores of people who'd collapsed amid an unrelenting heat wave. A monster typhoon was emerging from the scorching waters of the Pacific Ocean, which were several degrees warmer than normal. Thousands of vacationers fled the idyllic mountain town of Jasper, Canada, ahead of a fast-moving wall of wildfire flames.

By the end of the week — which saw the four hottest days ever observed by scientists — dozens had been killed in the raging floodwaters and massive mudslides triggered by Typhoon Gaemi. Half of Jasper was reduced to ash. And some 3.6 billion people around the planet had endured temperatures that would have been exceedingly rare in a world without burning fossil fuels and other human activities, according to an analysis by scientists at the group Climate Central.

These extraordinary global temperatures marked the culmination of an unprecedented global hot streak that has stunned even researchers who spent their whole careers studying climate change.
Since last July, Earth's average temperature has consistently exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels — a short-term breach of a threshold that scientists say cannot be crossed if the world hopes to avoid the worst consequences of planetary warming.

This "taste" of a 1.5 degree world showed how the natural systems that humans depend on could buckle amid soaring temperatures, said Johan Rockstroum, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. Forests showed less ability to pull carbon out of the atmosphere. Sea ice around Antarctica dwindled to near record lows. Coral bleaching became so extreme scientists had to change their scale for measuring it.

Even as scientists forecast an end to the current recordbreaking stretch, they warn it may prove difficult for parts of the planet to recover from the heat of the past year.

"The extreme events that we are now experiencing are indications of the weakening resilience of these systems," Rockstrum said. "We cannot risk pushing this any further."

This week's broken records come on the heels of 13 straight months of unprecedented temperatures — fueled in part by the planet's shift into an El Niño climate pattern, which tends to warm the oceans, as well as pollution from burning coal, oil and gas.

The warming neared its apex on Sunday, when data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the European climate monitor, showed the global average temperature edging out a record set a little over a year earlier.

But the new benchmark only stood for 24 hours, with Monday hitting a historic 17.16 degrees C (62.89 F). Tuesday was the second hottest on record, and Wednesday tied Sunday.

Though these numbers may not seem extreme, they are the average of thousands of data points taken from the Arctic to the South Pole, in places that are experiencing winter as well as those in the midst of summer. The preliminary data was generated using a sophisticated type of analysis that combines global weather observations with a state of the art climate model — a method that outside researchers said Copernicus' is highly reliable.

The world's oceans are also awash in historic heat. Copernicus data shows that the waters around Taiwan are 2 to 3 degrees C (3.6 to 5.4 degrees F) hotter than normal, helping to fuel Typhoon Gaemi's devastation. Research shows that higher ocean temperatures give more power to tropical cyclones, while a warmer atmosphere can hold more water — and thus produce more rain.

Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 weather stations around the planet notched new daily high temperature records over the last seven days, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

Although scientists have not yet quantified the role of warming in all of this year's extreme events, there is abundant evidence that heat waves, storms and fires are made more frequent and intense because of climate change.

"We are running out of metaphors" to describe the unrelenting pace and scale at which the world is now breaking records, Copernicus director Carlo Buontempo said.

Scientists have estimated Earth's average temperature based on observations dating back to 1850, and now measure it by pulling data from more than 20,000 land-based stations, as well as readings from ships and buoys around the globe.

To convey the severity of Earth's current heat, other researchers have turned to the planet's past. By studying tree rings, lake sediments and other records of the ancient climate, paleoclimate researchers have determined that the world is likely now warmer than it has been in more than 100,000 years, since before the start of the last ice age.

Humanity now faces conditions unlike anything our species has known before. According to a Climate Central analysis of the five-day period ending Friday, nearly half of the planet experienced at least one day of "exceptional heat" — temperatures that would have been rare or even impossible in a world without climate change.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for improved warning systems, stronger worker protections and other policies to protect people from these scorching temperatures.

Buontempo expects that Earth's record-breaking streak may soon end. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last month declared an official end to the El Nino, reflecting cooling conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The end of summer in the Northern Hemisphere also tends to bring down the planet's overall temperature.

Yet the unprecedented amount of heat-trapping carbon in Earth's atmosphere — which is at its highest level in more than 3 million years — will mean that even without El Nino, the world remains perilously warm.


​

Harv's Corner

This is the Third of 4 weekly releases. 
​
Hi, In Harv's corner, we're heading back to school.
​In this third of four releases, I will discuss the importance of monitoring your credit and provide directions on how to do it quickly and easily. If you need help implementing or understanding the instructions, please call me at 651-336-1626.
​I'll be happy to help in any way I can.
​Stay alert!

​Credit monitoring
is a valuable tool that can help you detect and address potential fraud, identity theft, or errors on your credit reports early on. While not a foolproof solution, it offers additional protection for your financial well-being. Here's why it's important and how to get started:
​
Importance of Credit Monitoring:

Early Fraud Detection: 
Credit monitoring alerts you to suspicious activity, such as new account openings, hard inquiries, changes in personal information, or unusual credit utilization, allowing you to take immediate action.
Identity Theft Protection: 
If someone tries to use your information to open new accounts or make unauthorized purchases, you'll be notified promptly.
Credit Report Accuracy: 
Monitoring helps you spot errors or inaccuracies on your credit reports that could negatively impact your credit score.
Peace of Mind: 
Knowing your credit is being monitored can provide reassurance and reduce anxiety about potential fraud.
Most Recommended Credit Monitoring Services:
Many reputable companies offer credit monitoring services with varying features and pricing. Some highly recommended options include: IdentityForce: 
Comprehensive identity theft protection with credit monitoring, dark web monitoring, and identity restoration services.
Norton LifeLock: 
Offers various plans with credit monitoring, identity theft protection, and other features like VPN and antivirus software.
IDShield: 
Provides credit monitoring, identity theft protection, and legal consultation for identity theft victims.
Experian IdentityWorks: 
Offers different tiers of credit monitoring and identity theft protection, including options for family plans.
Credit Karma: 
Free credit monitoring service that provides access to your credit reports and scores from two bureaus (TransUnion and Equifax). It's essential to compare features, pricing, and customer reviews to choose the service that best fits your needs and budget.

How to Get Started with Credit Monitoring:

Choose a Service: 
Research and select a reputable credit monitoring service that offers your desired features.
Sign Up: 
Create an account with the service and provide the required personal information.
Link Your Accounts: 
Connect your bank accounts, credit cards, and other financial accounts to the service for comprehensive monitoring.
Set Up Alerts: 
Customize alerts to receive notifications for specific activities, such as new inquiries, account openings, or changes to your credit reports.
Review Reports Regularly: 
Even with monitoring, reviewing your credit reports from all three bureaus at least once a year is crucial for accuracy and completeness. By implementing credit monitoring, you can proactively protect your financial identity and take swift action in case of any suspicious activity. Credit monitoring is just one part of a comprehensive identity theft protection strategy. Combining it with other security practices like strong passwords, secure online behavior, and cautious sharing of personal information will strengthen your defenses against identity theft.